anti american sentiments

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by afro-elf
alas has my star fallen so low?

I know you're down there in the mud. And I know what you're doing as well.

[afro-elf]

that made me think of pigs


maybe when could bomb islamic terrorist with pigs and funnel pigs into their countries


or maybe surround them with pepperoni

[elendili]

The Americans are the dregs of England, Spain and Ireland they can't even spell words right e.g. color
Why have Americans dropped a load of letters in their words

Not that I don't like America or anything without them we would never had had Star Wars

Please don't kill me

[afro-elf]

Why have Americans dropped a load of letters in their words

Because we hate the French

[BeardofPants]

I think everyone hates the french...

[Elvellon]

Originally posted by BeardofPants


Can I just point out here two things:

A) America is a lot more diverse than that. There is no mono-culture being exported out, per se. Also, if you want to blame someone, blame the corporations. Blame the media. etc, etc, and so forth. They're the ones that are exporting the so-called US culture into the global arena.

B) The damage to indigenous culture has already been done - and not by the so-called US b*stards. No. Look back earlier. In the pacific alone, multiple cultures were wiped out by missionaries. If you want to worry about culture being squashed, then for the love of all that's smelly, question the church.

That is all.

BoP, the question I was answering was “why there are anti-american feelings” and not what my feelings on this subject are.

Nor did I sad it was a monolithic culture, BoP. People react to cultural elements , whenever America exports some element of its culture it will have the aforementioned result, at least to some degree. This is not limited to America, of course, many western European countries “suffered” (and still do) from the same problem. Yet, since their power and ability to export elements of their own cultures is now considerably less, they are also less affected by it, currently that is.

As for the value that each new cultural elements may have, that was not what I was trying to analyse here but simply how people react to them.

Sure, people should blame those that are directly responsible by the things that displease or actually harm them, yet, what we see is that America becomes “guilty by association” in the minds of many. Unfair, yes, but it really happens.

As for the native peoples problem, I doubt that it affects much how America is perceived by most of the world. It is simply seen as an internal problem, when it is perceived at all by the outside world.

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Elvellon
Nor did I sad it was a monolithic culture, BoP.

A monolith is a large block of stone. Somehow, I think you might have meant something else entirely...

As for the native peoples problem, I doubt that it affects much how America is perceived by most of the world. It is simply seen as an internal problem, when it is perceived at all by the outside world.

Yes, it's sad isn't it? People don't really think about the loss of indigenous culture. I guess I'm more aware of the problem because I am situated in the pacific triangle, and because New Zealand (and the rest of the pacific) were founded by missionaries.

You raise some very good points, and it was not my intention to moot them, but rather bring to light some other points of view.

[elendili]

I think everyone hates the french...

I hate the french for developing the language of french that i had to learn, it's just a stupid language

[Andúril]

BoP:
I think everyone hates the french...

Why? Is it because of those arrogant half-grunting disaproval noises they make?

[Elvellon]

Originally posted by BeardofPants

A monolith is a large block of stone. Somehow, I think you might have meant something else entirely...

Yes, it's sad isn't it? People don't really think about the loss of indigenous culture. I guess I'm more aware of the problem because I am situated in the pacific triangle, and because New Zealand (and the rest of the pacific) were founded by missionaries.

Yes, but in my own language, it is sometimes used to describe a culture that has a homogeneous quality, so I have presumed (wrongly it seems) that it would have the same meaning in English.

True, the destiny of many indigenous peoples is sad. It is an unfortunate but old story; it has been the destiny of untold cultures before, and perhaps it will be the destiny of many more still.
Even in Europe, how many ancient nations have passed into historical oblivion without even their names being recorded?
It is regrettable, but only now is starting to emerge a multicultural view of the world.

[Pailan]

I have spent much time travelling abroad and there are times when I am having a great adventure onlyto run into some clods from my country. Here are some examples...

