americans really jump at the chance to help out when there is some kind of disaster. we often jump at the chance to help anyway (without disaster, and uninvited), but that stems from an arrogance that other parts of the world find distasteful.
back to the positive... it amazes me how many people want to send money or offer to help clear debris/rebuild/etc. in the wake of disaster, especially weather-related disasters. it is really moving, and then it makes me sad when i think about how it takes some tragedy or disaster to bring out that side of people. of course, it's not always like that.
american life is largely comfortable. even the poorest individuals in america have it much better than the poor in many parts of the world. some areas of the u.s. are incredibly tolerant, cultured and accepting.
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