As far as I am concerned Americans fall into 2 groups. One is where they work hard for themselves and their families, are slowly but surely waking up to the fact that their Government is corrupt and are concerned about their future, freedom and liberty. they don't support the US's Foreign policy but feel helpless to do anything about it because they know their politicians are bought men and women.

The second group are the brain dead patriots who think its great to wage war on anyone they feel superior to, support their corrupt Government, despise their fellow Americans that speak out against the wars or the Government, call them upatriotic etc. This group is made up of the military, the politically active, politicians and the pawns.

Unfortunately it is this second group that makes all th headlines and therfore taints the whole. For every decent American out there there are 10 brain dead bots who will do the bidding of their masters, they will kill for them they will torture for them, be it their own people or any foreigners.

It is this element that atracts the Anti American feeling that is prevelant at the moment. Unfortunately those in camp one are hurt by such remarks and comments as they don't see themselves as the second group but nmoe the less take the flak for it.

What is required is that the 1st group need to become stronger so to remove the perverts, despots and murderers in the second group.

Originally posted by magicmushroom
As far as I am concerned Americans fall into 2 groups. One is where they work hard for themselves and their families, are slowly but surely waking up to the fact that their Government is corrupt and are concerned about their future, freedom and liberty. they don't support the US's Foreign policy but feel helpless to do anything about it because they know their politicians are bought men and women.

The second group are the brain dead patriots who think its great to wage war on anyone they feel superior to, support their corrupt Government, despise their fellow Americans that speak out against the wars or the Government, call them upatriotic etc. This group is made up of the military, the politically active, politicians and the pawns.

Unfortunately it is this second group that makes all th headlines and therfore taints the whole. For every decent American out there there are 10 brain dead bots who will do the bidding of their masters, they will kill for them they will torture for them, be it their own people or any foreigners.

It is this element that atracts the Anti American feeling that is prevelant at the moment. Unfortunately those in camp one are hurt by such remarks and comments as they don't see themselves as the second group but nmoe the less take the flak for it.

What is required is that the 1st group need to become stronger so to remove the perverts, despots and murderers in the second group.

Good post Magic, but could you (anyone strictly speaking) consider this as only two groups? I more than see your logic behind this and I would agree, but I would also be inclined to think that the general populace is much more diverse than to be catergorised in two 'pools'.

and how do you suggest we do that? how would you, yourself do it if it was your country?

Baz, of course it is but for the benefit of the US's foreign policy I split them into 2 groups, within those there would be many sub groups. But at the moment the radicals have the loudest voice. You see them on ATS all the time shouting down anyone who does not agree with the mass murder of people in the ME.

They gleefully shout and scream who should be next to be bombed back to the stone age. They are not just dangerous to all none Americans but Americans as well. These same people supported Waco where American men, women and children were shot, gassed and burnt and filmed live for prime time viewing.

There is an old saying that when you start killing your own people then you know things are really bad.

JonathanNicholas

"I don't like that attitude either.And when you try and point it out to them,thats when the accusations of being anti-American start."

Thats just what you are,you hate america and americans but just don't have the guts to admit it.By the way,ignorance is not a choice someone makes-

Thanks so much for proving my point.
Funny how,when i talk with people from countries apart from the UK and US,who have the same/similar attitude,they never turn round and call me anti-German or anti-Italian or anti-Canadian.




haika

The shoving of "we are the greatest and the country with more freedom in the world" tends to annoy people after a while. I think that that is the main thing that people mean when they say that Americans are arrogant.

Some people do find it obnoxious.
Imagine working with someone who had that opinion and never shut up about it.It'd drive you nuts! lol.

One comment I have heard many times is that people from the US tend to not learn a second language. Somehow, it´s annoying to others when traveling abroad.

Us Brits get told that we need to learn other languages too.I find that if you make an attempt to speak someone elses language you get more respect,because at least you've tried.Downside to having English as your first language is that most people can understand you,but for you to understand others you'd have to learn countless languages.




magicmushroom

Very good observation.

Originally posted by SPIRAL.ZONE
Thing is Education standards in the US are just not comparable to Europe..
Why is it most people in the US can't pinpoint a country on a map?

Most people in the US can pinpoint a country on a map. The ones who can't are few and far between. Education standards in the US are far from perfect, I'll give you that one. But that does not by any means make anyone from Europe superior to anyone from America. Book knowledge isn't the be all end all of intelligence. Someone who has traveled should be aware of that.

