This article was originally published on 24/7Mirror
No country in the world is perfect. Each and every place has its own problems and countless things that they need to work on. Everyone wants to think that their country is the best and without flaws, but this next list shows that despite what many people claim, America definitely has its fair share of problems. For some unsolicited realness that will make you experience all kinds of emotions, read on!
Hero or Ex Con?
This man named Aaron Tucker stepped up and proved himself a hero after rescuing someone from a car crash. He was on his way to a job interview but stopped everything to save someone from a car crash. How did the news report his heroic act? Instead of referring to him by his name, they called him an "ex-con". It looks like they will never allow him to fully wipe his slate clean.
This man risked his life and probably lost his chance at a new job to save someone's life. And what is the best headline that they could think of? "Ex-con skips job interview takes shirt off his back to save car crash victim." Tragic.
A Truly Messed up System
Sadly, horror stories surrounding the costs of healthcare in the US are far from rare. This man already had to experience the horror of his wife being diagnosed with cancer, but beyond that, they had to use all of their life savings to pay for the medical bills to help heal her. Money from their savings accounts and retirement accounts were spent faster than they could even keep track.
No one can blame this man for becoming bitter and resentful of a system that would leave him and his sick wife in such a terrible financial state. We can only hope that his wife was able to get all the treatments she needed!
The Forced Abortions
Things like this almost seem too horrible to be true as yet they are still happening in the modern world. This woman was forced by her husband to get four pregnancies terminated in the course of one year. What was his reasoning? He did not want to have a child until they were able to conceive a boy and he would rather make his wife go through these procedures than have a daughter.
The woman ended up dying as a result of going through too many pregnancy terminations as it took too much of a toll on her body. Was the husband ever charged? Probably not.
This Should Be Illegal
Anyone who suffers from diabetes knows that it is most definitely an inexpensive disease to have. Not including (the extremely high) insurance costs in the US, the insulin itself is around $1300 per month. Most people, especially young people just starting out in the workforce, simply can't afford that extra cost every month. This poor young man was one of the many who couldn't afford it and ended up dying from rationing his supply too much.
Meanwhile, the companies that produce insulin make millions of dollars (at least) every year.
Who Would Think the Plastic Sword Could Ruin His Life?
Cosplay took a turn to the dark side when police officers saw Darrien Hunt. Instead of understanding that he was a cosplayer and carrying a fake, plastic sword, they assumed the worst of him and "feared public safety". While it's possible that they saw him as a threat, one can't help but think the reaction and outcome are unjust. A person should never die because of something as innocent and fun as cosplay.
He left his house that morning thinking he was dressing up in a fun costume of one of his favorite characters. He probably never thought his plastic sword would be perceived as such a threat.
It's Sad That He Made a T-Shirt Like This
Some people are concerned that their t-shirts will not be bright enough in the dark when they go for a run and a car might not see them in the dark. This man has a bit of a different concern. He is worried about his personal safety and how people will perceive him when he goes for a run in his neighborhood. He wants people to know that he is just going for an innocent run so no one will be suspicious of him.
As sad as it is that this shirt is necessary for some, hopefully, it at least does the job it was intended to and he is able to go for a run in peace.
Insurance Wouldn't Cover a Wheelchair for a 2 Year Old
When something as simple as a wheelchair for a disabled two-year-old child becomes something that is fought over with insurance companies, you know there is something wrong with the system. Luckily for this family who couldn't afford the $20,000 wheelchair for their son, a high school robotics team was able to build one for him and give it to the family for free. Unfortunately, not everyone is quite so lucky in the US.
Although this is a sweet story of the kindness of this high school robotics team, it's truly sad that it had to reach such an extreme state in the first place.
When Jim Carrey Reveals What Others Are Trying to Hide
US military policies and arms deals are almost always a hot topic for debate and criticism and yet they don't always make it to the front pages of the news. Most people, for example, never even heard that Saudia Arabia shot a US-made missile at a school bus in Yemen. What they also did not hear was that forty children were killed in the explosion.
Although the United States did not actually shoot the missile themselves, they sold the missile to Saudia Arabia who then attacked the school bus in Yemen.
A Terrible Lie to Cover up the Truth
LaVena Johnson was a 19-year-old woman serving in Iraq in 2005 when one day she was found dead in her tent. At first sight, the entire scene was traumatic as her nose was broken, she had a black eye and broken teeth, she had gunshot wounds, and there were from corrosive chemicals over her body. It was clear to everyone what terrible thing happened, but what was this reported as? Suicide.
There's something extremely wrong with how her case was handled. We can only hope she is at peace now.
