"Let's Say NICE Things About the U.S.," says the Yankee Doodle Doll

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
61

To defend in part America’s isolationist attitude, recall that for much of its history the majority of Americans did not want a major part in international affairs. Before WWI and WWII, most Americans hoped the political problems in Europe would stay across the ocean.

So while the French, English, Dutch, Russians, and Japanese maintained and expanded huge colonial empires, swallowing whole countries by military force, maintaining vast fleets and armies, the United States concentrated on her internal economy.

When we finally entered WWII, it wasn’t with the idea of becoming a superpower. It was to protect our European friends, and to fight off Japanese and German attacks on our soil and shipping.

It makes a certain amount of sense, then, that the United States did not train its citizens in the wiles of confronting and subduing other cultures: its plan was to let them govern for themselves, and forward their own interests, as necessary. Instead, we’re in a situation where the colonial systems abruptly collapsed, leaving a vacuum that was filled by a country with great resources, that happened to have won the last World War and the Cold War. Now, ex-colonial powers and ex-colonies can’t understand why Americans don’t have the savvy created by hundreds of years of exploitation and occupation.

We don’t have all those organizations, institutions, and laws supporting hundreds of years of civilian and military occupation abroad. Unfortunately for everyone concerned, it also means there’s no convenient, ready, natural way for millions of Americans to be able to closely empathize with every nation where a need arises. Even the British and French didn’t have to relate with the people and cultures of every single country in the world. We’re not trying to take over the Middle East, or China, or Canada. But no one will let us permanently and completely walk away, either. So cut us some slack.

62

Not a bad analysis, partly_warmer.

Except I tend to think of WWII as “being lost by the Third Reich (et al)”, rather than won by anyone - there were no winners, and I don’t mean this in the lovy-dovy “wars don’t know winners”-way.

And how did America “win” the cold war? Under Kennedy, it came pretty close to losing it altogether. And as far as the termination of the Cold War goes, I’m afraid Gorbatchev had a lot more input in it than Reagan.

Doesn’t discredit your analysis, though. It’s a good one, and it’s a healthy reminder to those in the Old World that a lot of our international knowledge and multi-cultural capabilities are actually side effects of grand scale oppression in centuries gone by.

63

Well, IMHO, the first plank in winning the Cold War was the Marshall Plan…but lets save that for another day.
Re the OP: I just luuuuuvvvvvvvvvv your accents.

64

No culture? What?

We gave the world Elvis and Baywatch. We got LAAAAAAAAAAAS VEGGGGGGGGGGGGGAS baby!

We do, however, apologize profusely for Starbuck’s, DisneyWorld and McDonald’s and their Empirical Conspiracy to take over the world.

65

I have to respectfully disagree with with this.

The Kennedy administration essentially won a showdown in which no shots were fired. And the US and the rest of the first world won the Cold War in the same way that a distance runner wins an endurance race.

You can give Gorbachev all the credit you want for participating in establishing a lasting detente, but the fact it, he didn’t have much choice. The USSR was more or less economically exhausted, as demonstrated by its eventual collapse.

We wore 'em out.

66

Sheesh. I don’t think I could have made that post any less clear if I’d tried.

Round #2 -

The Soviet Union had a stated policy on instituting “World Socialism,” in which all the nations of the world would join in a Marxist utopia. (Led, naturally, by the USSR.) To this end the invested a huge percentage of their annual GNP (much more than we could have gotten away with) in building their military establishment and supporting “revolutionary” activity in the third world. For instance, much of the instability in Afghanistan can be traced back to the Soviet-sponsored Marxist revolution in the 1970’s which depose the King’s government. We ended up in quagmires like Korea and Vietnam by using overt means to counter covert Soviet machinations.

Every time they made a move, we upped the ante. “You put missles in Cuba, we’ll blockade the place. Now what are you gonna do?” We forced them to spend more and more on their military infrastructure which stressed an alreadt fundamentally weak socialist economy to the breaking point.

The Cold War was an economic contest with seriously violent overtones, but it was still basically an economic contest.

I don’t pretend to claim that we won it all by ourselves, but we played a leading role.

Further obfuscation of my already fuzzy point complete.

67

World’s greatest city: New York. Well okay, I’m biased, but y’know. Because in what other city can you go to Chinatown and then the luxurious upper east side and look great doing it?

Three names: Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, and Kate Spade.

Stephen King.

Matt Groening and of course “The Simpsons” and “Futurama.”

Being able to make fun of whomever we want whenever we want (see SNL, The Daily Show, South Park The Onion, etc.)- Ain’t Comedy Central great?

Oreos, Coca Cola, the flavored condom. (All right maybe that last one originated somewhere else…)

The only place with a TV channel that sells tote bags and coloring books that go up to $200.