Another thing....In many posts on this site I noticed a lot americans complaining they were fooled by their media and that they looked to foreign media to get info about things happening in their own country....
(How can that be....I wonder...lol)

So should we not be complaining that the media stretches the truth until it's ready to snap? Should we just be pretending that the media doesn't fool a lot of people? Seems to me that would be counterproductive and the people who do complain about the media trying to fool us all should be listened to not laughed at or looked down on.

Having been to America a few times, I fully understand my comments do not apply to everyone over there. In fact the problem is that many well educated are dismissed as being "traitors to the nation" for making sensible comments on the state of their nation...

Really? I haven't heard of anyone who was well educated being dismissed as a "traitor to the nation".

Last thing...We would all like to see America be what it's supposed to be, not a "fake Disneyland" that barricades itself from the people of the world....(check out the thread abut the right to food for example)...Only you guys can change it. Oh and if you're on ATS I guess you can take a bit of criticism on your "wonderful and free" country, and that probably you dont consider yourself a foolish american....

No one wants to see America be what it's supposed to be more than an American. No one is more disappointed with what our country has become than an American. And honestly we need to barricade ourselves off from the people of the world for awhile and take care of home instead of the government meddling in everyone else's affairs. Seems to me if we'd done a bit of barricading maybe we wouldn't be in Iraq right now.

The "right to food" thread is not a perfect example of anything except mob mentality taking over when people don't bother to look and see why the US may have voted against something. It's more of a case study on how ignorance can be contagious than an example of the US barricading itself from the world.

But hey what do I know, I'm just a foolish American.

Just a small contribution to an excellent thread, excellent in that its quite a good topic to discuss on this site.

I have done ALOT of international travel for 15 + years (Im sure there are many here as well) and one thing I know for sure is that every country in the world has every type of person you could conceive, you get all types all over the place, its not endemic to a nation!

I liked, on the whole, the Americans I have met (I am Australian myself - but at the moment I live in Ireland), but there was a difference between those I met outside the country to the ones I met inside the country... My only critical observation of American people is that very few of them actually get out and see the world, experience other cultures (Im not talking military here), do some travel..I mean there is some horrific statitic like 90% of American citizens dont even have a passport! I believe that there is some truth to the stereotyped 'ignorant' and 'arrogant' belief that America is (or was now) the solution to every other nations problems, and it is this excuse for a foreign policy that has bred the so-called 'anti-americanism' from all over the world...

Anyway - my 2 cents, I dont agree with American foreign policy and even though I have no 1st hand experience of it, the domestic policies dont seem to good either!! BUT - I give every single person I meet, regardless of race, colour, creed, nationality etc the respect they deserve until they do something to prove me wrong..

Its individuals, not nations...

Originally posted by conspiracy nut
here is my 2 cents on the whole propaganda usa brainwashed yada yada.
if we opened our borders we would be overwhelmed by people from all over the world that would want to come and live here.

That is true but why do Americans keep telling us that? All European countries are in the same situation.. so is australia, new zealand, canada etc etc

sorry i don't think you could say the same for russia or china.

Well, actually, people less fortunate than those living in Russia or China are constantly trying to get into those countries to start new lives.

Originally posted by Dermo

Originally posted by SFwife
Everyone hates America UNTIL They need help/money .Funny how that works

Yea, everyone loves America until they kill millions of innocents.

Strange how that works

And if you continue to believe that kind of propaganda, then there's little hope of reasoning with you or continuing to discuss the issue with you.

While you're at your American-bashing - because now you've started bashing citizens for their opinions and not the government - consider that most of us have enough issues going on in our own lives that we don't have time to pay much attention to pissant little countries full of people with enough time on their hands for AMERICA-ENVY.

Sorry if the offends, but again, you opened this can of worms.

Quoting Jack Nicholson: "You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!"



[edit on 12/23/2008 by centurion1211]

Centurion, with attitude like that you can understand why you get the stick you do, calling other peoples countries pissant is just ignorant for starters. And just to inform you there are people all over the World suffering a dam sight more than the people of the US are and to state that because of your daily routine you are not aware or concerned of the actions of your Government abroad further justifies the stick you get.

