Are we jealous or do we hate America? and Why?
Posted by pauaprincess on March 4, 2007
It has been a source of endless frustration to me that in trying to explain the current world attitude 
toward the USA, I get accused of hating America. So this is my one time all out explanation.
So, just what is the current world attitude towards the US?
There is certainly anger. Anger at unilateral decisions taken by the USA with regard to Iraq and declawing the UN. Anger at the subterfuge and falsehoods the current administration has employed in order to achieve its aims and frustration at the attitudes of everyday Americans for their perceived selfishness and inability to see that they are now fighting self created monsters, their self glorification and one eyed patriotism at the expense of the remainder of the worlds population and perceived ignorance of the world outside the borders of the USA and lack of respect for the history and cultures of world.
Oddly, 26% of American’s believe their country is hated for it’s democracy and freedom. 20% believe it’s because of their Values and way of life.
Meanwhile the rest of us first world nations ask in frustration, what do you have that we should be jealous of? A dishonest President who so regularly fluffs his lines that their are websites dedicated to his blundering rants? The highest obesity rate in the world? High crime rates, disproportionate childhood poverty rates? Insanely expensive and corrupt medical systems? The death penalty? What exactly is it we are jealous of?
I don’t believe we in the western world hate America, we do however feel America is self absorbed, isolationalist and disrespectful. In trying to make that felt, we find ourselves accused of jealousy and Anti Americanism.
In order to examine the questions one has to look at the root causes, so….
Rewriting history
World War 2 in particular. There are multiple generations of disgruntled citizens in Europe, UK and the Commonwealth who as highlighted by Eldon Andersons recent rant, resent the self glorification of the USA with regard to WW2. If I had a dollar for every American who has told me that we’d all be speaking German if not for US intervention in WW2, I’d be rich! The facts are that it took all the allies to defeat the Germans in Europe and the Japanese in the Pacific.
The Numbers of Military the US put into action pales when compared to the numbers of Russian, French, British and Commonwealth military in action. Russia, France, the UK and former colonies were the principal force against Germany.
There are the block buster movies like U-571, based on the capture of the German Naval Ciphers by BRITISH naval forces, portrayed as an American operation in order to capture an American audience.
Yes America supplied materials and arms, but they weren’t given, they were sold. Britain finished paying its WW2 loans at the end of 2006.
WW2 wouldn’t have been won without America, BUT, it wouldn’t have been won without any of the other Allied nations that fought.
Creating Monsters
By in large, through it’s support of various regimes throughout the developing world, the USA has created it’s own enemies.
Osama Bin Laden:Labled a freedom fighter in the 80’s and supported with arms and training during the conflict with the Soviet Union in Afghanistan.
Saddam Hussein: A man to do business with in the 80’s, arms business that is, terrorist dictator by 2003.
Ho Chi Minh: Special CIA operative in the Pacific theatre, Communist threat by the 60’s.
Bosnia and Croatia:There were links to the USA of arms supply to Islamic Militants, via Tehran in spite of UN embargoes. The US actively supported the Muslim led government in Bosnia.
That’s not to say the US is the only country that creates it’s own problems to retrospectively solve, but like everything America does, it does it big and when it goes wrong, it goes badly wrong.
International Aid
While the USA claims to be the worlds biggest giver, the numbers are shown to the American public in absolute figures. The true measure is by percentage of Gross Domestic Product. Of the 22 developed nations in the world, the USA comes 22nd. In addition, according to Sarder and Davies, 0% of the aid given goes to US companies in the foreign countries the aid is meant for.
Failure to subscribe to International Treaties
The USA has a propensity to ignore any International Treaties that do not directly benefit it. Bush has specifically stated that Americans and American economic interests come first.
The USA has not ratified or signed up to the Kyoto Protocol enacted to reduce CO2 emissions and reduce Global Warming, despite being the worlds largest polluter.
Biological Weapons, The Bush Administration has waived agreement to allow biological weapons inspections of all countries, insulting the pacts 142 signatories and setting back the continuing negotiation for the 1972 treaty. So the USA is basically refusing entry to Biological Weapons inspections…. Didn’t Iraq get invaded for a similar reason?
The Landmine Ban Treaty was not signed by the USA. Why? Landmines were planted on the Korean Peninsula, seems the US doesn’t want to be responsible for removal?
The world conference against Racism, America failed to ratify 3 of the 6 core Human Rights Treaties. The USA was subsequently voted out of the United Nations Human Rights Committee.
The Rome Treaty The USA has unsigned the Rome Treaty to avoid obligations to the International Court. While the Clinton administration signed the treaty in order to enact the court, the Bush administration refused to ratify in favour of clauses allowing political control of the International Judiciary. Other countries that have refused to ratify? Israel, China, Libya, Iraq and Yeman.
“In May 2002 the Administration announced that it would ‘unsign’ the Rome Statute and set out ruthlessly to extinguish all possibility that any American could ever be tried by the Court. Three months later Congress passed an Act enabling the President to use ‘all necessary means’ to release any American national detained by the ICC.” General Sir Hugh Beach GBE KCB MC MA
The United Nations
I am consistently told that the USA financially supports the UN and yet, it’s never mentioned that the USA is the highest user and abuser of the UN. When it suits the USA it uses the UN to legitimise it’s actions, enact sanctions and consistently vetos any UN resolutions that do not reflect the USA’s economic or political interests. The USA did not pay its UN dues for years then finally agreed to do so, then failed to actually pay them. Check out this link for 30 years of US veto’s in the UN security council.
The Message
In conclusion, I believe it is in the best interests of America to listen to the world, it’s allies and it’s enemies. America needs to become modest in order to regain sympathy and George W Bush telling the world that on 9/11 Freedom was attacked, only implies that those of us in the developed world are not free, which is untrue. America as a country needs to apologise for it’s attitude and for it’s crimes and to start being globally responsible instead of self interested with regard to UN policy and treaties. Then the world can get back to working together for it’s common good.
The Paua Palace 
bee said
When you tell yourself a million times that you are the greatest, you begin to believe i. That’s the problem with us Americans.
Dennis Mortell said
Hmmm, didn’t the french, italians, and
Austrians pretty much just lay down during
the big one? England, Ireland, and Candada
and Isreal are the only countries I relate
too at all. Some of the Soviet Union splits
seem to be doing fair now. What you say is
somewhat true, We as Americans have some
problems, but, It’s the politicians who created
most of them. The system has fostered greed,
and where there is greed, there is trouble.
Whatever, I’m not going to spend a whole lot of
time on this, but, everybody I know respects
most European countries. And I don’t care what
you say, you HAVE to admit, this country has
provided many things for the rest of the world.
Many of these things are coming from people
like me, out of our taxes. So, whatever, hate
us, disrespect us, call us names, we do care,
but, what is, is, Have a good day.
Natalie Ohlsson said
You cannot speak for every American. I do care. The biggest problem in America is the “Let them eat cake” attitude. Open your eyes.
pauaprincess said
Austria was previously allied to Germany and pretty much allowed invasion due to Hilters innovations, Italy was allied to Germany and one of the Axis powers ding ding Mussolini anyone? The French fourght and evacuated their forces with the Allies at Dunkirk. All the invaded countries, Poland, France, Holland etc had partisan forces and underground operating during the invasion. So in answer to your question No, they didn’t lie down and their underground and partisan forces contributed greatly to the effort and eventual driving back of Nazi forces. As for the second part of your comment, that’s a cop out, who puts politicians in power? Nobody has said America hasn’t contributed greatly to the world, so has England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland, Germany etc. Just think, you’d have no nuclear power or weaponry with Ernest Rutherford, a New Zealander. No heart transplants without Christian Barnard, What about Faraday, Stephenson etc? You wouldn’t have been able to open the west without the steam engine and steam locomotive, invented by those two.
Nick said
Without America, those people wouldn’t have been able to do what they wanted to freely, or even be able to, for example, help build and be free without America. And now you have these people hating themselves, because like I think you mean America is made of legal foreigners, and those legal foreigners came because they wanted to have a better life. That’s what America is; a symbol and opportunity of freedom- a city on a hill
jay samson said
Just as the Germans of today are not responsible for their history of 60 years ago, the average American of today is not responsible for the outcome of world problems today. Get your heads of of your asses and look beyond your far left thoughts…the wealthy and the “leaders,” if any can be called that, make all of the secret decisions without our consent. And what is the end result? Americans are dumb and ignorant blah blah blah. If for one moment you can look past your national identity and look at what is happening around you, you would notice that damn world is corrupt, and every nation, more so than the U.S. has had their fair share of fucking the world.
U.K. -Consumes its neighbors and continues to cause rife with Ireland today. India in the 1920’s.
-France, screwed royally the Vietnamese and north Africa.
-here is a good one, the “innocent” dutch, the root cause of slavery in the western world 1600’s
-germany, need I go further
-Russia, the common enemy of western Europe since the conference of Vienna 1815, major supplier of black market weapons, i.e. ak47’s to most militias
-japan, murders chinese in 1935
-China, absorbs innocent Tibet, hunts down peace loving Dhali Lhama.
-spain, completely annihilates an entire race of Aztecs in Mexico
-Africa’s current shitty situation was created on behalf of Europe’s colonization then simply leaving.
So, after todays history lesson, which was brief, let me note that most proud europeans tell me America is only so old and that we have no history…well I am glad we do not share the same history as you people. You nearly destroyed the world more than once. Also, why do you think America exists? Because your own country did not give two shits about its citizens so they left hoping to find some prosperity in a nation where anyone could make it and still can.
So go to hell with your damn generalizations and left wing slurs! America houses more common people who would die in an instant for world peace than you would even be able to comprehend. And to give you the benefit of the doubt there are plenty of assholes in the states who would make any moderates skin crawl, but what country doesn’t. For Christ’s sake the Balkan states would rather see their neighbors hung by their toes from trees than share territory.
And America is the bad guy eh?
America is just left to deal with the bull-crap you left it.
pauaprincess said
And America didn’t carry on Slavery long after everyone else abolished it? America has inflicted its fair share of evils on the world. All great empires fall, it’s just a matter of time…
jay samson said
My dear, with every generalization there is always a greater answer…The Federal North Abolished slavery with everyone else, it was the crooked morons of the south that refused to give it up. Have you not heard of the civil war?
Furthermore as you compare Americas current thrust as a major world power to that of the Roman Empire, British Empire, etc don’t forget that Imperialism is not the goal of the U.S. in its foreign policy, therefore making it inept from becoming an empire to potentially “fall.”
pauaprincess said
First I am not your dear 🙂
I presume you are alluding to the American Civil War, just to distinguish it from all the others in history. Yes of course I have heard of it, I’m also aware it took the USA as a whole over 30 years longer than it took parts of Europe and England to ABOLISH slavery. The south undaunted then practised segregation, a form of apartheid, until 1965.
While the Germans of today are not all responsible for their history of 60 years ago, they are mindful of it, every gory detail. Is America?
The British Empire was in latter years a democracy, the Roman Empire in parts was a Republic, the USA is based heavily on both. Principles of Magna Carta form the US constitution. It’s all about dominination and what is imperialism but a form of domination?
Economically, morally, politically, the US is nearing the end of its shelf life. The rest of the world is forming alliances without the US, look at the EU, it has the potential to outstrip the US both with political clout and economical power, if they get their act together. We now, more than ever have a global economy, a global society with each country playing it’s part and the USA will have to step up to the plate and play nice with the rest of the world.
Private GoogleChromeUser said
“The European Union- LOL!!! Britain knows it sucks and just got the hell out. By the way, the majority of WWII debt was not paid back to the USA. The USA FORGAVE IT! Go watch the movie “The World Without America” and you will have a much broader view of why this is the greatest nation in the world! Are we perfect? No, just the best.
jay samson said
Well then “formidable” foe, better?
You seem to be stuck in a room someplace, perhaps London, and no light is getting into your gloomy world of burning hatred and resentment.
The U.S. SOUTH has practiced segregation with the Jim Crow laws until 1965 culminating in the Little Rock incident. The south was simply open about their racisms; have you meandered out of your gloomy room lately to mainland Europe? HAH Probably not. There are more racist people in Germany and France than ever before. I even once over heard a German say a Jewish museum was a waste of money! Not racist anymore? Maybe you are reading the “Generalization Weekly” again. Or how about all of the Neo-Nazi groups lurking in the shadows waiting for their day to rise again. Hitler’s Bunker locale is not even revealed to the public for fear of Neo-Nazis making it a shrine!
By the way, maybe you simply wrote too quickly and did not realize what you were writing, but the U.S. is a republic and a democracy based on Ancient Greece and the writings of John Locke. You did not even address the topic of imperialism, rather you simply let us know imperialism is a form of domination, which is true, but what does it have to do with America being a republic and a democracy?
Finally, you base all of your assumptions heavily on just that…your naive assuming nature. The U.S. is not nearing the end of anything except a bad presidency. The U.S. still stands at the vanguard of the modern world, and Europe, after almost destroying each other twice over needed a failsafe, i.e. the European Union, and note that it is called the European Union and not the American-European Union. That is what the U.N. is for. The E.U. is an economical system to build the economies of, mind you, select nations in Europe. Oh and let us talk about being greedy, England refuses to fully participate because her Pound is doing so well! Why join something that would smother the good times and your monetary system. Also, you refuse to let Turkey into the Union. That seems a little unfair. Maybe it is because they will bring the system to her knees or maybe it is because they are “not part of Europe”
Also, If I am not mistaken, which I am not because I do not use falsities and bleeding heart generalities, all of the first rate nations of Europe are feeling the sting of globalization; the best production jobs are leaving their countries for places like China where labor is cheap.
