On the off chance that this gets a little nasty, I thought that I might just drop this in the pit to begin with. I was inspired by threads like this one.
I guess that my question is rather simple. And I address it to the folks that seem to be (for lack of a better word) anti-US. Dispensing with the fact that we are not a perfect society, is it not arguable that the good that the US does outweighs the bad?
For example:
[ul]
[li]We try to send hungry people food.[/li][li]We try to have a representative democracy, and due process of law.[/li][li]We aspire to Racial/gender equality (as a society).[/li][li]In cases of natural disaster (around the world) we send aid.[/li][/ul]
To name a few “merits”. Think about how the conversation would go if there were posts that made blanket statements against another country (other than the US). You would see a pile-on decrying this as racist/culturally insensitive and the like. Why is it ok, though, to trash the US?
My guess is that we are pretty universally disliked because we are arrogant and tacky. I think that we are arrogant because we pretty much have bootstrapped our society ourselves. This was, after all, the great experiment. We do not (unlike our brothers and sisters from around the world) have centuries or millennia of tradition to lean on. We either rejected that or it was deliberately left behind by the new immigrants (this was back when it was assumed that if you immigrate you will assimilate, but that is a topic for another day). I think that this is why we are so tacky as well. We have not been used to looking for validation outside of ourselves.
That, and the sheer issue of scale. I would be shocked if someone were to prove to me that there is another nation on earth that has cleaner hands than the US, rather My guess is that we simply have more means to enforce our imperfect will
I am most interested to hear what others have to say
I think that a person’s opinion of the US has a lot to do with their experience with us. I mean, someone in a country whose life was saved by US food aide is going to have a significantly different opinion of us than a Palestinian who gets shot at with guns that have “Made in USA” stamped on the side.
Sure, we do those four things you mentioned, but we also back some pretty nasty guys when it’s in our best interest, and have heavy sanctions against countries that don’t operate the way we want them to. We also have the annoying habit of turning a blind eye to genocide and other crimes against humanity.
I wouldn’t consider myself anti-US, I certainly live here for one thing, and I think the country as a whole is good. I just think that the leadership does some pretty horrible things in our name, and the public just tends to ignore it, or try to rationalize it.
I think the most important word in that statement is “hypocritical.”
Granted, the OP was a little over the top, but I saw nothing in there that couldn’t be construed as a reasonable position.
Unless you happen to be the type who thinks that expressing revulsion at some of the more horrendous acts committed dubiously in the name of protecting American freedom constitutes “hating the United States.”
Sorry for not having the mandatory tattoo of Old Glory on my forehead.
Ease up on those hammers black455. I am not suggesting that we need to all join hands and sing the pledge here. I think what I am asking is why it is ok (even fashionable) to hate the US, or at very least to make sweeping statements about it that would not be tolerated in another context.
I absolutely agree that there is a lot of room for improvement here in the US. My point is that this is really a human problem, and I guess I think that we are aware of our faults and not only feel bad about them but are generally trying to correct them.
Also, for those checking in to this thread: Have a little sack (or ovum) and take a moment to fill in your location.
Usually it’s down to jealousy, at a guess. Like it or not, your detractors have to admit that the US is the worlds most powerful nation, in every way that counts. Your military, your economy, your grasp on music & films. This raised profile means that you spend more time under the spotlight that other countries. Hell, if the UK or France had as much influence over the rest of the world please believe that they’d receive just as much criticism and analysis.
Alternatively, perhaps we’ve never quite forgiven you for the Osmonds.
Being European I am by definition anti-US. I think you have no culture and no history. You’re a bunch of belligerent fools with low education who don’t know the difference between Sweden and Switzerland. American coffee or should I say light brown water sucks ass. Fast food is not real food. You’re all meddling jingoists and isolationist xenophobes. The moral high ground that you stand on regarding other nations is contrasted by a moral and ethical depravity at home that is deplorable, You’re all creationist fools that can’t even spell to Darwin. The cultural imperialism of Hollywood is an affront to intelligence and serious culture. The American language is an aberration of the correct use of the English tongue. Last but not least; you all eat with a fork only; an obvious proof of ignorance.
As you can see, through groundbreaking experimentation with a home made particle accelerator, Sparc has managed to create an Anti-December. If we manage to introduce the two in the safety of a magnetic containment field, we should create enough energy to run New York for a century.
Refresh my memory here ** Sparc**. does the rolly eyes smile mean that you are being sarcastic, or do you actually believe the hateful things that you just said?
The dry counties, the 3.2 states, the fact that kegs of Bass always go stale because I’m apparantly the only one in this godforsaken town who drinks it . . . barbarians, all of you!.