There Are Certain Things Money Can't Buy
Many people know that if the wealth of the world's billionaires was disturbed to all the poor, there is a good chance they could eliminate poverty altogether. But here is the biggest proof of how that will (sadly) never happen. When billionaire Kylie Jenner's makeup artist got into a car accident that required a $60K emergency surgery, she not only did not automatically pay for it herself but had the audacity to ask her fans for donations.
Instead of paying for it herself, Kylie Jenner donated a tiny $5,000 to the cause, despite having more than enough to fund the entire surgery multiple times over.
The Mistreated Orcas in Sea World
The Orca whale, the largest in the dolphin family, is famous for its presence at Sea World in America. Sadly, despite requiring a lot of open space to swim around and be free, the orcas here are not treated as they should be. Do you see the size of all of Sea World? The tiny, tiny green dot in the center is where the orcas spend their entire life.
Even animals much smaller than the Orca would struggle to spend their entire lives in such a tiny space, especially when they are meant to swim free in the ocean.
The Irony of the Uniform
Many people will never understand the challenges of being targeted just for the way they look or the color of their skin. This person wanted to remind all the police officers who are scared to walk around with their police uniforms on that a very similar thing is being experienced by people all around the world. Sadly, people are judged by how they look on a daily basis and sometimes harmed because of it.
Hopefully, the day will come that no one is judged based on how they look and no one has to be scared walking down the streets for any purpose at all.
A Skewed Justice System
No one can deny that there is something very wrong with a justice system that punishes a woman to five years in jail just for unknowingly ineligibly voting (since she had a previous felony conviction) while also at the same time only giving others a few months in jail after bribing universities to allow their children to enter. It just doesn't seem fair or reasonable to give the two women such different sentencing.
Countries can't deny the problems in their systems forever. No country is perfect, but they need to show that they are working to fix serious things like their justice system.
How One Man's Army Service Affected Him
The US government probably wasn't expecting a response like this one from their tweet asking "How has serving (in the US army) impacted you?". This man was granted a scholarship to go to college after his army service, but once he came out as gay in 1992, the army kicked him out of school and made him pay back his full scholarship. Years later, he is still paying that debt.
Imagine someone taking away your scholarship based on sexual preference, It's insane to think that this was legal and enforced.
Looks Like They Put the Wrong People in Prison
And sadly there is another example to add to the list surrounding the police. Kenneth Walker and his girlfriend Breona Taylor were sitting in their home at night when the police came barging in without knocking. They entered the wrong home but that didn't stop them from firing twenty shots, eight of which killed his girlfriend. He shot back in self defense, with a gun he had a license for, and somehow he is the one who ended up in jail for attempted murder.
What a terrible, terrible night that must have been for the two of them, when everything was turned upside in just an instant. Kenneth was sent to jail wrongly and his girlfriend was killed.
Nothing Can Get Him to Stop Smiling
It is unclear why this man was arrested and what he was being held for, but one thing is clear. He was going to smile for his mug shot. However, it seemed like the guards didn't approve of this behavior and they couldn't get him to not smile so they resorted to force. When the prisoner filed a complaint that he was choked in the process, the report read that he "claimed" he was choked.
The pictures show the truth of his situation pretty clearly as there are multiple guards' hands around his neck as he is having his mug shot taken. Perhaps "claimed" was not the best word choice.
The Disturbing Side of the Education System
Online classes have been stressful for both teachers and students all around the world. Teaching is never an easy job, but it seems like this teacher was far too strict with her students on the zoom classes. Although it can be hard to manage students over zoom, not allowing them to turn around for a moment to grab a charger for their computer is a bit on the extreme side!
At least the teacher did apologize when they realized the mother was listening in on the classes. Would they have done the same if the student tried to explain?
The $345 Candy Bar of American Healthcare
In case you are ever looking for a way to sum up the entire American healthcare system, this little conversation is it. When put in perspective of how expensive it would be without the "membership card" even a $345 dollar candy bar seems reasonably priced. It's so crazy to think of how the American mind has been made to think that it's normal to pay that much for basic healthcare.
It's a truly sad reality for so many people that make it impossible for them to get the basic healthcare that they need and deserve.
Pictures of Donald Trump's Parents Explain a Lot
These photos are almost too disturbing to believe that they are real. Although Donald Trump does bear a striking resemblance to his parents in these photos, they are such strange photos! His whole look seems to have been inspired by his mother and her updo, or perhaps it was a wig handed down from generation to generation. He looks the spitting image of his mother and less so like his father.
Do you think Donald Trump looks more like his father or like his mother, according to these photos alone? It's hard to see anything past that hair!
The Cost of a Single Heart Attack
Imagine being so unfortunate as to have a life-threatening heart attack. You and your whole family are terrified of the possibilities. You survive, but then to receive a bill from the hospital hefty enough to give you a second heart attack. Over $100,000 in hospital charges, from just the one treatment. How is anyone supposed to afford such a crazy expense? Hopefully, they never have to get sick again!