Yes. Many alliances are being formed indeed! You will be waiting for quite some time for the end of the U.S. It will have good leaders stepping up to the plate in one year. It is essential to “step up to the plate” to use an American phrase and be friendly with the world, but if it has to deal with people like you Lord help Us all.
pauaprincess said
No I am not stuck in a room, nor am I from the UK or Europe, perhaps if you read the blog in its entirety or even just went to the about me page, you’d learn something, first rule of combat, know thine enemy. Instead, you chose to concentrate on one facet.
Ever looked at Magna Carta? Ever studied the Roman Empire? We all in the free world embrace varying forms of the Greek Principle of Democracy, but that is not the sole theory upon which the USA is based. If anywhere is less than Democratic these days, it would appear to be the USA.
What is it you want to know about Imperialism? The definition ala Websters? The British Empire, was a constitutional monarchy, it became a commonwealth. I’d like to go into this further, but I have to get to work.
Suffice to say, the USA is living on past glory, a somewhat over estimated past glory at that. It’s position in the world depends upon acceptance of the rest of the world. The rest of the world is growing less accepting, you need only to check out the list of countries that became part of the coalition to invade Iraq to see that. If you don’t want to believe that, fine carry on and don’t come whining to me when you fall. Don’t ask for our help in foolhardy ventures and get annoyed when told no.
On Bush we agree somewhat, the man is not merely a bad president, he’s a disaster waiting to happen, drawing the USA into disrepute and disrespect. I don’t hate America, I’m dismayed by the attitudes of Americans at times, I loathe Bush and his policies, but as with most countries, America has given to the world, I don’t argue with that, I just occasionally take issue with how much and like to see the other countries of the world get their just credit.
Tony Blair has got his message, John Howard will be getting his shortly, America either gave up or had taken their chance to give Bush his message.
Bill Braskey said
Dear Pauaprincess-
Let me start out by asking you this question: do you seriously believe that Bush and his cronies, along with previous US presidents, really sit around the oval office twiddling their thumbs with evil grins discussing how they can spread Democracy to enrich their personal coffers? It wouldn’t surprise me if you did. Is it so hard to believe that some presidents actually take risks with their own presidency that go against popular opinion because they believe what they are doing is right for their country? Here’s some history for you: In 1864 Abraham Lincoln’s campaign managers told him that he had little chance of winning a second term that November although the North was willing to keep fighting to bring the South back into the union (but not exactly for slavery). He was strongly advised to renounce the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation. However, Lincoln thought long and hard and decided to go on with his decision which this quote by him aptly sums up: “I would rather be right than be president.” In 1940 FDR was strongly advised not to ask Americans for a stronger defense against the dangers of Adolf Hitler. His campaign managers told him that the country was isolationist and such a bold move would surely jeopardize his third-term campaign. FDR said to hell with them and of course implored America’s first peace time draft, a week before the 1940 election. His ambassador in London at the time, a man named Joseph Kennedy, told FDR that “you will go down either as the greatest in history or the greatest horses ass,” to which FDR responded “Or there is another alternative: if I don’t strengthen America’s defenses, Hitler could rule the world and I could go down in history as a very unimportant president.” Get the point yet? No? Alright I’ll go on. In 1963 racial-based riots engulfed the South. JFK (that’s a mister John F. Kennedy if you didn’t know) responded by sending Congress the greatest civil rights bill ever written which instantly cost him the backing of thousands of Southern voters who had narrowly elected him in 1960. JFK told his brother Bobby “I might lose the next election, but if were going down, lets go down on principle.” The point is that sometimes if not all the time presidents must make controversial decisions because they believe what they are doing is best for their country. They aren’t just screwing the world and laughing all the way to the bank so they can be that much richer for the next and probably last 20-30 years of their life.
In response to the section labeled “Creating Monsters,” I’m sorry; I think I’m a little confused. Did America create militant and radical Islam? You’re telling me that because we supported various regimes in the past, we made them hate the Western world and all it stands for? Do you know anything you are talking about? I’m so damn confused thanks to your crazy left-wing, and may I say typical, rhetoric. You quote the UN as having some supreme authority that the US most follow in order to be accepted by the world community. Hmmm, why wasn’t the UN supportive of the dismantling of the Sadaam regime? I guess you would have to start looking at each countries reasoning. The French? Could it be because good ol’ Jacques Chirac supplied Sadaam with his nuclear reactor technologies in the early 80’s and has a been cheap-oil receiving buddy with him ever since? Why wasn’t Germany? Well without going to deeply into facts I think its pretty clear why Germans are still against intervention of any kind, (ironically) even when it involves cruel dictators using genocide and ethnic cleansing. You’re citing the US as supplying arms to Islamic militants during the Balkans? My history might be a little off again here, but weren’t they being ruthlessly slaughtered during a genocide campaign? The whole Balkan region conflict is just another example of the UN being totally useless. You have so much shit in here that I could literally write a book debunking all of your falsities. My favorite comment of yours is about the US not signing the Kyoto protocol. You, like the rest of the world, apparently have absolutely no idea what that would do to our economy. Like Jay Samson said, pull your head out of your ass and read something else other than your liberal bullshit.
pauaprincess said
For me your entire comment can be summed up with this:
“You, like the rest of the world, apparently have absolutely no idea what that would do to our economy”
Riiiiiiiiiiight, because your economy is worth more than the future existence of the planet… Ok, when there’s no planet anymore, what’s THAT going to do to your economy? When there’s no oil anymore, what’s THAT going to do to your economy?
pauaprincess said
Found this tonight…An item from the Telegraph, interesting comments follow the peice.
Back in 1999, 83 per cent of British people surveyed by the State Department Office of Research said that they had a favourable opinion of the United States. But by 2006, according to the Pew Global Attitudes Project, that proportion had fallen to 56 per cent. British respondents to the Pew surveys now give higher favourability ratings to Germany (75 per cent) and Japan (69 per cent) than to the United States – a remarkable transformation in attitudes, given the notorious British tendency to look back both nostalgically and unforgivingly to the Second World War. It’s also very striking that Britons recently polled by Pew regard the US presence in Iraq as a bigger threat to world peace than Iran or North Korea (a view which is shared by respondents in France, Spain, Russia, India, China and throughout the Middle East).
Nor is Britain the only disillusioned ally. Perhaps not surprisingly, two thirds of Americans believe that their country’s foreign policy considers the interests of others. But this view is shared by only 38 per cent of Germans and 19 per cent of Canadians. More than two thirds of Germans surveyed in 2004 believed that American leaders wilfully lied about Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction prior to the previous year’s invasion, while a remarkable 60 per cent expressed the view that America’s true motive was “to control Middle Eastern oil”. Nearly half (47 per cent) said it was “to dominate the world”.
The truly poignant fact is that when Americans themselves are asked to rate foreign countries, they express the most favourable views of none other than Britain, Germany and Canada.
Back in the 1990s, Madeleine Albright pompously called the United States “the indispensable nation”. Today it seems to have become the indefensible nation, even in the eyes of its supposed friends.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2007/02/25/do2501.xml
Bill Braskey said
Dear Pauaprincess,
First of all, you did not answer my first question in my initial post. Second of all, (and I’m not one to usually call names) you are a moron. I don’t know how my entire post can be summed up as you have quoted; “You, like the rest of the world, apparently have absolutely no idea what that would do to our economy.” Anyone with their head screwed on right can see that does not sum up my entire comment, but a small portion of it. Nevertheless, I had a good laugh to learn that you, of course, are another fooled citizen of the world expecting doom around the corner because of those two scary words: GLOBAL WARMING! Without even getting into the faulty science of the whole theory I want to ask you this question: you’re resentful that the US didn’t sign a Protocol that would cost hundreds of thousands if not millions of American jobs, set us into a recession, is based on an UNCERTAIN science, was ratified by China and India so they can still retain current carbon output, and was not even followed after its initial inception in the 90’s? You are out of your mind! Look at the facts for Christ sakes!
Furthermore, you can stop quoting statistics of European outlook on American because it’s a.) stupid, and b.) repetitive. I live in Europe right now, and have for the last 4 months, and am well aware of current public opinion against the US. Hmmm, I wonder why? First you would have to look at the fundamental differences between the US and those in the EU. Americans are brought up to be pragmatic and that opinions about the world should have their foundation in sociopolitical reality, whereas Europeans are taught to be “sophisticated,” which means holding opinions that have little or no connection to observable reality. They are about ideas, ideals, and ideology. For instance, there is a European ideal of solidarity, which doesn’t just mean a spirit of community, but it means a spirit of community mediated through government institutions. Their media control much of what the people know (e.g., the BBC). A Norwegian prime minister once said that journalistic diversity “is too important to be left up to the marketplace.” Norway’s government runs 2 of Norway’s 3 broadcast channels and most of its radio and subsidizes several major newspapers. Op-ed pieces are written not to give various opinions but “to remind readers what they are supposed to think.” Europeans think of America as a safe enemy, a phony enemy. (After all, is America going to bomb Europe?) America is the doting parent and European countries are its spoiled children, “treating America with disrespect even as they enjoy the security of knowing that they are under its absolute protection and will never be allowed to come to harm.” Another contrast: Americans believe that tyranny is evil and must be resisted; Europeans believe that war itself is evil and must be avoided at all costs. The European establishment misrepresents and ridicules America because Europeans are social democrats, and American liberal democracy represents a threat to the system they prefer. Europeans today don’t seem to grasp that freedom and prosperity aren’t the default condition of the human species–and that when these things come under threat, a sanguine passivity isn’t the best response.
So please, spare us your liberal European rhetoric and perhaps take a look at some of the facts, which you seem to be ignorant of. Also, I noticed you never answered your title question: are we jealous or do we hate America? Well, which one is it?
pauaprincess said
I don’t usually respond to name calling, it’s not condusive to debate and merely points to the mental limitations of the name caller.
In answer to your original question, while I do not believe that Bush and his cronies sit in the oval office daily plotting how to line their own pockets, I do believe it’s a contributing factor to the invasion of Iraq. Halliburton ring bells? http://iraqforsale.org/
While you scoff at the prospect of harm to the planet, I live under the hole in the ozone layer, which tends to make one take such warnings a little more seriously, no doubt when such things affect you personally, you’ll take a slightly pragmatic view too. The Kyoto protocol covers 158 countries that are not China or India.
I can quote whatever statistics I want to, who are you to tell me I can stop? Talk about arrogance.
Americans believe tyranny is evil and must be resisted? What are you doing to prevent your freely elected Government from illegally detaining people outside the terms of the Geneva Convention, holding them without representation and subjecting them to torture? Can you justify children under 16 being taken and sent to Guantanamo? What is the Patriot Act other than consent to tyranny?
“Of course the people don’t want war. But after all, it’s the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it’s always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it’s a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.”
— Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials
As to the title question;
Are we jealous? No, what is there to be jealous of? In the so called first world, we all have pretty much the same or even more freedoms as anyone in the USA. All the same modern conveniences, access to information so on and so forth.
Do we hate America? No I don’t think so, oh some might, but in the main, no I think it’s more a sense of disappointment. I also think there is fear that we have allowed the USA to go too far and believe it has a right to influence us all beyond what is sensible. 9/11 was shocking, America had the free world behind it, then it went to Iraq, look what happened. No good has come of it. I know you are going to say deposing Saddam Hussein has come of it, but while I know he was a complete and utter azzhat, it hasn’t done as much good for Iraq as one would hope and quite frankly that’s all the good that has come of it.
pelicano said
Paua Princess- I’m an American, and I found your post quite interesting and enlightening- nice job with the research.
Just try to remember that we’re all individuals, and many of us agree that the current administration is waaaay out of line, in many respects! I certainly didn’t vote for him either time…
pauaprincess said
Thanks Pelicano, I do try and remember everyone is individual, it’s difficult to write without generalising 🙂
Natalie Ohlsson said
Yes, really, thank you for enlightening America – there are so many smoke and mirrors here and it’s almost unpopluar to some people to know the whole dynamic. I am an American and though I like America – sometimes really do love it – I see the flaws and am disappoinited as well. There are idiots who are more concerned with banging their rattles around with arrogance and agression even though what they are saying makes no sense and isn’t founded in the entire reality. Again thank you!!! 🙂
Weather Bomb, the current effects of Climate Change « The Paua Palace said
[…] on July 12th, 2007. Just the other day, someone commented on the post “are we jealous or do we hate America and why” that I was at the very least, naive to believe in the concept of global warming and the […]
Can Catan said
I think the comments and the analysis of
this article is great. However it is also
important to look at the problem in other
perspective. The USA is at the moment only
superpower of the world which allows it to act as irrespective as possible towards other
cultures and nations. Nevertheless the USA
government, especially the CIA and NSA, knows
that USA will not continue to stay as the only superpower of the world. That is why trilateral
commission was established by former US
president Jimmy Carter.
Other powers such as the EU, Russia and China
are catching up with the USA economic and
military position. At the moment for the EU
the main obstacle is the EU will become a state or will become an International Organisation.
How the member states will react on
the idea of if the EU will become
a federal state like USA name
itself Unites States of Europe. Obviously at
the moment this idea is just a utopianist
thought. However the recent events in the EU
such as the EU constitution rejected by
the Dutch and French voters and it replaced by the reform treaty is the great evidence for the problem
mentioned above. Other issues such on going
enlargement (To what extend the EU will
continue geographically to expand itself),
unequal income distribution between the member states, complex mechanism of the EU institutions are
the great obstacles for the EU. Therefore we
can say that the EU still has a long way to
go but no doubt one day it may catch up to
the USA.
Other powers such as China and Russia
the primarily problem is the socio-economic
condition. The Russia is still trying clean up the loan of the USSR after the collapse. Russia is also
need to stabilise its currency. The China
the huge population and the urgent need for an infrastructure investment especially
the west part of the china are challenging.