"Oh, the food here is too spicey!" -India

"Doesn't anyone here speak English?"-Bogota, Colombia

"This isn't like Hawaii at all!"- Jamaica

"You're not American, you're Canadian"- Quebec City, Canada


Problem is that my fellow countrymen tend to just hop on a plane because some travel agent tells them they'll have fun. They don't understand they are leaving the comfort of their happy little lives and are being immersed into another culture. Amazing, really.

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Elvellon
Yes, but in my own language, it is sometimes used to describe a culture that has a homogeneous quality, so I have presumed (wrongly it seems) that it would have the same meaning in English.

How is that? Mono = one, and lithic/lith = stone.

Pailan:
"Oh, the food here is too spicey!" -India

"Doesn't anyone here speak English?"-Bogota, Colombia

"This isn't like Hawaii at all!"- Jamaica

"You're not American, you're Canadian"- Quebec City, Canada

[afro-elf]

sometimes the word megalith and monolith are use to describe things as " great" or maybe even pervasive

[Elvellon]

Originally posted by BeardofPants

How is that? Mono = one, and lithic/lith = stone.

Yes, precisely; meaning something that is made from a single block, and whose composition is homogeneous, hence it’s allegorical use.

[LuthienTinuviel]

actually, after we won the revolution, american feeling toward britain wasn't really soft an fluffy, and everyone wanted to try and be thrie own nation apart from everyone else, etc.. so we changed the language, the 'u' got dropoed from colour, hence color, silent 'e's got dropped from alot of stuff too,

at least that what they tell us in school.

so how can i know it's true

i think people don't like america for the reasons posted by elvellon and afro elf (who, by the way, always thinks up very intersting topics, thank you!)

we are a bunch of babies over here. and lots of us are dumber than stumps too, i need to get out of this country.
i can't believe some of these people are allowed to raise children
sorry im getting off topic, going to go watch harry potter again! muahahahahahaha

[mirrille]

What with Americans being so high profile, I think we (at least in Canada) see alot of them. We get all their movies, their TV, their magazines, their super-wasteful consumer goods, and so on. So we get to see the worst side of them...alot. Entertainment tends to focus on extremes, so that's what we see. The most troubling social problems, the most sordid scandals, the most ignorant/ intolerant/violent/arrogant characters, the most extreme politics. That kind of stuff all floats to the top and that's what we see. There have been times when I've turned on the TV (or even visited there, but remember not everyone has that opportunity to travel) and thought "man! these people are messed up." but the thing to realize is that everywhere is messed up in some ways. But Americans are very visible, and that can exaggerate the effect. To contrast, I don't have any particular bad sentiments against...say...Hungarians, but I don't know much about them. Someone who lives close to them might feel differently, for historical or whatever reasons. It's another thing that America has lately (oh..in the last century, i suppose) been sticking her finger in alot of countries' business, whether self interested or well intentioned is irrelevant. What is important is that it means fairly high profile contact, which is always a chance to screw up and make a "historical" reason for resentment.
At least that's what I think when I'm in a mood to be charitable. To be brutally honest, the collective arrogance does tend to grate after a while, but i try to take a deep breath, and remember that patriotism, if that's all it is, is good in small amounts and innocent in and of itself, and imagine that it's just their visibility that makes it especially noticeable.

I have to say I'm very surprised. I've seen this question posted on various fora and I have to say this is the only instance where the discussion has maintained some semblance of civility.

[afro-elf]

I posted this on the xenite forums

I'm supporting the WEST here not SOLEY AMERICA


i've traveled quite a bit and I find that MOST like there homeland.

MY experience has been

I have found that the very fact of technology has made the world "western" NO MATTER where I have gone the there is a subtle and not so subtle inculcation of the west.

I have found that most in the middle-east and asia have love/hate feelings about america. They love the freedom that we have and hate the fact that they don't. And this breeds sort of a mixed feeling there.


In northern europe people really did give a damn pro or con.

