# Why are so many Americans offended by foreigners commenting on American politics? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 23, 2004, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680 "2004-05-23T19:58:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/81 "2004-05-25T00:52:03Z")
It seems to me foreigners have rather more reason to comment on American politics than Americans have to comment on the politics of other countries – simply because right now, at this stage in history, the U.S. is the most important country on earth – the only remaining military superpower, the biggest national economy, and the most overwhelming influence on world culture; therefore, the results of American elections and the decisions made in Washington affect everybody in the whole world, directly or indirectly. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/82 "2004-05-25T05:04:16Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > I suspect you’ve been wooshed… No, it’s quite in keeping with **Sisyphus’ Stone** ’s previous posts about “Yanks”. I’m surprised he keeps getting away with it. ---
**Author:** ![iamme99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/57b2e6/32.png) [@iamme99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamme99)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/83 "2004-05-25T08:03:50Z")
> [@Brutus](#): > > Remember, the poster must move amongst the BBS as a fish swims in the sea! Also, it helps when they use ‘common sense’. If you expect every post to carry a persons political affiliation, then it is obvious that the yankee pig-dogs have stolen your common sense, much as they steal labor from their enslaved working class! **iamme99** is one of yours. You will need to use that tool of the intelligista, ‘reading’, to figure that out. Ha, ha, ha! Thanks, friend Brutus! I guess you missed my posts about wanting the death penalty to be more widely applied and maybe make it a bit more interesting, like bring back public executions using the guillotine? However, vis-a-vis your postings, I am most happy to be considered by yourself to be one of the other side. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![iamme99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/57b2e6/32.png) [@iamme99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamme99)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/84 "2004-05-25T08:25:59Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > And then? Why shouldn’t we have an opinion aboiut your politicians? How could we even avoid to have such an opinion. And why not express it? > > As for inserting ourselves in your political process or trying to influence your vote, once again, why not, if we can? Why should we limit ourselves to influence things happening within our borders? Especialy in the case of country like the USA, which has a lot of influence and doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Actually, I believe we _should_ feel concerned about what’s hapening in other countries. If I had a mean to convince one hundred US or Italian people to vote against their current leaders, I would not hesitate to do so. Because not being part of nor having to live within our system, it is a rare foreign who really knows what they are talking about. Oh sure, non-citizens know some facts, but most are just like us, victims of your own media interpretations but yet lacking in understanding of the big picture in other countries. Perhaps so many foreigner’s like to post about our politics because their own leaders and events are so boring? Or ours are just so interesting? There must be a reason why some non-citizens spend SO MUCH TIME here telling us why we suck, or who we should vote for, or how good or bad our economy is, or how our laws work or should work, or this or that, etc., etc… ---
**Author:** ![Sisyphus\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sisyphus\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sisyphus_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/85 "2004-05-25T09:57:34Z")
> [@ruadh](#): > > No, it’s quite in keeping with **Sisyphus’ Stone** ’s previous posts about “Yanks”. > > I’m surprised he keeps getting away with it. Nup, he was right. You were whooshed. 😃 Hyperbole sometimes accomplishes what reasoned arguments doesn’t. And that was the first post that I have use the sobriquet, Yanks. I usually use **Seppos**. A more apt rhyming slang metaphor than ‘Yanks’. ---
**Author:** ![marky33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@marky33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marky33)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/86 "2004-05-25T10:16:01Z")
> [@Mehitabel](#): > > Many of us have relatives in graves scattered around the world, testimony to our rescue of all too many European and Asian nations that wasted large parts of the 20th century and countless lives with stupid and dangerous ideas. I was going to mention this earlier in the thread: that an impression exists in America that it is always clearing up everyone else’s mess so why should it have to listen to the advice/opinions of the fools who make that mess. I would suggest, however, that, at least for the second half of last century, **America** was the chief mess-maker, it just managed to do its business in others’ backyards, so maybe it could do with that advice/those opinions after all. ---
**Author:** ![marky33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@marky33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marky33)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/87 "2004-05-25T10:18:06Z")
And, of course, this century has not got off to the most auspicious of starts. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/88 "2004-05-25T11:15:14Z")
