Why do you dislike the US?

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Laches,

I think you misunderstood me. I haven't made my mind up whether the U.S. should turn over the government to the Iraqis ASAP or not. I just didn't think the Japan example was a good one. It boggles me why the U.S. was willing to help Japan and not the Philippines after WWII. That's all.

Anyway, I just had some new thoughts about why people might not like the U.S. I remember Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men and what he said about doing whatever it takes to ensure the preservation of the American way of life. Perhaps other people are not envious of Americans. Rather Americans enjoy a pretty high standard of living and other people feel its at their expense (via economic, political or whatever means). This, coupled with the impression that Americans are ignorant of what their goverment does to achieve their way of life, would lead to a large amount of resentment.

 

@ Death Rabbit

I understand the fact that there would be a lot of editing etc. to get the 10 odd people that were aired, but i beleive that you misuderstood me. As persons, that is, the individual man woman or child that can be found on the vanilla streets of a vanilla city in the Us, the americans are fine. Hell, i like'em. But please do not attempt to cram down my throat the idea that every person, man woman and child does not have some stereotypical viewpoint of people in other countries. THAT was the point that i was attempting, if vaguely, to pass across. I have a stereotypical view of an american person, you might have noticed, but that does not mean that they do not have one of me, or you or Ragusa or even Tal if it comes down to that. NB. (i dont mean to make direct personal reference here, just using you as an example).

There seems to be a stereotypical view everywhere that I look that people from Iraq, or Afghanistan, or Iran, or Serbia, or Pakistan are all bloodthirsty raving lunatic islamic fundementalists that are toting AK-47s and looking for the nearest democratic/capitalist/foreigner to blast. I ask this, who posed this stereotype with there lovely power over the media? The US. And you blast me with my example of a few american d**kheads. I'm not saying that it was you that made these stereotypes, but the topic is Why I hate Americans and I'm gonna hammer that idea till its dead and done.

Ragusa brought up the point that there is a great amount of American culture that is being crammed down our throats. You replied that if any other country had these franchises then they would do the same. Maybe, but is there? America is ramming its "Do like us and we won't label you as turncoat traitors that are obviously out to get us..." viewpoint down the throat of everyone it can get a hold of. Don't agree? What about France? If you, as Americans, aren't ramming your thoughts down your own, and our own, peoples throats, then what of the 'Freedom Fries'? I don't want to hear of some sap in the US asking for a McLiberation Burger, a Large serving of Freedom Fries and an Anti-Islamic Coke 'tm'. Maybe any other franchise that had the power over people that McDonalds or Coca Cola does, then maybe they would attempt to exercise it. The fact of the matter is, they don't, and it isnt happening. To them. A Salute, to the Untied States of Arrogance. Mis-spelling intended.

Then there is always Japan. A beaten country, one that was decimated at the END of the second world war by a cheap shot with some WoMD. What happened to this country? It had the 'superior' views of the Americans rammed down their throats. What has happened now? They have abandoned THOUSANDS of years of culture for the pseudo culture of Ronald McDonald. Tell me that that is not indoctrination of the people.

I am, in all actuallity, a very angry person. I have an opinion on everything, and this can go on for an age. I was asked for an opinion, and i gave it. Please don't attempt to prove it wrong, its bad manners.

 

Ragusa. You made some interesting points about Arabs not liking the US because US lifestyles are so against Islam. Perhaps. Maybe if you ask arabs why they don't like the US (and thus Western generally) you may find that culture and Islam has little to do with it.

Arabs and muslims (generally speaking) don't like the US for international policy reasons. The US pours billions of dollars into Israel and takes Arab oil. (Yes this is very simplified). The US criticises Arab government atrocities against "the people" and presents the issue of terrorism in Israel as an Arab only crime. The US appears as not only ignoring the Arab victims (I am not saying there are no Israeli victims) but actively support the Israeli military against the common Arab citizen.

If you look at many large modern Arab cities you can see almost countless examples of US and or Western Culture. Islam does not disallow these. The resentment is for US double standards on issues of foreign policy and Israel.

If Islam was such a sticking point against US and Western lifestyles and culture, then how can it be explained that there are literally millions of Arabs and Muslims in western lands that have no problem with being muslims and western at the same time?

Besides, not all Arabs are muslims, and not all muslims are arabs. Well over half of the Arabs in the US and also Australia are Christians. There are even other ethnic and religious groups.

There are such things as evil mullahs worried about losing power, but some politicians are quite evil too...

 

@ Baezlebub

I wasn't attempting to prove your opinion wrong at all. I simply found the evidence you stated as your reasoning for said opinion to be unfair and unfounded. I wouldn't have said a thing if you hadn't referred to your example as "many proven facts and polls." If the reasoning had come from a legitimate academic study or some other credible source, I probably would have actually agreed with you. But it didn't. You were admittedly basing your opinion on a stereotype, and I was asking for facts. To wit, your arguement about the indoctrination of Americnan culture into Japan was, in sharp contrast, not only valid but respectable and historically verified.

All I was asking was that you back up your opinion with something other than "because I saw it on TV." That would be precisely, if I'm not mistaken, the point behind your "Americans think all arabs are AK-47 toting lunatics" comment about our all-controlling media. It's not as if Al Jaziera is exactly fair and objective either. Foreign media cators to various agendas just as much as the next.

As for the "Freedom Fries" thing, that was seen largely as a joke and the idea has fizzled. No major franchises adopted it, mainly small mom-n-pop restaurants in areas with high concentrations of flag-waiving "I love my country no matter what and don't care what anyone else thinks" citizens. It was never seen as anything more than a semi-serious attempt by regular Americans to show their distaste for France's history of apparant disloyalty toward the U.S., despite the many times historically we bailed them out of a jam they got themselves into. France is still feeling the brunt economically from the unofficial boycott of all things French by US citizens (not the government), and probably will for some time. But it's not the first time unpopular policies have had an effect on international trade.

Quote: "I am, in all actuallity, a very angry person."

Reeeeeeaaaalllly?

Believe it or not, I respect your opinion a lot more than you think. I'm sure you'll keep it coming.

 

Why I dislike the US?
(I'm going to refer to the recent war on Iraq)

I hate the US government because they are hypocrytes. They say they make war on Iraq(and other Asiatic countries) to "restore peace" etc. while they do it for economical purposes.

Even if they were the "good crusaders" fighting the "bad guys" to establish there their so-called democracy, how does mr. Bush know what the Iraqis want? And what gives him the right to interfere in other countries' affairs. Of course the Iraqis have suffered in Sadam's hands but that's not an excuse. Let the people solve their own problems.
And they kicked out Sadam Hussein. Now what? They will set up Democracy even though this people have never got accustomed to this kind of regime. From the ancient times they were ruled by an absolute leader. They dont want democracy.

I dont have anything against the American people, though they need to wake up from their lethargy most of them have fallen in and do something about this problem.


I haven't read the whole topic so i might be a little off-topic.

 

Nope - you're perfectly on topic.

And welcome to SP.

 

Thank you for reassuring me.

What's SP?

 

Sorcerer's Place.

 

Oh, thank you