Very interesting question by heflores. My question would be why ? Why is it that there is a growing anti-us feeling in the world ? Has this something to do with the US fingers in so many 'pies' ? What can the US do to counter the anti-us sentiment that is rising ? What do you that live in the US feel about this ? Are the following quotes representitive of a general US 'feeling of superiority' ? So do you love or hate the US ?
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This was written about six months ago. No matter what your views on President Bush's statement of upcoming war, this, from an English journalist, is very interesting. Just a word of background, for those of you who aren't familiar with the UK's Daily Mirror. This is a notoriously left-wing daily that is normally not supportive of the Colonials across the Atlantic. Tony Parsons Daily Mirror September 11, 2002 ONE year ago, the world witnessed a unique kind of broadcasting --the mass murder of thousands, live on television. As a lesson in the pitiless cruelty of the human race, September 11 was up there with Pol Pot's mountain of Skulls in Cambodia, or the skeletal bodies stacked like garbage in the Nazi concentration camps. An unspeakable act so cruel, so calculated and so utterly merciless that surely the world could agree on one thing -nobody deserves this fate. Surely there could be consensus: the victims were truly innocent, the perpetrators truly evil. But to the world's eternal shame, 9/11 is increasingly seen as America's comeuppance. Incredibly, anti-Americanism has increased over the last year. There has always been a simmering resentment to the USA in this country - too loud, too rich, too full of themselves and so much happier than Europeans- but it has become an epidemic. And it seems incredible to me. More than that, it turns my stomach. America is this country's greatest friend and our staunchest ally. We are bonded to the US by culture, language and blood. A little over half a century ago, around half a million Americans died for our freedoms, as well as their own. Have we forgotten so soon? And exactly a year ago, thousands of ordinary men, women and children - not just Americans, but from dozens of countries - were butchered by a small group of religious fanatics. Are we so quick to betray them? What touched the heart about those who died in the twin towers and on the planes was that we recognized them. Young fathers and mothers, somebody's son and somebody's daughter, husbands and wives, and children, some unborn. And these people brought it on themselves? And their nation is to blame or their meticulously planned slaughter? These days you don't have to be some dust-encrusted nut job in Kabul or Karachi or Finsbury Park to see America as the Great Satan. The anti-American alliance is made up of self-loathing liberals who blame the Americans for every ill in the Third World, and conservatives suffering from power-envy, bitter that the world's only superpower can do what it likes without having to ask permission. The truth is that America has behaved with enormous restraint since September 11. Remember, remember. Remember the gut-wrenching tapes of weeping men phoning their wives to say, "I love you," before they were burned alive. Remember those people leaping to their deaths from the top of burning skyscrapers. Remember the hundreds of firemen buried alive. Remember the smiling face of that beautiful little girl who was on one of the planes with her mum. Remember, - and realize that America has never retaliated for 9/11 in anything like the way it could have. So a al-Qaeda tourists got locked without a trial in Camp X-ray? Pass the Kleenex... 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. AMERICA could have turned a large chunk of the world into a parking lot. That it didn't is a sign of strength. American voices are already being raised against attacking Iraq - that's what a democracy is for. How many in the Islamic world will have a minute's silence for the slaughtered innocents of 9/11? How many Islamic leaders will have the guts to say that the mass murder of 9/11 was an abomination? 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. The fundamentalist dudes are talking about "opening the gates of hell," if America attacks Iraq. Well, America could have opened the gates of hell like you wouldn't believe. The US is the most militarily powerful nation that ever strode the face of the earth. The campaign in Afghanistan may have been less than perfect and the planned war on Iraq may be misconceived. But don't blame America for not bringing peace and light to these wretched countries. How many democracies are there in the Middle East, or in the Muslim world? You can count them on the fingers of one hand assuming you haven't had any chopped off for minor shoplifting. I love America, yet America is hated. I guess that makes me Bush's poodle. 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. Not ground down by the past, or religion, or some caste system. America is the best friend this country ever had and we should start remembering that. Or do you really think the USA is the root of all evil? Tell it to the loved ones of the men and women who leaped to their death from the burning towers. Tell it to the nursing mothers whose husbands died on one of the hijacked planes, or were ripped apart in a collapsing skyscraper. And tell it to the hundreds of young widows whose husbands worked for the New York Fire Department. To our shame, George Bush gets a worse press than Saddam Hussein. Once we were told that Saddam gassed the Kurds, tortured his own people and set up rape-camps in Kuwait. Now we are told he likes Quality Street. Save me the orange center, oh mighty one! Remember, remember, September 11. One of the greatest atrocities in human history was committed against America. No, do more than remember. Never forget!!!
I don't think that people hate America because of jealously of our style of life. They hate America's arrogance, America's hypocracy, ect. I'm not going to say that America used to be a white lamb, but we did a better job hiding our dirty laundry from the world. The face of America is changing, and our face have undergone plastic surgery. We have went from diplomats, good atheletes, professionals, doers of good -----to war mongers and cowboys with disregard to all others. America needs a good strong politician bad, or our picture will keep detriorating.
I wonder did the writer of this article give a seconds silence to the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF IRAQI CHILDERN murdered because of UN {USA} sactions? It's really phucked up in my view when we want the whole world to love us as a country yet we are the cause of most of the worlds problems. Americans are for the most part arrogant to the point of stupid. Yes 9/11 was bad but the crimes that go on by this country on a daily basis is worst. I marvel at the fact that we haven't been nuked yet. Evil only begets evil.
