Things that make the US different from other developed countries

[Maciamo]

I'd like to discuss things that US citizens might not notice are so fundamentally different in other developed countries (EU, Japan...) if they haven't lived/been anywhere else. Sometimes, Canada will be the only other country like the US.

I'd like to mention that this thread is not intended to criticize the US. I have listed neutral and negative differences and other that will depend on one's opinion (eg. I am not completely against death penalty for extreme cases, but others will see it negatively that the US is the only Western country to still use it).

In the points below, 1 and 2 are negative things, 3, 4 and 5 depend on one's point of view (good or bad), and 6 is completely neutral.

1) Americans are constantly brainwashed by their media (eg. during the war in Iraq, US media played down or comlpetely ignored Iraqi civilian and US casualities, while other countries's media didn't).

2) US education brainwashes American children the following way:

a) they must sing the national anthem in front of the national flag so as to make good patriots of them (to support US war on Iraq and Afghanistan for example).

b) They are told that they live in the country with the greatest freedom in the world, which is an obvious lie.
Why shall I think that US citizens don't have as much freedom as their other Western counterparts ? Because :

- the US hard stance against alcohol (min legal age 21 or above, against 14 to 16 in Europe). The US is also one of the few developed nation to have enforced National Prohibition of alcohol in the 20th century (1920-1933). The link with hard-line Muslim countries nowdays is obvious.
- Hard stance against soft drugs : possesion or consumption of marijuana is usually a crime that can lead you in jail in the US, while it is legal or tolerated in Europe, as it is less nocive than alcohol.
- Travel bans : US citizens can't travel to countries like Cuba, North Korea, etc. (anybody else can).
- The US prosecutes its citizens who have travelled to countries that were under US sanctions (like chess-champion Bob Fischer who went to Yugoslavia in 1992).
- Voting rights wasn't given to Black people or other racial minorities until 1965, but needed to be extended in 1970, 1975 and 1982 and still is an issue in some states nowadays.
- some states still prohibit abortion
- some states still prohibit gay marriages
- some states having death penalty still do not allow the condemned to choose the method of execution (electric chair only).

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(additions from posts below)
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3) Lack of social security => consequence higher criminality, especially in poor areas.

4) Death penalty still exist in 38 states. Abolished in all European countries, Australia, New Zealand, Canada... Japan has it, but the majority of the people oppose it (one of the few countries where the laws doesn't reflect people's opinion.)

I am not saying either is right or wrong, but it's a fact that a much higher proportion of Americans support capital punishment (and it is necessary to ackowledge that a minority of people in other developed countries also support it).

5) Power and image of the police. While in many European countries , police officers are usually treated with contempt (saying things to the kids like "if you don't go to school, you'll become a garbage collector or a cop"). In the US, the FBI is much more prestigious and popular among the population (so much that some movies or tv series like "Lethal weapon", "the Cop of Beverly Hills" make their praise). The only EU country I can think of where cops have a (quite) good reputation is the UK (for their courtesy and politness when you ask them for directions ). In Japan, the police's reputation is ok, without making too muc fuss about it. It is actually more like in the UK.

Since Bush passed the "Patriotic Act", the US Police has gained very undemocratic rights to go into anybody's house, look for anything (even private documents). It's time for American citizens to make good use of their guns to protect themselves from the government's invadors of privacy and trespassors of private property.

6) a)Americans have a middle name (only one, right ?) and usually mention it or the initial. There are differences regarding this between European countries (please let me know how it is in your country or family) and sometimes from one generation to another.

In my case, I have 2 middle names, which are my godfather and godmother's first names. My parents have 3 or 4 middle names, sometime including a grandparent or a name used by lots of people of the same generation. There are people with more than 10 middle names, especially among the nobility. However, we (and I think this is true of all Europeans) never use our middle names or initial(s) for it. They only appear on some official documents like the birth certificate or passport, and usually not even in contracts, credit cards, etc.

Japanese don't have middle names, as it is prohibited by law - something I find really strange, especially in a such a populous country where family names are so little varied. That means that there are loads of people with exactly the same name.

6) b) Americans often name their first son the same as his father, then name him Junior (Jr). This is virtually unheard of in Europe, at least this century (my genealogy revealed a few sons and fathers with identical first names, though). Japanese never use Junior and Senior either.

My question for Canadians is : do you also use middle names and Jr. in the same way as Americans ?

