I am a university student in the United States. I just got done reading Phillip
Brady's column "United States of America: For Convenience's Sake." Given my understanding of how us Yanks are perceived across the pond, I suppose that the anticipated response from someone like myself would be one filled with self-righteous indignation, fingerpointing, perhaps a bit of childish namecalling.

I know that I am only one voice, but let me just say that I am incredibly
saddened by Mr. Brady's observations. My sorrow stems not only from the fact that he has these opinions, but also that I as well sense the truth in them. I see the gross underappreciation that exists in this country for the wealth that we have. Not to be a hypocrite, I know that I, perhaps very frequently, am not appreciative enough for the things that I have. I think because so much is taken for granted, this why such racial inequalities can exist. When the sports car, suburban home, plasma TV, cease to really mean anything, then why bother making sure the distribution of these goods is fair. While not always the case, I think it often happens that the American suburbanite becomes burdened by his consumerism to the extent that he hopes that the less fortunate might get by with the less tangible things in life, friends, family, and the like, and avoid his burden.

I realize that this is an extremely backwards situation, and probably disturbing to someone more unfamiliar with it. I too am disturbed. While I wouldn't call America fascist per se, I sometimes wonder if I can understand the plight of the German of good-conscience living under Hitler's reign. I see something terrible going on, and I have no idea how to stop it. It's a maddening situation. And driving me even more mad is the thought that, as this is being read, its coming off, probably with some justification, as one more bit of rubbish from an overindulgent American.

I will represent my nation, even if it doesn't represent me. I know that I am
only one voice, but, on behalf of my country, on behalf of every American tourist that has rudely treated the people of your nation as mere servants for their holiday experience, on behalf of the ignorant elite who refuse to recognize the material injustices that are perpetuated in American society, I am sorry, and I hope to convey that in the most heartfelt way that the cold, somewhat impersonal medium of the internet will allow. I wish things were different. I wish things would change. And I try to do what I can to make those changes happen. America may be a sad place. Many Americans want better.

Sincerely,

Christopher J. Peterson