I keep reading in all these posts about how many people around the world "hate America." As someone who has traveled on every populated continent on the planet (except Austrailia) including extensive travel in Europe, the Middle East, South America and China, I cna tell you unequivocally that most average people in the world whom I have encountered have great admiration, respect and affection for our country and for what it stands for.

Sure, there are jealousies, and there are disagreements and there is even hostility, but that is largely the kind of thing you see among friends or even family members. Lots of Eurpoeans think we made a bone headed move by going into Iraq, and they dont mind saying so. This doesnt mean they "hate" us, it just means they disagree with our policy.

The fact of it is, those small groups of people who really do hate us are the likes of Al Quaeda, the narco terrorists, and the other misfits of the world who make the news by their atrocities.

Go to any counrty, especially any third world country and visit the section of the US Embassy where people are looking for visas to enter the US. We remain a beacon of hope for the world, and we should not forget it.

I believe in America...

When people say they hate a "country", it's usually an indication of their frustrations with the world in general, and how nobody can pinpoint the terrible events happening of late to anyone in particular. I mean, sure, you can even claim to hate Bin Laden, and I wouldn't doubt it, but I think that the hate stems from not really knowing where the Hell he is. It's natural to hate what we don't understand. I hate it when I get spontaneous erections on public transport, for example, and the driver kicks me off for unleashing a big long snake.

Perhaps not.

I don't hate America.

That's laying it on a bit thick, dt. People desparate to enter the US are hardly a representative sample of the world are they!?

Yes "hate" is probably mostly confined to the terrorists and extremists commited to bringing down Western civilization... but just because most of the world does not "hate" America, that does not mean it endorses its egregious excesses.

I think most people think that americans feel that they are superior to the rest of world. There is this big sense of arogance coming from the states, and its not always a bad thing...but can be irratating. I don't hate america at all, i just think that they need to stop interfering with things...for example telling canada whether or not it is aloud to build docks up in our nother territories.

I don't hate them.

But I have enough things I don't agree with. But I don't think I would have that with other countries as well.

Especially those excesses like - loans, charities, and employment.

This song reminds me of you guys here who argue sometimes.


Artist: Live
Album: Throwing Copper
Title: White, Discussion


I talk of freedom
you talk of the flag
I talk of revolution
you'd much rather brag
and as the decibels of this disenchanting
discourse continue to dampen the day
the coin flips again and again, and again,
and again as our sanity walks away
all this discussion
though politically correct
is dead beyond destruction
though it leaves me quite erect
and as the final sunset rolls behind the earth
and the clock is finally dead
I'll look at you, you'll look at me
and we'll cray a lot
but this will be what we said
this will be what we said
look where all this talking got us baby.

I don't hate America, I find it a fascinating country.

But I don't agree with it's foreign policy, and with the policy in general of the current legislation.

I think you forgot to add rose-scented schmaltz.

Also: gun crime, murder, poverty, political nepotism, corruption and inadequate healthcare.

America is not "evil", but it is also very far from perfect... don't pretend you live in the Garden of Eden.

I think people fling that word "hate" around to easily.

MaryCas, a good point, but couldn't the same be said about the FRENCH? I mean, ultra-proud nationalists who throw money across the globe.

Then again, that is why U.S. and France traditionally hate each other, I believe. Both countries have a nation-creating revolution as part of their national identity. Both believed, in their minds, to be the "beacon" of freedom and democracy for the world...and both think the other are the a*sholes of Western Capitalism/Democracy. Think about it.

Besides, we Americans get testy when someone criticizes us. Thing is, for criticism itself, we must ask this: is it a valid argument, it is from someone that is legitimacy(for example, I doubt China attacking us for censorship wouldn't have much ground to stand on), and finally....what can we do about it?

If I do angry at a country, its usually only at the government. Look at Iran, with a leader that one wonders if what he has said is simply to stroke the hardliners, or he truely believes what he says...which is a scary thought, especially with a nice ole nuclear weapon. However, I only hate the regime, and never the people living under it, or else I would have to hate our very pretty Asfaneh.

Ultimately, I think of America ideally as a dream, or a hope for the world, a promise of sorts. It's far from utopia, but perhaps someday....

Actually it is more of a love-hate thing with the French. Both they and we think we are the center of the western world. I'll tell you, however, I was just there for two weeks over Christmas, and there are plenty of people there who still remember what we did to liberate them from the Nazis.

Well, when people criticize America, it hurts a little, but's it's your homeland, so it's understandable. Do I think there are people out there that hate America? Sure. There are people out there who hates all kinds of countries, Americans do have an arrogance about them, and I can see why foreigners get annoyed. But do people really hate America? I don't really think the country itself, but the way it's government runs things (which is fully understandable), and the way some Americans carry themselves.

DonTom, indeed. Don't forget 1776 as well.

DonAndrew, well one good point I remember was the 2004 Summer olympics in Athens, Greece.

Basically since the Nixon administration totally supported a military coup-takeover of the Greek government in the early 1970s, which then encouraged the Turks to invade Cyprus and attack the Greeks there...understandably, they still are pissed at us for that shit. Would you blame them?

However at the Summer Olympics, the Greeks greatly applauded the American athletes, for despite the resentment at the American government, they still dig the people.

Yep they saved our bacon then.

