# What's up with the term "anti-Americanism"?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-term-anti-americanism/169146
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [April 16, 2003, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-term-anti-americanism/169146 "2003-04-16T19:24:12Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 4
### Author:  [@McDuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDuff)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-term-anti-americanism/169146/61 "2003-04-17T22:34:29Z")
Hold on there a minute…
It’s the “left” who’ve overused and abused the word “terrorism” to the point of meaninglessness?
Damn…
This must mean that either Ari Fleischer is a mouthpiece of the Vast Left Wing Conspiracy, or we just get blamed for every fucking thing…
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### Author:  [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2003, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-term-anti-americanism/169146/62 "2003-04-17T23:03:52Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by McDuff \*
> **It’s the “left” who’ve overused and abused the word “terrorism” to the point of meaninglessness?**
_laughs_
Well, I would argue that both ssounds have pretty much driven it into the ground. However, Jeff was arguing specifically about the left’s use of it, and I was trying not to distract from the issue…
Fair point, though. Both sides have beaten the hell out of “terrorism.”
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### Author:  [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2003, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-term-anti-americanism/169146/63 "2003-04-17T23:34:36Z")
‘_ssounds_’? Where’d I get that?
I meant “sides.” Doing too much at once I think…
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### Author:  [@ElJeffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElJeffe)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-term-anti-americanism/169146/64 "2003-04-18T00:31:20Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Well, I would argue that both ssounds have pretty much driven it into the ground. However, Jeff was arguing specifically about the left’s use of it, and I was trying not to distract from the issue…
Just a small clarification… While I was specifically referring to the left’s use of “terrorism”, I never meant to imply that only the left is guilty of mauling the word, or using the notion of terrorism in a questionable manner. It’s just that the left’s use of “terrorism” (and I don’t mean to indict the entire left; it’s just a very small minority that does this) is more likely to be linked to what I would consider “anti-American” behavior - ie, claiming that the US is the largest sponsor of terrorism, et al. The right’s misuse of the word is typically not in an anti-American fashion, though it can be equally stupid.
And just to make **Avalonian** happy:
Those who abuse the term “anti-American” are a pock-mark on the face of decency, a vile pimple on the butt of human nature. They are a scourge, an insidious plague of biblical proportions that threaten our very way of life, and the world can never be a good place as long as even one of these pernicious offenders of the english language are removed from God’s green Earth.
Better? 😉
Jeff
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### Author:  [@ElJeffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElJeffe)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-term-anti-americanism/169146/65 "2003-04-18T00:33:21Z")
D’oh, I botched my screed. That should, of course, read:
“…can never be a good place until every one of these pernicious offenders of the english language are removed from God’s green Earth.”
Jeff
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### Author:  [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-term-anti-americanism/169146/66 "2003-04-18T00:40:13Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Yes, and in 1967, the regimes of Mao and Kruschev were chugging away at their own particular brands of genocide.
In 1967? The U.S.S.R. was pretty evenly matched with the U.S. in Africa, Tibet was not an active issue that year, and the Cultural Revolution was still several months in the future. For active violence, the U.S was the champ in 1967.
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### Author:  [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-term-anti-americanism/169146/67 "2003-04-18T00:57:17Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by ElJeffe \*
> **Better? 😉**
Much, thanks. 😉
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