So how many nations have you lived in?

Just because you have had bad experiences with people who lack values does not mean you can dismiss the whole American population as lacking values.

I've spent time travelling in the Third World and in Europe and I can tell you that America's values do exist and they reveal themselves in how we deal with individual merit, with societal rewards, with individual worth. In the Third World, you are only as good as your father--everything is familial or tribal. I know I am generalizing but this seems to be the general theme. In Europe, there seems to be an overreliance on the government to solve problems, to distribute wealth, to create justice. In the US, we are more individualistic [sure there's a lot of sheeplike behavior as well but the ideal remains that of the individual striking out on his own--doing it yourself, etc. Compare that with China's Filial Ideal--the ideal is of the obedient son who serves his parents and his family tradition], we are more pragmatic, we are less fatalistic, and we believe in Will. I'm not going to sugarcoat, the promise of these values have historically paid off more for some people than others. But our system allows for debate and recent history shows how America's promise has been redistributed and constantly debated.

Believe it or not, these are the values that built our institutions and our economy--an economy and society that people the world over want to become part of.

The fact that Americans can disagree and not resort to Civil War every election year speaks volumes about Americans' shared value in the importance of law in settling disputes and preserving a civil society.

There is no joke in the fact that Americans have struggled to create a nation free from the sectarian and ethnic warfare that tore up other European nations.

Our commitment to keep pursuing the promises embodied in the US' founding principles is a shared value. Of course not everyone espouses or supports or are even aware of these values but they hold America together and keep it prosperous. I would the first to say that it hasn't always kept close to its ideal but it sure as hell tries.

Blind patriotism is bullshit but its worthwhile to realize that America is an unfolding process, with many hypocrisies, debates and disagreements. But one central belief--a country based on freedom of the individual to remake himself regardless of his past. America took people who were tired of what they had in the Old World--tired of the class strictures, tired of the religious strictures, tired of the limitations. America gave them a forum to expand, experiment, grow, and prosper. As America takes in differing people, it changes with each wave, with each era.

America may not be perfect, and it has a lot of blemishes. But I am damn sure I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

If you don't like Amaerican polotics/polocies then do something about it. If not, then stop whinin' & cryin' cuz no one gives a shit besides you.

And on a side note...just remember that all you Europeans would be speaking German right now if it weren't for us "evil Americans".

That is SO WRONG! You are a complete FUCKING MORON!

World War 2 deaths:

Russia - 25 Million
USA - 300,000

You stupid piece of shit.

Who was it that marched into Berlin in 1945?

The Russians.

Read a book dipshit.

very true

Ok, then they would all be speaking Russian by now. Point well made!

Yes, it was Russia was walked into Berlin.

Russia lost so many people because their country was invaded; The Germans made it all the way to Moscow before they were stopped. Russia lost so many because it was the only way for them to fight; They threw overwelming numbers at the Germans because it was the only way to stop them.

And where did Russia get it's weapons from to fight the Germans? It's guns, tanks, and airplanes? You got it - The US.

Of course, while Russia was busy fighting the Germans, the US was busy fighting both the Japs and the Germans.

Of course all of this doesn't take into account that if the US didn't beat back Japan..... That Russia might be owned by Japan right about now.

You can say what you want about the US and it's policies. The US isn't always right, but I don't see fucking Finland aid to Africa - or for that matter - sending fucking grain to Russia who can't seem to feed themselves. What the fuck has Finland done for anyone? Or any other country? The US is sending aid to nearly every other country on the map, yet we are the bad guys.

And we don't give a shit about your oil ether. We have our own; It's fucking Europe that doesn't seem to have it's own. The US is tired of a bunch of fucking morons running around with rags on their head shooting each other.

You're obviously forgetting the other nations... such as Australia, who fought the Japs in WW2.

40,000 Australians died fighting them and over 22,000 Australians were Japanese prisoners of war.

So no, you didn't do it on your own.... as much as you'd like to believe it.

If the Japanese had attacked Russia in 1942, WE might be speaking Japanese west of the Mississippi, and German east of it. And if the Japanese had attacked Russia in 1942 there is not a single friggin thing we could have done about it.

Sure ... we provided the Russians with some weapons to tide them over until they could reassemble their factories and get them up to full production, but by mid-1943 they were supplying the majority of their own weapons, including aircraft - and their tanks were a lot better than ours. Mostly what we gave the Russians was transport. And we dithered and dallied all over Africa and Southern Europe, leaving the Russians to bear the brunt of the battle pretty much alone.

