Mom Slammed for Telling Frustrated Americans To Emigrate: 'Just Do It'

A former U.S. resident has been labeled "tone-deaf" after telling Americans concerned about the direction of the country to "just do it" and emigrate.

The woman, who now lives in Norway, offered her advice on Reddit on Wednesday. Her viral post explained that her grandparents were Holocaust survivors who had moved to the U.S. for a better life. She grew up in America but moved to Europe at 21, when she married a Norwegian man.

"It opened my eyes to how balanced life could be, and what a society is like when equality is taken seriously," she wrote.

"I love the U.S. and it breaks my heart to see it deteriorating. I always planned to move back, but now I don't feel like there is anything to go back to. I could never give up the freedom I have here."

People "considering leaving" because they're unhappy with the state of American politics and society—particularly in light of the possible repeal of Roe v. Wade and the mass shooting at Uvalde—should "just do it," the woman suggested.

Some Redditors felt her advice was "disingenuous" and simplistic, however.

A YouGov poll conducted in January this year found that 38 percent of respondents had thought about leaving the U.S. permanently to move to a foreign country. However, just 15 percent of the 1,500 adults surveyed thought this was very or somewhat likely in the next five to 10 years.

Describing her experiences after moving to Scandinavia, the woman said the first thing she had noticed was "no ogling" from men in public. "I could walk around without unwanted stares or comments that used to happen to me daily in America," she wrote.

She listed free college tuition of another advantage of living in Norway, adding that there was a "better mix of women in STEM fields compared to other countries" and more female physicians than male in the country.

She continued: "Work life balance is deeply valued. We have a 37.5 hour work week, and flexible working is the norm." New parents are offered 100 percent paid maternity leave, plus paternity leave, with the same benefits for same-sex couples and adoption.

"Everyone gets 5 weeks paid vacation, basically unlimited paid sick leave and child care days for when your kids are sick," the woman wrote.

"Health care is basically free. You pay a small copay (around $30) for a doctor's visit. If you use more than around $300 on prescriptions and visits then you get something called blue prescription that means you don't have to pay for anything anymore. Baby related care, checkups and prenatal care is 100% free."

Turning to the issue of guns and mass shootings, she explained that her new home "has some of the strictest gun control laws in the world. There has been one school shooting here (no casualties) and one bad terrorist attack (22nd July). There have been 2000+ school shootings in the US since 1970."

The woman concluded: "If you have the chance to get out, do it! There are so many better places to live. Places where women are seen as equals not incubators. Places where children's lives are worth more than someone's hobby."

Her arguments sparked anger among Reddit users, however, who described her advice as "extremely tone deaf" and "really unknowledgeable about the realities" of migration.

One wrote: I'm glad it worked out for you. Immigrating is a lot harder than 'just do it' and it's disingenuous to make it seem like people can 'just do it.'"

Another posted: "I'm 47. I have looked into moving to a different country. guess what? I can't. I'm not a skilled worker, nor am I marrying a national. I also don't have thousands of dollars in order to invest or open a bank account, in order to get certain visas. While it is way easier to leave at 21, it's not so easy at 47. I'd love to, but can't afford to."

A third said: "I am too damned poor to move to another state, let alone another country. I am in the same situation as the majority of the US population. The working poor."

A Redditor who had moved to the U.S. from abroad shared their own experiences, writing: "I saw my parents struggle even after they learned the language, had to go back into school for degrees recognized by the United States, and saved and educated themselves on money and finances and how this country even works with zero support structure (all our friends and family are in my birth country).

"It's also expensive. We had sponsored-visas and it was expensive to get residency and citizenship, and it took years."

In response to her critics, the woman posted an update saying her "just do it" comment had not been intended as advice for everyone, but for people who were able to emigrate but were debating whether or not to take the leap.

"I just wanted to encourage those people who might have the chance or could get there to try. I'm not saying the process is as easy as 'just do it.' It takes time, work and money. I needed around $1200 for visa and flights to get to Norway."

She added: "I love the US and grew up in a family that talked about the American dream, but it was never a reality for us. My family still struggles and some of them refuse to believe that things could be better in Norway than the US."