 

[jeisan]

we are for the most part required to pledge alliegence to our flag every morning in public school, from K-12, in high school you can get out of saying it but are still required to stand.
dont know if this is similar to other countries or not but if not then it could be added to the brainwashing bit, so as to make us "good little patriots"

also think we should be more worldy instead of US centered in terms of everything. european kids know alot more about the US than the other way around.

 

[mdchachi]

Where did you go to school, jeisan? I don't recall pledging the allegiance any time after grade school.

Maciamo, how is the "brainwashing" different than that found in the media and schools of any other country? Have you even lived in America? It sounds like you are being brainwashed by your media which is telling you that Americans are being brainwashed by theirs.

As for drinking -- Americans have collectively decided to restrict that freedom in order to keep so many people from dying on our roads. It has generally worked (though I would be in favor of restoring the freedom while increasing enforcement of the drinking laws).

As for proving that the freedom of America is an "obvious lie" you're going to have to enumerate all freedoms and all countries and show us which countries have more.

Let's see... what would I rather have. The freedom to go to Cuba or the right of own weapons to protect myself and my family. Hmmm tough choice.

 

[mdchachi]

Here's some more data for your research:
http://www.infernosoft.com/community/machine/freest.html

 

[Maciamo]

we are for the most part required to pledge alliegence to our flag every morning in public school, from K-12, in high school you can get out of saying it but are still required to stand.
dont know if this is similar to other countries or not but if not then it could be added to the brainwashing bit, so as to make us "good little patriots".

I have never experienced and never heard of anything similar in other Western countries.

Actually, the US is one of the few developed countries where the national flag can be seen a bit everywhere in front of people's house, not just public buildings (town hall, parliament...) or on the country's national day. I don't know if American public buildings display also the state's flag and city flag (ig there is one), next to the stars and stripes. EU countries usually do (if not state, then province or region), except maybe the UK. National identity doesn't mean much in countries like Belgium, Luxemburg, or even Germany, Italy or Spain, where people feel first from their region/state/province/town, or Europe, then from their country.

In the USA, I guess this phenomenon only happens in states with a very strong local identity like California or possibly New York.

Maciamo, how is the "brainwashing" different than that found in the media and schools of any other country? Have you even lived in America? It sounds like you are being brainwashed by your media which is telling you that Americans are being brainwashed by theirs.

That is the typical reaction I expected from an American.
I haven't lived in the US, but I have been there. Anyhow, I don't need to go to the US to read American newspapers, magazines, watch American TV channels, etc. I suppose American also have access to the world press and the government doesn't restrict satelite or internet access to foreign media.

It's very easy to compare news from American media (CNN, New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribunes, LA Times, Newsweek, Time, etc.) with that of other countries. Either check on the internet or go to a big bookshop (like Maruzen or Kinokuniya in Japan) and read articles about the same subjects from different sources. The average American may not realize they are brainwashed because they don't read foreign newspapers, magazines or don't watch foreign TV channels much. In Europe, anybody with a TV usually has access to all the major channels of at least 10 countries. Another problem - which young European are less affected with than Americans - is the diversity of languages and the way each culture presents world events.

As for proving that the freedom of America is an "obvious lie" you're going to have to enumerate all freedoms and all countries and show us which countries have more.

All the "restrictions of freedom" I cited do not exist in Europe at least. Japan is not a good example as it copied its legislation from the US (drinking age 20, strict on all drugs...), and Japan can hardly be called a democratic country with all its corrupted "dynasties" of politicians.

But I would be extremely interested if you could list of enviable freedoms (not possessing a gun or sue McDonald over split coffee) that Americans have and other Westerners do not. The right to have guns make me think of crime-ridden anarchic countries where people fear for their lives whenever they go outside or even at home (!). Hardly something we can call freedom (or a strange conception f it).

 

[chiquiliquis]

Where did you go to school, jeisan? I don't recall pledging the allegiance any time after grade school.

Yeah... I don't think we did it at all in J.H.S., and when I got to H.S. it was once a week... (Seattle)

As for drinking -- Americans have collectively decided to restrict that freedom in order to keep so many people from dying on our roads. It has generally worked (though I would be in favor of restoring the freedom while increasing enforcement of the drinking laws).

Yes... It would be a lot more effective if they just lowered the blood alcohol limit to zeeero. It is zero in Japan for both cars and bicycles.