However scholars argue that Russia and China
might catch up the US in mid 21st century.
I can conclude that for a while the US will
continue influence its politics to the globe.
However when I will be 50 years old the US
will not be superpower or its influence will
be greatly reduce to the world.
The time factor is the key for changing
current political situations.
pauaprincess said
Agreed Cantan, there are issues with the EU, but if it sorts out it’s problems, it could in a relatively short amount of time be the world leading organisation. It’s relatively young in terms of leadership and is already having an effect. China and Russia would be further down the line than the EU but are definitely contenders.
billybob said
The U.S.A. needed the allies in world war 2? Ha-Ha-Ha. The united states assembled an Army within three months, rebuilt a damaged fleet in 2 years and helped conquer europe in less than three years. Prior to 1942, the French, British and Russians were paying extremely high repraisals (THEY WERE NEARLY DESTROYED).
As for your country not being Jealous of Americans- once again: HA-HA-HA. All your men here in the west think our women will do anything for them for no price. They may procreate children with you women, but they lust for western women. Every one of your citizens in this country look down on the americans like were crap. All of you invaders really need a history lesson!. Your arrogant remarks are disgusting, why don’t you and the rest of the invaders go live back in the dessert and leave us alone. Just leave, we built this country and we thrived without you.
billybob said
First of all , there would be no world markets as they are today, had it not been for the ingenuity of the united states. As for the european powers, the chinese and the russians catching up in fifty years. Oh sure they will if only they have a constant economic growth over the next 50 years. Once again , you know nothing of western economics- There economy’s will always go up and down as markets change, as the american markets right now. Once again history lessons for you- In 1979 Iran chanted how the united states was becoming a decimated power- boy was he wrong. As far as china, they are already wearing out there welcome as world economic leaders, they build way too many inferior products , which will cause them to lose customers. They are only becoming economic powers because the us and europe are using them as sub contractors. In the end who do the europeans trust more- The chinese or the americans.
PauaPrincess said
Well Gee I think the Rednecks have found me! BillyBob do you have a clue what country I am from? I live in the Western World, I was born in the Western World and we have no desert here and I live in my own country, I’m not an invader, your countrymen are though. Your verbosity is only outweighed by your bigoted ignorance. It’s definitely impossible to take you seriously.
The Rednecks are coming… « The Paua Palace said
[…] on July 20th, 2007. Oh wow, I wrote a post examining whether or not the world at large dislikes America and some of the reasons that might […]
Dennis Mortell said
Princess? LOL, go shave your legs. Every freak’in country i
n the world comes begging when they are in trouble.
Natalie Ohlsson said
embarrassingly absurd
pauaprincess said
Yep and most recently it was yours, for a coalition. Anyway I wax why don’t you get with the 21st century?
Realization said
Princess, I just found your blog, and I must say I’m thoroughly enjoying it.
Reading the comments to this post is one of the reasons I hesitate to even mention I live in the United States. Ignorance is bliss, and we have some incredibly happy folks here!
Billybob, I can’t even begin to imagine how you can come up with a word like “ingenuity” all by yourself, but cannot handle dessert/desert, their/there, and proper use of apostrophes. If we all had your command of the English language, I can understand the immigrant’s reluctance to learn.
Speaking of “invaders,” have you looked far enough in your family tree to have learned that every “American” family started by “invading” from another country? Yes, yours, too. Perhaps you should take a few history lessons yourself before suggesting someone else do so.
Bill Braskey, while you are suggesting that Europe only has access to the information the media feeds them, you are living in a nation that hangs onto the media like they are gods, caring more about celebrity hairstyles and what FOX news has to say (selective journalism, much?) than what is really going on in the rest of the world.
And, yes, while we believe that tyranny is evil and must be avoided and resisted, can you tell me how the hell enough of our fair nation’s citizens were stupid enough to RE-ELECT a president who comes as close to tyranny as our government will allow? I would say “as close as our Constitution will allow,” but we all know how he has raped the Constitution for his own glorification.
Finally, addressing your question about whether we think GW sits around the Oval office planning ways to fuck over the world (er, spread Democracy) to enrich his own personal coffers, yes. Yes, I do, in fact, think he does that some days. Our nation’s dependence on oil makes him a rich, rich man. So, yes, I think he has big financial designs on our nation’s perception of global warming and peak oil.
And, Dennis Mortell, can’t you possibly come up with something better than “go shave your legs”? Are you KIDDING me?
pauaprincess said
Thanks I’m glad you like it and pleased to find yet another American who sees the writing on the wall 🙂
panoramia said
I love it!
Actually, I’ve NEVER met an individual American I didn’t like.
But:
The American system is a noble social experiment that has long since been hijacked by the unscruplous. Your founders unfortunately couldn’t see far enough ahead, nobody could have; not their fault. They tried, did their best, but weren’t good enough.
Despite the best efforts of your “leaders” I still like Americans — and if I may make a prediction, I don’t think Ron Paul will survive long enough to create change …
GNZ said
there are two issues here, one is that people tend not to like hegemons. In this regard we might dislike the US but if it was just a little weaker and China or the EU was a little stronger we would switch to hating the other guy.
When you have no power you can’t misuse it no matter how much you might want to, when you have it you can’t help but misuse it in the eyes of others. You gain the ability and in a sense the obligation to address all sorts of issues.
At the same time they have strong incentives to do hard work (fight wars or whatever) where others can freeload in other areas – this is one of the key reasons that hegemons decline.
the second issue is comparative dislike of THIS hegemon. In that regard there are two hegemons worth comparing with. and that is the former one (Britain) and the next one (China).When you are a hegemon you imprint your world view on the world and whether people like it or not (and whether you like it or not) they start to see the world that way. the US’s world view is anti-empire, pro capitalism, pro individualism, pro free speech etc. many of those things are the same values of those that hate the US.
So it makes sense that a person from a chinese political tradition might outright hate the US but not so much that a person from a european tradition would.
the rise of the US related to the fall of those ideas it opposed and the rise of those it supported even in other countries. Similarly it’s fall will relate to the fall of those ideas that China doesn’t share around the world and allow China to become more extreme in those that it holds important.
So it will be if the US falls and is replaced by China – or India for that matter (as the next most likely).
personally I’m philosophical
Me said
First of all USA is criminal
Several Germans with afghanian origin were kidnapped by US government.
For example one Afghanian who lived most of his life in germany(and became german long ago) and got family in germany wanted to drive to his homeland…he was kidnapped by masked man.
He was tortured physically and mentally.This means he was beat up and wasnt allowed to sleep during a special time,light in eyes, cold water over his body…all the nice stuff.
Then thrown back into his cave for some month then asked again with those nice asking methods, thrown back again etc etc.
After around 4 years the german government got information about this and interacted and got him free.
US government didnt give him a process, lawyer, tortured him physically, mentally only cause they SUSPECTED him being in a terrorist organizations.
link in german :
http://www.stern.de/politik/deutschland/581133.html?id=581133
The german government is hunting 13 CIA members for taking away freedom and heavily body injury
think about it! German government is hunting CIA members, CIA one of the most powerfull organisations.(US government does not care about this cause CIA was ordered to do so)
german link:
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,463453,00.html
again this is only the peak ..the real number of these actions is unknown and much higher and in afghanistan or iraq where noone will hear the victims the methods will be more brutal.
That is only about germany.I dont know about other countries but the black number of these methods is in no doubt much higher.
I dont want to think about afghanian being suspected being terrorist..the german was treated good compared to afghanian since US government cant do everything with german citiziens( torture with much more pain,kill)
Death squadrons sent by US government
2005
US government realizes they handle current situation and plan to send death-squadrons into iraq
Known aimings: kill political opponents and terrorise the population.
link in german :
http://www.wsws.org/de/2005/jan2005/salv-j20.shtml
US fired a missle into a house in Pakistan where a terrorist was suspected but was not there..whole family died
Pakistan will see any more US attack against terrorists any kind without their permission as an act of war
of course not all actions of US government are known..better for the USA
Bush faked vote: dead people voted etc
US law system is corrupt:
most famous example is Paris Hilton:
we all know she made a sex movie and it was sold in many places
she went into a shop, saw her own sex movie and stole it…everything was clearly visible in the camera
in germany it would be 100% proof.. like in most other countries but the judge said there were not enough proofs that she did steal this movie—-u saw it in film 100%—
The terminator is goveneur in Florida—money= power
Bush is an ex alcoholic
The US congress awards itself Congressional Medal Of honor
english link:
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/30966
THe US government is a money ruled illegal company who act against their own laws
Law system is corrupt..like most of the government.
The US- americans dont say alot cause otherwise they are ´´unpatriotic´´ brandmarked.
They seem to be highly drilled into patriotism, equals are nazi regime
and yes you can compare nazi regime 60 years ago with current US government
Both ignore(d) human rights, kill(ed) innocent people ,reduce(d) civil rights and blind(ed) its population
Nazis did with Herrenrasse, US government with great america, all shiny and one must be patriotic to be a real american.It is war therefore not all can be good and bla bla
´´You are for us or you are against us´´ Bush
A new law says that informants who have information about scandals in government must be known.
Anonymous informants are not allowed in processes anymore.
Why should they do this?
This law has only one sense.Less political scandals will go public.
freeman said
GNZ seems to be the most level headed of this bunch and he brought up many good points. I’d only like to add one thing.
Why not channel that Aussie (or wherever else America is hated) anger into something positive. The worst way to try to get someone to change is to blatantly point out their flaws. Most people will become defensive at that point and become resistant to change.
I notice you were careful in your phrasings, Puauprincess, but saying things a certain positive way can make a big difference.
For example, I would love for the Australian Government (notice I didn’t say Aussies) to treat the aboriginal people better. Doesn’t that sound much better than “Americans think Aussies have created a hell in their own backyard with their lame aboriginal policies. Americans might think better of Aussies if they’d get their act together”?
Also, let’s not lament the past, but instead seek solutions for the future. A positive solution might consist of making it a point to tell Americans more about Australians (or whatever countrymen). For instance, I think Australia is headed in the right direction by incorporating desalinization plants, and new desalinization techniques, to combat it’s water situation. I tell my fellow Americans of these issues so they are more sympathetic to world events and people. I try to do the same for foreigners about American events.
In closing I’ll say that my views of the way this great country is being run are parallel to most foreigners I’ve talked with. I can’t wait for the next presidential election. 🙂
Hypography Science Forums - Australia said
[…] the stupid off them! American 9/11 Quiz The Paua Palace From that link, I found this link: Are we jealous or do we hate America? and Why? The Paua Palace I found it an interesting read… I’d be interested in hearing feedback from the Oz folk here, as […]
pauaprincess said
Freeman you make some good points, however while I am not Australian, I also don’t have anger as such, it’s merely observations from what I have seen and heard. You’ll note I comment about alot of different things including the alleged leadership of my own country.
brew7676 said
pauaprincess –
Your article is just further proof of your incredibly inferiority complex towards the United Staes. But then again, I would feel the same way if I was a European. After all, the US has had to come across the ocean countless times to save your from the monarchies, the Hitlers, and the Stalins. We’ve rebuilt your cities practically free of charge and rescued your from Communism. NY has replaced Paris as the cultural center of the world, 90/100 top grossing film were produced in the US, you hate our cultue so much, but you consume our music, eat at McDonald’s, buy our drugs, our computers ,etc.
Your points are so lame. You call the US imperialists?? Look at your history. Europe once was a world power and colonized most of the known world. Now, its a weak group of countries hiding behind a gigantic bureaucratic UN.
White Europeans are reproducing at a rate of 1.3 childer per family. Meanwhile, hostile Islamic cultures are immigrating to your great welfare state countries and are not assimilating. They are having many many kids and by the end of the century you could be a minority living in oppression.
But, the problem you have is American arrogance?? How many Americans are buried in French cemetaries? How many American perished on the shores of Normandy? How many Americans have died for your freedom? Where do you think your Continent would be without the Americans? Where would this world be without the Americans? We are the source of evil in this world? We created Facism, Communism, terrorism, radical Islam? Did the US ever attack your countries? Yes, you sound like a very jealous person indeed, now why don’t you spend your time worrying about the real evils in this world like what’s happening in Sudan, Iraq, Iran, Russia, China, Kenya, etc.
PauaPrincess said
I am NOT european. Please buy an ATLAS.
Giselle said
You may not be European, but you are an asshole!! what’s that song? Jealous Jealous Again…. Face it – you and the rest of the world are jealous of us. We have everything here. You don’t like us, but you listen to our music, watch our movies, etc.. You know you want to be us!!! I bet you bring your big, lard ass over here to visit the best country in the world. I say if you don’t like us, keep your untanned ass wherever it is you’re from – I guarantee you we won’t miss you…Every comment you make criticizing us demonstrates the hateful jealously. The next time Europe or ANYWHERE else in the world needs help you fuckers need to send for China and Russia.
Giselle said
Where are you from you little asshole? I don’t have time to read all the comments on here to find out where you are from. What great country are you from? What great things has your country done for the world? Tell me I want to know?
pauaprincess said
If you don’t like what you see in the mirror, change it. Calling me an asshole isn’t going to change the predominate world perception of your country. Excusing your country by accusing the world of being “jealous” of your country doesn’t make it true. I am from NZ, a small country, good standard of living, 5th most desirable in the world according to the latest survey, European cities beat us out for the top 4 spots. A Kiwi split the atom, a Kiwi conquered Mt Everest, a Kiwi invented disposable hypodermic needles, we invented the electric fence and the navman, and a host of other things. We don’t pretend to be great or good, but we lost more soldiers per capita in both world wars than most countries, Russia lost the most and America goes to China for it’s loans. We have sea, snow and beautiful scenery within half an hour from the city as with most major cities here, clean air and the lowest unemployment rate in twenty years. I own my own home, have a great job…
What have you got for me to be jealous of? My country has a better standard of living, lower crime, all the mod cons and when I vote for my leader, a college of so called superior minds can’t counter my vote and elect the leader of their choice. Where I live the majority vote wins the day, we don’t have an upper and lower house, all in all simple democracy.