I was disapponted. There where so many blacks, mediterreans, balkans, and asians etc. in Stockholm that all spoke English I was like damn i could have gone back to america for this. I asked my friends were the white people were.

Sort like Blazing saddles "where the white women aint"

In Eastern european most would jump at the chance to fly west.

I found that a lot of Asian women wanted to move west more than the men. Freedom issues.

As far as the South America they LOVED their home, BUT most would like to have a better life in North America.

someone mentioned do they think that life in the west is better than some places HELL YES. not all places but some. The squalor, of some places i've seen in S.America, the Far east, SE Asia, Africa, the Middle east, eastern Europe is just mind numbing.

We have squalor in west BUT, not in such emmense porportions.

But the middle-east/muslim world has to the worst society as a whole IMO

there is slavery here, they don't call it that, but the people here AS A WHOLE, treat others like that. The way the poor indians, pakis, afghans, bangledishis, etc are treated here is obscence.

I began to dissasociate here when my studenst started telling me they the above mentioned were animals and by there action they often treated them as such.

and These were their fellow muslim brothers.

In the KSA they take your passport.

The way they treat women is also obscene. The EDUCATED here have not qualms about killing a women if she loses here virginity before marriage. in the (KSA) If a ( saudi) women dares show her face in the place save the 3 major cites she will be abused verbally and with a high risk of of physical abuse. They can't drive in the KSA.
A women's SOLE purpose is to be a domestic slave.

Little girls over 6 or seven don't even play outside.

People say america is violent. AFRICA is violent, the middle east in Violent, south asia is violent, south america is violent.

The political, economic, tribal, social, religious, etc, strife in those areas are outrageous. When you live in those area you see **** that western TV doesn't show on tv. Life for most people in the world is a BITTER nasty struggle for survival daily. War, hunger, violence, etc

the west aint perfect but i would rather be in any country of Northern european back ground USA, Canada, NZ, Australia, Northern Europe etc.

I'm black and i'll say this the world is a messed up. Nations have screwed over people for ages. I've mostly african blood, with a large dose of native america and a dash of irish. I've got 3 of the most famous down trodded people in the world in my veins.

You know I say . THANK _______ ( put what you want in the blank) FOR WHITEY.

It is western civilization that has made the world a better place. It aint perfect but, i'd rather live today with the opportunities granted to me by Western culture than ANY other time or place in the world.

There is so much people take for granted. The very fact that we can disagree publicy on this board is one. The we have education, health care, that we can get my on our own merits etc.

Again I know there are problems but I'll take the west ANY day over ANY other CURRENTLY EXISTING or PAST CULTURE.

Of the places I've been I like Canad and Australia the best.
From my experienc they were really laid back. Being Black ( american) in Australia was a boon actually

sorry for the rant but because I've been in the SH!T and seen it close up I realize the WEST is the Best. Not America per se as I described above. But I don't think any "culture has done more to free people as a whole than the west.

Again I state its not the perfect but its the best we;ve got. It is western Ideas of freedom etc that other nations follow that have made them more "socially enlightened"

I'll stop now

[afro-elf]

Mirrile maybe you should cease your biology studies and work for the dipolmatic corps

[mirrille]

Haha! I try to stay as far away from the politics as possible. It's all irrational and annoying people offending each other and making things worse. It gives me a headache.
I wish people would just calm down and try to live.
Which is why I really need to get out of academics.
If I did anything highly political, I'd get squashed in the first day. The only reason I'm able to survive now is that I'm just an undergrad, and therefore not important enough to pick on.

Americans are OK, as far as people come. Their culture can at times be baffling, scary, alien, infuriating, or cute, sometimes all at the same time.

Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.

But if I'm honest, some of them do scare me sometimes.

