Why Hate America??

[Marcellus]

I suspect that one of the reasons America is disliked or hated in various parts of the world is its percieved hypocrisy on various issues, examples being Guantanamo Bay and supporting dictators if they are friendly towards the US.

[Taffy_is_a_Taff]

Well, our actions (wars, religious oppression etc.) have enabled your pathetic little country to exist in the first place. Show some respetc.

yeah, Israel should show Germany some more respect too.



don't worry, only messing with you.

[A.Saturnus]

yeah, Israel should show Germany some more respect too.



don't worry, only messing with you.

Respetc!

[TheSilverKnight]

There jelaous as Americans we are handsome sexy smart level headed and frankly other nation cant handle that combanation of American supremacy. It really gets to people but Ive learned to live with it.

Oh get over yourself. I have never seen a more arrogant, stuck-up, rude bunch of people than the average patriotic American. "WE SAVE THE WORLD! WE'RE THE WORLD POLICE!!". Well let me elabourate on why the world hates (or dislikes, however you'd like to take it) America.

#1 - America is greedy--
Yes, I will say that America has done a lot of good for the world in matters of financial support for countries who need it. But Americans also demand that this be paid back at a higher interest rate than most small, 3rd world countries can afford, so you're always on their back about it. Perhaps you shouldn't offer so much money. Then maybe the 3rd world would respect you.

#2 - Iraq
The Invasion of Iraq was purely an American offence against Saddam Hussein to protect their economical interests. Cheney and Bush have so much oil money in Iraq, and Saddam was threatening that. I can see how you'd want to protect your interests, but an invasion of a country where people were better off BEFORE the government of Saddam fell? Now, the people are in a massive, armed revolt. Allied soldiers are dying endlessly, and all because they want the old ways back. Perhaps you should have thought of THAT before you invaded Iraq.

#3 - The American people
I'm not saying all Americans are bad. But a great bunch of Americans like to think of themselves as an elitist group of the world. They think they're better than Europe. They're better than Asia. They own the world. American ignorance is causing people to turn their backs on the United States, and the elitist Americans will demand attention. Common rudeness also turns off people from acting friendly towards Americans in the fact that they think of themselves in a supremacist manner.

#4 - American patriotism
Another thing I think the world doesn't like is the fact that Americans push the boundaries of what they can do "For Patriotic Reasons". Americans force their opinions on the world, and try to force Americanism on so many people, on people with established cultures that are different than American culture. People don't like having things forced on them, so why should America have the right to force it's presence "for patriotic reasons"?

Please consider my above points. I hope not to offend any Americans in here, but this is probably the most well thought out post I've ever written in the backroom, and I'd like you all to think it over and perhaps input a better reply than SFTS did in the quote that I put above. I didn't mean to get stingy, but it got on my nerves.

Thank you all.

Cheers,
TheSilverKnight

[TheSilverKnight]

People should just ignore European Criticisms of America. They were criticizing us and hampering us even during the Korean War, when 90% of the troops, and nearly all of the funding was ours. They were doing it while we were dishing out billions of Dollars to rebuild Europe with the Marshal plan!

Don't question our motives. You have no right to do that. Our actions have enabled your pathetic little countries to survive this long, and to prosper. Show some respect.

And to take another point here, you think Europe has "pathetic" little countries? Well excuse me if England is the mother country which gave you a language to speak. Europe has been longer established than America has on the world stage, so please don't think you're better than us, because your country isn't even half as old as many of the ones in Europe are. What I have just seen there is the most centre-minded post I have probably ever seen. Like I said to STFS, Get Over Yourselves, and grow up.

[Beirut]

I suspect that one of the reasons America is disliked or hated in various parts of the world is its percieved hypocrisy on various issues, examples being Guantanamo Bay and supporting dictators if they are friendly towards the US.

What he said.

Although I consider myself a great fan and supporter of the US of A, I do find immense humour in the hypocrisy the US government puts forward.

All the while the the US was in bed with the Shah of Iran, the Chinese government, assorted South and Central American dictators, and various psychos, torturers, mass murderers, and nutbars the world over, we were all told to avoid Cuba like the plague because "Fidel isn't a very nice guy".

I'm sorry, but you would not only have to be brain dead to have bought that - you would have to be brain dead to think people would buy it.

[Kongamato]

Don't you think SFTS might have been joking, and was not expecting anyone to take him seriously?

All of you are bordering on being patronizing.

[TheSilverKnight]

Don't you think SFTS might have been joking, and was not expecting anyone to take him seriously?

You are bordering on being patronizing.

Hasn't he said such things in seriousness before? I believe he would if he felt the need to prove himself superior to everyone...I don't mean to be offensive to any Americans by the way, I was just making a few points.

