system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
CMV: Claiming that you are oppressed in a western democracy is insulting to the millions of people that are actually oppressed across the globe.

The terms 'oppressed' is often used by citizens of western democracies to further their cause; whether it be feminism or the Black Lives Matter movement, claiming to be oppressed is a common campaigning tactic of those that believe they are marginalised.

Being oppressed, by dictionary definition, is to be 'subject to harsh and authoritarian treatment'. Treatment like this is rife in middle eastern and African countries, where minorities are systematically persecuted by lawless militias or rogue governments, but certainly does not occur in western civilised society.

My first example is the feminist movement. I have no doubt that individual women are occasionally subject to individual misogynistic behaviour. I do, however, utterly disagree with the notion that women are institutionally oppressed by: being prevented from entering certain jobs or not earning equal wages. The fact that Angela Merkel is the leader of one of the most influential countries in the world while Hilary Clinton ran for president last year shows to me that these jobs are, in fact, completely open to women. As for the wage gap; it can be explained by many factors other sexism, most notably by the life choices of many women to leave their jobs in order to bring up children.

The second example I would give is the Black Lives Matter movement. This group claims that black people are systematically oppressed in the US system, in spite of the fact that Barack Obama recently finished serving his second term as president. Another claim made by BLM is that they are regularly targeted by police officers in an unfair manner. This can be attributed to the fact that blacks commit a highly disproportionate amount of crime. 

The primary example of governmental oppression is the Islamic regime of Saudi Arabia. This regime prevents Saudi nationals from changing their religion, drinking alcohol and dressing in their own way. Additionally shocking, is the treatment of women in Saudi Arabia. Women are banned from driving in the Sharia-law state and are not allowed to leave their own homes without the permission of their husband.

These reasons lead me to believe that - citizens in western countries are not, in fact, oppressed.   
 
Edit: Thanks to everyone who has contributed so far, you have certainly altered my viewpoint.
gpt
> The fact that Angela Merkel is the leader of one of the most influential countries in the world while Hilary Clinton ran for president last year shows to me that these jobs are, in fact, completely open to women

So two women politicians prove that there is no institutional or industrial sexism? The wage gap is dumb, but men are indeed given preferential treatment in many situations, and often in unofficial capacities. Being said, there are industries were men are at a disadvantage as well. Just because the situation isn't as bad as the developing world, doesn't mean a problem is not there. 

>This group claims that black people are systematically oppressed in the US system, in spite of the fact that Barack Obama recently finished serving his second term as president

Again, having a black president does not mean that racial discrimination is not happening in the US. That's literally the example of one person.

>Another claim made by BLM is that they are regularly targeted by police officers in an unfair manner. This can be attributed to the fact that blacks commit a highly disproportionate amount of crime.

It's that easy huh? Have you considered why they commit more crime? Maybe its because police look more closely at the community because they're Black. Maybe it's because Black communities are often much more disenfranchised, separated from, and unable to end their cycle of poverty an lack of education.

Finally, just become someone half the world away has it much worse than you, doesn't mean you shouldn't fight. In fact, a Western Democracy with its freedoms of protest, press and election would make change much more likely to happen than in a developing, totalitarian dictatorship. Might as well fight where you know you can make a difference.