Giselle said
That’s right your country isn’t great or good, but you have the nerve to talk about Americans. I’ll call you any damn thing I want to because I have that right. Just because you don’t agree with how our country is run, etc…. doesn’t make our country “bad.” It does make you and others sound JEALOUS when you start spouting all your hatred -reminds me of islamic extremist (you know those crazy lunatics). I was always taught-if you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all. I really don’t give a damn who hates Americans. I live a good life.
Natalie Ohlsson said
It’s not jealousy! How embarassing. I am an American and I have traveled out of the US long enough to experience the beautiful world around us and realize how deluded most Americans are to what’s actually going on universally. I am an American, would you say I am jealous??
curious g said
If you love it so much outside of America, why not leave permanently? Just curious.
pauaprincess said
You should actually read the article instead of spending your time jumping on a bandwagon heading nowhere. This article specifically examines the root causes as I see them as to why the world, (that’s not just me but other people from other countries) feels ancrimonious towards America as a nation. It also concludes that the world as such does not hate America. Nowhere does the article state America is bad, just that the past and current administrations have made some bad choices along the way and that other administrations have failed to learn from history.
The only person spouting hatred here is you and your countrymen, sadly you are proving to be the embodiment of the arrogant America that has become the face of what is, once you scrape the surface, a good country that can and does achieve great things, when it’s not so busy doing everything for itself.
If you can’t take the heat, perhaps you should exit the kitchen Giselle. Grow up and figure what is wheat and what is chaff.
Talk about extremist, you are more like an extremist all this vitriolic rhetoric with no sound reasoning to back it. You sit there and say I am jealous? Again I ask of what? What have you got over there that I am jealous of? Tell me, I’m all ears.
I can and have sat and made detrimental comments with regard to my own country and government, I can do that because I can admit my country isn’t perfect, historically or currently, we’ve done some good things, for example New Zealand became Nuclear free over 20 years ago, we are moving towards meeting our obligations under Kyoto despite financial hardship…These are things your country won’t even countenance despite the good it may do the world, Bush jnr is trying to promote Nuclear energy instead, despite the very long term ill effects to the planet and the limited amount of Uranium to support it. I just don’t believe America is the be all and end all. Apparently you do and cannot handle the idea that the vaster population of this planet doesn’t. Perhaps you ought to take heed of the fact, there are more of us in the world, than there are Americans.
Oh and guess what, I have the right to talk about whatever I want to. I manage to refrain from calling you names in the interests of open discourse, if you cannot, perhaps you should take a course in common courtesy, it’s something you and some of your countrymen who comment here seem to be lacking in the extreme, along with a little thing called humility.
Giselle said
Oh, I have courtesy. I just don’t think you deserve courtesy. If you can’t handle it, you shouldn’t dish it out. I have manners and courtesy. I am from New Orleans where manners are a priority, but I’m going to speak my mind, and say what I want to say. You have. If you don’t like America or Americans fine. If you don’t like the way things are here I could care less. I have an opinion, too. I think you should get a tan and get your head out of your ass. Like i said before, I don’t care who hates America, but if you think I’m going to sit here and let you spout off your extremist, hateful comments without telling you to kiss my ass your wrong. I think all you Europeans need a good tan, a good dentist, a few muscles (have I spouted enough stereotypes for ya). Obviously, you know nothing about Americans or America in general. Have you been reading OK magazine again?
Giselle said
Regardless of what you people think, our lives are not the movies. We don’t live like movie stars. We go to work, raise a family, go to church (yes, I’m a good catholic) and most Americans try to be good citizens and people in general, so I really don’t know what the fuck you are talking about. If an American has been rude to you, I say that is just life. I’m sure that somewhere in the world a European or whatever you are has been rude to someone. Quit crying about what Americans have done to the world. Most Americans don’t know what the hell you are talking about. All we see is our hard earn tax dollar going to support another bullshit country.
pauaprincess said
If you want to debate with me that is fine, but you need to present an argument, all you are doing is living up to the ugly American stereotype. Again read the article, the drivel you are spouting has nothing whatsoever to do with anything written in there.
Admit it you read the title and you’ve gone off half cocked, you have no idea how to refute anything in it because you either don’t understand it or you don’t know how to research the information.
As for the rest of the tripe you’ve wasted my time with, get an atlas, note for yourself NZ is not in Europe, note it’s semi tropical, I HAVE a tan, probably a better one than yours as do most of the Europeans who live on the Med.
Educate yourself, I’d be ashamed to admit to the www that you don’t know what is going on in the world, everything is out there, google it. Ignorance is no excuse.
I’ve met some rude Americans, I’ve also met nice ones and have many American friends. Same with Aussies, English, French, Singaporean, Korean and other cultures.
None of this is about manners, its about an isolationist culture, a point you neatly proved for me and I quote Quit crying about what Americans have done to the world. Most Americans don’t know what the hell you are talking about. All we see is our hard earn tax dollar going to support another bullshit country.”
Why do you take dispassionate observations so personally? Why don’t you actually have a point to make instead of attempting to discredit me with inanities none of which hold water? Why would you think I believe all American’s are living like movie stars when I know for a fact you have a disproportionate crime rate and one of the higher child poverty rates in the world and demonstrate that?
Why don’t you start by telling me what it is I am jealous of? I’ve yet to find out. Am I jealous of your democracy? Nooooooooo got my own, Am I jealous of your freedom, Nope got that too. TV shows? No got them and UK TV and Aussie TV and NZ TV too so it can’t be, Is it your charismatic leader? No he’s a weener! Is it that you have houses there, no I have a house, is it the money? Noooo the English Pound Sterling has a higher value than the American Dollar, Hollywood? Nah we make Hollywood quality films here Lord of the rings, the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, even Disney makes their movies here… Gee I wonder what it could be?
Giselle said
I read your article, and I read the title. What? Am I now suppose to agree with you? Tell you that you are right on? Never! I told you. When you all spout your hatred and ugly remarks, it makes Americans believe that you and others are jealous of our wonderful country (I’m entitled to believe mine is wonderful, too). I have lived overseas, and we HAVE the best country in the world. Our quality of life is better, healthcare, social progams, transportation, etc.. I can go on and on. What you aren’t understanding evidently is that this is my opinion, and you have yours (which you are entitled to have). I just do not like your blantant hatred and your rude remarks about Americans in general. I don’t care what you say or believe. I’m not goin to debate you because there is no winning with you. I’ve read the responses (very good ones I might add), and you just come back with more BS. I just want to say if you don’t like America or Americans stay out of our country. We don’t want you here anyway. Enjoy your little country and your great quality of life. If you have American friends (haha), they must not be a loyal Americans. Your American friends are probably those extremist that want to come over and live off our social programs (another words not real born Americans). I would see you as the devil. You are probably an islamic extremist. Are you going to come blow my house down or cut off my head. That’s real civilized. That’s the way to handle world problems. Face it you are jealous because you are sitting in a little hut in the mountains and get on with it. I know how to research little asshole. I have college degree. I just choose not to debate your BS. I may not agree with everything our country does or has done (and that’s big maybe), but I will never sit here and say you are right. I will never sit here and say we are wrong. We are the greatest country. That is what I believe and I know. I hate to tell ya mohammand, but the quality of the tv and movies, quality of life, etc. sucks in comparison to America. I hate it for ya, but it’s the truth.
Natalie Ohlsson said
I am American and I stand for truth. You cannot speak for all Americans.
curious g said
LOL. You stand for truth? I don’t mind the comments from Europeans, Asians, etc., who make comments about America. At the end of the day, you can at least have a seat with MOST of them, have a talk, work out generalizations, and reach an amiable conclusion. What I find more irritating is Americans who feel obligated to agree with foreign criticism to somehow atone and make it seem as if they are so worldly and cultured. As if pandering to critics will gain you a pat on the head an approval. Here’s a news flash: America is not perfect. Never has, and never will be. We have many, many strengths, blessings, potentials, etc. But we also have many issues, problems, concerns. Guess what? This is not exclusive to America. If you can find me ONE country that is perfect, let me know. I will gladly study them, learn from them, and implement their system locally. For every finger being pointed and rubbed in the face of America, there is one less finger being pointed at other countries that openly harm, kill, main, torture, you name it, to their citizens. I will not name countries, but if you are honest with yourself, name a few countries where you would NOT want to live. I really don’t think Foreign disdain, or whatever word you want to use, is attributed ONLY to our recent foreign policy adventures. American resentment has been around, although not as much, for decades. Even during times of relative peace (80s), or with SUPPORTED military intervention (90s in Iraq), criticism against America was there. Anecdotaly, the #1 reason I hear as the reason that people dislike Americans, generally, is “American arrogance.” And American arrogance stems from a number of cultural nuances that we, as Americans, have grown accustomed to don’t blink an eye to. However, to foreigners, this brash aspect of our culture may SEEM arrogant and annoying, especially in conservative countries in Asia. It’s almost like feeling disrespected when Asian cashiers place money on the table instead of handing it to you, when in fact, this is customary. I’m not saying that some Americans are not complete Aholes, but to apologize for the nation and being a sycophant when most of these attacks are due to misunderstanding of culture is plain absurd. In lieu of being a sycophant, why not become a local municipal leader and try to make social impact? You stand for truth? LOL. please.
pauaprincess said
Ok that’s just insane, you have no factual basis for any of your statements and I am now an Islamic extremist, who is going to blow you up or cut off your head? You are a one eyed fanatic that couldn’t debate your way out of a wet paper bag let alone an argument. What’s more, you give your country a bad name, you are the type of American that everyone outside America loathes, the epitome of ugly America and a reason Islamic Fundamentalists exist.
This is why: You cannot conceive that in the Western world outside of America we have everything you do and more, free and excellent health care, public transport, less poverty, less crime and a better standard of living. We have nothing to be jealous of, nothing. If you took the time to look outside your own borders objectively, you might see that but I doubt it.
By merely googling International cities by standard of living you can find the top cities as ranked by international consultants William M Mercer:
Zurich, Geneva, Vienna, Vancouver and Auckland(Where I live) are the top 5 cities in the world to live in for standard of living,for 2007. Here is the link
http://www.mercer.com/summary.jhtml?idContent=1128060
As you can see, Honolulu is the first US city to make it to the list for overall quality of living, ranked at 27th in the world.
I do enjoy my great quality of life, I can also see the pitfalls in the way we exist, the laws our Government makes and I speak about it, because objectively discussing problems they can be eliminated. The view you take leaves no room to improve upon anything because you will not see problems where they exist.
Nowhere in my essay, have I stated that I hate America, however your fundamental faculties seem insufficiently developed to comprehend it.
Giselle said
Haha okay you don’t hate Americans. You sure could have fooled me. Maybe it’s just that European humor that I don’t understand hmm? I think I stated before that I wasn’t going to debate you. I suppose you missed that???? There is no way to win with you as we keep going on and on. I was merely letting you know that I don’t like nor do I appreciate your anti-American comments. I really don’t understand how you think what you have written in your article and responses could not be considered to be hate towards America and Americans. It pisses me off that we help every freaking country in the world, and the thanks we get is from pastey faced weirdos like you that make anti-American comments. We can’t win. If we didn’t help you bunch of slackers, we would be wrong and bad for that, too. The hard earned tax dollar from the ugly Americans is helping most of the countries in the world. Everytime something happens in the world who do you all count on? The ugly American. I am personally sick of it. I say we stop with the hand outs and help our own people. Close the borders, close the banks and let you people sink or swim. I’m sure you have a comeback for that comment. I’m sure I don’t care what some white faced weirdo thinks (although you sound like a islamic extremist in that case you would be a tangled eyed wacko instead of a white faced weirdo). You have stated your opinion about Americans, and I have an opinion about you. I think you’re rude, obnoxious and unmannered. You are probably untanned, unmuscled, have bad teeth and bad personal hygiene. Please stay out of our country. We have enough of the extremist over here mooching off our government (that they hate – WHERE is the pride). I really want to know if you were dumped by an American woman or just dropped on your head?? You sound bitter..very bitter.
pauaprincess said
As per my essay :
This is fact: The most recent OECD estimate for US overseas development assistance as percent of national income for 2006 is projected to be at 0.17%, the lowest of all countries. In 2005 it was at 0.22% GNI, above only Portugal and Greece, and at 0.17% GNI in 2004, above only Italy. (source material http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/14/5/38354517.pdf) FYI my hard earned tax dollars go to the same places yours do, only per capita, New Zealanders, Australians, the UK and Western Europe, pay more.
The USA has certain obligations that come along with being a world leader, one of them is to contribute to peacekeeping. My country does, Australia does, Canada does, Britain does and we have for years. You are the only ones whining about doing it and boasting about having done it. Most recently, when something happened in the world it was to your country and we came to help in fact we (Europeans, the UK and Commonwealth) offered before America asked, so it’s reciprocal isn’t it? We helped you with Korea and Vietnam too.
I really don’t understand how you think what you have written in your article and responses could not be considered to be hate towards America and Americans.
Perhaps “because I just see it as constructive criticism, you are free to disagree if you disagree with a constructive argument instead of the crap you have been spouting. What is anti American about stating that the wars wouldn’t have been won without America, but it wouldn’t have been won without the other participating Allied nations either?
Respect is earned, quit demanding and just earn it is the message here.
