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Will everyone please stop with the blind Anti-Americanism? |
Sage
Joined: Apr 17, 2003
Posts: 233
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Recently, everywhere I go, everywhere I look, everyone whom I speak to has the same things to say about America, and it's all bad. So I ask the question, how did we get to be so hated? This is something I have been contemplating and analysing since my time abroad (3 years, so in no way can I be considered an expert in the field), and I have discovered answers very much different to the typical blind bull-headed anti-americanist stupiidity usually spread.
Now, before I begin, I am a strong opponent of our current government system, but then again so far eevry government I have seen is just as or maybe just a little bit less corrupt and power hungry. You think France is different? The government here only opposed America's to gain support from the people, what they did in the what used to be the french colonies is probably just as bad.
Anyway, getting to the point, most of the Anti-Americansm around us is just pure stupidity! I hear the same remarks replayed all the time (Bush R StUpID! (even if he is, so what? Besides that, u think Bush has power? You think Kerry is good because Bush is "evil" they are both just as bad, maybe Kerry a little less (although he is just playing politics by being the Anti-Bush). Bush is just a figurehead/puppet and Ill bet my life Cheney has more power than him.) It WaS 4 ThE OiL (which, in plain sight and very obviously is not the only reason, and is just what could be an underlying reason of the tru nature of the war) etc.). Soon the hate went from not only the government, but to us as a people. I go down the street and my FRENCH friend who happens to speak english perfectly but to his misfortune, in an american accent gets called a stupid nice-american by a group of french kids down the street.
Now I think to myself, that kid right there probably thinks he made a very witty intelligent remark, but not only was he very wrong about his remark, it comes off very stupidly. Ah i have figured it out! Now I know why we are so hated, its not for the right reasons (although to begin with it might have been) its to be "trendy"!
Hmmm so i continue to wonder. Do these people realise how great of a Nation we really are? Do they realise that most people live and breathe America? Do they realise that most people couldn't go one day without and American invention or American made product? (I am in no way saying we are the best, Im trying to say we aren't the worst) Do they realise that their style, the music they listen to, the movies they watch are probably all American? No...they don't. (And please don't say we are invading the world with our products, you all firstly want to be invaded and secondly during the Economic rescession we tried to cut back on Import/Exports but the WTO wouldn't let us, so the world is forcing us into that position, we all rely on each other).
No, no matter the arguement I can make, they continue their relentless outburst of supposedly intellident anti-american remarks. Well, why is this? Why are we hated for our government, for our nation? Why are we hated as a people? Every countries government is anything but benevolent, so why does america get the heat?
Well, its because long ago, we made a decision. We made the decision to become the policeman of the world, and that could possible be the the worst decision weve ever made. Lets say, for present purposes, that miraculously our government was somewhat "for the people" and there was a country in dire need of help. Who are we to come in there and fight their fight? Then again, if dont dont help themselves, who will help them? You have to give America some slack in its foreign policy, its not easy being a superpower, especially when the world is watching over you with a microscope.
Anyway, im just ranting/babbling and making lame attempt to be smart. Flame all you want . Anyway, none of this matters because 50 years from now when history is written (by us, the winners) we will be glamourised anyway .
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Vlammetje
Joined: Mar 01, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Den Haag
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well......... i think I've read about 25% of your post and then gave up. I'd like to know who you mean by 'everybody' and what you mean by 'everywhere everything' and so on.
I accept the fact that USA has brought some great technological advancements, perhaps it is time for you to accept that American foreign policy is (at least partly) responsible for wars in other countries, for poverty in certain countries, for diseases in certain countries and so on and so forth.
Wanna know why some ppl hate americans? Foreign politics is why. Think Vietnam. Think cold war. Think hiring Osama bin Laden to fight off the russians in afghanistan. Think oil interests. Think israel. Think Cuba. Think Colombia. To name but a few.
Does that clarify anything?
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axxxr
Joined: Mar 21, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Londinium
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Sage maybe you americans should really sit down together and try to understand and think why millions around the world dislike your great nation!..I mean come on dude think!!. 
[addsig] |
Grimslade
Joined: Jul 25, 2004
Posts: 464
From: London
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I would never defend everything America has ever done in foreign policy; no country is perfect, and America, as the world's only superpower (for the moment) perhaps deserves to be held to a higher standard.