Let's see... what would I rather have. The freedom to go to Cuba or the right of own weapons to protect myself and my family. Hmmm tough choice.

I agree... Cuba is the obvious choice; nice weather, excellent music, good food.

In the USA, I guess this phenomenon only happens in states with a very strong local identity like California or possibly New York.

SEATTLE PRIDE!!!!!! and after that comes PNW pride!

 

[Maciamo]

Other difference between the US and other developed countries :

3) Lack of social security => consequence higher criminality, especially in poor areas.

4) Death penalty still exist in 38 states. Abolished in all European countries, Australia, New Zealand, Canada...

5) Since Bush passed the "Patriotic Act", the US Police has gained very undemocratic rights to go into anybody's house, look for anything (even private documents) and stay as long as they want. It's time for American citizens to make good use of their guns to protect themselves from the government's invadors of privacy and trespassors of private property.

As for drinking -- Americans have collectively decided to restrict that freedom in order to keep so many people from dying on our roads. It has generally worked (though I would be in favor of restoring the freedom while increasing enforcement of the drinking laws).

I agree with chiquiliquis. The blood alcohol limit should be lowered. Or maybe, there shouldn't be 14 year-old kids driving. The legal age for driving in the States is usually 16, but often 14 or 15 for learners, and South Dakota gives full licenses from 14. In Japan and Europe it is 18 (17 for UK and Ireland). Are American matured so much eariler to drive up to 4 years before everybody else ?

What is more, setting the legal drinking age to 21 doesn't change much, as most of the people on the road are above 21 anyway. Maybe, better education regarding the danger of "drinking and driving" is necessary.

Anyway, I can't imagine how Europeans would feel if they didn't have the freedom to drink before 21 (or even 18 or 16). Even in countries that have laws set at 16, nobody seems to care. The police turns a blind eye and pub owner don't mind serving 13-15 year-old teenagers, especially during local festivals or after school exams.

In the US, some people attach more importance to possess a gun than to be able to drink a beer on a hot summer day or a glass of wine at a French restaurant. That tells a lot about the difference between Europeans and Americans regarding the priorities of freedom.

 

[chiquiliquis]

In the US, some people attach more importance to possess a gun than to be able to drink a beer on a hot summer day or a glass of wine at a French restaurant. That tells a lot about the difference between Europeans and Americans regarding the priorities of freedom.

*Grabs a nice cold one on this hot Yamanashi day, :atsui: :gulp: lifting his blood/alcohol above the legal limit for driving in this genius country*

This is one of the better things about Japan: public transportation is conducive to a zero tolerance policy (blood alcohol). If, after this cool refreshing beer, I would like to go into Hachioji or Tachikawa for a movie, shopping, dinner, or whatevers... I walk down the hill to the train station and hop a train wherever I want to go.

Back in Seattle, we don't really have the public transportation to support this kind of law.

Is that any excuse? Not necessarily. If the U.S. really wanted to enforce zero tolerance, they could.

Costa Rica has no trains. But then, San Jose (capital city) is host to about as many taxis as privately owned cars (if not more). If you want to go out for a wild night of partying at Coco Loco, the last thing you do is hop in the family car. No, you hop a cab, stay out till 6 am, and hop a cab back home once you're thoroughly pissed and all danced out. But then, taxis in Costa Rica are affordable... they are anything but in Seattle, and likewise Japan. If you don't have the money for the cab, you don't go out. Instead, you get the party going at your house, and if everyone gets wasted, everyone stays the night at your house. The legal age for alcohol in CR is 18... but it's more of a guideline than a rule...

 

[Kama]

>> First, Maciamo. In Poland driving is from 18, as drinking alcohol.

I find it very strange that 14 years old children can drive. if they would make driving from 21, they would have (I suppose) even less car accidents... XD

i can't imagine city not having city transportation... We have buses, trams, underground and it's so convinient. Why use cars and create traffic jams, and there are no need to look for parking places, and it's cheaper... XD

Spying? Where is human's privacy? How they dare to invade people's intimacy...? I strongly object!

They are twisted with laws... XD It's sick, where is the freedom in it?