First of all, "everybody" doesn't hate Americans, and generally what is perceived by Americans as anti-Americanism is simply refusing to believe everything the U.S. government says. In 1977 I spent a month in Lisbon, which was having its first free parlimentary elections since the '20s. There was an awful lot of anti-American sentiment in the cafes and bars - but it was toward our Government, not toward Americans personally. Portugal had a dictator who was not communist, so he was okay with us - in spite of the fact that he ran a brutal regime that squashed any and all political opposition. The feeling was very much the same in Spain at that time.

I'm from Canada and most people here think America is fine.

I've traveled to America plently of times and found the people to be friendly, and the Americans I've met in Canada have been fine as well.

The only Americans I've disliked have been the ones chatting over the internet with the attitude of being the better then anyone else. I've never met an American in real life with that attitude (maybe they just kept it hidden)
but the net seems to be crawling with people like that.

So what keeps your sorry ass here?

Give me a break you fucking supremest asshole!

Get the fuck OUT!! No Your all talk, your not going anywhere!

You're just a talking pompus asshole!!

Hey moron, I think the word you're looking for is "supremecist"

:1orglaugh :1orglaugh

Obviously you belong to people non americans tend to hate.

You can thank President Johnson for that !

It's time to bring back the "YOU NEED A SPONSOR and you need to prove you have a skill America needs " to have the right to be in this country.

I think the word you are looking for is supremacist.

ooops. yep. that's it.

silly me.

:winkwink:

For the record

I dont know of any Australian who doesnt like our American mates

Australia is the "ONLY" country that has fought in every war and skirmish with the United States of Amercica (excluding only your American Civil War).

Many of my best mates are Yanks, and I wouldn't have it any other way

Fuck IRAQ
Fuck Saddam

God save America (and Australia)

:thumbsup

Yes it's true. Australians have spilled blood and lost lives standing and fighting with the US many times. Here's to your country!

He's dead on about Russia in WWII

Stratagy: back up, lose another 50k people, back up, lose another 50k people...all the way to Moscow. Things might have even been different if the Germans didn't run into winter at the gates of Moscow.

And where did Russia get all of it's trucks and tanks to fight the germans? hmmmm...I think the word "Dodge" still is used in some parts of Russia to describe a workhorse like truck.

I think a lot of countries had people that fought and died in that conflict, to point to one and say "they won it all" is over simplifing what happened. The war changed once the US committed full time effort and everyone knows that.

As for the original topic: I believe the world is sick of getting the American way in their face. We're seeing a backlash of having such a contagious culture. If you were born elsewhere you might have a hard time liking us if time after time America is depicted as a domonating evil empire.

Having said that, I wouldn't trade my nationality for any other and believe we have a generally sensible and strong group of people here in the US. We're not an evil empire, but were the richest and stongest right now, and that pisses people off just as a general rule of humanity.

Our nature isn't just accept "no" for an answer, so we often come off as dominating when we mean to be steadfast. Hence us pushing the Iraq thing pretty hard. We're just upholding what the entire world told Saddam he would have to do after the Gulf War.

It's pile on America time and we're just going to have to take it. It'll build our character anyway.



:thumbsup

One thing that I find funny,too, is this bullying of Americans about World War II.
USA just sent some troops to Europe, and aid, for sure. However, it's ridiculous how 20 year old adult webmasters still brag about it like it was their trophy.

Finland fought alone against a mighty Soviet Union. Basically everyone's grandfather was in the war and actually fought in major fucked-up places. as someone mentioned , Russia 25 million deaths. Germany lot more than USA. You could go on and on.

Yet, the people who mostly BRAG about WW2 are Americans. That's because they never really get to experience that war in personal level, or did they? You American bragger, was YOUR grandfather in WW2, or are you just bullying because you know someone who's grandfather's cousin was in the war.

Both of my grandfathers were in the war, both survived.

I am not bragging here about ww2, just responding to the point that a body count means something.

I think it's a good point that europe saw a different side to that war. I believe that Americans bring up WW2 a lot because they see it as an example of our mentality. If we see that a cause is worth fighting for, we're there. We don't quite feel that back from Europe, so WW2 is often brought up.

And yes, my grandfather served in WW2.

That is so extremely simplified version of international politics LOL.

Tell me, why didn't USA help poor little Finland when Soviet Union attacked? Maybe there wasn't a good cause. I tell you what, everyone fights when there's a cause worth fighting for. Everyone. I cannot see why USA is somehow different like you're suggesting.

USA got it real easy. Their county wasn't bombed. They weren't put on concentration camps. They couldn't have been nuked. People could live normal life while their "sons" were fighting in other sides of the oceans. Doesn't sound like REAL war to me.

Yeah it's real easy when your son is on the other side of the planet getting his face blown off and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it.

I was referring to the country as a whole. I bet it was still easier than to be under constant threat of being invaded by a foreign country any day.