But, Hello??? The Cold War? The Cold War helped bring down the "communist" totalitarian dictatorship of the Soviet Union. The Cold War is one of the reasons Central and Eastern Europeans tend to be so much more pro-American than the French, Belgians and Germans. To many in that latter group, the Soviet Union represented some glorified, if imperfectly realized, ideal of egalitarian socialism. The people who suffered under the Soviet boot know better, which is why they are grateful that America tried to help them while many in Western Europe (though not all, of course) were too deluded or subconsciously worried about the Soviet Union to bother (see the cruise-missile demos in the 80s, for example...).
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Sage
Joined: Apr 17, 2003
Posts: 233
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@Axxxr
I don't think you understand how much I do hate MY OWN government (and my people to some extent for not caring enough to let the government do what it does). But I have REAL reasons for it, I dont hate my government because everyoine else does and they believe its cool to be Anti-American. You've missed the point of my post entirely. |
BobaFett
Joined: Jan 06, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Kamino (wish it would be Lund)
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I agree with mr news director and apologize if my comment was a bit sharp in one of those threads, got a bad day.
This message was posted from a T68i |
thisisme
Joined: Oct 17, 2004
Posts: 16
From: The United Kingdom Of Great Br
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Well said axxxr.
Id also like to relate to the thread starter a little story i have.
A couple of years ago, my girlfriend and i went on a vacation to canada. We had to fly through minneapolis en route to calgary. For some reason, america has decided that anyone who transits through a US airport has to clear immigration in the US. Yes its a stupid idea, but unavoidable.
So my girlfriend and i approach the immigration officer at the desk, with a smile and a pleasant attitude. We hand our passports over to the sour faced old hag, and she notices that i have a british passport and my girlfriend has a new zealand passport, with a UK work visa. She examines the work visa a bit closer, and realises that it expires on 02/11/2002. This sent alarm bells ringing off in her tiny brain, as she adopted a smug patronising attitude and whisked us off to an interview room.
We then are interrogated by a team of 3 immigration officers who start giving my girlfriend the 3rd degree about who she is and why she cant go back to the UK after our vacation. They insisted "Its the end of January, you cant go back to the UK because your visa expires on the 11th of February!"
My girlfriend leans forward, and points out that the date format actually reads an expiry date of the 2nd of November.
Of course, we couldnt help but laugh out loud at the stupid american fools, and i had to try rather hard not to spit on the floor and give them a stiff british finger.
I dont think i have to explain the point of this story.
[addsig] |
Sage
Joined: Apr 17, 2003
Posts: 233
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Wow, you found an unintelligent airline staff. So...? Your point is, please explain? Are you saying that unintelligent people dont exist in Britain...*bursts in laughter* Dont stereotype, we are individuals, i hoped you would be smart enough to realise that. Ive had such experiences everywhere, in france for example, I had the same experience with an American passport.
Oh and masseur/any mods, calling us "Stupid American Fools" counts as harrassment and I dont appreciate it, please have him banned.
[ This Message was edited by: Sage on 2004-10-17 21:19 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Sage on 2004-10-17 21:24 ] |
thisisme
Joined: Oct 17, 2004
Posts: 16
From: The United Kingdom Of Great Br
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Not airline staff, immigration officials. People with a lot of power. STUPID people with a lot of power. Which is a good description of America in general.
[addsig] |
Sage
Joined: Apr 17, 2003
Posts: 233
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*cough* Ahhh so you are one of those who think Bush has power. Funny, quite funny actually . Oh and btw, immigration officials are usually international (because they are dealing with something international). So i don't think they are necessarily american. See, why do you call the entire American population stupid? Have YOU even lived here? Have you met more than 100 of us? I can probably find stupid British immigration officers as well, given the chance. I don't consider myself unintelligent by any means, and Im American. |
thisisme
Joined: Oct 17, 2004
Posts: 16
From: The United Kingdom Of Great Br
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Ive lived in California, Nevada and Washington. Never again. All the stupidest people i met thought they were intelligent too.
[addsig] |
Sage
Joined: Apr 17, 2003
Posts: 233
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*sigh* I suppose Bill Gates is an idiot too? (Believe me, you can't make that much money being an idiot) |
thisisme
Joined: Oct 17, 2004
Posts: 16
From: The United Kingdom Of Great Br
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You can in america. And please dont go sucking up to a mod, the rules state personal attacks are not tolerated, it says nothing about insulting a whole nation.
[addsig] |
Sage
Joined: Apr 17, 2003
Posts: 233
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I took it personally.
Ok, fine, if all this is true, i challenge you to go one week without anything American-invented or made. Get off the computer btw  . |
thisisme
Joined: Oct 17, 2004
Posts: 16
From: The United Kingdom Of Great Br
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Im on my p900 it was designed in Sweden and made in France.
[addsig] | |
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Posted: 2004-10-17 21:18