Once, i was in the mountains in mountainer's house for holiday. There came Americans 2 families with brats... (I hate small children... XD) We were living on the second floor, they on the third, and the mountainers on the first floor. There were 11 of us, and on ours floor there was only one toilet and one bathroom, while on theirs were few. We had the right (agrred by the host) to use it. But the Americans didn't think so. They banned us for coming to the upper floor, they argued over about this. They wanted host to provide them with soap, shampoo, teethbrush, towels, like they would be in the hotel. One day they couldn't drive car from the snow. After half an hour looking how they are funny in their misery (Polish had absolutely no troubles with driving on that way) and looking like they get out the sledge from car to lessen its weight D) our men decided to help them. They suggested that they will drive the car out of the snow. "No, you are thieves!" they only heard in response. Okay, so they push out the car from the snow (by themselves only) and the Americans got into the car without saying "thanks".

This was my first and the only one time, when I met Americans face to face, and I never in my life saw people so full in themselves and so arrogant. They thought that everybody should be on their beck and call because Mighthy Americans have came... =="

Well, I see this kind of behaviour (arrogant, be grateful we have came with the light of "civilization" to your country - modern colonialism, I tell you) in Politics too. Yeah, I suppose the people are brainwashed. And yes, we know much better about USA than the other side. I wonder if majority of the people even know the name of Kosciuszko, not talking about who he was... XD Anyway, there are good Americans too... XD

 

[jeisan]

Where did you go to school, jeisan? I don't recall pledging the allegiance any time after grade school.

kindergarten through half on ninth grade in southern california and then the rest in central texas. in the texas high school they also had a "moment of silence" for prayer along with the pledge and morning announcements...

 

[CC1]

I am truly amused by this discussion. Yes, Americans are full of themselves, as are many other people from many other nations. I have seen Japanese citizens that look down their noses, and I have also seen Europeans and Aussies do the same thing, but that does not make all people from those places bad people!
I will try to address all of your points:

1) American are constantly brainwashed by their media (eg. during the war in Iraq, US media played down or comlpetely ignored Iraqi civilian and US casualities, while other countries's media didn't).

I believe this to be true of all countries. People see it or read it and of course it must be true! As for the playing down of casualities during the war, I don't see it that way. I think that the media did a fair job of reporting the truth whereas maybe the gov't didn't do a fair job of getting numbers to the people in the media.

2) US education brainwashes American children the following way:

You begin by arguing "freedom" by introducing the legal age for drinking alcohol...hmmm? In America you are not considered an Adult until you reach the age 18, so why should we consider letting 14-17 year olds drink? Just because European countries do so? What is the legal age in Japan? 20 right! I agree that 21 is too high in the US, but I believe that many (not all) 18 year olds are too immature to handle their alcohol. (Proof in point, visit any US military base on a weekend!) So you say drop the legal blood alcohol limit? Very good idea, and many have been trying to do this for years, and it is gradually coming down...but you say that Japan is 0%? Untrue it is actually 0.15mg. While this is very, very low, it is still possible to drink and drive without tilting the meter.

3) Lack of social security => consequence higher criminality, especially in poor areas.

This is a very true statement, but even more true would be why do we have a welfare system? Where is the incintive to work if you know that you can sit on your butt at home and draw a check for doing nothing?

4) Death penalty still exist in 38 states. Abolished in all European countries, Australia, New Zealand, Canada...

Why does this enter into the argument? Oh I see, your speaking of the "freedom" of the person to be executed? Maybe they shouldn't have broken the law...i.e. murder, rape, etc... I have no sympathy for the people to be executed, as they had no sympathy for the people that they hurt! Who was enforcing the freedom of the girl who was raped or the person that was killed? Enough said!

5) Since Bush passed the "Patriotic Act", the US Police has gained very undemocratic rights to go into anybody's house, look for anything (even private documents) and stay as long as they want.

I made a comment on this somewhere before...bottom line is, if you aren't doing anything wrong, what are you worried about? The way I see this is the only ones worried are the ones with something to hide!

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A couple of you brought up why do we allow young drivers? Well, it is not a big deal in the larger cities, they have buses and taxis. But America is huge, and there are many rural areas where it is somewhat "necessary" to allow the younger ones to drive. Where I grew up, some kids had to drive 25 miles to school. I wish that we did have a better train system in America...I for one would use it, but I am of the minority I am afraid.

It was also brought up about the Pledge of Allegience and Prayer in the schools....these are not mandatory and you do not have to participate. You do so by choice. Don't believe me? Look in the news just about any day and you will see someone sueing a school system over this very thing!

 

[Maciamo]

This is a very true statement, but even more true would be why do we have a welfare system? Where is the incintive to work if you know that you can sit on your butt at home and draw a check for doing nothing?