> [@Sisyphus' Stone](#): > > Nup, he was right. You were whooshed. 😃 Hyperbole sometimes accomplishes what reasoned arguments doesn’t. > > And that was the first post that I have use the sobriquet, Yanks. I usually use **Seppos**. A more apt rhyming slang metaphor than ‘Yanks’. So, you’re saying that you initially posted for the sole purpose of getting a rise out of someone? Huh. Interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/89 "2004-05-25T11:43:07Z")
> [@Mehitabel](#): > > \ > > Truth is, we do listen, but not only are the “comments of the world” sometimes an endless babble of contradictory advice, but we do have to consider the source. In addition to what **Bosda** said, many of us have relatives in graves scattered around the world, testimony to our rescue of all too many European and Asian nations that wasted large parts of the 20th century and countless lives with stupid and dangerous ideas. We watch as our soldiers have to go over and cope with things that Europe really should be taking care of on its own but simply can’t, like the Yugoslavian wars. > > So forgive us for not regarding the rest of the world’s “wisdom” without a healthy dose of skepticism. > > That said, of course informed advice and healthy debate is always nice to hear. But anything that starts off with “Listen, you flag-waving fat morons…!” won’t get anywhere. You seem to have read a few things into my post that I wasn’t implying. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/90 "2004-05-25T11:56:34Z")
> [@iamme99](#): > > Because not being part of nor having to live within our system, it is a rare foreign who really knows what they are talking about. Oh sure, non-citizens know some facts, but most are just like us, victims of your own media interpretations but yet lacking in understanding of the big picture in other countries. Many people aren’t well informed about their own domestic politics, and what you say doesn’t contradict my statement. What is important is whether or not the person is informed, and whether or not his arguments are convincing. There’s no reason to dismiss them on the mere basis that he’s a foreigner, or to complain if he actually manage to influence people. [/quote] Perhaps so many foreigner’s like to post about our politics because their own leaders and events are so boring? Or ours are just so interesting? There must be a reason why some non-citizens spend SO MUCH TIME here telling us why we suck, or who we should vote for, or how good or bad our economy is, or how our laws work or should work, or this or that, etc., etc… [/QUOTE] The reason has been posted many times in this thread. What happens in the US has much more impact in the world that what happens in, say, Mali. So, people are generally way more aknowledgeable about and interested in the USA than Mali. Though I’m quite certain Malian politics are probably as fascinating as US political issues. But they don’t have the same impact and coverage. (I just discussed about his country with a Malian, and found what he told me very interesting, though I was totally clueless about his country. That’s why I picked this example) ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/91 "2004-05-25T11:58:01Z")
> [@iamme99](#): > > Because not being part of nor having to live within our system, it is a rare foreign who really knows what they are talking about. Oh sure, non-citizens know some facts, but most are just like us, victims of your own media interpretations but yet lacking in understanding of the big picture in other countries. Many people aren’t well informed about their own domestic politics, and what you say doesn’t contradict my statement. What is important is whether or not the person is informed, and whether or not his arguments are convincing. There’s no reason to dismiss them on the mere basis that he’s a foreigner, or to complain if he actually manage to influence people. > [@](#): > > Perhaps so many foreigner’s like to post about our politics because their own leaders and events are so boring? Or ours are just so interesting? There must be a reason why some non-citizens spend SO MUCH TIME here telling us why we suck, or who we should vote for, or how good or bad our economy is, or how our laws work or should work, or this or that, etc., etc… The reason has been posted many times in this thread. What happens in the US has much more impact in the world that what happens in, say, Mali. So, people are generally way more aknowledgeable about and interested in the USA than Mali. Though I’m quite certain Malian politics are probably as fascinating as US political issues. But they don’t have the same impact and coverage. (I just discussed about his country with a Malian, and found what he told me very interesting, though I was totally clueless about his country. That’s why I picked this example) ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/92 "2004-05-25T12:00:48Z")
> [@C3](#): > > So, you’re saying that you initially posted for the sole purpose of getting a rise out of someone? Huh. Interesting. Disingeneous. Trolls _intend_ to get a rise of people. Hyperbole is intended to be fun or to help making a point. The fact that some people don’t get it doesn’t mean that the poster is troling. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/93 "2004-05-25T12:46:39Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Since **jshore** already did the legwork on this (thanks!), I’ll just remind comrade **Brutus** that examples of conservatives trying to silence dissenting voices isn’t limited to foreigners. The “legwork” isn’t revealing what you think it is. None of the posts cited in that thread can be reasonably viewed as “trying to silence dissenting voices”. “I find your opinions meaningless” is not terribly constructive, but it does not exactly represent the march of the jackboots either. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/94 "2004-05-25T13:22:40Z")
