h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I will have to say I am new here. Only started coming here since tuesday, and started actually posting yesterday. I thaught it would be great to get into an "international" conversation with my peers.

I seem to have picked the wrong time to be introduced to the "international community". I started reading all of the posts on how everyone was with America in this tragedy. It seemed the world was coming together and politics and petty differences, were actually pushed back to where they belong, and we were comming together for things that were what is actually important than life. yes we had our village idiots that posted things just to inflame people. They are everywhere but usually in the minority so they are easy to spot.

I guess 2 days is all of the real life exposure we can expect for most people. Every post I have read since I started posting has some kind of Amercan Bashing in it. If someone says they hurt, you have someone else say they are hypocrits because they didnt hurt for anyone else when things liek this happen. When an American posts here and says he is proud of his country or hints that he wants revenge, we have somone else start to list all of the attrocities America has inflicted on the entire world. Every time I post and let it known I am American I find myself defending my country for things that has happened since WWII. I was actually born well after vietnam.

The Unity I see here now is the voice against America. Seconded only to the anger against the terrorists. Not one time in any post have I seen an American bash any other country. But like I said almost every post has an unkind remark towards that nation.

I am an American. I usually stay in American chat rooms, not for preference, but it is where I usually find myself do to my own interests. I talk to many many International posters. I have always conversated with them on the same level I conversate with fellow Americans. I don't know what the difference is between here and there, is it that the others or afraid that if they showed how they really felt about us, then we would get angry and ban them or something? I don't think so. They seem pretty open and honest on issues. Even on political discussions. We dissagree alot. But I never see the animosity that I see here.

I do not know why most people in the international community hates us so. I know most Americans feel nothing even simmilar to that towards our brothers overseas. Sure we have our problems, as well as your own nations do. Is that a reason to be anti-american?

I am sad now. I am not saying that for any pitty. I hate that. I am saying that because I am not going to come here anymore. In no way do I expect you to feel bad or see the "error of your way" lol. I know you have your reason to feel like you do. I may never understand it. So be it. It is too bad the average American does not have room in the "international community". Maybe isolationists have a reason.

Goodbye all. There have been some nice and interesting conversations. Too bad it has to end.

Hello 184614 (I have no idea what to call you).

There have been many cruel posts here by many ignorant people. Please don't let those push you from h2g2. There are so many more that truly care.

Many of the foolish posts come from newbies to the site. Some simply don't understand the community and what it is. Some are merely trolling for entertainment and have no real clue as to life or reality. Some are just plain mean.

There are bound to be anti-American sentiments in the world, just as there are anti-foreign sentiments in some places in the US. We can't change that, we can only let it not change us. Please stay and get to know the h2h2 group. I'm sure you'll discover how many truly wonderful members there are to the site.

(Who just hit the ceiling as a jet passed overhead)

I'm sorry you feel that way. But I quite understand it. Some unkind things have been said; and, at the very least, it has to be said that some have shown a remarkable lack of sensitivity. On the other hand, some very constructive and considerate postings have been made. Very many of our fellow Researchers have expressed their sorrow and support of our American friends in a variety of ways - take a look at the H2G2 Post, for instance.

A sad fact is that Americans often find they suffer from the same tendency to be reduced to stereotypes in the same way as people from other parts of the world. The trouble is that most of the world doesn't know real Americans. TV caricatures don't convey the kindness and warmth of the vast majority of Americans, or the open hospitality of rural America. People, no matter where they are from, tend to think in mental shortcuts, which reduce people to simple images that are often unflattering. Those of us who know America and Americans have a responsibility to dispell the misconceptions of others. You, as an American, have an even greater challenge. But I urge you seriously to take it up. Tell those of us who don't know any better about the beauty and diversity of your country, and help them understand who you really are.

In a broader sense, we must all take up the same challenge to make ourselves understood, and to make a serious effort to understand each other. The consequences of not doing this are dire... as we have recently seen.

JTG

Sorry, Batty. We were answering our friend at the same time.

JTG

Please don't leave.

¦M¦

I agree with my fellow researchers...Please Don't Leave

There are a great many truly wonderful people on this site, and we would love the chance to get to know you.

Don't let the minority drive you away.

I too would be sad to see you go after such a short time.

I've used this site for nearly two years, its a community, a guide to life and can be great fun. As it has grown over the years, the atmosphere has changed and developed, and over the past week we have had the largest influx of new users and the most heated debates that I've ever seen.

Given the situation that's perfectly understandable, but it would be a shame for you to go just because of the idiot comments of a few that are unrepresentitive of what I have found to be the friendliest online community.

May I suggest you stick around for a while, activate your personal space so that friendly peeps can pop over to say hello, and maybe browse around the rest of what there is to offer here. Perhaps skimming our inhouse newspaper would give you a fairer idea of the usual mood here. http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/Thepost

Hope you give us a bit more time...

purplejenny

I am very greatful of your responses and support. But I will not subject myself to this hatefullness. For they are not the minority. You folks are the minority. Hinestly look at all of the posts and forget all of your prejudices about America and you will see what I mean.

I may come back later, I hope this is a temporary thing. If not, all is well. I speak to thousands of fellow humans like you who do not have or at least show this hate.

There is no way to prove these people wrong. Every time I try it just turns into name calling and a yelling match. And I honestly do not have time for this blatant hate.

God bless everyone, and I hope to see you again sometime. If not, keep your heads up. This too shall pass.

Don't go, 184614.

I think we should separate the messages of support from the opinions, so as not to upset anyone any further unnecessarily.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A632314

Hi american...
just want to say...I'm sorry..
I dont understand wots going 0n..
I think we cant comprehend wots happened in America..I'm from scotland and have shed some tears for all the souls lost in this tradgedy...and just want to say...my thoughts..my prayers are tto all the people who are sitting waiting hoping..
God bless u all....
I dont think people are trying to be mean or unkind to u...think there trying to understand..
peace......