I think most European countries are too generous regarding welfare, so that incite lazy people to do nothing (especially non ambitious people who are easily satisfied by a mediocre life). There should however be a minimum (at least enough to eat) in order to cut down criminality. It is common knowledge that people who are hungry or needy will do everything they can to eat : steal, rob, deal drugs, or even kill.

4) Death penalty still exist in 38 states. Abolished in all European countries, Australia, New Zealand, Canada...

Why does this enter into the argument? Oh I see, your speaking of the "freedom" of the person to be executed?

Let me remind you that I started this thread as "Things that make the US different from other developed countries". Freedom was point 2). You are referring to point 4). There can obviously be no connection !

 

[Kama]

I am truly amused by this discussion. Yes, Americans are full of themselves, as are many other people from many other nations. I have seen Japanese citizens that look down their noses, and I have also seen Europeans and Aussies do the same thing, but that does not make all people from those places bad people!

If you haven't saw it, I don't generalise about Americans. I said there are good too... I was really unlucky to meet such a rude people as the first people from this country... Of course, I don't know too many Americans but I do see USA politic. They come, mess up, and then they are surprised that nobody likes them, and then there is september 11. What was first, politics or people's attitudes? XD

One thing Europe and present-day USA have in common: colonialism. But for Europe it's now past, and for Americans - present.

Why does this enter into the argument? Oh I see, your speaking of the "freedom" of the person to be executed? Maybe they shouldn't have broken the law...i.e. murder, rape, etc... I have no sympathy for the people to be executed, as they had no sympathy for the people that they hurt! Who was enforcing the freedom of the girl who was raped or the person that was killed? Enough said!

I agree. I'd like to have death sentence system in Poland.

I made a comment on this somewhere before...bottom line is, if you aren't doing anything wrong, what are you worried about? The way I see this is the only ones worried are the ones with something to hide!

I don't have anything to hide that's why I do have a lot against this. Why I should be treated like a criminal? I want my privacy, and definetely I don't want to live in policy country. We had already something like this in Poland, and this is insane. i strictly refuse. They want to have safe country, so they better find a way not to break HUMAN'S RIGHT.

 

[chiquiliquis]

but you say that Japan is 0%? Untrue it is actually 0.15mg. While this is very, very low, it is still possible to drink and drive without tilting the meter.

Take the test!

I think you had very seriously better double check that assertion CC1, before the next time you get into a car with even .01 blood alcohol in Japan.

It may be the case that this varies with prefecture... but you'd prolly do best to act as if it was zero anyhow. The minimum fine for drunk driving is 100,000? (equiv. 1kUSD), the max is 500,000? (5kUSD), with possible jail time. This is what was explained to me at my training in Tokyo, and it is obviously true for Tokushima-ken as well (as seen above).

.15 isn't that low... Washington State is .08

 

[jeisan]

It was also brought up about the Pledge of Allegience and Prayer in the schools....these are not mandatory and you do not have to participate. You do so by choice. Don't believe me? Look in the news just about any day and you will see someone sueing a school system over this very thing!

yeah but they dont tell you it isnt mandatory either, some teachers will only let you out of the pledge on a religious excuse. it kinda depends on who was your teacher, here in texas lot were fairly offended by kids not wanted to do that every morning. because its in their mindset that its something that needs to be done, then again these are just my personal experiences.

 

[Brooker]

I think Americans have a lot of "local pride"! (At least people from Seattle do, right chiquiliquis?) Just read my post "Country Flags".

I agree that 21 is too high an age for drinking (most people start drinking earlier), but the transportation situation is so different in America. People have to drive to get somewhere here and many people start driving when they're 16 years old. 16 year olds who have cars, licences, the ability to drink, and don't have the wisdom to do it wisely, is a bad scene. This doesn't happen in many European countries. For example, in Hungary, 14 (and 16+) year olds drink in pubs, but they also can walk to most of the places they want to go and they have no access to a car until well into their 20's.

On another note, for a forum about JAPAN, we spend a lot of time talking about AMERICA. I agree that America has a lot of problems, but if any other country in the world were under the microscope in the same way, I'm sure all of them would prove to be bad in their own ways.

 

[CC1]

I think most European countries are too generous regarding welfare, so that incite lazy people to do nothing (especially non ambitious people who are easily satisfied by a mediocre life). There should however be a minimum (at least enough to eat) in order to cut down criminality. It is common knowledge that people who are hungry or needy will do everything they can to eat : steal, rob, deal drugs, or even kill.