I don’t know, **Jackmanii** , the phrase > [@Senggüm](#): > > They should worry about their own backyards certainly seems to convey more than just “I find your opinion meaningless”. It’s more akin to “Mind your own business”, which is exactly the sentiment **Brutus** claims the right doesn’t espouse when it comes to people expressing opinions on the policites of countries other than the one in which they reside. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/95 "2004-05-25T13:38:37Z")
> [@Olentzero](#): > > I don’t know, **Jackmanii** , the phrase: > > > [@Senggüm](#): > > > > They should worry about their own backyards > > certainly seems to convey more than just “I find your opinion meaningless”. Yes, it has that air of “People who live in glass houses…”. If a poster is such a weak, easily intimidated creature that that sort of rejoinder discourages them from posting, then they are not going to be able to tolerate any sort of routine debate here. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/96 "2004-05-25T13:53:09Z")
That wasn’t the point behind this part of the debate and you know it. Brutus said > [@Brutus](#): > > You’ll notice that its only the leftist crowd here that doesn’t want foreigners meddling in certain debates and **jshore** provided an example from the Doper right that proves **Brutus** ’ assertion false. **Brutus** is thus shown to be talking out another orifice besides his mouth. End of story. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/97 "2004-05-25T14:52:43Z")
> [@Olentzero](#): > > That wasn’t the point behind this part of the debate and you know it. Brutus said and **jshore** provided an example from the Doper right that proves **Brutus** ’ assertion false. **Brutus** is thus shown to be talking out another orifice besides his mouth. End of story. I disregard virtually everything **Brutus** posts (does saying this mean I am trying to “silence” him?). Again, I don’t think it’s useful to flat-out dismiss political observations from abroad on the grounds that they are from furriners; I also am not impressed by the cries of “Help, help, I’m being intimidated”. The odds of losing pungent foreign commentary on the SDMB are about the same as there being a shortage of fire ants in Texas. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/98 "2004-05-25T15:18:26Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] No one is talking about a reasoned reply to non-US posters. What **Sam** is talking about is questioning his right to post about US politics simply because he’s Canadian. I’ve seen it happen at least once in the last month alone. I won’t name the poster, but he/she has already contributed to this thread and should at least have the courage to adimit it him/herself. [/QUOTEThen it ought to be easy to provide a link, shouldn’t it? First “have the courage” to make sure that that’s \*really \* what it says, though. > [@clairobscur](#): > > Also, concerning people maquereding as americans : why should it import? If an argument is convincing, does it cease to be so when it comes from a foreigner? Why would it change a thing? It isn’t and doesn’t - the problem is with the “if an argument is convincing” part of that. An argument from someone with no, or little, stake in the results is automatically less convincing, just as shallow, ideological, fact-flouting arguments are. I’ll join you in noting that following politics can be a fascinating spectator sport, as well as a fine way to educate oneself about other lands and peoples. But you do have to hold yourself back from “masquerading”, as you put it, instead of respecting the stakeholders’ responsibility for the outcomes, a responsibility you do not share for most of their domestic matters. I don’t think much about Mali either, but I’m not about to tell them how to manage their own households either as long as I have problems with mine. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/99 "2004-05-25T15:38:43Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > An argument from someone with no, or little, stake in the results is automatically less convincing, just as shallow, ideological, fact-flouting arguments are. Nope. In fact, the opposite is just as likely to be true. Someone who is not emotionally involved in the outcome might be able to see the situation more objectively. However, if you really feel that way, the rest of us will oblige you and discount all non-US posters who agree with your positions in the future. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680/100 "2004-05-25T15:54:40Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Disingeneous. Trolls _intend_ to get a rise of people. Hyperbole is intended to be fun or to help making a point. The fact that some people don’t get it doesn’t mean that the poster is troling. Well, [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=254415) was the thread I was thinking of when I made my earlier post. If that’s just trying to be fun or help making a point, I don’t think the distinction from trolling is a particularly useful one. And **Sisyphus** , just FYI, it’s not the first time you’ve used the word “yanks”, although that’s really quite beside the point. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-americans-offended-by-foreigners-commenting-on-american-politics/246680.md?page=6)