[SwordsMaster]

... And this is, yet again, an example of a Backroom topic's self-destruction.

[Kongamato]

Then please, don't use statements like this.

I have never seen a more arrogant, stuck-up, rude bunch of people than the average patriotic American. "WE SAVE THE WORLD! WE'RE THE WORLD POLICE!!".

This is a blatant generalization. I don't like it when people think this way.

[Reenk Roink]

And to take another point here, you think Europe has "pathetic" little countries? Well excuse me if England is the mother country which gave you a language to speak. Europe has been longer established than America has on the world stage, so please don't think you're better than us, because your country isn't even half as old as many of the ones in Europe are. What I have just seen there is the most centre-minded post I have probably ever seen. Like I said to STFS, Get Over Yourselves, and grow up.

My my, how euro-centric...

For the record...

1) STFS always kids around and uses much sarcasm in his posts...

2) Do you know why Gelatinous Cube has the word "jingo" in his profile? Do you know what it means? Jingoism is ultra-nationalism... If you are going to use him and STFS as the examples of the "average American" you are terribly confused...

[TheSilverKnight]

Then please, don't use statements like this.



This is a blatant generalization. I don't like it when people think this way.

I apologise for using that phrase
Like I said I did not mean to offend any Americans, I was just making a statement. Once again, I am sorry.

[Kongamato]

Ok. Please disregard the additional edit to that post, I'll get rid of it.

[TheSilverKnight]

My my, how euro-centric...

For the record...

1) STFS always kids around and uses much sarcasm in his posts...

2) Do you know why Gelatinous Cube has the word "jingo" in his profile? Do you know what it means? Jingoism is ultra-nationalism... If you are going to use him and STFS as the examples of that "average American" you are terribly confused...

For the record, I did not mean to be overly nationalistic here, but I believe America has some problems with being too self-centred and over-nationalistic itself.

Like I said before I did not mean to offend anyone in anyway, but this was taken as an example for overly-patriotic and supremacist Americans such as those who think they have a right to boss around Europe and intimidate small nations with their might.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

I like to See Contirues HELP Us and Respect us. look at Tri Sanka, Famils got wipe out, kids lost their Partents. ok,we help them. but look at NEw Orelans, Kids aslo Lost their Partents, but No One Helps us.

what you guys think??

Well, I seem to recall the George Bush administration REFUSING German aid for Katrina...
We offer money for a good cause, you refuse. We refuse to send you our young men to die in an unjust war, you complain. There really is no pleasing the George Bush administration.

EDIT: Substituted "George W. Bush administration" for "America". I realise I didn't word most of the post very well, but it's a wonder I can write at all with my head like this.

[Reenk Roink]

For the record, I did not mean to be overly nationalistic here, but I believe America has some problems with being too self-centred and over-nationalistic itself.

Like I said before I did not mean to offend anyone in anyway, but this was taken as an example for overly-patriotic and supremacist Americans such as those who think they have a right to boss around Europe and intimidate small nations with their might.

Noted, I am happy you are not a jingoist...

We have a few here, but they ruin it for the majority...

[Ianofsmeg16]

My my, how euro-centric...

If my mate Silverknight was being euro-centric and generalising the American people, what was GC doing here?

People should just ignore European Criticisms of America. They were criticizing us and hampering us even during the Korean War, when 90% of the troops, and nearly all of the funding was ours. They were doing it while we were dishing out billions of Dollars to rebuild Europe with the Marshal plan!

Don't question our motives. You have no right to do that. Our actions have enabled your pathetic little countries to survive this long, and to prosper. Show some respect.

Too be honest I think GC should apologise for calling us pathetic little countries when clearly some of you have the maturity of a five year old. I myself do not like being called pathetic and take GREAT offence if I am called such. So I ask everybody who agrees with what GC has said to show us a little respect, becasue not all europeans are American hating ********, I for one love visiting your country, but if i'm treated as an American hating pathetic little person, i may not visit there in future.

[Reenk Roink]

If my mate Silverknight was being euro-centric and generalising the American people, what was GC doing here?

Too be honest I think GC should apologise for calling us pathetic little countries when clearly some of you have the maturity of a five year old. I myself do not like being called pathetic and take GREAT offence if I am called such. So I ask everybody who agrees with what GC has said to show us a little respect, becasue not all europeans are American hating ********, I for one love visiting your country, but if i'm treated as an American hating pathetic little person, i may not visit there in future.

He should, but he is a jingoist...

They have them in Europe too, you can't reason with them...

Nobody is supporting or defending GC's words...