I agree with you totally on this!

Let me remind you that I started this thread as "Things that make the US different from other developed countries". Freedom was point 2). You are referring to point 4). There can obviously be no connection !

Ok, that was a mistake on my part, I guess I got a little lost when you split your post...sorry for that, but I still stand by my argument for the death penalty. Why should we keep known hardened criminals alive at the taxpayers expense? Because it is inhumane to kill them? I guess I believe in "an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" type of justice system. I truly believe that if you are caught in the act of stealing something, then you should still lose your hand. If you are guilty of rape then you lose your :relief: (WOW) But of course this one could only be done if rape has been proven! I'm not so naive to think that just because you are accused you are guilty! I'm sure that this type of system would cut down on crime though, and the need for so many guns!

I think you had very seriously better double check that assertion CC1, before the next time you get into a car with even .01 blood alcohol in Japan.

It may be the case that this varies with prefecture... but you'd prolly do best to act as if it was zero anyhow. The minimum fine for drunk driving is 100,000? (equiv. 1kUSD), the max is 500,000? (5kUSD), with possible jail time. This is what was explained to me at my training in Tokyo, and it is obviously true for Tokushima-ken as well (as seen above).

.15 isn't that low... Washington State is .08

I understand what the law is, but I on the books it is a .15. That means that legally you may have some alcohol in your system. I never said that it is a good idea to test the system. I never drive with any alcohol in my system. But that is just me. I was just pointing out that the level is not 0%. Of course you could probably tip the scales in Japan having used mouthwash or a good cold medicine!

 

[chiquiliquis]

From said test:

True or False -
15. The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.05%.

Answer:

15. FALSE. A driver with any alcohol in their bloodstream is breaking the law.

*But good for you for not driving with any alcohol in your system regardless

 

[Maciamo]

I think Americans have a lot of "local pride"! (At least people from Seattle do, right chiquiliquis?) Just read my post "Country Flags".

I would be interested to know which states have the strongest local identity. At least those in which people feel more from their state or city than from the USA.

I agree that 21 is too high an age for drinking (most people start drinking earlier), but the transportation situation is so different in America. People have to drive to get somewhere here and many people start driving when they're 16 years old.

The public transportation situation in Europe is as bad as in the US. I grew up in the countryside in a country with the same density of population as Japan and I couldn't go anywhere without asking my parents to give me a lift till I got my licence at 18. No buses and the nearest train station was 2km away and had one slow-train every hour. By car, the nearest town was just 10min (15km) away. Actually, many people wish they could drive earlier, but on the other hand, there is so to say no legal age for drinking. The funny thing is, even if you are 12 and can't legally buy alcohol, you are not prohibited to drink it if somebody else buy it for you. This contrasts with Japan where buying is allowed (there are even vendng machines with beer) but not consuming, even at home or accompanied by the parents ! How about the US ? Are people prohibited to drink alcohol till 21 even at home ? Do parents who allow their children to drink risk reprimands or fines ?

On another note, for a forum about JAPAN, we spend a lot of time talking about AMERICA.

Well, this is just an odd post in the "Member lounge" section. There are a few thousands more threads about Japan out there...
Anyhow, we are also comparing the US to Japan and other countries. That is the advantage of international online communities, everyone comes from different countries and cultures and can share their differences.

Incidentally, my thread was not only to criticize the US. There are many neutral differences (eg. I am not completely against death penalty for extreme cases like G.W.Bush or terrorist leaders ).
I just wanted to point out at the differences that make the USA unique and a bit apart from other Western countries (even Canada on several points).

 

[CC1]

I would be interested to know which states have the strongest local identity. At least those in which people feel more from their state or city than from the USA.

I would have to say from my own personal experience that Texans have to be the most loyal to the state. Then I would go on to list mostly southern locations such as Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. I have never been to Maine, but judging from the people I have met I would say the same about them and Mass. also.

How about the US ? Are people prohibited to drink alcohol till 21 even at home ? Do parents who allow their children to drink risk reprimands or fines ?

Yes you are prohibited until you are 21. Do parents allow it? Yes! My Dad shared my first drink with me when I was 14. Just to be sure that he was there with me my first time. Then I didn't drink again until I was 17. Yes, if you are caught drinking underage, your parents are at risk to be charged...even if they were unaware of your activities!