Let me make it clear, no one is envious of a nation that bullies invades and murders the peoples of other nations. And its such a shame that the regime that you love so dearly is flushing your once great nation down the pan.

Centurion, I think if you look at any of my replies I often and frequently slag my own country off and with good reason. i don't have any problem with people complaining about the actions of my Government or its people and thats the difference between you and I.

Originally posted by centurion1211
Basically, threads like this are little more than trolling attempts, but I'll play along just a little while longer in order to try and educate some of you.

THIS is the attitude people are talking about, one of "superiority".

Maybe the thing you all find most arrogant, but nobody says is that (except for 9/11) we have made the conscious decision that based on what we saw while bailing you out of those 2 world wars, if there must be a war, it's going to be held in someone else's country.

You bailed US out in the WW's? I don't see how you did that for Canada, who spent an additional 5 years overseas over the US btw.

Originally posted by intrepid

Originally posted by centurion1211
Basically, threads like this are little more than trolling attempts, but I'll play along just a little while longer in order to try and educate some of you.

THIS is the attitude people are talking about, one of "superiority".

Maybe the thing you all find most arrogant, but nobody says is that (except for 9/11) we have made the conscious decision that based on what we saw while bailing you out of those 2 world wars, if there must be a war, it's going to be held in someone else's country.

You bailed US out in the WW's? I don't see how you did that for Canada, who spent an additional 5 years overseas over the US btw.

OK. just so you don't get your feeling hurt, you want us to pretend we're a small insignificant country instead of the one with all the accomplishment we have (that no other country has)? Sorry.

And yes, if the Germans or Japanese had wanted to take over Canada and the U.S. had just stood by you'd be speaking one of those languages right now. It is our military power that allows Canada to scrimp on her military while dabbling in socialism. In other words, we've got your back. You don't seem to like my national pride, but you are at the same time allowing your own to seriously cloud reality for you.

Originally posted by centurion1211
OK. just so you don't get your feeling hurt, you want us to pretend we're a small insignificant country instead of the one with all the accomplishment we have (that no other country has)? Sorry.

Who said anything about being insignificant? Just stop with the chest thumping. It's quite unattractive.

And yes, if the Germans or Japanese had wanted to take over Canada and the U.S. had just stood by you'd be speaking one of those languages right now.

Hardly, we can handle our own. And if we are going to look at history, as you are want to do, there has been only one country that has invaded Canada. 3 times and it didn't work out so well.

You don't seem to like my national pride, but you are at the same time allowing your own to seriously cloud reality for you.

I AM proud of my country and it's contributions to the world but I am NOT blinded by anything. I see things quite clearly. I'm also not pounding my chest. I'm not that insecure in my nationality.

What will prove to be interesting is that once the US has finally slipped into the footnotes of history who will take its place as the dart board of the world. We are as a whole hated for our actions and despised for our inaction. There is nothing we can do to make the world like us more because we are a convenient place to aim ire and anger.

I personally prefer it when people outright hate me because of where I'm from and make no bones about it; makes things clear and obvious and cuts out on the nonsense pleasantries that are too often used to obscure someone's true mind.

America huh? Would that be North America, Central America, or South America? Nearly the entire Western Hemisphere is comprised of Americans. Sorry, it's just one of my pet peeves thinking that people from the US are the only "Americans". [/rant]



[edit on 12-23-2008 by nyarlathotep]

Originally posted by centurion1211
Everyone hates America UNTIL They need help/money .Funny how that works

Yea, everyone loves America until they kill millions of innocents.

Strange how that works

And if you continue to believe that kind of propaganda, then there's little hope of reasoning with you or continuing to discuss the issue with you.

I will continue to believe it because its true.. and its not propaganda if I have heard it because i live in a western country that is not currently at war.. Whereas you obviously have your head up your as* :lol

While you're at your American-bashing - because now you've started bashing citizens for their opinions and not the government

I am not bashing any Americans, I am NOT an America hater, America doesn't play any part in my life (except for Movies which I well appreciate by the way). Im only posting comments on a forum about common knowledge. You're only getting so offended because im correct... Sorry.

consider that most of us have enough issues going on in our own lives that we don't have time to pay much attention to pissant little countries full of people with enough time on their hands for AMERICA-ENVY.

The above is a common delusion associated with being an American
You have simply reinforced absolutely everything I have said in every one of my previous posts. I could write a book on you people..

Why don't you go and blow up a school or something