To All Non-Americans

reply to post by intrepid


Perhaps I am sensitive to this subject. Especially when every IranIsrealNorthKoreaJewMuslimRussiaChina thread ends up with the majority of posters espousing vehement hatred of Americans and hundreds of stars are doled out to those post.

I still give this thread maybe two or three days before it fades. And Im not against the OP at all. As I said, I agree. I hope Im wrong and this thread gets hundreds of replies and the hundreds of flags it deserves. If that happens no one will have a bigger smile then me.

Thanks for the replies. It is true that there are quite a few war-mongers,
racists and hateful people here in the US, but I am talking about the
vast majority of us who aren't. There are really bad people in literally
every country on earth, but I am talking in generalities. Most of us are
fed up with what is going on in this country and I was only trying to
ask the rest of the planet to not be so harsh on the average Joe who
is having to put up with all the crap happening. If it were up to the average
citizen, there wouldn't be wars, hunger, and racism. But in the interim,
we are mostly bashed about from a lot of non-Americans. Not all of
course, but people seem to feel it is the citizens who are in control of
all the bad things going on. We just want to be left alone and have peace
for once.

I would love to be able to come to England and Ireland and lots of other
neat places in Europe and Asia, but most people here in the US are very
afraid to venture overseas because we have all been stereotyped as
bad people. It is not safe at all for Americans to travel much nowadays.

Originally posted by RRokkyy

Originally posted by randyvs
reply to post by niblo

 

They are Muslims.

Nope that's not it.

They still remember the last time that the public rebelled against the government.
The French nobility and their cooperatives must have imagined Alice in wonderland and learned the hard way that someone called : "Of with their heads !"

Muslims have just copy pasted this behavior.

On Topic.

I don't hate. I resent the US government and the your dumbed down society.

Fortunately I know a lot of them, who are pretty smart, sweet and nice.

[edit on 8/11/2010 by Sinter Klaas]

Originally posted by randyvs
reply to post by niblo

 

Please remember not to vote.

Instead of voting set something on fire in Washington. I vote to burn Washington to the ground. Good thread.

Why do the french have the only government in the world that fears it's people?

[edit on 11-8-2010 by randyvs]

Na...that doesn't work. What's required is a constant dialogue with your reps...assuring them that if they insist on ignoring your principals and values, you will fight them at the polls. Buy a party membership if need be so that you can call them out on their own turf...or run against them, if only to get the bully pulpit.

But don't stop voting...people have sacrificed their lives for your right to the ballot, and folks the world over are doing the same as we speak.

I didn't like the recent G20 action in Toronto...my membership allowed me to confront a cabinet minister with my concerns, in a room full of the party faithful. They are the folk's whose votes put politicians in office, and all the PAC loot in the world does squat if the candidate is not elected. She listened...and she has the Premiere's ear...and they all want to keep their jobs.

Burn Washington? It's easy to break stuff...fixing it takes work and commitment.

Self edit to get back on topic...I don't equate Americans with the shortcomings of their government. I like Americans and I like visiting their country. But they do seem to have forgotten who ultimately puts their leaders in office.

[edit on 11-8-2010 by JohnnyCanuck]

Starred and Flagged.

Unfortunately OP sense is spoken softly, and ignorance shouted.

So although there are millions of Americans like yourself and other posters, your voices will always be inevitably drowned out by the idiocy of others.

Personally I feel that anyone tarring all Americans with the same brush is as bad as those they claim to despise.

My hope is that I get out to the US sometime before things get too crazy, because there is a lot I would love to see!

Originally posted by JohnnyCanuck

Self edit to get back on topic...I don't equate Americans with the shortcomings of their government. I like Americans and I like visiting their country. But they do seem to have forgotten who ultimately puts their leaders in office.

Exactly. While as an American it hurts me too when people think we are ALL a bunch of greedy, self absorbed, uneducated warmongers, I have to acknowledge that my fellow citizens and I are directly responsible for the government we have.

Yes, we are being lied to. Yes, at least one election was crooked. Yes, I know we only have the illusion of a free press.

But we are rolling over and letting all this happen. I dont see strikes, or marches, or boycotts, or anything much. Most Americans, no matter how "good" their intentions are, have slid into apathy.

And that makes us responsible for much of what our government does.


"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke.

I am from Australia. I have no problem with a majority of Americans just as I dont have a problem with a majority of Aussies. You, us, & all nations have psychos who are totally irrational. We dont think that is an acurate representation of the American people.

One problem that people around the world has is that a lot of Americans have no real idea what is out in the rest of the world. For example, we had a comedy show here that had a US based 'correspondent'.

He would go out in the streets of NY, LA & other big citys (as well as small towns) & ask questions about the USA & the world. One question I clearly remember was along the lines of "What do you think of being at war with (not against) Australia ?" About 90% of people could not identify Australia on a map, and about 50% responded along the lines of "We should just nuke them off the map & end it all, wipe those scum off the planet".

People honestly had no idea who we are, where we are, or the simple fact that Australia has been a US ally in every conflict since WW1. People didnt know we are on your side. Maybe thats a reflection on your education system, maybe not, thats for people from the US to decide why theres so little knowledge of the rest of the world.

Some Aussys dont like the fact we ally with the US, personally Im glad, I like having the big kid on the block having my back if I need it.

I once had an 'argument' with an American, & I was on your defence, & I think my reasoning may be supported by what you say. His argument backed that comedy show, that the people of the USA were totally ignorant of the rest of the world & he was sick of it giving the majority of people a bad name in the eyes of the world.