Some people resort to humor to get around the extremely disturbing crisis of extremely high health care in the US, like one man who said they just let their parents die of a heart attack instead of taking him to the hospital, and saved over $100,000.
A Police Ambush With a Tragic End
Yet another sad story of what can happen when policing goes wrong, this man was replaced at home playing video games with his girlfriend after his daughter's graduation. They answered a knock on the door to find multiple police officers waiting for them. He didn't try to fight them, but rather kneeled on the ground with his hands in the air. He was then shot in the back and killed by the officers.
This man was completely innocent and committed no crimes at all. None of the police officers who murdered him were ever charged or fired as a result of what they did.
Not All Police Officers
Despite all the terrible stories that have been told of police officers on this list, not all police officers are bad. But sadly, some of the best, who try to fix the system, are not only ignored but punished for speaking up. These are some of the officers who spoke up against corruption and brutality. Unfortunately, instead of being listened to, they were fired from their jobs.
Hopefully, one day the people in charge of the police force will listen to the officers who are trying to improve the police and to make it a better and safer place for everyone.
Make Sure to Pick the Right Side
Although violence from men towards women is much more common than the opposite way around, nobody should ignore men who are abused. This man called the police when his girlfriend became extremely violent towards him and started beating him. Despite being covered in bruises and marks, the police ignored his claims and sided with the woman, forcing him to leave his apartment and not allowing him to return.
Hopefully, this man was able to get the justice he deserved at some point, even if he was not protected by the police on that day.
Terrifying That This Is a House of Representatives Candidate
What is scarier than the fact that this man, a blatant racist, Russel Walker, is a candidate for the House of Representatives? Perhaps that he managed to obtain 65% of the vote even after claiming that "God is a racist and a white supremacist" along with saying that Martin Luther King Jr was "an agent of Satan" and that Jews "all decend from Satan". The scariest part is that he probably got the vote because of these comments and not despite them.
Hopefully, this man never makes his way up the ladder of politics. It would be truly scary to have him in a real position of power.
When They Try to Expose Criminals in Hollywood
Who would think that the result of someone trying to bring to light the horrible things that happen to child actors would be treated in such a terrible way? Corey Feldman experienced some horrible things during his time in Hollywood as a child actor and wanted to change things for the better and expose those who wronged him. What did he get as a result? Ridicule, gaslighting, and hate.
Years later people realized and admitted the truth to Corey Feldman's words and concerns. Hopefully, things will start to change but it was too late for Corey himself.
Injustice With Money Distribution
The saddest part of thing tweet is that it is entirely true. No one seems to have a problem when the rich get money from the government, but the minute that those struggling financially get any kind of government support it is viewed very negatively. People's perspectives should change and those who need help should be able to receive it without judgment from the rest of the world.
The poor get poorer and the rich get richer seems to be very applicable here in this situation, but hopefully, will be something that will change one day.
Zero Tolerance Taken to an Extreme
This fourth-grader was innocently sitting on his zoom class when his teacher noticed that there was a BB gun sitting idly in his room. Since the school has a zero-tolerance policy for weapons, the boy was suspended from school. Although it was a BB gun and he was not touching or using it, they would not reverse or be flexible on their decision.
The boy and his family were so desperate that they went to court in hopes of a lighter judgment so the boy could finish school, but there was no tolerance at all and the boy would not be readmitted to the school.
The Easiest Way to Get Some Healthcare in America
This man was so desperate for some healthcare in the US that he decided his best bet was to rob a bank in order to get the healthcare offered to criminals in prison. He went and robbed a bank for the whopping amount of $1 just so he could be charged as a criminal and put in jail....all to get some basic and affordable healthcare.
There is something seriously wrong with a system that makes it seem like the only realistic way to be able to afford healthcare is to become a criminal and spend time in jail.
The Hypocrisy of Her Female Empowerment Stance
Beyonce may be beloved by almost everyone and seen as an icon of feminism and female empowerment. But it looks like that may be just on the surface. After creating her own clothing line called Ivy Park, the truth has come out that she pays the female workers who make clothing for her brand a shockingly small amount of money....only 64 cents per hour. Not necessarily the icon of empowerment that she wants to be.
Although sadly, almost all companies use cheap overseas labor where the workers are vastly underpaid, it seems even worse when someone speaks up so loudly on female empowerment and then does not even pay their female workers a decent wage.
When They Call the Homeless "animals"
There is little more disgusting than to see people look down on those that are less fortunate than themselves, especially in such a revolting manner as this bagel restaurant owner. When one of his workers wanted to give the leftover bagels to the hungry homeless people in the area instead of throwing them away, his response was angry as he refused to let his employees "feed the animals".