You have proved yourself obnoxious and ill mannered beginning with calling me an asshole, you continue to display your ignorance of geography and culture, by insulting me as a stereotypical European and now asking if I was dumped by an American Girl, I am not from Europe, I am a happily married mother of two. I have despite provocation remained, in the main polite. In short, as I previously stated, you are being the stereotypical Ugly American.
Giselle said
How much did your rich country provide $$? How much did England, Canada, etc. provide$$? Not much I’m sure. Again, it fell to the good ole USA to foot most of the bill. Yes, we have a responsiblity as a world leader, but if we are such badddd people, you all wouldn’t want to take our money or our help…right?haha It is okay for you to criticize and make hateful remarks against America/Americans (you call it constructive criticism), but when I say it, I’m considered the ugly American. Haven’t you made stereotypical remarks here? I think turn about is fair play. Can’t handle it huh? If you can dish it out honey, you should be able to take it. I have a lot of opinions which I usually keep to myself about other countries/people because I am a polite person. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but if you are going to make hateful remarks in a public forum, I feel I can say what I want to say as well. I’m not saying that other countries haven’t paid (very little) or done their share of helping, but you know as well as I do that America usually foots the bill or does the most. I am saying that if we are such bad, obnoxious people, you all (Europeans, New Zealanders, Australians, etc…)should help yourselves and stop depending on us for help. Stay out of our country (to get your bargains). Go to China or Russia. I’m sure they have good deals haha. We like you about as much as you like us.
Giselle said
As for saying “asshole,” I just say what I feel. That’s what so nice about having freedom of speech. You hide behind the fascade of being polite, but you aren’t polite at all. You just consider yourself a martyr or a saint here to enlighten the world about the misdeeds of America. If you wanna criticize, criticize your own country.
pauaprincess said
1. I have and do criticize my own country, frequently. You are reading one of nearly 100 posts.
2. The results of the amount of foreign aid given are measured on each countries Gross National Income, to get the true amount of aid per nation, otherwise for example, if every one in the world gave a $1 each to Ethiopia, China by virtue of its vaster population would be the world leader. The fact is the USA gives less than the majority of nations considered first world.
3. Nowhere have I stated that I hate America or American’s. The title is a question, the essay that follows is the answer I researched and wrote which specifically concludes that I do not believe that the world hates America, nor do I believe we have anything to be jealous of. When discussing various aspects of America on message boards etc, the first person to raise the points mentioned is generally jumped upon and accused of anti Americanism. If they are American they are accused of being unpatriotic. When facts are produced, the antagonists do as you have done and accuse the poster of jealousy.
4. Your country doesn’t help mine, we don’t depend upon America. We trade with your country just as we trade with other nations, those kiwis/zespris and that expensive lamb and butter, for example. We receive no aid and your country no longer has a military treaty with us. We on the other hand, provide your country with a base for the Antarctic, run your communications to and from there and allow your country a listening post in our countryside to listen in on the communications of other countries. We have reciprocity with America and we survive on our own. NZ and Australia as the major nations in the South Pacific care for the small nations within it. In addition to lending America military aid following 9/11 and fulfilling our UN obligations to peacekeep in world hotspots.
5. I don’t consider myself saintly and my view is merely one of millions on the www submitted for consideration.
6. Are you under the misapprehension you have freedom of speech and I don’t?
Heather said
I used to hate America with great intesity, It’s kind of waned though and returned to simple disappointment. I’m just passively angry now.
You see deep down I always loved the idea of America (I’m British by the way). When I was little I wanted to live there, I thought it was a symbol of democracy and all that jazz- jup it’s corny but I fell for it.
Then I found out it was all a lie.
My anger at America all stemmed from unmet expectations which gave way to disappointment, which gave way to anger… which gave way to hate.
I come from Northern Ireland at its angers me to see another country become so embedded in trying to form a theocracy they can’t see how it’s tearing them apart. I both hate and love America. I love the idea, of what it could be, but I despise what it has become.
curious g said
Most honest opinion that I have read. I can’t respect that.
curious g said
I meant to say I CAN respect that.
Kate said
Pauaprincess,
I am an American living in NZ for the last 2 years and I must say that your country’s healthcare system, although “free”, leaves a LOT to be desired by comparison to the standard of healthcare in America. I completely disagree with your statement that healthcare is better in NZ. It isn’t, not by a longshot.
I’m also very confused about your statement regarding public transport…?? There is excellent public transport in America as well. So I’m not sure why that’s a point. As far as having a better standard of living…there’s no doubt that NZ is a country of beauty however, the housing standards pale in comparison to America’s. More than half of NZ houses are under-insulated causing dampness and mold growth that leads to an alarming percentage of infections and respiratory diseases in huge portion of the NZ population each year.
Your food costs here are staggering compared to America and your work ethic is seriously lacking. I’ve heard the excuse that the work ethic is what it is here in order for people to maintain a better “work/life balance”…right. I call it lazy.
I feel like I’m living in a second-world country by comparison to my country and to go along with that…I get a nice dollop of prejudice from most Kiwis I meet…and I can promise you, I’m not an “arrogant, loud or crass” American.
Why do I stay? Because I love a truly lovely Maori man…the one group of people in NZ who have done nothing but open their arms to me and be accepting and genuine. So I stay…but you can be sure, I am very homesick for America, despite our warts and all.
Kate said
One other comment pauaprincess, you call us the “ugly Americans” but if your name suggests what I think it does, and that is that I think you may be a Maori woman, then you disgrace yourself and your culture by being an “ugly Kiwi” and spewing a rather nastily put opinion. I would be very curious to know how many “American friends” you really do have. It’s sad really…you seem a rather intelligent, thoughtful woman but choose to showcase that intelligence by displaying what I consider to be veiled prejudice. Btw, have you ever been to the United States? In case not, we too are a very beautiful country with uncrowded places, lovely, hardworking people and clean air. Not everyplace is downtown Detroit.
pauaprincess said
Well Kate I am not a Maori woman (at least not that I can prove). I’m a working married mother of two living in the north island. My work ethic is just fine 🙂 What part of a 40 hour week work ethic is wrong and lazy?
My point with regards to free healthcare etc is that we have it, same with public transport, I earn over $60K p.a and I have nothing to be jealous of with regards to America something I am constantly accused of. If we chose to we can get medical insurance bypass waiting lists and get care in the private sector. Having had two children with our free healthcare service (all care related to pregnancy is free as is any medication etc) I found our health system to be just fine. My children got completely free healthcare up until they were 6, free dental care until 18 and the acc system prevents frivolous lawsuits with regard to personal injury. I don’t believe things here are perfect, any more than the system is perfect anywhere else, but at least if you are a poor citizen here, you can avail yourself of care without getting a bill at the end of it. My son broke his arm last week and all his care thus far has been free, xrays, cast, medication and examinations.
I don’t believe all Americans are loud and crass, any more than I believe all Australians were thongs and drink bundaberg or 4x, or that all English people are whining whinging poms.
The price of food here can be outrageous but when you consider the price for a pound of butter in say England equates to $9 NZ, things fall into perspective. Things like food costs are relative to economies of scale. As are buildings. Being as I live in a very warm part of the country, insulation is not something I hear a lot about, in winter I heat my home with a single gas heater and I have my windows open all day and night most of the year.
As I have so often pointed out, this is an essay on why people might hate America. I researched the facts and figures, I looked at the complaints most people had about America and put it all together along with personal experience.
I don’t doubt America is not all downtown Detroit, in fact I know it isn’t, the point is, not all of the rest of the world is a 3rd world grass hutted village run by tin pot dictators and it’s rather surprising how many American’s aren’t aware of that, I’ve actually been asked multiple times if when I am at home in NZ if I dress in a grass skirt, do poi dances and hakas etc.
My all time favorite accusation tends to be that I am jealous of the democracy America has. Ummm I have democracy here. Democracy is something found in many many countries, not just in America and it’s not as though it was invented in America, kwim?
BTW, I don’t believe it’s a disgrace to Maori or any other culture, to be able to express oneself.
Natalie Ohlsson said
Princess – I think you are amazing. I really enjoy reading your posts. The fact that you have the patience to respond to such idiocracy is impressive and shows true charactor and patience. I have grown tired of it as I run into it almost daily in America. Fortunately, I live in San Francisco, a generally more enlightened and world-conscious part of America.
curious g said
You mean idiocy? I’m from the Bay Area as well – spare me with the world conscious nonsense. There are an equal number of bigots, idiots, and the bunch as there are people like Pauaprincess in San Fran. I’m sure Paupaprincess can make similar statements to NZ. Natalie, stop hating your country so much and do something to change it.
Julie said
I’ve listened a great deal to nationalistic hatred as an American living in Australia. Australians are obsessed with America and my personal observation is that it is a form of escapism motivated by jealousy of of a country that obviously has more wealth and power.
The nationalistic hatred here is shocking. The media here spews out anti-American propaganda daily. It’s not uncommon for me to be asked how many times I’ve been shot at or how many dead bodies I’ve seen. I have seen teachers and other authority figures perpetuate untrue generalizations about Americans. I’ve seen a teacher teaching a classroom full of students that the average American can’t name one country in Europe.
It’s socially acceptable to be openly racist in Australia and politicians get away with comments that would ruin an American politician. The Aboriginal people are stripped of personal freedoms even today and it took the Australian government until this year to apologize formally for past atrocities. Political refugees are detained under horrible and sometimes life threatening conditions. I also have a difficult time understanding why a country that is so concerned about the environment is paying it’s citizens to have more children. Alcoholism is a serious problem here as well. Five drinks a day, which would be considered binge drinking in America, is not classified as such in Australia.
Anti-Americanism is merely a symptom of a sense of inadequacy and a lazy self-indulgent refusal to sweep ones own porch.
pauaprincess said
All very true, nothing to do with me or my country, but true none the less. Perhaps you could write a blog post on Australia.
Perhaps when you are asked how many bodies you have seen, you should ask the Skippy (racist term for white person of Australian birth) how many times his national cricket team have cheated and tell him that AFL is not real footie.
seatledude said
Please come to the US and see it firsthand before judging. We did not all vote for bush. I personally know very few people who did. The points being a lot of Americans agree with your point of view and are not all closed-minded rednecks.
pauaprincess said
I know that, honestly I do. This post is all about perception, a general perception but valid none the less.
I have some very good friends that are American. None of which voted for Bush and many of which understand why the country at large is so badly perceived in the world outside America.
curious g said
My quarrel is not with you, but with your American sycophants. If you see a leaky sink, fix it. Don’t sit there agreeing with your neighbor about how crappy your plumbing is, and how you wish that your brother/sister are problematic, but you are not like that. Get your wrench our and go fix it.
Tim said
Hey! Who cares?!?!?!
We are all people.
We all have souls.
We are all represented or misrepresented by our countries.
All this talk gets us nowhere near the point that we should be aiming for.
My name is Tim. I am a 19 yr old Anthropology major at the University of South Carolina. I am a devout Christian. I support George Bush. I love both football(soccer) and American football. I think both rugby and American football are equally tough. I attended numerous matches at the 2006 World Cup and grew to love everybody I met there from all over the world, because if we all try to love in person, it overcomes this hatred that we accumulate over a commentary of a web blog.
So if anybody doesn’t believe in Christianity, thinks Bush is an idiot, thinks American football players are wusses for wearing pads, thinks soccer is a soft sport; then please don’t hate me, because if we meet in person, I know we would get along and learn to love.
Really. Think. Where is all of this arguing taking us?
Further apart. So let’s stop.
Why the World Hates the US? - Page 12 - AllDeaf.com said
[…] the title of thread… Are we jealous or do we hate America? and Why? Are we jealous or do we hate America? and Why? The Paua Palace There’re many comments in that link. I said in my previous posts several times that I do not […]
jay said
This is for all you non-americans that are wishing for the the fall of the United States. Are you dumb enough to think that if the U.S. ceased to exist there would be peace and harmony in the world? When a vacuum of power is created someone will step in to lead. It’s always been that way thoughout history. Much of the time it is a nation with very little regard for human rights. So if you wish for the downfall of the U.S. then you better start building up you militaries and stop relying on the U.S. to help you fight your wars. I know you think that the U.S. starts them but we are not the ones who started two ridiculous world wars? I really with the U.S. would stop spending my tax dollars trying to help protect countries that don’t appreciate it. It think you anti-american countries should pay for your own military defense with your own tax dollars. I’m tired of sending my tax dollars to other countries.
And for you Brits out there you are responsible for the starting the woldwide slave trade, the opium trade in China, and the looting of ecomomies around the world for the 18th, 19th, and part of the 20th century, all in the name of the the British Empire. Unfortunately, the rest of the world has to live with your legacy.
pauaprincess said
Our tax dollars have actually helped your country out with 3 wars of your own making in the past 30 years alone, not to mention all the countries we assist the UN in. My country doesn’t rely upon the US and we don’t start wars that require your assistance. Your country on the other hand, has a spy base here and requires our assistance to keep your Antarctic activities running.
Unless you are a Native American, it’s highly likely your ancestors were involved in some way with the world wide slave trade, the opium wars and every other ill the British Empire and it’s colonization brought to the world.
Isn’t it lucky that the British Empire colonized America, otherwise you might not be there now along with millions of your countrymen.
Why do American’s have the ridiculous idea that they subsidize the world? They don’t, it’s just another line they are fed by their Government…
curious g said
Look, I understand your GDP to aid ratio, but let’s be honest. The difference between a mom and pop store with an annual revenue of 100,000 donating %20 percent to charity and a major corporation generating 1,000,000 and donating 10% is substantial. Sure, your equation, to a degree, demonstrates how generous a country may be with foreign aid, but generosity is not exclusive to a ratio. It is fair to look at the total sum. In the example above, mom and pop donate 20k versus the corporate 100,000k. Bigger burden from mom and pop, sure – a nice and generous gesture, But 100,000k goes a lot further. In that sense, it is not really a lie, per se, that the company is subsidizing the charity.
angel said
you guys are to much its not as big of a deal as you all make it if America lives or dies,if EU falls,or even if russia butt fucks us both the people are still here wars will still be fought and new nations will rise and others will fall either way humanity will destroy its self and ut wont be just Americas fault it will be every citizen in the worlds fault so im going to sleep good night people have fun debating a really pointless argument that you will do nothing about.