I argued that while true, you could use the excuse that there is SO much happening in the USA on a daily basis that it would be near impossible to cover all your own news, let alone the rest of the world. Admittedly it would be nice to see your citizens capable of finding us on a map (so maybe that part is a schooling issue). We down here have a population of about 22 million, you have over 14 times that. I dont think I was able to convince him of the excuse I was handing him to use in defence of his own country. Before you abuse him for not being patriotic, I can assure you he is, he worked in your space program, he is just embarrassed about the, in his opinion, lack of international knowledge of the US people. I tried to make an excuse for you but he didnt buy it.

In my opinion, there is so much the American people have to deal with at home that I can understand why you would withdraw to fix these problems for a while. If life gets too much for me, I withdraw to limit my exposure to new problems. Still, that isnt reason enough for people to abuse us for not sharing your point of view & the solution is to nuke us (considering we do share your views). Maybe knowing who your allies are would be handy knowledge, handy for anyone in every day life (who are your allies at work?).

I know theres other people out there who have different issues with the USA, that is the problem that I see. The only thing that makes it worse are those with the attitude of "who cares what you think of us." Apparently there are some who do, & its an easy one to fix.

stop supporting israel!

second

third line

thank you

I once had the pleasure of working with a Brazilian foreign exchange student at a company I worked for in the USA. This was during the Bush years and I taught this Brazilian something about America he did not know. He commented to me about how everyone voted for Bush twice. He said that was stupid and Americans must be extremely stupid not to see what the rest of the world saw in Bush. I smiled and gave this person a challenge to try while in America for his 6 month stay. I told him I had never heard of someone voting for Bush, out of the real working class of people. I asked him to find 10 people that voted for Bush, to ask the people in America that worked for a living what they thought of Bush. I asked him to find 10 people that voted for Bush amongst the people he meets.

It only took this Brazilian roughly one month to return to me stating he had not found a single working person that had voted for Bush. I smiled and told him "See not everyone is an idiot like you thought." He wondered how if nobody he talked with thus far had voted for Bush how Bush got elected. I said well that is easy to answer...the people that voted for Bush probably do not work or live where you could talk to them.

We became good work friends and engaged in numerous political discussions from time to time. He gave me insight into Brazilian thought and we both realized despite all our difference we all wanted one thing...to live life free, without being controlled by groups of powerful people, that hide behind status as they work to maintain their power. We realized that the common person in both our countries were actually the same.

An important message to keep in mind. Fortunately, I think most people are able to make the distinction between US intelligence agencies, US Government officials and average US citizens. The problem is with the first two. People like to say "but average citizens should just stand up and demand change" but this is extremely difficult to do within the confines of the current system. The whole system is designed to prevent people from changing things. If you speak out you are made to look like a nut job. If you go too far you are thrown in jail along with those who think like you.

[edit on 12/8/2010 by Dark Ghost]

I dont feel any animosity to Americans ,But from an outsiders point of view former pres Bush Jr really did damage your rep in my opinion the same as Howard really damaged Australias rep and they were apparently pretty close buddies and both were in power when the problems escalated.

On Sept 12th 2001 i awoke to hear the news on the radio that New York had suffered a massive terrorist attack. ( this was before i saw the buildings fall on tv later in the day)

To be brutally honest, my first thoughts were,

"well maybe now the US will understand that they are not that well liked in the world and this could be an opportunity to change"

but it didn't happen that way, in fact it got worse.

its never too late

love

Well written.

If that isn't proof that the United States isn't on the verge of meaningful change, I don't know what is.

I've been critical of the American people, but only for not acting sooner. Most people however, including my fellow Canadians are also guilty of this self hating behavior.

I don't know if I believe that it will all start in November...but I would enjoy the pleasant surprise.

~Keeper

reply to post by endtimer


Well said Endtimer. The awakening is occuring all over the America, and the leaders are getting scared; Only time will tell what will happen next, but the good people of Ameica are fed up, and the numbers are growing. This same scenerio is happening all over the world in diferent stages, so we are with you.

Great thread OP ... and let me also add that it must've taken some guts to lay that out there ... so, RESPECT!!

Of course, we can talk 'n talk 'n talk ... but action is what's needed now ... and before anyone thinks that an individual can't make a difference or starts thinking "But I am too small to make a difference ...", just try spending one night in a room with a mosquito ... and then imagine thousands ... millions of mosquito's in that room ... ... and suddenly the picture looks a little different. The futility factor goes away and a sense of overwhelming power starts to grow ... we've just got to stand up and be counted ... but in unison and with tenacity.

PLURAL

I havent seen america do # and I live here and i am not usually this pessimistic. but in my opinion the average american does not give a # about themselves and/or their country or fellow humans. we are one of the most brainwashed countreys in the world.....not necessarily our fault but the vast majority of ppl i know have programmed to be unconciously selfish beyond belief.

reply to post by endtimer


We reaffirm the friendship between the United States of America and Australia, and reiterate that we do not comment on matters that are for other countries, unless within the framwork of treaty and foreign policy.

That being said, nice gesture

Dave

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


sorry gang the average american doesnt know wat day it is your spot on about the country but your a minority most americans dont care

reply to post by damastadamind


spot on 10 yrs ago i used to look at america and think cool place big everything best sports everything you ever wanted have a nice day but to have all the materialistic stuff your soul has been sold and most of you dont even have a passport

Originally posted by KingDoey

Why not become a British Citizen? Just about anyone can these days, and you don't even have to have any working skills or speak English.

Even though I hate the way that things are currently going in America with corporate and oligarchical interests gaining ever more control over the way the country is run and events that occur in the rest of the world. I'm still an American and I still believe in the raw beauty and purity of a true democracy. In a democracy every individual has equal representation in government no matter how rich they are or how many lobbyists they can hire to fund politicians' campaigns. Its still my country and I'm not going to give up on it. For that reason I will stay an American citizen and do whatever I can to restore our place as the first great democracy of the modern world as long as I can still see a light at the end of the tunnel.