I agree. Hate is such a strong word. We are all guilty of using it in casual conversation and to express our dislike for someone or something. I think that from flinging that world around so much, we've all began to take that word lightly and have really forgotten the true meaning of a word like hate.


Don Cardi

How about The Land Of Milk and Honey? :p

For a place that has all that you list above, there sure are a lot of people who want to get into this country.
Our boarder patrol arrests an average of 3000 illegal immigrants per day who try to get into the United States.

I don't believe the rest of the world, as a whole, hates The United States Of America.


Don Cardi

I think most of the world likes America but it seems the norm for other countries to say in the media that they do not like us.

DS

I think you forgot to add rose-scented schmaltz.

Also: gun crime, murder, poverty, political nepotism, corruption and inadequate healthcare.

America is not "evil", but it is also very far from perfect... don't pretend you live in the Garden of Eden. [/b][/quote]And of course these problems are uniquely American. In Britain nobody is poor, crime is nonexistant, the government is a model of efficiency and fairness, and its healthcare system is near perfect.

Allow me to expand on my previous post. As I have many, many American relatives, I am Canadian and I admire many aspects of American culture I cannot claim impartiality but I will give my view regardless.

For the last 200 years (moreso in the last 100 years) The United States of America has been the dominant political, cultural, economic, athletic and diplomatic power in the world by far. Although during the Cold War The Soviet Union provided a worthy foe for the Americans, today there is no single entity (as a nation-state mind you) that can directly challenge the authority of the U.S.A. in all aspects of life. In addition, The United States has attracted most of the best and brightest the world has to offer and has borne many Americans who have made contributions to so many different areas in society it would be near impossible to list them all. The automobile, computer, radio, television, internet, telephone, Baseball, Basketball, Football and the light bulb were all either invented by Americans or by foreigners in America. America and Americans have made so many contributions to literature, cinema, the theatre, music, science, democratic politics, charity, technological advancement and fashion that again, it would be impossible to list them all. As The U.S. has made all these contributions over history and has amassed so much wealth and power that in addition to generating love, respect, admiration and gratitude it has also bred hatred, disrespect, envy and ingratitude in the rest of the world. As Dennis Miller said: "The U.S. is the most loved, feared and hated country in the world. It's the Frank Sinatra of countries."

With this enormous amount of wealth and power comes an enormous amount of duty and responsibility. The U.S. has done such tremendous good for the world but at the same time when a powerful nation takes actions they have consequences that are gonna be felt across the world and these consequences are not going to be liked by everyone. Of course it is impossible to please the whole international community all the time and it would be unreasonable for the rest of the world to expect this of the Americans. However due to many different reasons this is what is expected of Americans and this is what causes serious problems.

Having said all this, The U.S. is by no means perfect. As all other countries are, The U.S. is made up of individuals and no individual is perfect. According to my beliefs no human being is perfect and perfection belongs solely to God Almighty. The U.S. has its problems like all other nations and America and Americans has done much evil in the world and will continue to do so as it is in the nature of some individuals to do evil. However, if one objectively looks at the facts one cannot but help come to the conclusion that the U.S. has done a world of good for the rest of the world and will continue to do so.

God Bless America!
God Bless Canada!
God Bless The World!

I totally agree with Ronnie, and thanks for not hating me despite the Jackass president that we have. If there is any criticism, it is toward governments, not the people, because even in the best democracies people don't have that many choices about what their government decides to do.

Despite the fact that any government tries to attach themselves and their deeds to the people and the media, that follows through to cover for them, there is still hope for friendship throughout the world. Independent art is a great venue to get to know the people for who they really are and for the country they represent, if we try to get around the pretentious media sometimes.

But I do have a criticism or a mere suggestion, anyway you would like to take it, for American friends and that's using the term "Americanizing".

Why can't we accept the differences and try to learn and celebrate it instead of trying to change the ways that people live to accustom our ways? Live like a Roman in Rome, like an American in America and pretty please, with sugar on top don't use this term "Americanizing the rest of the world" because frankly, it feels the same way when immigrants try to change your ways to accustom theirs.

Sorry DJ, radio was invented by Russian. And football - the real football - is a British game, isn't it? If you mean American football - man, who cares about it outside the northern half of American continent?

sorry JM, Guglielmo Marconi was the inventor of radio! :p

Oh, and Don Jasani, Meucci was the inventor of telephone! :p

So what did Alexander Graham Bell invent?!

apparently he claimed to be the telephone inventor and succeeded for a while. In September 2001, Antonio Meucci was recognized by US Congress as the inventor of the telephone, denying Bell's claim. But we in Italy have been knowing it for some 100 years..... :p

Oh, we didn't get the news, sorry. :p

Well, "Americanizing" doesn't appeal to me, because its similar to what the French and British imperialists tried with the rest of the "uncivilized" world in the 19th century.

Thing is, within a century my dear asfaneh, we may have to complain about the "Chinese-zing" or "Indian-izing" of everyone around them.

See Ronnie, granted that human rights are being screwed on many levels around the world and maybe you define "Americanizing" as promoting freedom, but to say a certain country is uncivilized because they celebrate New Years some other time or dress differently is snobbish. As history has shown us, people fight to keep their customs and many of them have survived to this day, no matter what technology or other factors have dictate them changes.