ThePatriot said
oh of course there not going to say their jelous. but they are
American for truth said
Learn to spell. Oh oops, does that mean I’m jealous?
Felgan Thwarp said
Good points….the attitudes of Americans and Europeans is based on power and context. Us Americans are the big dogs right now so we are prideful and arrogant about that status.
The europeans are forced to work together due to economics, culture and proximity so you are more advanced than us in that regard.
However, sometimes pride is good and sometimes it is not….it is all about the circumstances.
I suspect the current economic crisis will give us some humility, but I think europeans needs to consider “some” of their angst “might” be jealousy.
Jill said
Oh my goodness I was only looking for a recipe for anzac biscuits and I started to read this article. I was born a Brit, Lived for years in Australia and now live in NJ USA. I have travelled the world and seen many countries. Sadly I only spent 1 hour in a NZ airport on my way here to USA All places have good bits and bad bits and people who we would rather not mention. when I’m asked about “Do you miss home” I always say home is where my immediate family is. In fact if I could join all the best bits of UK, USA & Aus , make it into a tropical island region I’d go and live there. Of course Lawyers and politicians would have to be excluded LOL Thanks for a highly educational and informational hour. I do, however, dislike it intensely when people feel the need to resort to foul language and epithets. So low class. So I bid you adieu with a G’day, see-ya-later, have-a-nice-day and probably a toodle-pip what ho chaps.. hee hee hee couldn’t resist! Now I’m off to share Lamingtons with my american friends. Byee
ME said
The first sign of jealousy is denial…
“I’m not jealous of those evil Americans while I wear my Nike sneakers and listen to American music on my IPOD, on my way to go see an American movie at the local cinema. Afterwards, I’ll come home and blog about it on my American hosted web site which I access with the American invented internet, most likely using a computer running an American operating system.”
Kacy said
You guys are jealous because of our success, money, agriculture, ways of life, health, and the fact that we saved most of ur butts from other countries. If you hate america soooo much, why do we get thousands of immigrants everyday?? Because they need a better life. Something they can’t get back at their own country. Oh and the fact that we win most wars. The fact that we have a LLLLOOONNNGGG timeline of historical events involving saving ur countries. Death penelty actually protects us from terrists like u who want our money, our success. dream on. We are not self absorbed. We just know how to live a better life. Who was it who saved ur countries ass? America.
Ellie said
i can’t believe you would even say we lack respect of history and cultures around us! that is absurd! this country has more cultures in it than any other! about every culture is in USA and that is what makes us up! and for your information at every level in our schooling we learn a different type of social studies (history class) world history, American history, etc. so i dont even know why you would say it because it is completely not true! i am proud to be an american! we are not stupid! and kacy above me is completely true. let me remind you who broke free from england? because it was such a tyrant country! we did! we won the American Revolution not England. and we are not self absorbed because we recognize other countries cultures from the immigrants that come over here and spread it. and the only reason we have gotten into a lot of wars that weren’t our fight to fight was because we want to help other countries and bring peace between the countries. the iraq war that we are in now isn’t a war for us to win or loose, we won’t loose nor will we win, they are in a civil war between the sunnis and the shitahs (not sure how to spell that) and we remember from experience how our civil war almost broke our country apart. but we solved that and look where we are now! we stick together! we know from experience how awful our civil war was to the country and we don’t want other countries breaking apart because of a disagreement. when we have a disagreement we solve it and compromise. so i am not saying you are jealous maybe you are maybe you aren’t but all i am saying is people from other countries point out the flaws of my country. but the truth is they just don’t know how to view USA because we are too complicated. but if you stop pointing out our flaws, because every country has flaws and some greater than ours, you will understand our country and how truly diverse it is, and that we are truly friendly and open minded people for the most part. again there are bad people but the good in USA over rules! And people may say we are not free but we are free, just look what your country is doing to Ireland! you just want more land to control, you tried to do that to us but we broke free from a tyrant country. we dont go off to other countries trying to take control and call them USA we are who we are. Ireland is its own country and shouldn’t be controlled by England. GOD BLESS THE USA! I”M PROUD DO BE AN AMERICAN SO DEAL WITH IT! Listen to this song its called Only In America by Brooks & Dunn. It might give you a more clear look on USA. but you will never understand this country until you have an open mind and stop bashing it.
PauaPrincess said
My country isn’t doing a thing to Ireland. I’m not in England, nor am I English. I come from a country which, like yours was a former English colony. It’s Shi’ite not Shitah (yeah that’s indicative of your broad knowledge of other lands you can’t say it or spell it and it’s on the news every other bulletin!) and like the other proud American’s who comment in similar vein, read again, these are facts current and historical. Nobody has said you can’t be proud.
vicsmith said
ME was correct. “The first sign of jealousy is denial” Notice how everything any other country does or says is compared to America and Americans. The obsession with Americans is unbelievable. We love our country and our citizens. We have our problems, but nobody does it better.
Sergei Nakariakov said
As a Canadian I find myself in need to defend my ally to the south.
Just a quick few comments. Bush was a liar. However it’s comical for you to suggest your Prime Ministers are somehow more competent or benevolent.
The Obesity rate in the UK is the 3rd highest in the world. Your country is full of fat people too.
You can hate on America as you chose. I am glad not to live in the police state which you apparently enjoy. Americans can walk freely without being spied on by their Government. They will not find CCTV cameras recording their every move and spoken word. You can say this is for the good of the people but we know that it is for other means. The British are oppressed and beaten down. They apparently need to hate on Americans to help forget about their miserable, controlled existence.
Next time you lot open up a bottle of alcohol, think of why you’re doing it. You hate the oppressed state in which you live. Enjoy your pathetic escapism.
PauaPrincess said
As a Canadian you like me are a member of the British Commonwealth. I am not British, don’t live in Britain and I do not hate America. I never suggested any PM was more competent or benevolent. If you took the time to read more than one essay you’d know that. Politicians are all lying scum one step above white collar criminals if you want my honest opinion of them.
What’s more, American’s cannot walk free without being spied upon who needs cctv when you have satellite imagery that can watch people sunbath? Thanks to the patriot act Americans and anyone else in America can be locked up and held without access to representation by the simple act of declaring them illegal combatants. Thanks to America we are all living our lives under a lot more scrutiny, are forced to have armed “sky marshals” on overseas flights and are at a higher risk of terrorism. If I had an accent easily mistaken for American… I’d pick my travel destinations very carefully.
soulfood said
As an American living and working for years in Europe, I can safely say that it truly IS jealousy which motivates the reflexive anti-Americanism in the world today. Europe shares a continent with two of the greatest superpowers in the world, Russia and China, yet do you know the name of the wives of their prime ministers? why is the 1st or 2nd leading story of the news always something negative about America? Is there no bad news in China or Russia? They, too have nuclear weapons and no democracy to speak of. China’s human rights record is particularly cause for daily analysis, but it is ignored, compared to what happens in the US Congress, or with Hollywood stars, etc.
Europe holds itself to having few or little problems with racism, but look at the houses of Parliment across most of the European lands – with as much imperalism as they practiced even before America was founded, is there even yet a fair racial distribution of the power of the people the Europeans enslaved? Who exactly is in the Parliment, house of lords, or french parliment who is not white?
Yes, you are jealous. You hate it because we struggle in public, we try to get it right in FRONT of the whole world, we make mistakes, we try to correct them, even badly, but YOU DON’T EVEN TRY. We are an idea, not a folk, and we love our country. That’s what the world hates – we LOVE America.
I, too, think that America should pull it’s soldiers out of Afghanistan, leave Israel and Palestine to figure out there own problems, and focus on our own country and needs. And watch what Europe does when the heroin flows into and about their continent, and when they need to answer the world’s challenges without us. Just watch. And see China and Russia do as is their wont.
mark said
just for the record not all Americans are ignorant of everything
that goes on around them granted most of are self absorbed putzes.
but there like every where else are good people who do not deserve to be lumped in with the majority no one is perfect least of all me
but as a country name me one that has never made a mistake or elected a bad leader or been a bit self absorbed at some time
America is definatly not the first. so to single one country
out for making mistakes is rather self righteous and hypocritical
at best
W said
Hi PP,
You and people like you who assign issues with a government of a country are COMPLETE MORONS> I am American and relocated to Ass trail-ya because my husband is one of them. I visited before I did this but could not understand what the next several years of my life would be like.
My kids were born and raised here and the smallest one gets picked on by the TEACHER of his pre-school because she ‘heard’ I was American.
I get it too.I am not a flag wearing patriot .I am just trying to live my life like everyone else.
Because it’s cool to hate America my life here has been hell . My kids less but they have not been spared.They sound like the other kids but are marked-This is F %$#@ up.
If you could only be humane enough to take this up with politicians and not evry citizen you meet, that would be great.
Get a life Numbskulls
Yank in a leg trap said
Moved to NZ 5 years ago and agree about the knee-jerk anti-Americanism and overpriced overhyped living. If a custody case hadn’t trapped me here, I would have been out of NZ in a year or two and not looked back. Yanks get the dumbest criticism of their government from people who have never even been there in the States (oh, maybe CA or NY, yeah, like those are “real America”) and don’t even know how you voted, or how you yourself might make different choices from the ones the U.S. government has made. You’re to blame for everything America stands for, which is uniformly bad! It suffices to open your amount and Be American for you to get some snarky comment about Mc D’s, Walmart, corporate pirates, pollution, militarism, pop culture imperialism, being Fat, having too many lawsuits, having cosmetic surgery, it’s like they all read the St. Michael Moore version of the Bible here and if the St Mike Bible says it, gawdarn they BELIEVE it, mate! And yes, American kids get hassled and bullied here. Only the silliest and most negative things about America get printed in the papers here in NZ – even common events get an anti-American spin. People have no idea that a well-constructed 3-BR house can cost less than the 400K it’ll cost you here in NZD (housing is roughly 8x cheaper in the part of the U.S. I come from – that leaves you a lot of life to do something else with instead of pay your mortgage, and no, we don’t all run to Walmart to buy plastic with our extra money! :))
It is indeed cool to hate America. Americans, please stay home – there’s no welcome for you down here, I don’t care if John Key goes on Letterman and says they like you. They don’t. They do like your money a LOT though, if you want to come down and spread some of that nice money around.
Lucy said
America has so many wonderful and great things to offer, as do so many countries around the world, but it’s just easier to lay blame with America because otherwise it would mean taking responsibility for your own actions.
If you want WWII remembered differently write a good book or make a movie people want to watch. If you want a government that is taken seriously in the world, make some proactive moves. If you want more aid for developing countries work for a charity. If you want a healthy fast food restaurant stop buying McDonalds and start up a restaurant. If you don’t like CNN or FOX create your own news organization. If you don’t like what America has to offer, don’t participate/buy it/support it. But don’t tear it down. We are people just like you.
Stop wasting your energy criticizing and do something positive to impact the world. The last thing we need is more negativity — no matter where you are from.
alex said
Look, Im not gonna go all out and start dropping history notes and dates of what country did what to who, but seriously. I am an American in Australia, father of 3 Australian children and husband to an Aussie wife. Im not asking for a nobel peace prize, but most people that Ive heard trashing the US have never even left their own home state (VIC). The insults are annoying sometimes but humorous and hard to believe most of the time. Thats because of these people go home at the end of the day and enjoy US TV shows like The Simpsons, Law and Order, Ugly Betty, Gleek, and the list goes on. They love MC Donalds or (Mackas as they call it). They built a Costco in Melbourne and it so packed that it was like they put out a big sign saying that all the store items were free. Almost every contest winning trip destination is to L.A. for some reason. Pink and Kelly Clarkson are worshiped here. So much of what Aussies have today came from the US. I can go on and on. Ironically enough, nearly all of the Aussies who have actually visited the US that I know, have had nothing but good things to say. Ive had heaps of them ask that I bring them stuff from the states the next time I visit there. So if Aussies hate us, there must not be enough of you for me to notice. Most of those who do, are yappin behind a keyboard. Which is why every time I hear someone bitchin about the USA, it just sound like jealousy.
alex said
Oh yeah, and Ive also noticed that Australians always have to be comparing themselves to the US or in some way trying their hardest to identify with us on some level. Why is that? When the shooting at Virgina Tech happened, they couldve interviewed anyone, (Hell, Americans speak English too) but they went all out to find some Aussie students for their lil “Aussie connection” to the story, and these kids hardly knew what the hell was going on. Same thing with 9/11. Its almost like a keeping up with big brother kind of thing.
james said
Call me a stupid redneck or whatever you want to say, but this is possibly one of the dumbest arguments I’ve ever seen on the internet. Not because you guys are dumb, no you come across as quite intelligent actually, but that you’ve managed to keep it going for two years! Get a life. America has huge problems but I’m still happy living here and I’m sure you guys are still happy living in Europe. Get over your self rightiousness (sorry can’t spell) and just try to enjoy life instead of being bitter. What good comes out of this crap?
Mary said
I am living in America for over 20 years now and have to say that in order to fit in here in Massachusetts a lot of people expect you to denounce the rest of the world. You have to say that America is the greatest country in the world to a lot of people. I came from Ireland and kind of got stuck out here and can’t return. I think every country is great in its own way and have a hard time fitting in here because I just can’t be one of those imigrants that trashes the rest of the world. America has a lot of good aspects to it just as every country has. I am probably the only Irish American who thinks this but just wanted to share with you.
