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

Hi guys, this is a hot place. Too many emotional words, but it all started with the thread of course. Hate is a strong word.

Fact is every country and region has its won culture which is usually different from others. When two or more cultures meet, there should be attempts at understanding each other. Where American culture (or at least their "ambassodors") go wrong is that they have this notion (wrong it is) that theirs is the best and there should be no argument about it. They do this in large fashion too. That is to say the least irritating. Contempt for other people is not in my view civilised at all.

But I dont hate them, that word still is too strong. Some i dislike, some I pity (Dubya) some I respect (thinks for a while about who that could be...) and I some I really like (Charlotte u there! )

This means the people are mixed up, good ones and bad ones. The American "exports" though are not mixed. Foreign policy, is rotten big time, trade is arrogant and full of double standards, etc. Most of the people are OK really having been there but dont people make up the corporations and the govnt? Thus the confusion between America and Americans.

By the way, those "Red Indians" in the US, why do they live in so much squalor?

Hi guys, this is a hot place. Too many emotional words, but it all started with the thread of course. Hate is a strong word.

Fact is every country and region has its won culture which is usually different from others. When two or more cultures meet, there should be attempts at understanding each other. Where American culture (or at least their "ambassodors") go wrong is that they have this notion (wrong it is) that theirs is the best and there should be no argument about it. They do this in large fashion too. That is to say the least irritating. Contempt for other people is not in my view civilised at all.

But I dont hate them, that word still is too strong. Some i dislike, some I pity (Dubya) some I respect (thinks for a while about who that could be...) and I some I really like (Charlotte u there! )

This means the people are mixed up, good ones and bad ones. The American "exports" though are not mixed. Foreign policy, is rotten big time, trade is arrogant and full of double standards, etc. Most of the people are OK really having been there but dont people make up the corporations and the govnt? Thus the confusion between America and Americans.

By the way, those "Red Indians" in the US, why do they live in so much squalor?

I'm a student at the University of Alabama (USA) and my old roommate, who's in the US Army now, sent this to me:


I just wanted to pass this on to everyone. I have never felt more pride in being an American than I do now. I hope that everyone is safe and doing well. This, from a Canadian newspaper, is worth sharing.

America: The Good Neighbor.

Widespread but only partial news coverage was given recently to a remarkable editorial broadcast from Toronto by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian television commentator. What follows is the full text of his remarks as printed in the Congressional Record:

"This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans as the most generous and possibly the least appreciated people on all he earth. Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy were lifted out of the debris of war by the Americans who poured in billions of dollars and forgave other billions in debts. None of these countries is today paying even the interest on its remaining debts to the United States. When France was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it was the Americans who propped it up, and their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it. When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the United States that hurries in to help. This spring, American communities were flattened by tornadoes. Nobody helped. The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped billions of dollars! into discouraged countries. Now newspapers in those countries are writing about the decadent, warmongering Americans. I'd like to see just one of those countries that is gloating over the erosion of the United States dollar build its own airplane. Does any other country in the world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo Jet, the Lockheed Tri-Star, or the Douglas DC10? If so, why don't they fly them? Why do all the International lines except Russia fly American Planes? Why does no other land on earth even consider putting a man or woman on the moon? You talk about Japanese technocracy, and you get radios. You talk about German technocracy, and you get automobiles. You talk about American technocracy, and you find men on the moon! not once, but several times and safely home again. You talk about scandals, and the Americans put theirs right in the store window for everybody to look at. Even their draft-dodgers are not pursued and hounded. They are here on our streets, and most of them,unless they are breaking Canadian laws, are getting American dollars from ma and pa at home to spend here. When the railways of France, Germany and India were breaking down through age, it was the Americans who rebuilt them. When the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central went broke, nobody loaned them an old caboose. Both are still broke. I can name you 5000 times when the Americans raced to the help of other people in trouble. Can you name me even one time when someone else raced to the Americans in trouble? I don't think there was outside help even during the San Francisco earthquake. Our neighbors have faced it alone, and I'm one Canadian who is damned tired of hearing them get kicked around. They will come out of this thing with their flag high. And when they do, they are entitled to thumb their nose at the lands that are gloating over their present troubles. I hope Canada is not one of those."

Stand proud, America! This is one of the best editorials that I have ever read regarding the United States. It is nice that one man realizes it. I only wish that the rest of the world would realize it. We are always blamed for everything and never even get a thank you for the things we do. I would hope that each of you
would send this to as many people as you can and emphasize that they should send it to as many of their friends until this letter is sent to every person on the web. I am just a single American that has read this. I SURE HOPE THAT A LOT MORE READ IT SOON.

