This thread ties back to the Cold War thread and how Americans believe in manifest destiny. We have it taught to us from an early age that we are right and everyone else is not so much wrong, but needs saving. It is hard for us to understand why you would not like to have the same type of things we have and live the way we do. Our way has to be so much better than yours. We just can't fathom the idea of anyone not wanting the same system that we have. The same freedoms that we have. To be able to worship freely, live wherever you want to, come and go as you please, go to whatever school you want to and study whatever you want to study, say pretty much whatever you want and not live in fear. Now that of course is an over simplification of things but for the most part it is true.

I remember the first time we went to El Salvador and the girls were old enough to comprehend and could not understand why the people had dirt floors, no beds, hardly any food and yet, the people were happy. This made no sense to them. The next time they went back, they just slipped right back into El Salvador mode and it wasn't as hard for them. They knew what to expect. The girls have the best memories of time spent in El Salvador because they had less rules and worries about everyday life there. It also gave them a better perspective about the world. It would be a shame if one day we went back and it had turned into just another town like any American town.

Our laws are not the same as other countries but that has not stopped us from trying save people and make the world a better place as "we" see it. We tried with SOPA and the world let it be known rather quickly that the US does not own the Internet. Apparently we are now trying to save the world by protecting it from people who are selling weapons or parts to other nations or people that we believe are up to no good. It is in our nature to do this. It is hard to change a culture that has been going on since the start. It is in our DNA so to speak.

I am not saying that what we are doing is right, just trying to possibly explain why it is we do it and why so many Americans might feel it is what we should be doing.