[afro-elf]

I hope he doesn't mind and i will delete this if he does but
JD posted this on Xenite


I'm tired of the US be regarded as the war mongering people. I've seen people say that WE STOLE the land here - I believe the first people that stole land in America from the Indians were the EUROPEANS - 300 years before we even BECAME a nation. To blame the worlds problerms on the US is completely ridiciulous. If we were any where near like Japan, Germany, Italy, France, England, Nerthlands were like - we'd own the entire world now. Instead after defeating Germany in World War II - we instituted the Marshall Plan and GAVE money to build up our enemies and help our allies in the war get back on their feet. We could have taken over England, France, WE COULD have done what Russia did after WW II - but we didn't.

I bet NONE of you PEOPLE that constantly criticize America have ever even BEEN here. YOu only know America thrugh CNN and your own news agencies. You have no idea that for years there have been camps that AMERICANS have sponsered that take israeli and palestian children and they go to camp here and spend the summer together. There is A LOT that America does that you guys don't see or know.

If America is forcing our culture and products down your throats - don't buy our products - or see our movies or buy our CDs. France is constantly complaining about McDonalds and the incroachment of America in France - yet McDonalds is doing VERY WELL there.

Why did America get involved in Bosnia? Because Europe couldn't handle it. They asked us to get involved - I also remember a lot of people criticizing the US for not getting involved sooner. We're damned if we do and damned if we don't.

I also noticed Somalia mentioned. The US was there because the UN asked us to. We were there to give protection to the humanitarian aid that was being stolen by the war lords. Why didn't england go there or some other country. Believe - I wish we would leave the UN - they're a joke - they can't do anything without the US.

And BoP - concernign Arafat - you've got to be joking. I trusted him for a long time. HE was the one that pulled out of the agreements that Clinton was working with Israel and the Palestinians on. Also, I believe he does support the suicide bombings. I think his hands are tied in a lot of ways - but I think he can care less about stopping them. Teh only way to make Arafat stop the suicide bombings is when it's HIS neck on the line. By israel attacking arafats compound - he knows he can lose poower if he doesn't do something to make peace. He NEEDS to make peace to save his own skin now. That's the only thing he will understand.

It's amazing though - how one people (Israel) being attacked by suicide bombers - being in a region where everyone wants to see them ground into dust - has the highest standard of living for the common citizen and has the most open freedoms. yet - just outside - the palestians - don't seem to be able to put any money into schools or infastructure or anything. They live in squaller basicallyt - yet get funding from all over the Arab world. Where DOES all the money that the palestinians get go? It goes to pay the families for the suicide bombers and so forth.

By the way - if the Palestians really wanted peace - would they dress up their babies as suicide bombers as a joke???????Photo of baby suicide bomber called 'a joke' To me this is a bit sick. The amazing thing is - the family didn't deny it and say the picture was a fake or anything - they just claimed it was a joke. I personally don't think that killing innocent people at bus stops, schools, restaurants, malls, dance clubs is a joke.

And if you think that the US is calling for the destruction of Islam or Arabs - then you're extremely ignorant about America. You need to come to America and see how WE live peacefully in New Jersey. One of the largest masques in the US is down the street from me - nothing happened to it after 9/11. There was hardly any backlash against people of Arab descent except buy a few ignorant people in the south and west. IRONICALLY these attacks happened 1000's of miles away from the part of the US that actually suffered directly from 9/11. Yet I've amazingly seen many atrocities committed against immagrants in Europe - particulary people that are known as Gypsies.

Why is Europe restricting immigration yet - criticizes America when we propose to restrict immigration or have heightened security during this war time. We have a right to restrict entry into this country any way we want. No one has a right to be in America other than AMERICANS. Our constitution stops at our borders.

If you don't like what is going on in the world - then get involved with your countries to do something. Why aren't more of your leaders working on peace in the middle east? Where is the leader if New Zealand in all this? It's easy to point the finger at us - but maybe you should ask your own countries what they're doing? Don't throw stones if you live in glass houses okay - otherwise the entire world will be homeless.