I hate those circle pointing fingers debates. If America needs to have a moment of silence for the Iraqi peope, they shouldn't be requesting in return a moment of silence for the 911 vicitims. Plus, we have had so many moments of silence for 911 victims, it's enough. Americans that think that they can ignore the whole world just because they're hiding behind an ocean are wrong and short sighted. There is nothing patriotic about destroying relatioship with other countries that we need.
I'm supposed to go visit my sister in Turkey, and I'm being told that my government does not recommend travel.....For how long I ask...I'm not given an answer. What do I do? I have duel citizenships, so I can use my Egyptian passport to travel and hide my US passport. What are US citizens supposed to do if they have to travel to the middle east to visit family or for business or to Europe? I don't think that our arrogant government considers US safety overseas. As far as to the question of whether people hate or love US. I'd say, international people all hate the US. and it's sad.
It amazes me how many people are so quick to blame their own country like other countries can do no wrong.
What are you so amazed about? Can US citizens do something to make other countries better? No....But we can sure do a lot to make sure we're better. We have only control regarding ourselves and our actions. Believe me, US foreign policy sucks and is completely wrong and will drive US down far down......If you got any patriotic bone in your body, I'd say, you have to join the right team and speak in corrective terms about it, or stay wtih the current team and rally US on to more problems.
heflores first post sums most of it up pretty good, also terrafutan second quote in varius form is a good reason for it. i dont hate the usa, but i most defintly dont respect them eather.
You must be one of those "Either your with me or against me" people. No one said other countries can do no wrong. We are not closed minded. Because we see things that this country does on the name of Globalization and we are willing to call attention to it, does not mean that we either love or hate the US. If anything, I feel that people who are willing to call the monster a monster are the real Americans. Those who listen and believe everything the monster says are mere sheep ready to be lead to the slaughter. You've got to open up that beautiful brain in your head and see the world as it is not as people wanna make it look.
this is the first forum(i been on every thing from games to linux tech forums) i have been on where US people is actually critical about there goverment, wierd at first but most refreashing.
It isnt supposed to be a 'either your with me or against me' scenario, and it has little to do with current events in Iraq. This anti stuff has been around for as long as I've been alive. I was looking for the reasons why ? Someone mentioned the foreign policy sucks, but this is not a new policy, this has been ongoing. So my question is; was there a point that was reached to 'turn the tide' so to speak ? or was it something like 40 years of policy that caused it.
You don't understand nuclear deterrence then? I didn't know the US kills 3 thousands people everyday... could you back this up with some statistics? So, in your mind the gunmaker is the murderer, and not the one who used the gun?
I'm not sure if it was a certain point reached {if so, it was during the Clinton Administration}. I think its a few million people saying enough is enough. Maybe they saw the way the west has been forcing "reforms" on South American countries and would just perfer to go a different route. Maybe it was the Palenstian issue. Maybe the habit of the USA to support dictator type regimes. Someone did a study and found that countries with the worst human rights violations recieve the highest amounts of US Aid. People like Suddam, Suharto, whoever is in charge in Columbia, are friends of the USA. It's been US policy for many years to put dictators in office in order to keep the people in line. You want a union, you die. You want programs to help the poor, you die. You want healthcare, you die. The idea is to remove all the profits for a country. Damn the people. Dictators are paid very well to kill and oppress there people in order for big business to maximize profit. Can't have the people getting in the way. The policies of this country are not thought up by our elected officials and are surely not meant to ensure the happiness of the people. Policy is made an the whim of Big Business. George Bush and the US military are nothing more than an enforcement arm of big global business. Nothing more. If looked at in that context, you may discover why things in this world happen as they do.
I love my nation, but that doesn't mean I can't or won't recognize significant problems. As a Vietnam veteran I'm well aware of the perception that an unpopular war leaves on both the domestic populace and the world at large. And since the collapse of the USSR the US has become the sole hegemony, and as a believer in the realist theory of politics I'm aware of the dangers of unchecked power. I'm waiting to see what alliance comes about in this era to create the balance to check US hegemony. Political need makes strange bedfellows and I'm curious to see what kind of an alliance emerges.
I understand nuclear deterrence better it seems than you. I say give every country on the planet one nuke. That's deterrence for yo' ass! Understand this. This country {let me revise my "this country" rhetoric - the USA as the leader in Globalization} has a way of making other peoples in other countries feel they have nothing to lose. That is very dangerous. The cold war is over. We have made a whole new bunch of people who hate this country. Who have no national boundries they care about. Sooner or later someone is gonna come up with the bright idea that in order to stop america, america has to be destroyed. I live in NYC and got to watch the 9/11 events happen 5 blocks away. This is gonna be ground zero for real if this country doesn't stop messing with people and the only way that's gonna happen is to bring to light the things we do in the dark. Gotta start questioning those folks we put in office. On 9/12/01, people should've been asking themselves "why do so many people hate the USA. What did the USA do to these people to make them go such madness." Instead in out arrogance, we said "Those motherphuckers, how dare they do this! We'll get them for messing with us!" A nation of cowboys... If I believed this, I'd be a fool and a fool is not something I am. What the hell does it mean? You came up with the question. I see nothing I posted as giving you this impression. {must lobby for the NRA}