Movies like “Fargo,” “Pulp Fiction,” and “As Good as it Gets.”

Bite sized foods.

68

OK, reading a thread on free speech over in GD, I felt a surge of patriotism, so here it goes.

I love the fact that no matter how obnoxious, irritating, illogical, or yes, immoral the words or thoughts, the right to say and think what you like in America is fiercely protected by law.

I also love how America blends us immigrants into part of the cultural whole, so this English kid can get good pierogi, halupki, calzones, and sushi here in Pittsburgh, not to mention just about any other kind of food in the Strip district. I still have fond memories of plate lunches in Hawaii which are an even better blending (although we’ll overlook spam musubi, if you don’t mind). Oh yes, and as I once explained to a friend in Japan who knew I was an immigrant to America, being called “Gaijin” or “foreigner” on the street by a stranger is pretty much unthinkable.

America, to me, can be incredibly noisy, raucous, and yes, rude, and narrow-minded at times, but in a crisis, whether it was flooding in the mid-West a few years ago, or in the aftermath of September 11th, people will pull together, overlooking their differences. I do remember arabic-looking people getting beaten up last fall; I also remember how the outcry against the idiots who did so came from ordinary people. I also love the genuine friendliness I’ve found here.

This country began as a glorious experiment, and, while I may criticize individuals within it (Mr. Ashcroft), I am still proud and honored to live here. Thank you.

I know, I know. I’ll put down the flag now. :wink:
CJ

69

In the light of cjhoworth’s fine sentiments, I think this is an appropriate juncture to share the thoughful words of Stephen Sackur, the BBC’s Washington Correspondent, on the occasion of his departure from the US.

70

Woo-hoo! Two pages, and I’m feeling more patriotic by the post.

[Eve gets out her red-white-and-blue Yankee Doodle Dandy outfit and sparklers]

71

And what’s wrong with celebrating hot dogs and jazz? People in North Korea or Iraq, for example, would envy us our peace and freedom to enjoy food and music they can only dream about Preserving the way of life that creates the small things that give pleasure are, IMHO, the whole reason that we do things like fight Nazis and set up the Marshall Plan.

72

Are these state run schools, or religious private schools?

Sir, if you think religion is in the private sector in America, I cordially invite you to take alook at how much power the Religious right holds in one of your two political parties.

In God we trust, right?
As for the OP, I just love your people.

73

I don’t think many Iraqis would be into hot dogs, gobear. :wink:

74

Like most political parties and faction, the religious right would like to see the country governed according to their principles. They are checked in their mission by the will of the voters, their opponents in legislatures, the will of the public, the Constitution, and the court system. Duly considered. What’s your point?

I’m trying to think of things to add beyond football, hot dogs and the First Amendment, though I’m fond of all three. Here goes:

Free chips and salsa in most Mexican restaurants.
Free glasses of water in most restaurants.
The abundance of colleges and universities
NASA
Austin-we’ve got great cities other than NYC!
The Smithsonian
Jack Kerouac
Southernisms like “y’all” and “fixing to”

75

Adding on to Fionn’s post, free refills!

Most restaurants in the US will give you free refills for most non-alcoholic drinks. Great for a fella like me who can put away quite a few glasses of soda over a dinner.

Great international cuisine. I don’t know any other country where my friends and I could argue whether we want to go out and eat mexican, japanese, chinese, indian, or thai food.

Wide open spaces. The United States is HUGE. Just riding along I-5, seeing endless stretches of fields. Heck, my native California is as big/bigger than many countries. And if it were its own country, it would be like the 5th strongest economy to boot.

76

and Humphrey Bogart/Lauren Bacall movies? We have the sheer luxury of being able to live private lives–private lives where we decide what is important and what is fivolous.

And, ice cubes.

77

Umm, I hate to bring this up after your really wonderful list, but I believe Kerouac was Canadian. His writing certainly covered a lot of America in a truly wonderful and strange way, but he was French Canadian (can’t recall where exactly he was from).

But at least he DIED in America. :smiley:

78

Born and died in America, jackelope. He was born in Lowell, MA to French-Canadian parents.

79

Uh, and now that I think about it, his immigrant roots make him an even better symbolic represenative of our immigrant culture.

In the spirit of Jack, let’s hear it for the quintessently American wanderers and travellers.

80

The luxury of having private, diverse ideas is an American strength. A hot dog is ok as a symbol of personal expression, but I’m not sure what being “proud” of hot dogs would mean. They aren’t national accomplishments in the sense that NASA, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian and so on, are. One can think up reasons why hot dogs represent truth, justice, and the American way, but that wasn’t the manner in which those cultural items were being presented. cjhoworth’s comment about liking our range of cultures and cultural choice was apt. We might talk in another thread sometime about the advantages (and disadvantages) of that, but it seems to be an American strength.