Thanks for
Mary said
PauaPrincess, after reading a little more I can see that you have been unfairly attacked for your comments. You did not say you hated America, all you have said is that there are other countries in the world too and they are also great countries and it is some American’s arrogance that turns people off. In Ireland people don’t go around saying they have the best country, I’m sure people don’t carry on like that in your country too. If you lived in Germany during the war you would have been expected to say that Germany was the greatest country so it worries me when so many people think like that over here.
Holly said
I see many many problems with my country. But you know what? I see more problems with the world as a whole. I see problems with the actions of people…not just the country that they are from. I can bet you that I can point out just as many problems with America as there are with NZ. But, I love my country. The reason I love my country is because of what it’s FOUNDING FATHERS meant for it to be. George Washington warned about the existence of political parties. The founding fathers didn’t expect the country to go the way it’s going. But I am proud of what this country was founded on. To agree that America is full of fat, ignorant slobs would be an insult to my grandfather who died fighting for what the founding fathers of this country believe in.
I think when people insult other people as a whole, when they stereotype or generalize, that is the WORST way to try to come across as intelligent. It just makes you seem ignorant. You really need to start seeing people as just what they are, PEOPLE. All different, with different backgrounds, different goals, and different views of the world. You are nothing like me, just like you are nothing like half the people that live in your town, just like I’m nothing like my mom.
I really wish the negative American comments would stop. You say that you haven’t been anti-amercan, that is far from true. Saying things like “Gee the Rednecks have found me!!” Insults like that will make it so people don’t respect you, and you won’t be taken seriously. Forget what some of the American’s that are just hurt by your comments are saying in retaliation, and try to keep your own head on straight and not sink to that level.
Isral said
WELL. im american and i feel like a piece of dirt living here because we do have despicable moral beliefs
John said
I think what most people are missing here is that most Americans simply don’t care what the rest of the World thinks of us. That’s the long and the short of it. There are a few Americans that will ring their hands about such trifles, but most simply think that there is damn good reason why their ancestors left in the first place. And having grown up in both Europe and Asia, I can attest that they did indeed have good reasons.
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Don't make me laugh said
I find it funny that you’re even bringing up WWII, because the Americans were the reason we won that war. We didn’t have to help you at all, but we did, and we won that war, not you. Europeans and the whole Eastern side of the world is Jealous of America, jealous of our freedoms and our accomplishments.
The Eastern world are the arrogant ones. You think we should “respect” you just because you have ‘history’? I don’t care if your country has history or not. All that matters is the HERE and NOW.
Tezca said
Actually your involvement in WWII ocurred a bit late. And, Russia did the most part, along with britain, who unfortunately was very weak at that time. And of course the whole french people fought the germans, and many other people fought them too. You weren’t the only ones fighting, don’t forget that. Also, the U.S. didn’t gave their supplies freely to the europeans, they sold it to them, crippling their economy. And some U.S. corporations where selling their products to the Nazi Military. so, it seems that your goverment had ulterior motives to enter the war.
:) said
Ok,
so let me get this straight…
You dont like america because of our history and some bad decisions? I havent seen that you put where you are from on here, so Im guessing your country has a dark past as well.
As Americans we are constantly told how bad we are and how bad we are hated… until you need us. America acts as the police officers of the world. When people are in a tough situation (Lybia today) who do they call for? The USA. not the EU. Yeah you might say that France and Britain and other countries are helping too, but here is a fact that will give you some perspective. So far, 105 tomohawk missiles have been pounding Lybian forces… 1 from France, 2 from Britain, and guess what? 102 from the United States. When we get involved, we give it all we got.
Plus, when people mess with us because they have the same thoughts you do, that americans are lazy idiots, and attack us (like pearl harbor or 9/11) we show them that we are still on top, and still the greatest.
by the way, im 13 and i think i have a better outlook on life then you.
sorry if these are all jumbled up. if you need more clarity i will sum it up better. All in all, we all make mistakes, right now all countries suck, we just suck a little less 😉
Semper Fidelis.
Therealpauaprincess said
You dont like america because of our history and some bad decisions? Nope, it’s an essay looking at reasons why the world at large views America the way it does. Nowhere did I say, I don’t like America.
My front pages states exactly where I am from. No my country doesn’t have a hugely dark past, in fact we’ve come to your aid as well as that of France, Britain and so on many times, think WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysian Conflict, Desert Storm and we currently operate in Iraq and Afghanistan aiding in the rebuilding.
It’s spelled Libya 😉
I’m 30 years older than you and I have a lot more experience coloring my outlook on life. Oh to be a teenager again and have all the answers. Ask yourself a question though, why is the first world interfering in internal civil unrest in the middle east? Is it because they so want the Arabs to have democracy? No, it’s all about oil and control of it. Seriously what has Libya done to the US or Britain lately? Nothing and Gaddafi is a toothless tiger. If it were all about democracy, the west would have marched on North Korea when it fired missiles at Japan don’t you think. But wait, they don’t have a thing we want.
Tezca said
dude… seriously… 13?? you have lived less than a quarter of your life. so coming here and saying that you have a better outlook of it is a bit….well nevermind. the point is, you should read more. A LOT MORE. you probably see the world as an “american” and to shit with everybody else because the US is the only one who is right. you should see the world as a human, and try to understand others point of view, friend or foe. for example, my country wanted to fix it’s problems by itself, but in the 70, thanks to Nixon, a coup’d etat ocurred, killing 5000 chileans, and many other suffered during the dictatorship. all thanks to that son of a bitch of nixon. but anyway, that was his fault, not of all the US people. anyway… learn from other sources, not only from school. and Therealpauaprincess is right, the gov wants oil and shit like that, they don’t care about democracy, nor about you, nor about anybody else. asi que lee qliao, despierta!!
Richard Flood said
@ Tezca – comment 92.
Amen
Mark Pontius said
i can’t believe this thing is still going good lord i do have to admit that some americans disgust me but just because you have some rude people and stupid crazy people lol does not make everyone rude or mean i think every country has their goofballs here and there i am an american my family has been here longer than it has been a country actually i have had family in every war this country has ever been in do i think the us is better than every other country ? absolutly not we are all brothers and sisters and i love you all God Bless.
runsey@mailexcite.com said
Jealousy plane and simple. America took the cast offs of the other nations and made a country. And the country is now the best in the world. You can hate all you want but all the inventions come from america ( see assembly line, airplane, computer, internet etc) all the styles come from hollywood and the stars and the other nations copy us. And yes we did win WW2 for you and yes you would be speaking german. When we got there germany owned all of europe including france and britain was trapped on their island and being bombed every day. Russia lost 20 million men because they had bad leaders, untrained troops and limited supplies. If we weren’t their putting the pressure on germanies west they would have overwhelmed russia with their full might. So yeah we helped the russians equip themselves and kept the germans busy so they couldn’t overwhelm russia.
If you look at a map before the U.S. entered the war the germans were advancing. After we entered the war they were retreating. We came over and pushed the germans all the way back to germany and eventual surrender. We also fed and supplied both britain and russia. All this while fighting the japanese on the other side of the world.
I’m glad we spent our time money resources and lives to help your ungrateful asses so you could come back 50 years later and say we did nothing.
Me said
Great reply!
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Me said
Princess, all your doing is arousing hate. You’re adding to the problem with disdain and ignorant retort. Please grow up, and write something less disheartening.
Therealpauaprincess said
1: For what seems the kazillionth time, I don’t hate America and never said I did. In 2007 I posed a question, examined the reasons why the world at large had a dim view of the USA and concluded there is/was no hatred but sadly very few people seem to actually read and comprehend.
2. When the US joined WW2 the battle of Britain was won, operation Sealion (the Nazi plan to invade Britain) had been given up, the German’s were stalled and Britain was bombing Berlin nightly. The Russian’s supplied their own weaponry. The Japanese were advancing in the Pacific. The Russian’s won the battle of Kursk and Stalingrad without any help and kept the Germans busy on the Eastern front. They were also preparing to invade Japan prior to the dropping of the H bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Prior to entering the war, the supplies for Britain and it’s allies were not given as help, they were sold. Britain finally paid off their war loans in 2007.
3. America welcomed and indeed needed the “cast offs” from other nations to form itself and grow they were immigrants, if you want to look at a nation that truly took the cast offs of other nations, check out Australia.
4. How’s your credit rating lately?
Alexusax said
ok had to get my two cents in Im a mexican american (parents from mx, im from here) i dont care what anyone says, this is the best country in the world. Im an ex con, i got out of prison and began going to college. Thanks to the education programs here, i got my ged for free in prison and i am now on my way to a degree in journalism thanks to student loans. I chose journalism because i love the usa and i wanna do good for my country. People make the mistake of assuming our leaders run everything by us. And by doing that they develop a negative view of us. The truth is, most americans are preoccuppied with the hardship of everyday life, and trust me, its not like in the movies, life is hard here too, ppl just assume we are whiney because if movies and our political leaders. Im typing on an andriid so forgive my misspellings btw. I guess the point is most of us arent much diff from you, we were just lucky tio be born here and we have a better sense of humor, and our movies totally rock
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Jeffredo said
New Zealand is nothing more than another people’s land colonized by Europeans who decimated the aboriginals with their diseases and policies and re-worked the natural landscape in some vain attempt to make it look like home. You’re no better or more righteous than the US, or Canada, or Australia, or Argentina, etc.. Absolutely despise holier-than-thou arrogance by those who have no room to talk. And yes, its been New Zealand’s national mantra for the last 25 years to cultivate some irrational hatred of a country that’s very much like itself, only larger. There will come a time when you’d wished you hadn’t – perhaps when you’re a PRC vassal state (then again, we’re working on that ourselves). And please don’t say “I don’t hate America!” Its painted all over your blog.
Therealpauaprincess said
Jeffredo this is a 5 year old post, times change and the pendulum swings. This post was about the insular attitude coming out of America during the Bush administration, an attitude that needed changing and why. It’s about the myths surrounding the American perception of itself.
I don’t hate America, I don’t actually hate anyone, hate is a strong word and implies a certain level of caring.
All over my blog you’ll also find criticisms of my own country and the entitled attitudes of my fellow citizens. I don’t believe NZ is any better than any other nation, but we are certainly no worse. The attitude that this poor colonial subject of Her Majesty certainly has nothing to envy from America, as you so aptly pointed out, we are very much like America. As are most other first world nations, so what is to be jealous of?
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Rizzarecta said
I feel dumb contributing because this discussion is almost 5 years old..but here is..I am an African American that lives in Dallas Texas..and P.Princess, i sympathize that most people seem to think that u’re European (even aftr you tell them u’re from New Zealand… That’s because most American/Europeans have an inherent “northern hemisphere bias” and can’t visualize that NZ is literally on the other side of the world…Apologies for that ..we need to look at the atlas more often..but i digress
Anyway i think you are ignoring some salient points in your original blog piece. You complain about how NZ doesnt literally get financial AID from the USA and i totally get that.,,You, like us, are a 1st world nation so of course we don’t send you $$ because you earn ur wealth by trade and free markets…But our aid to you DOES come by way of the invisible blanket protection we extend you and all our ideological allies..In fact u tend to overstate the ability of NZ to defend itself if there were an external threat. But do you agree that there is such a thing as as blanket protections that are implied within (even when not expressed) within blocs of nations with common values? For example do you think the USSR,( during its expansionist era of the 50’s and 60s) did not invade NZ or Denmark because of the mighty NZ or Danish armies respectively? Sorry for the tongue in cheek but yes, I am trying to dramatize the point for maximum effect..No..The commies didnt invade because they knew that NZ would not stand alone…simply put, NZ exists in peace and prosperity because of Americas geo-political posture vis-a-vis the USSR.back then and China/Russia in the future…lets analyze futher how the world ACTUALLY works, not how it should work.
Nato was and is one such formalized and codified arrangement. An attack on any member is an attack on the whole alliance thereby guaranteeing a massive response from our collective militaries…. because this response is 99% likely to be nuclear if the perpetrator is China or Russia they WILL NOT EVER invade..3 words..Mutually assured destruction !!…The fact that the most destructive weapons ever guarantee world peace is to me the most paradoxical thing ever., but it’s true.Its almost like magic and it still fascinates me….. .Studies have postulated that if nukes hadn’t been invented there would (due to mans propensity for war) by now been a conventional World War 3 that would, due to improved technology, have killed nothing less than 500 million people.
But the fact is that wars between 1945 and now have been localized and killed probably 20 to 30 million people only.And by the way that trend is decreasing..The past 20 years have been relatively the most peaceful in human history (there are stats to back that up)
Anyway, back to our friends and foes . And what did we get when 9/11 came to our doorstep? Lip service and half hearted commitments from our peace-loving friends. i am not advocating and invasion of the middle East but in case you haven’t noticed they are, by the billion, quietly and even explicitly advocating the re-establishment of this “caliphate and that caliphate..They want to gloriously re-invade France and Spain etc…They say this stuff everyday during friday prayers in some Mosques/Modrassas..U may say its all talk but if u knw world history, real peace lovers NEVER talk war.. All great wars started with very public warmongering rhetoric..So I dont buy the whole “they’re just talking BS that we assisgn to Islamisists and their silently consenting majorities..the are NOT just talking..they just don’t have the resources/wherewithal to do it. They used to be disparate and uncoordinated but now some are coalescing into nation states .