[Ironside]

Basically if I can track it right it seems to have originated from the Monroe-doctrine, who can be summarized down to
"We Americans are a freedom-loving people who wants everyone to have it as good as possible, except if you're not American. Now, make me some cheap bananas or I'll send my new pal's death-squad on you."
I'm not sure if it differs much from the European actions at the time.

Up comes WWII and suddenly US is a main player on the wordscene and the evil reds is lurking in the shadows. So US continues to apply their old tactics, while Europe starts to shift away from it while slowly losing their reasons for applying it (the colonies). Unused to the finer aspects of diplomacy, US is also getting its might around when dealing with its allies by simply using its might. During the Cold War it works, but no one likes a bully, and those things last.

Around the time when the deep wound of the US is formed (this one I'm letting you figure out) the dissonance between the US and Europe is starting to be seen and the wound itself only deepens the rapture. But the US continues their policies until the wall falls. Suddenly US foregin policy is without purpose and at the same time their victory isn't celebrated, but they're met with "good the problem is removed, now get some decency or beat it" by it's allies.
And the US cannot understand why. Wasn't it their mighty beacon of freedom and democracy that saved the world from the red danger (built of the bodies of some country with some odd name that we screwed over and over again, uhm what are you talking about, you European?)?

The rapture has never really healed (although some have tried) and the current resident of the colourless rainbow has worked so well that a book on how to make countries friendly towards you would contain don't do as that "African guy" is doing. maybe I went a bit overboard with that sentence

So basically the rapture has reached new grounds, making people sound like uhm your daddy messed up more than mine, while not having the slightest idea on what is going on in the other guys mind.

My take on it, could be wrong as I haven't been studying the issue thoroughly.

As for New Orleans and Katrina, it's needed to be an extreme disaster for it to be considered to get massive outside help (think the Indian Ocean tsunami on both the help and the disaster), when it comes to any western country. Have you even heard of "Gudrun"?
And you did receive international help after Katrina.
One BBC link on it as example
IIRC, your goverment did infact turn down several offers the first few days.

[Louis VI the Fat]

Well, I seem to recall America REFUSING German aid for Katrina...
We offer money for a good cause, you refuse. We refuse to send you our young men to die in an unjust war, you complain. There really is no pleasing America.

That is rather brilliant.

I can't be bothered to write anything substantial on the subject of anti-Americanism. The US is the one on top, so it's held to a different standard than other countries.

Noblesse oblige. I.e., you get to live in the nice mansion, but in return, you can't fart in public like everybody else.

Deal with it, or help yourself to some of Soly's Kleenex if you must.

[Ice]

that britain has stood by you without fail for the past 60 years since WW2, no matter how much the French, Germans or Italians or who ever blame you for all their problems, the United Kingdom has been your ally, so maybe please can YOU show a little Goddamn respect.

I agree. Like I said in the Falkland thread, Britian is probably our best ally we have and I would fully support any action that helps them.

Kongamato, very good explanation.

[Don Corleone]

Good grief. You know what's really funny? The ignorance on both sides of this issue.

I think you take Louis', Beirut's and Kongamato's arguments together and there you have it. More importantly, I think Soly had the best point in this thread so far.

First off, Silver Knight, when you describe us as the rudest, most arrogant bags of wind on the planet (and truthfully, I do actually know some Americans that fit that bill) you should realize that in general, if you ever actually meet a few of us and quit relying on TV and friends for your opinions, I think you'll find we tend to be a little more cloistered than most people, not through arrogance, but through simple insularism. We tend to be considerate and friendly, but generally, only when we actually know somebody.

Second, Gel Cube, SFTS, you know, making these jokes don't exactly help. Jokes are only funny when you consider your target audience. It's not funny if they think you're serious and you confirm the stereotypes you're trying to poke fun at.

All in all, I think a lot of Americans don't realize that the finger poking that gets sent our way goes on among just about everyone else. You have to realize, America is roughly the same size as Europe. Just travelling the length and breath of our own country is enough to keep your average Joe occupied for a lifetime. What's more, when we do come to visit, we don't receive the warmest of welcomes. Fact is, some Europeans do have a chip on their shoulder. Most don't, but the ones that do tend to be vocal enough that we feel very unwelcome and wind up hiding in our hotels, rather than getting out and getting to know you.

Now, important conclusion coming up here... you don't make friends with stereotypes, categorizations or national identies. You make friends with individuals. We as Americans need to grow a thicker hide and realize you find 'people' everywhere, home and abroad, and from my travels, we're all more alike then different.

Everyone who's feelings are hurt.... grow up.

[TheSilverKnight]

Would that we could go back in in time and let your poor Europeans kill eachother off. Would that we could back in time and let your continent rot after both world wars. Would that we could go back in time and simply let the communists take over Europe.