This poor employee was trying to do a good thing and make sure that the leftover food didn't go to waste, and could help those who were hungry and struggling. Instead, he was fired by his heartless boss!
The Ever-Rising Cost of Living
In the past thirty to forty years there has been a steady increase in the cost of living, especially surrounding college tuition, medical care, and housing costs. The older generations often look at the younger in confusion, not understanding why they can't afford the ways of life they were used to. What they aren't taking into consideration is the hardly-increasing wages and pay for common jobs. It's just too hard to get by these days!
If all the Millenials made as much money as the boomer generation, they would be living in fancy,paid-for houses as well. But sadly, that just isn't how things are right now.
The Greatest Hypocrisy of All
It is a truly sad state when society thinks it is acceptable to overcharge the poor but unacceptable to do the exact same thing to the rich. The prime example of this was seen when GameStop share costs skyrocketed. People were outraged and claimed it was unfair. However, people remain silent when millions are overcharged for necessary, life-saving medicines on a daily basis just because pharmaceutical companies want to make a huge profit.
The hypocrisy is real and so sad at the same time. If only there was the same level of outrage towards something that could truly help people, like affordable medicines.
The Cost of an Xbox Versus Insulin
For people without diabetes, it may come as a shock to realize how insanely expensive insulin actually is. It is so expensive, in fact, that a new Xbox console is less expensive than just one vial of insulin. Kids all around the world are given expensive gifts of Xbox's for the holidays while they can't even afford one vial of insulin to keep themselves alive.
How is anyone supposed to afford to have diabetes and how it is still legal for the insulin companies to charge such an insanely expensive amount for such a vital product?
School Lunches Should Be Free
Considering public schools are paid for out of tax money, shouldn't the lunches for the children also be a part of that budget? Apparently not in the United States of America. In most schools, the children are required to pay every day for their lunches. Sadly, many kids simply cannot afford that expense, but they have to go to school anyway. What is the result? Children left hungry in the school lunch line.
This poor eight-year-old boy was not even treated with the slightest bit of compassion when he was not able to pay for his lunch. This shouldn't be allowed to happen!
Orcas Are Not a Surfboard
If you want to go surfing, buy a surfboard, and go out into the ocean. Do not be like these terrible people and choose to stand on top of orcas that are already held in captivity at Sea World. Besides being kept in spaces far too small for them, they are also mistreated by being used as surfboards by bored employees. Who approved this action?
They even dressed up like orcas for the photoshoot! Is this some sort of performance or a campaign to bring people to Sea World? Whichever it is, it seems to have backfired with public backlash.
The Worst Kind of Heartless
There are heartless people in the world and then there are just downright terrible people. Anyone who thought it was funny or even somewhat alright to slash the tent of a homeless person, is a new kind of low. How can you, as a privileged person with a home and roof above your head, walk up to the tent of a homeless person and destroy it?
It was probably already difficult for them to procure this tent and then to have someone destroy it for no reason...just terrible.
Justice for What the Louisville Police Department Did
Even years later it looks like little to nothing is being done to bring justice to Breonna Taylor who was murdered by Louisville police in her home. They came for a narcotics raid and entered the wrong apartment, shooting the unarmed Breonna Taylor dead. She was completely innocent and yet the police officers who killed her unjustly have never been prosecuted for what they did.
Breonna was also an award-winning EMT and had absolutely nothing to do with the narcotics that the police were searching for that night.
All Because She Had Some Marijuana
Rachel Hoffman was arrested for possessing marijuana and as a result, was going to go to jail for four years. The police offered her a way out by working as an undercover informant to bring down top drug dealers. She was told to buy an absurdly large amount of drugs from extremely dangerous drug dealers in order to clear her name (1,500 ecstasy pills, 1.5 ounces of cocaine, and a gun).
The drug dealers were not fooled by her story and were suspicious about the extremely large drug purchase she was trying to complete. They killed her as soon as they found the wire in her purse.
No Way Is She Going to Pay for Half of the Rent
Despite all the immense progress that has been made for women all around the world in the past couple of decades, it still seems that some women are stuck in a very dated mindset. They won't even consider a relationship with someone that is not willing and able to pay for all of their expenses. This woman said she would even go as far as to leave her husband entirely if he ever made her pay half of their rent.
It must be nice to have the luxury of having someone pay all of your bills for you, but this lady seems to still be fighting against feminism.
They Put Their Confidence in the Wrong Person
Issues with the police seem to have made it to this list quite a few times already. This young boy paid the final price when the police decided to ignore his pleadings and entrust him back to the care of a man who abused and murdered the boy eventually, committing horrible crimes against him. If only the police had listened to him when he begged for their help.
The worst part of the story is that the police officer who ignored this boy's pleas was never punished or reprimanded for his actions, on the contrary, he was promoted!