What is Anti-Americanism?

If there's a concept that's being overused on this board, often without an effort to define what it is, it's "anti-Americanism".

I can understand how statements profiling all Americans and painting the entire Americans with the same wide brush would qualify as anti-Americanism or hate of America. And it's appropriate to denounce such statements.

What I can't understand is these cases where a poster has been called "anti-American" or an "America hater" or has had to post a "disclaimer" swearing he's not anti-American:

- Cases of criticism of the Bush administration's policies or the ideals of its members (for example, the war in Iraq, the preemptive-strike doctrine, the missile defense shield)
- Cases of criticism of some political currents, for example the neocons
- Cases (as seen recently on the general board) where someone posts some statistics showing that the U.S. doesn't rank number 1 worldwide in all areas of living standards

Also, we Canadians have been called anti-American because we didn't join the war in Iraq and the missile defense system, even though we sent troops to Afghanistan.

I've even been called an America-hating socialist because I have stated I feel perfectly content to live in Canada and feel no compulsion to move south of the border. In other words, that no, I'm not jealous of America.

So I have to ask... what is anti-Americanism? What statements on America are considered hateful? I know my post sounds cynical (part of me is starting to believe that saying anything but "America is the best" is anti-American), but I'm really interested, however, in knowing what people think...

I reckon there are a few things at work with this.

Partly it's just the on-going decline in politics visible almost everywhere and the shameless appeal to the lowest common denominator by this current US administration in particular, folks.

It's like the American use of the word 'liberal' or 'socialist'. They tend to have no idea what these words and terms actually mean only what they have been perverted to mean in the US today.
Newspeak for the USA.......just as their uncritical supine media has become a US Pravda for our times.

It's also, IMO, about self re-inforcing, fostering and extending this idiotic quaisi-fascist 'with us or against us' garbage and risible nonsense.....

.....and no matter what the truth of the actual situation (for instance the undeniable truth of the approx 50/50 split in American opinions of those who bother to vote in the US) they just keep claiming come hell or high water that they and their values represent 'America' and 'Americans' - even though they are clearly actually a minority within the US.

Frankly I find this kind of crass unthinking stridency simply illustrates just how unsure of their case those making these claims actually are - and rightly so given their distinct lack of majority support.

But let them, obviously any sense in all of this passed them by long ago and it does give the rest of us a great big laugh seeing them attempting to slam non-Americans as 'un-American' here.......even if we do feel a tinge of embarrassment for them in their ignorance.

Anyone who does not agree with you is anti American.
That’s what it has come to. Remember the war in Iraq, everyone who opposed for whatever reason, was labeled anti American. You where only a patriot, if you where waving a flag and 100% for the war. If you where a 100% for the war you where a Nazi. These where things going around at the time. Even now you can watch Fox and hear them compare Democrats as Anti American.
I do not agree with Democrats, on hardly anything, but they are not Anti American, this kind of talk just slows down progress.

Its funny Liberal is used like it is a four letter word now. It means open minded. Here are some liberal ideas. Bill of rights and the constitution of the United States of America.

Originally posted by Snowman9
Anyone who does not agree with you is anti American.
That’s what it has come to. Remember the war in Iraq, everyone who opposed for whatever reason, was labeled anti American. You where only a patriot, if you where waving a flag and 100% for the war. If you where a 100% for the war you where a Nazi. These where things going around at the time. Even now you can watch Fox and hear them compare Democrats as Anti American.
I do not agree with Democrats, on hardly anything, but they are not Anti American, this kind of talk just slows down progress.

Its funny Liberal is used like it is a four letter word now. It means open minded. Here are some liberal ideas. Bill of rights and the constitution of the United States of America.

To me, being Anti-American is simply being against most of the things we stand for as a country. Being against freedom, capitalism, democracy, defense, these all contribute to being anti-American. I don't think liberals are anti-American at all, although I've had many people blindly accuse me of accusing liberals of being anti-American. That's the first strategie I notice people try to use against me in an argument. Twist my words. In fact, I bet you there will be someone replying to this thread saying "So basically, you think anyone who doesn't agree with the war is anti-American?". But maybe not .

Yes, there are American's that think if a country doesn't agree with us 100% they're anti-American. We're a proud nation. We like our flag, we like our military prowess, we love the USA. Much like the members of ATS from other places that love their country for the various reasons they do.

But a patriotic American is ignorant. That's anti-Americanism.

Anti-Americanism is having some sort of down with the US slogan in your "mini-profile".

Anti-Americanism is failing to realize that the average Joe in your country isn't a brilliant, enlightened being compared to his American counterpart.

Anti-Americanism is having some sort of defaced American flag or picture of our President as your avatar.

Anti-Americanism is holding the belief we're all a bunch of overweight ingrates living in a violence filled, polluted, cesspool.

Imagine the # an American would take if they put the emblem of Soviet Canuckistan in his avatar? That double standard is anti-Americanism.



Anti-Americanism, to me is not questioning our policy, it's insulting our populace in doing so.

Originally posted by PistolPete
Anti-Americanism is having some sort of defaced American flag or picture of our President as your avatar.

What a load of crap.

Well I cant say that everyone here is anti-American but many legitimately are.
For example take those "standard of living lists"
Now they almost all place places like sweden, norway, ie heavily socialist countries on the top of the list, why? Becuase they have socialised healthcare, retirement, education etc.
Now the fact is America neither has, nor for the most part wants socialised healthcare education etc. We have made a choice as a nation to reject those ideas. So why is it only countries with thse ideas get to make the top of the lists? Have any of you ever considered they may be biased?
I for one am sick of hearing about how us poor deluded Americans dont have proper healthcare, dont have a proper educational system dont have this dont have that. Get it through your heads we dont want it
You may see your social servces as enlightened and proper, thats fine, I see it as nothing more than worshipping the chains which bind you in servitude to your governments.
The point is we aren't like you, and we don't want to be.
You can post all the UN reports you want, it aint gonna change, I would much rather pay for my own healthcare, my own education, my own retirement and not get raped in taxes, thank you very much.
The fact that we do not have these programs is IMO what makes America a better place to live.

posted by mwm1331

I for one am sick of hearing about how us poor deluded Americans dont have proper healthcare, dont have a proper educational system dont have this dont have that.


But you know what consititues as "good" healthcare to people? Cheap! They don't care about quality or speed. The cheaper the healthcare, the better. That's why they're always bragging about their healthcare. Yeah, but may be cheap, but it sucks. Depending on how wealthy you are in a socialist country, it can take up to a month to get treated for something.

An Anti American is what the right wing neocons brand you as if you dont agree with there opinions. OR turd blossom, or communist, or terrorist sympathiser, the are all deragatory remarks lobbed at those who dont see eye to eye with the hardcore right.

Wow... I'm impressed by the amount of answers.

PistolPete - I have to agree that all of the items you noted are indeed anti-American. Although I violently disagree with the policies of the Bush administration, I personally won't post an avatar showing him with horns or something. If I have something to say about his policies, I'll say it, period.

MWM - I respect that you don't want to be like Norwegians, Swedes or the such. However, you have to accept that the other way around, some people don't want to be like Americans... and that's not anti-Americanism, it's national preference.

Herman. You are severely misinformed about what a socialist country is. What you refer to as "Socialist" countries are, in reality, capitalist countries with some social benefits schemes included. You will find that often it is not one or the other end of the spectrum that may work, but somewhere inbetween.

I suggest you read this excellent thread where Sminkley educates and helps others deny ignorance in a very straight forward discussion.
politics.abovetopsecret.com...

The information you may garner from the linked thread can help you readjust some of the vague assumptions you may have about the rest of the world.