Have Americans gotten spoilt? I certainly think so

I admire America, its achievements, dreams and deeds; but two things happened recently that I strongly disapproved of. I was watching news the other day and I saw some Americans getting mad at President Obama’s Healthcare Bill. They were insanely against it. I said… “wait a minute, are Americans getting that spoilt”? For those not in the know, President Obama is tirelessly working with Congress to pass comprehensive health reforms. Obama is intending to cut down America’s rising health care costs, guarantee choice of doctor, and assure high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans. But many Americans are opposed to this policy draft. For a developed country like America, it is tragic that citizens still pay huge bills, close to US$8000 per person on average for treatment. More so, Americans spend more on health care every year than anywhere in the world. The federal government will spend, according to estimates, about $2.6 trillion in 2009 on health. I have not read the entire the bill but the few parts of it I have seen are surprisingly pro-people and more importantly, will provide health insurance to everyone. If Obama wants to deliver a better service to the people, let him borrow a leaf from Rwanda or Canada in regard to health care policy. These are nations where citizens just walk to any hospital and get any doctor with just their national insurance card. Lastly, I was so shocked about the big number of parents, politicians, school administrators, republicans and the so-called political experts making noise about Obama’s address to students, on the day they went back to school. As a student (although neither American nor in USA) I was encouraged and moved by his speech. I found myself transfixed at his message as he urged students to focus on education because that is where everyone’s destiny lay. Most American Presidents have addressed students and encouraged students to study harder; our own leader, President Paul Kagame has done the same before. To avoid the whole hullabaloo, from crazed parents and politicians, who have always been against his administration, he posted the entire speech on the Internet a day before. But this did not stop them from airing their immature and negative views about it . I only wish Americans knew that a lot of students around the world would be happy to hear their President spending time to address them. Is this the America I know? Is this the country of patriots, hard-workers, innovators, inventors, freedoms and opportunity? If it is, I am losing hope in Americans and their American Dream. The writer is an engineering student at University of Saskatchewan, Canada. magnusmazimpaka@yahoo.ca