Woe is America, for leaving Europe intact.

I find myself offended slightly by this, but I respect your opinions, despite the fact I disagree with them. But the world wouldn't exactly be a better place with Europe gone, nor would it be with America gone.

Good grief. You know what's really funny? The ignorance on both sides of this issue.

I think you take Louis', Beirut's and Kongamato's arguments together and there you have it. More importantly, I think Soly had the best point in this thread so far.

First off, Silver Knight, when you describe us as the rudest, most arrogant bags of wind on the planet (and truthfully, I do actually know some Americans that fit that bill) you should realize that in general, if you ever actually meet a few of us and quit relying on TV and friends for your opinions, I think you'll find we tend to be a little more cloistered than most people, not through arrogance, but through simple insularism. We tend to be considerate and friendly, but generally, only when we actually know somebody.

Second, Gel Cube, SFTS, you know, making these jokes don't exactly help. Jokes are only funny when you consider your target audience. It's not funny if they think you're serious and you confirm the stereotypes you're trying to poke fun at.

All in all, I think a lot of Americans don't realize that the finger poking that gets sent our way goes on among just about everyone else. You have to realize, America is roughly the same size as Europe. Just travelling the length and breath of our own country is enough to keep your average Joe occupied for a lifetime. What's more, when we do come to visit, we don't receive the warmest of welcomes. Fact is, some Europeans do have a chip on their shoulder. Most don't, but the ones that do tend to be vocal enough that we feel very unwelcome and wind up hiding in our hotels, rather than getting out and getting to know you.

Now, important conclusion coming up here... you don't make friends with stereotypes, categorizations or national identies. You make friends with individuals. We as Americans need to grow a thicker hide and realize you find 'people' everywhere, home and abroad, and from my travels, we're all more alike then different.

Everyone who's feelings are hurt.... grow up.

To reply to Don Corleone: A good post, and I agree wholeheartedly with your points. And yes, I find a great deal of Americans to be nice people (since I have met quite a few Americans. I have actually been to the United States a few times.), but there are the people who make jokes, and do put out and make themselves seem like the very stereotypes people explain about, and to be honest, why? Are they just doing this to cause an argument, or do they wish to prove another point? And if the latter, then what point would it be? That we live up to the stereotypes you put out??? To me it does not make a lot of sense.

[Ianofsmeg16]

Everyone who's feelings are hurt.... grow up.

I can't help but feel as though this comment was directed at me, if so, I take your advice. The reason iresponded sharply to GC's post is that the issue raised by him (Euros vs. US) is one of the only political arguments I get angry about. But I won't argue my case any longer because I will just embarress myself by getting into an argument with someone who is older, more experienced and is far better at arguing his case than me

[Louis VI the Fat]

The world wouldn't exactly be a better place with Europe gone, nor would it be with America gone.

Spot on, mate.

[Louis VI the Fat]

On SFTS-gate: give the kid a break. He's one of the funniest posters around, and I had a good laff' over this:

There jelaous as Americans we are handsome sexy smart level headed and frankly other nation cant handle that combanation of American supremacy. It really gets to people but Ive learned to live with it.

[Don Corleone]

Why does anyone act like an ass? The reasons are as varied as the people themselves. But hey, let's all kick back and enjoy what we all have in common:
and, of course,

[Don Corleone]

I can't help but feel as though this comment was directed at me, if so, I take your advice. The reason iresponded sharply to GC's post is that the issue raised by him (Euros vs. US) is one of the only political arguments I get angry about. But I won't argue my case any longer because I will just embarress myself by getting into an argument with someone who is older, more experienced and is far better at arguing his case than me

Actually, quite honestly, no. I didn't mean it at any one person in particular. Everyone seems to be taking this whole question way, way, WAY too seriously. No offense meant, amigo. Apologies for any given.

By the way, I suppose it would help calm you and King Malcom and a few of the other Brits down that as ludicrous as you'll find this, most Americans view the British Isles, including Manx, Jersey and all the other hinterlands as 'different' than the rest of Europe, like halfway between mainstream Europe and mainstream America. Usually, when Americans make sweeping generalizations (a bad idea in general) about Europeans, they're not talking about Bits, Irish, Welsh, Scots or anyone else that was part of the United Kingdom at one point or another.

[Proletariat]

I can see pretty clearly why Ian was offended by GC's remarks. I have absolutely no clue how anyone could be silly enough to have their feelings hurt by SFTS's obvious joke.

[Don Corleone]

Well, I agree, but it's a shame Ian didn't stop and think about GC's usual posting. He's a lefty actually usually stands against jingoism and waving the flag mindlessly. I think what GC was trying to do was make a joke, but it clearly didn't go over well.