I will repeat what others said here: don't go away. Tragedies like the one that happened always bring up extreme views. I assure you that majority of people here are too shocked with what happened - and what has been said - to answer those stupid and disgusting posts.

The world (and h2g2) is a large space and everybody can find a place where he/she can be comfortable. I understand that you feel it is your responsibility to fight when your country is attacked, but maybe it's better just to ignore - for the moment - those who do not know what they do? After all, it is human to make mistakes, and hope they will understand more when they grow up.

Come back, 184614

Amator

I've said things about the USA here recently that I half-expected to get flamed over, and I did worry about it at the time. The best I can say in defence of my own opinions is that they were posted more in sorrow than in anger. And please bear in mind that a lot of people are scared right now (I count myself amongst their number), and the terrible thing about this crisis is that we're left chasing shadows and rumours. There is no tangible enemy yet.

It is only the minority, but they all appear to be the majority in this week's Talking Point forum.
Try going to some of these researcher's pages, talk to them, follow links. Come and talk to me. The majority really are nice people, but looking at this week's Talking Point forum it is easy to see it the other way round.
Please don't go, just wonder round the site a bit.
Please.

¦M¦

Please don't leave . . .

Like you, I am quite new to H2G2 - I have only been here a couple of months, and have done more reading of posts than I have done posting.

I can assure you that H2G2 is not a place of hatred. Most of us are genuinely at a loss when trying to think of something to say about this terrible event. This means that a greater proportion of messages seem to be full of atred. Try counting the number of researchers who have posted such messages rather than the number of postings. You may be surprised (in a nice way).

But please, don't leave. Give us a chance to show you what H2G2 is really about.

We're the minority my ***e. The self-righteous whingers are just louder and more determined to make their voices heard than the majority.

I'm actually a left-wing libertarian (when I say I'm a Guardian reader, those in the UK will understand what I mean). But I'm not such a stulted, hate-filled individual that I can allow myself the hypocrisy of disliking Americans while I live in another democratic country that is prosperous thanks to the same economic system as has made the US rich, even in normal times.

To trample on people's grief in the rush to wave their slogans is disgusting. Have they no shame?

OK. I am heartened by the response.

And with your responses I wish to honor you with an attempt. What I want to do is set up an open forum where we can debate this issue. I know we will not change each others minds, but maybe we can understand each other better. And to me that would be the only way I could stay here and join your community. I will stat a post at an appropriate time that I will try to stipulate the basic rules of the debate. Maybe we could get the moderators in on it to moderate it a bit more so that we can keep it on target.

To me, and I am sure other Americans as well as other nationals this would be important. In this community, wich is a reflection of the world community, the resentment of Americans is a roadblock to keep it an open debate. You cannot have an open debate if you have a particualr bias that clouds your views to the extent you cannot look at it from both sides.

Maybe it could be presented so that the rest of the international researchers could post their concerns that maybe they would like the American Reasearchers to answer. And vica-versa. The moderation I would like (and it may not be feasable)would be open questions with an open answers. Not answers like "Because you Americans are arrogant" Or "Because you Anti-Americans are jelous".

One thing for me personally that this week has given me was a feeling that this is a much smaller world that it was a week ago. I would like to know more about my brothers and sisters outside of my borders. I hate to say that before this, it wasnt that I didnt care about everyone else, it was more like I didnt have time to understand. I think I felt that way anyways.

I am not sure if this would work, I hope it does. And I will try to play this on other posts, and if it gets uncivil I will not respond.

By the way. I have a name now :P

Howdy,
As a fellow american I can understand your feelings. I have seen and been hurt by the same types of postings. It is ironic to me that I saw "americans are selfish" "americans are materialistic" and then the same writer will accuse us americans of stereotyping other nationalities! Huh??? HOWEVER, having said that, whenever I have seen some angry antiamerican postings, I have seen 3 or 4 asking the researcher to have compassion. I have seen so many stick up for our pain that it has lifted my heart. I think you may have just gotten in on some nasty postings. One of the non-american researchers who I have gotten closer with, was so concerned of my feelings this week that her relief when I heard that my niece in New York seemed equal to my own.

This is a good place, an intelligent place, and the people on this site have hearts bigger than any country in the world. Please give it another chance.

N'Spite - I'm not sure that would help. I really hope that if you do so it will work as you planned, but I'm afraid that it will attract the minority and become another conversation of name-calling.
I would hate to see yet another conversation of this, but it does sound a good idea if it works.
If you go ahead with it, good luck. And tell us here.

¦M¦

Dear N'Spite, I do hope you will stay! I don't want to be acused of 'spamming' but here is something I posted on another board earlier today

'I may not put this very well, and it may seem banal to some who are understandably in a state of emotional turmoil over recent events, but here is something that gives me hope for the future -

The fact that we are all here bashing away on our keyboards in our own homes thousands of miles away from each other, all trying to make some sense out of these hideous events. I feel bad for some Americans here who feel that the British are being very non-understanding and judgmental, and as a Brit I apologise. But I feel so much more aware of the American position and feelings than I did even 2 days ago. If we can all carry on with this communication and not give up posting and reading, maybe we can have some understanding of other races and cultures for the future. I hope this makes sense, and does not appear too trivial.

We are in a unique period in human history, and I think the use of the internet will prove to be one of the key ways people have dealt with this in terms of the passing on of information; logging on to news sites, message sites like this one and others, and of course the web sites devoted to trying to find missing people.'
Jude