Well, one of my friends was living in France for a while, and some guys were messing with him until he said he was Mexican, then they left him alone. He says he's not sure what would have happened if they knew he was American also. Yes, sucking it up is good. But I don't see any self- pity here. And I think the rest of the world needs to suck it up. The US is the most powerful country for now. They need to deal with it and improve themselves instead of whining all the time.
Um, you *have* taken out governments you don't like. Throughout the twentieth century - The American Century. You're the richest country in the world. Of course you send the most aid. However, as a proportion of your GNP, you send the least of most western countries. http://www.its.caltech.edu/~kai/foreignaid.html (Huh. Only Denmark has increased its proportion since 1992. Shame on us all.) Mr. Clutch: you don't see any self-pity here? Your last post was *entirely* self-pity! Look, of course, the USA is wonderful in some respects. I am serious about that! But - and I'm going off on a tangent here, thinking about all the arguments I've had on this board - why can't you accept both the good *and* the bad things about your country, and love it anyway? Why are some of you so unwilling to acknowledge this stuff? It doesn't hurt a bit. Honest.
dimsie, To add to your self-pity observation, the curious thing I see sometimes is Americans getting embarrassed by the outside critiques of their country, and I'm not even talking about politics....rather, embarrassed by our cultural stereotypes. I got a joke for you. Canada is a really sad story. They had the chance to have: British Culture French Cuisine, and American Technology and they ended up with American Culture British Cuisine, and French Technology. I love laughing at my country. And I'll never forget 9/11.
dimsie, To add to your self-pity observation, the curious thing I see sometimes is Americans getting embarrassed by the outside critiques of their country, and I'm not even talking about politics....rather, embarrassed by our cultural stereotypes. I also find that American's generally don't reciprocate the disgust a lot of countries see in us and our culture. That's why we get apologetic and embarrassed. I got a joke for you. Canada is a really sad story. They had the chance to have: British Culture French Cuisine, and American Technology and they ended up with American Culture British Cuisine, and French Technology. I love laughing at my country. And I'll never forget 9/11.
Well my post was more intended as criticism of other countries not as self pitying. Anyways, 99% of the threads here are arguments about issues, not feeling sorry for the good old USA. While in other countries a high % is about envy for the USA. Hey, where do you get the idea that we don't accept that there are bad things about the USA?
Oh, it's all about 'envy' is it? Riiiiiiiight. Oh gee, I can't possibly work out where I got that idea from. You're seriously asking me that?
An ignorant inflammatory article. So some Afghan wedding receptions were shot up after they merrily fired their semi-automatics in a sky full of American planes? A shame, but maybe next time they should stick to confetti. Racist? AMERICA could have turned a large chunk of the world into a parking lot. That it didn't is a sign of strength. This is a sign of the articles' tone, When the news of 9/11 broke on the West Bank, those freedom-loving Palestinians were dancing in the street. America watched all of that - and didn't push the button. We should thank the stars that America is the most powerful nation in the world. I still find it incredible that 9/11 did not provoke all-out war. Not a "war on terrorism". A real war Well. we had an all out war with the host country where Bin Laden was living. What more could he want? I guess he would have done the parking lot approach to perhaps the whole Middle East but admires Bush's restraint. But I would rather be a dog in New York City than a Prince in Riyadh. Above all, America is hated because it is what every country wants to be - rich, free, strong, open, optimistic. On and on it continues. I guess he feels like he is supporting Bush on Gulf War II or something.
One point that the article made that I do agree with. Incredibly, anti-Americanism has increased over the last year. This is an unfortunate aspect of the way the Bush administration has reacted to 911. Not showing enough restraint (although to the author anything less than nuking to create parking lots is restraint). Bullying our allies. Bullying the UN. Responding to Sharon's destruction of the Palestinian Atuhority by labelling Shraron a "man of peace." Starting an unnecessary War with Iraq against world opinion. Bush's policies are still playing pretty well here at home, but the results, as many have predicted, are increased ani-Americanism around the world.
Dimsie, thanks for the link concerning You're the richest country in the world. Of course you send the most aid. However, as a proportion of your GNP, you send the least of most western countries. I remember months ago when I had to rebut the constant claim that Americans are the most generous people in the world when it comes to foreign aid. I had a hard time getting the proof. Now for the toughie, Do you prefer to live in New Zealand? If so, why. Do you think that you will return to live in the US?
We did? What was this "all out war" called? Of course the article is inflammatory! You aren't going to persuade American-haters, who have views equally inflammatory in the other direction, by saying "come on, America's not that bad." The article's title and content made clear that it was not trying to persuade American-critics, it was trying to persuade American-haters that the country is not the root of all evil. Now, how far-fetched is that?
So you regard a sentence typed by someone on a Message Board as proof? My suggestion is you should keep looking.
So you regard a sentence typed by someone on a Message Board as proof? My suggestion is you should keep looking. Let me reply in kind. Last time I had to research it so I found the data. Unfortunately there is no Santa Claus and our country ,the USA, is one of the least generous rich countries in the world. Tough, I know, but you'll get over it after awhile. The USA has a lot of other good qualities so need to feel too bad.
you know what is funny is that we are criticized for starting a war with iraq that we haven't even started yet. but anyhow we are also criticized for bullying iraq when that is the only way that we can get through to them. passing resolutions and useless inspections without the threat of force does no good. iraq really is just like a bad child and the UN is like the parents who end up on jenny jones with their jackass child who needs to goto boot camp because they can't enforce rules on their own. the only thing saddam responds to is the threat of him losing power that is why military threats are necessary. we haven't bullied our allies either. anyhow...the world will be better off with saddam out of power and with iraq as a democracy. why doesn't anyone champion that idea? now the sharon and israel thing i agree with you on. israel and sharon are terrorists just like the palestinian suicide bombers are. america would be better off to just drop israel as an ally and teach them a lesson that we made them and if they keep acting like jackasses then they are gone. plus we would be much better off in the arab world without this insane support of israel.
In my travels (Europe, Central America, Mex) the only time I think I was messed with or mistreated was by French civil servants (post-office, train station). I think most of the Americans who do get hassled probably do stuff like ask the waiter why isn't the menu in American with a healthy dose of contempt, or ask the club manager why they don't have any real (American) music playing there. In short traveling as an American is mostly great. Further, if we are so great as a nation and peoples--and I think we mostly are--we certainly should be thick skinned enough to accept divergent opinions within our nation and from other nations, or even a few jokes and criticisms directed to us.