And if Americans are always there to defend a cause worth fighting for, why weren't they there in 1939 when Hitler invaded Poland?

And I briefly want to address your view that American culture is a "contagious culture". You don't really think that people in other countries were actually asked if they wanted McDonalds or Pizza Hut on every second corner, do you? We all had cultures before yours was forced on us by all powerful multi-national corporations.
This is why you won't ever see a Pizza Hut in Italy or a Subway in France. Most people I've met and talked to about it view what has happened throughout the Western world in the last 30 years as a "culture hijacking" and you'll find this accounts for a certain degree of hostility towards American culture generally.

You're right I couldn't sit here and explain what happened word for word.

I think the Soviets invaded Finland in 1939, which was smack dab in the middle of the conflict. Sorry we didn't make it over there to the top of the world for that one.

I wasn't implying that we're the only ones that are willing to fight for the "good" cause, I don't believe I said that. I was just trying to explain why some Americans may bring it up.

You're right about being removed from the fighting. Actually I said that was a good point. That's a fact just as America's impact on the war was. We could have just as easily stayed home, but we didn't, and wouldn't today if it happened again.

Yes Chichio. Good to talk to you, by the way. Great to see not all Americans are arrogant and touchy when it comes down to ww2. Anyway, I'm not in any way suggesting that USA's contribution was minor. Probably it was a major contribution for the Allies.

==
What I'm saying, I can't believe how some Americans believe that they did something extraordinary in ww2. Well, news flash.. they didn't. They just fought like other countries, no reason to brag about it, IMO

Actually, the French government won't let a lot of American companies in, not because their isn't a market. They have simply decided they will not have it. I have first hand knowledge of this actually. That's a governmental decision, and it's theirs to make I guess. No, France isn't a place for American culture, that's for sure.

Joe,

Do you like any movies? We make a lot of them. Mc. D's isn't the only part of our culture that get's exported.

I did my degree in film and television production. Some of your movies are great... but most Hollywood films are steaming piles of shit.

But don't get me wrong, there are plenty of great American filmmakers - David Lynch, Martin Scorsese, Joel and Ethan Coen just to name a few. Shit, I even liked Spider-man... but I have a soft spot for Sam Raimi having once had the honour of chatting with him on the phone in about 1994 for about 20 minutes.

Do you enjoy any foreign films? We make some good ones Down Under (not the fucking Crocodile Hunter or Crocodile Dundee mind you!) :Graucho

first thanks,

I have heard Americans point to Normandy and other battles my whole life as well. I kind of grit my teeth when I hear it mentioned again and again. Yes, it was quite a scrafice, one to be remembered no doubt. I believe this new generation has something to prove though. We can't ride our past accomplishments forever.

Just curious, I don't have much information about this subject: but have you been following the statements of Australia in the currrent Iraq debate?

Saddam cut the export of Australian wheat to half, and now Australia is crying and doesn't want to support US attack.
This is how the situation was a few weeks ago, let me know if it has changed.

What would you recommend?

Mika...don't forget that in WW2 you guys were on the Nazi side...along with Italy...don't you ever forget it...

Here's a short list:

Chopper
Romper Stomper
Idiot Box
Shine
Dirty Deeds
The Sum of Us

They're all my favourites, although there are many, many more. Another Aussie might add some more later.

That is how ignorant people see it. We were only fighting against Soviet Union. If we were allied with Germany, we would also have been in war with the Allies, wouldn't we?
Germany and Finland happened to have the same enemy, because Russia tried to invade Finland. Now please show me, how does that make Finland nazis?

First of all, I don't hate Americans. BUT I don't like the political attitude. They think they own the whole world, and they are the best. They fight for right. Yeah right, ony when they need something. And VS is only Western Country thatstill has the death penalty.

And over the maybe coming war. Well personally I think it's okay. BUT AGAIN that attitude. VS first ask permission to VN whenthey don't get it they start anyway! That's like asking your mom(when you as 15) if you could go to the disco, and tell here is she says no, you go anyway :)

Andre

what makes you think America is hated the most?

every nation hates some other nation... if someone could collect some sort of statistics and find out what nations are hated the most at each country, America would not be anywhere close to the top of the list..

Russians, Chinese, Germans, Turks, etc.. have a lot more enemies than US does..

I've seen Shine which was good. I saw Chopper. Very bizarre movie, but I liked it. ;)

I saw some other Australian films, but don't recall the names. Two of them I remember had the guy who was in Shine -- the guy who played the main character when he was young.

Good point. Still Americans are the only ones that cry about it. I don't see Germans and Chinese crying at how they have so many enemies. They have something in common.. pride