And yet i marvel when i hear Northern Europeans and South Pacificians (like you) argue that peace is the default condition of mankind when clearly it is not. USSR didn’t invade NZ because they were guaranteed a massive NUCLEAR response (yey Greenpeace) by the west, led by America.The cold war between East and West had amorphous physical boundaries, whereby NZ was on our side of the fence despite its physical location.Fast fwrd to 2012…China is the new nemesis..Dont think for a minute that china wouldn’t literally invade the south pacific if they had a clear undefended party. Hello Taiwan !!! Can NZ defend itself if that were to happen?..LOL LOL LOL. We all knw the answer..They would try but will be sending “mayday” messages to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave (like Churchill did to FDR).Oh..did i mention that we would, because we are good and loyal at our core, gladly assist our friends in NZ and Australia? America is less talk more action….Ask Churchill/ DeGaulle
do not be under any illusion that NZ is safe due to anything you do. U are safe because you live under the ever-present implied and expressed blanket of protection..ironically, most of that protection IS nuclear, so its absolutely ironic that u guys pride yourselves on your nuclear posture…And i love how u beat your chests for providing a listening post for our military intelligence…Why do u think we have a listening post in the south pacific so far from home? Doesn,t it have anything to do with proximity to the countries we would defend against attacks from our common foes? Do the name New Zealand and Australia ring a bell?..
So before NZ, Australia and western Europe start bragging about how they enjoy a peace dividends by virtue of their comparatively small collective military budget, take time to consider why…The answer is obvious..They don’t have to worry about “strategic threats” because Uncle Sam has that covered..They can instead focus on localized tactical situations like Anders Breivik and terrorism.. People behind bullet proof glass shouldn’t talk about their gun-fighting prowess
I hope i didn’t sound disrespectful, Am just passionate about my country..Despite our occassional geo-political misadventures we really are a good and decent nation, and we WILL defend the weak (another distinguishing characteristic compared to ALL other empires in history)
Have a nice day !
whereisTherealpauaprincess said
Hey Guys, I heard the Therealpauaprincess ended up marrying a rich american oil barron from Texas and she is now an active and staunch conservative member of the Republican party … more commonly known as the tea party! … lol
therealpauaprincess said
Actually therealpauaprincess has been married to an awesome Kiwi for nearly 20 years, they have two kids and live quite well in New Zealand and she isn’t a member of any particular political party. She votes her conscience according to policy.
experience the dong said
While this post is rather old, I find it necessary to mention the fact that this post\’s integrity is questioned by the fact that it is laden with logical fallacies and numerous obviously false statements. Hard to imagine spending five years arguing such a ludicrous post with absolutely no creditability.
therealpauaprincess said
Really? Examples?
Davin said
Me as chinese just want a peaceful world without those modafuka politicians spreading hate around the world. I think we agreed, most of us people dont want anymore wars. I live in indonesia and just for you all to know that your great war against commie have made the natives followed suit and repeatedly massacre and have culturally genocide us. You can google g30s PKI and may 1998 anti chinese riot. Despite this should we hate USA or indonesian? In my opinion is wether you’re european american african or asian countries, we all have our own way to think so don’t force your own idea because who know whats the consequences. And for your information people in indonesia or moslem countries don’t like US because moslem dont like foreign power to intervene their domestic problem as well the rest of the world. Most people here(not the government) view US government as aggressor(iraq) and the real enemy of the world. I’m not trying to make US government looking bad but thats what people think about your government, honestly. We all have different cultures and philosophies, this world will be better if we respect each other. Sorry for my bad english not my first language. And please, no hate
Scott said
Holy god the bitterness is so palpable in this forum. Let’s get one thing straight: people across the globe outside of the USA love to bash the country because it’s so powerful and influential in terms of economy, policy, and culture. Everything “bad” that America has, guess what, everyone else has those things too. What other country has so many people, so many diverse cultural backgrounds, so many personal economic backgrounds, and so little government for it’s population that is governed as well as the US? None. Period. Most countries are smaller than one US state and far less diverse. The Statue of Liberty even has an inscription welcoming your poor and decrepit. The US has historically been a country that brings on the world’s losers and allows them to become winners. Also, before you bash America, realize that our money and political support keeps countries on any kind of path to Democracy. So if you hate the US, stop sucking off it’s teet. That’s probably why the number of people that want to immigrate to the US beats out any other country by the millions. Most people that point out bad aspects of American life have never set foot on American soil. If I were to move to another country my quality of life would, at best, stay the same. It’s true I love my country, and being patriotic is not a sin, but I do not pump it up with nonsense. Our schools are “bad” yet I got an awesome education where the knowledge I gained there permeates my life to this day. Our cities are “unsafe” yet I’ve never been in a threatening situation in my whole life, and even in a post-9/11 society. Our people are “fat” yet I can shop at a market that sells nothing but organic food and healthy choices. Europe and other continents have wonderful cultures and histories and most Americans love to study and experience these. They formed our culture. In that way the US is tied to the rest of the world. That is why we are one and the US cares about democracy. So to those that hate America, perhaps you are expressing hatred towards some aspect of humanity you don’t like. USA sucks? Give me a break!
Yay hate me I am American said
Ok great points but if anyone thinks that I have any more power over government in the USA than they do you are crazy. I had nothing to do with any of the choices made, and if I walked up on the white house with an AK I might get a few shots off but then I would be shot and people would be calling me a dog. Why is it that it is my fault that I was born in the US? Yet everyone is really chummy when it is time to collect their checks.
Bottom line is you may hate the US Politics but guess what you are not alone… I hate it to. Both sides suck and I get the shit end of the stick because people are so ignorant that they cannot tell the difference between me and the guys running the show. Whatever, next time they ask for me to walk halfway around the world and take up arms I am moving to Canada and letting you guys figure it out, after all we were not that much help in the war effort… right! Why should I die for a cause that is never going to bring peace.
Rana said
I know this article dates back to 5 years ago but I gotta say I’m impressed. It’s been such a long time that I’ve been looking for such a fascinating article.It drives me crazy how some Americans passionately support war just because their media has convinced them that it would be the only fair solution. They have a created a huge monster of middle east for the people while refusing to tell them who started this shit first. that” Argo” movie and that TV series called “homeland” are serious shits!!! ironically they won the highest accolades!! what the US politicians do Is like telling your people time after time that others don’t deserve to be noticed( in every possible way), that’s because most of them are so ignorant of other’s cultures and history and even our existence, in an affected american point of view Colombians are murderers, Irish people are villagers, middle eastern are terrorist and etc.stupid people are everywhere! we don’t have “brunch” in Iran and I have a friend that believes just because in Turkey they have such a thing, it makes them a far more developed country! but I gotta say i have A LOT of american friends and they are not as dumb as we think; they know their politicians have crossed the line and they are totally against invading countries and supporting other countries in war like the Israel Vs. Palestine case.I’m mostly of Russian decent and that makes people believe that I’m making an unfair judgement but believe me I have read so much into it and I have been to both US and Europe. Yes, American people are more friendly and more easy going, which is because they are immigrants from all over the world, their contribution to the world wide industry is undeniable and the fun you experience in US is totally on another level but their manners, politeness, sincerity and culture is no where near to that of Europeans that’s why making a negative comment on Europeans is far easier( maybe because they use their logic most of the times and don’t try to diminish you in case they don’t have an answer). But as I said good people and bad people are everywhere, it just takes a little while to get close to the the good ones.
Thank you again
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US American said
Somebody has a chip on their shoulder. I can honestly say without a doubt that Americans don’t give a damn what Europeans think of us and we never even talk or think about Europe period. Why should we? You guys on the other hand are obsessed with America and blame all your problems on us instead of accepting reality and making your countries a better place to live.
Michael Erickson said
Talk about bias.
Europe in WWII was all but conquered. England was a holdout, but could have done nothing to repel Nazi Germany. It was a matter of time.
On D-Day, US forces too the 4 MOST heavily armored beaches. Yes, there was input from other nations. Canadians, English, etc., but the vast majority was US forces. If you are going to complain about rewriting history, make sure you aren’t doing it yourself and give credit where it is due.
Creating monsters? I have no complaints with that. The enemy of my enemy is NOT my friend. Someone at the State Department needs to figure that out.
International Aid? The typical “gross v. per capita percentage” argument. Is easy to do when it suits your agenda. When it doesn’t, everyone cries foul. The fact is, the US IS THE LARGEST GIVER. We give the most. Nobody is asking if we give the most per person…but who gives the most.
Failure to do International Treaties? Thank God. See the cause of WWI and the failings of international treaties. Look, just because there is general consensus in Europe to sign onto some stupid paper doesn’t mean it works for everyone. International law is nothing more than a popularity contest. In the US, the Constitution reigns supreme, not some treaty that most other nations signs (and later ignore).
The UN. More ignorance, or just duplicity? Show me WHICH NATION is up to date on dues? You complain of agendas? What about the Islamic Bloc and their tailoring the UN agenda against Israel? See, the Security Council consists of multiple nations, and EVERY ONE OF THEM has blocked different things for personal agenda reasons. Most recently, Russia over Crimea. But you want to target the US? Isolate and blame them for the same game every nation plays? Oh, bravo…quite the academic presentation of bias.
It is NOT in the best interest of any nation to follow any other nation. What works in Canada may not work in the US. We see that what works for Greece, or Romania, doesn’t work for France or the UK. Signing onto global treaties causes mass headaches and confusion. It is where people, like you, try to run for refuge when you run afoul of US law. Seems like you have your own agenda, but blame the US for having one.
Nancy Brian said
I really enjoyed reading all of these posts lasting over several years. I am a 64 year old American woman (a professor). One of the things that I have found very interesting in all of my travels (and I have been to a total of 12 other countries on 3 different continents many times), is that there is a tendency among younger people to be highly critical of the US, but for older people to realize how important the US is for the stability of the world. When I was 20 to 30, all I would hear were criticisms of the US. As time went on I was around older people (as I aged), people became more appreciative of the US. English people I know, have always appreciated the help we gave to them in WW 2. Had we not joined the effort, there would have been a very good chance that all of Europe would have ended up being annexed by the Soviet Union. I know most Europeans would rather be independent countries, rather than being taken over by either the Nazi’s or the Russians. As far as the Pacific arena is concerned, by father was captured in the Philippine Islands by the Japanese. He saw 9 of 10 of his American friends die in prison camp. When he was liberated by some English, by the way, he only weighed 90 pounds! Americans found Island by Island. to get to Japan. After the war, we withdrew and annexed no one. The Russians annexed many countries and took reparations out of the countries for years, leaving them raped of resources and poor. Right now, in Athens Greece, there is a monument to US President Truman. It was put up after the war in honor to Truman for sending food, antibiotics, and other aid to Greece after the war. Tuberculosis was spreading and killing the young people due to the Nazi’s harsh treatment and lack of food. The US made sure to help the Greeks get their young people well!
Of course the allies who won the war were many. The big point is this. The US has friendly nations on both of its borders. The Germans did not and would not have invaded us. We could have gotten my father, for example, home earlier, had we just fought in the PACIFIC with our allies Australia and New Zealand and others, but we chose to help England and the French Forces in England, drive the Nazi’s back. If anyone doubts that we did not have to do that, then they are very wrong. We did not.
I believe that if we were to talk to any of our fathers or grandfathers who fought that terrible war, they would all agree that the allies should stick together and not have tiffs between us. The free and democratic countries of the world should stick together and be good to each other. And all of the countries that are primarily of English descent like England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the US have particularly strong ties which should cause us to be much more supportive of each other, rather than too critical. All free democracies have their problems, but none of our problems are nearly as bad as the dictatorships of the world that do not give the care to their people that we give to ours. And just think about it. If you had a choice of having the US, China, or Russia to be the strongest country in the world, which would we all choose, Russia or China, who squash their people and would likely annex you if they had a chance, or America that just makes an occasional error, but otherwise supports your democracy and would never ever invade your country. Americans are not an ethnic group. We are made up of all people and we are an IDEA. An idea that all men (and women) are created equal and have inalienable rights, such as free speech and the list goes on.
Nancy Brian said
Also, as a post script, I know what the original discussion began as and that it was during the Bush administration. I started traveling during the Nixon administration and heard much of the same wat back then! I DO think that sometimes, because we are a large country with many states, we are insular. Having more states than there are countries in Europe makes it so that we have enough News, just in the US to keep us very busy. Also, the only countries we can easily visit are Canada and Mexico, and even at that Mexico would be a 3 day drive from where I live, as would Canada. I do speak 3 languages and have traveled a lot. Most people are not so lucky.
n aa m e said
we jeleus about the usa bc
they are most bigest and speak with one langueg and economy is good and hollywod movie are popular at the whole glob, and army is strong even…
if they fight for a freedom and just want a oil they still more powerfull then other 🙂
so we are jeleus for that – bc every country want be the 1st.
so if the usa say we fight with them the whole nato is going by the lider.
mayby in the future country like china or india will be technology b eter, they have big population – but i dont know
now usa rock and we can only say bravo
also people from 3rd world or badest economy country are jeles about the money power of the dollar – the most recognable curency.
so if i have a choce to change country i will chose one when they speak english (most popular langueg) and curency is strong like in UK, but im still jeles ab usa the best country of the world with bigest and most populary product like a windows or bmw or mcdonald or dolar.
and if i will be a soldier i will be just praud patriot, and im not so i just work to that company or country which one paying me better, it can be even japan or new zeland – im not soldier, so i only looking for the money, and in 3rd country they pay less, so in 1st part country they pay better. so i looking for a cash.
and if i have a country i will try to have it 4 times bigger and advance then usa to kick ass rest and say that my country rull the world and rest of you are my slave, so im and my friend are jelles usa the are the best, so we are not fighters, and they dont pay us for killing, so we just work theere wher sallery is bigeest and life is safe ofcorse.
srry for my writting, i will not bla bla bla improve it to have you have ez reading
#truth said
LOL SO JELLY
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Are we jealous or do we hate America? and Why? « The Paua Palace