I'm a student at the University of Alabama (USA) and my old roommate, who's in the US Army now, sent this to me:


I just wanted to pass this on to everyone. I have never felt more pride in being an American than I do now. I hope that everyone is safe and doing well. This, from a Canadian newspaper, is worth sharing.

America: The Good Neighbor.

Widespread but only partial news coverage was given recently to a remarkable editorial broadcast from Toronto by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian television commentator. What follows is the full text of his remarks as printed in the Congressional Record:

"This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans as the most generous and possibly the least appreciated people on all he earth. Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy were lifted out of the debris of war by the Americans who poured in billions of dollars and forgave other billions in debts. None of these countries is today paying even the interest on its remaining debts to the United States. When France was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it was the Americans who propped it up, and their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it. When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the United States that hurries in to help. This spring, American communities were flattened by tornadoes. Nobody helped. The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped billions of dollars! into discouraged countries. Now newspapers in those countries are writing about the decadent, warmongering Americans. I'd like to see just one of those countries that is gloating over the erosion of the United States dollar build its own airplane. Does any other country in the world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo Jet, the Lockheed Tri-Star, or the Douglas DC10? If so, why don't they fly them? Why do all the International lines except Russia fly American Planes? Why does no other land on earth even consider putting a man or woman on the moon? You talk about Japanese technocracy, and you get radios. You talk about German technocracy, and you get automobiles. You talk about American technocracy, and you find men on the moon! not once, but several times and safely home again. You talk about scandals, and the Americans put theirs right in the store window for everybody to look at. Even their draft-dodgers are not pursued and hounded. They are here on our streets, and most of them,unless they are breaking Canadian laws, are getting American dollars from ma and pa at home to spend here. When the railways of France, Germany and India were breaking down through age, it was the Americans who rebuilt them. When the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central went broke, nobody loaned them an old caboose. Both are still broke. I can name you 5000 times when the Americans raced to the help of other people in trouble. Can you name me even one time when someone else raced to the Americans in trouble? I don't think there was outside help even during the San Francisco earthquake. Our neighbors have faced it alone, and I'm one Canadian who is damned tired of hearing them get kicked around. They will come out of this thing with their flag high. And when they do, they are entitled to thumb their nose at the lands that are gloating over their present troubles. I hope Canada is not one of those."

Stand proud, America! This is one of the best editorials that I have ever read regarding the United States. It is nice that one man realizes it. I only wish that the rest of the world would realize it. We are always blamed for everything and never even get a thank you for the things we do. I would hope that each of you
would send this to as many people as you can and emphasize that they should send it to as many of their friends until this letter is sent to every person on the web. I am just a single American that has read this. I SURE HOPE THAT A LOT MORE READ IT SOON.

I'm a student at the University of Alabama (USA), and my old roommate, who's in the US Army, sent me this. (I've been having trouble posting this...)


I just wanted to pass this on to everyone. Although I have from time to time criticized the American Government, I have never felt more pride in being an American than I do now. I hope that everyone is safe and doing well. This, from a Canadian newspaper, is worth sharing.

America: The Good Neighbor.

Widespread but only partial news coverage was given recently to a remarkable editorial broadcast from Toronto by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian television commentator. What follows is the full text of his renchant remarks as printed in the Congressional Record:

"This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans as the most generous and possibly the least appreciated people on all he earth. Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy were lifted out of the debris of war by the Americans who poured in billions of dollars and forgave other billions in debts. None of these countries is today paying even the interest on its remaining ebts to the United States. When France was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it was the Americans who propped it up, and their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it. When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the United States that hurries in to help. This spring, American communities were flattened by tornadoes. Nobody helped. The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped billions of dollars! into discouraged countries. Now newspapers in those countries are writing about the decadent, warmongering Americans. I'd like to see just one of those countries that is gloating over the erosion of the United States dollar build its own airplane. Does any other country in the world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo Jet, the Lockheed Tri-Star, or the Douglas DC10? If so, why don't they fly them? Why do all the International lines except Russia fly American Planes? Why does no other land on earth even consider putting a man or woman on the moon? You talk about Japanese technocracy, and you get radios. You talk about German technocracy, and you get automobiles. You talk about American technocracy, and you find men on the moon -! not once, but several times and safely home again. You talk about scandals, and the Americans put theirs right in the store window for everybody to look at. Even their draft-dodgers are not pursued and hounded. They are here on our streets, and most of them,unless they are breaking Canadian laws, are getting American dollars from ma and pa at home to spend here. When the railways of France, Germany and India were breaking own through age, it was the Americans who rebuilt them. When the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central went broke, nobody loaned them an old caboose. Both are still broke. I can name you 5000 times when the Americans raced to the help of other people in trouble. Can you name me even one time when someone else raced to the Americans in trouble? I don't think there was outside help even during the San Francisco earthquake. Our neighbors have faced it alone, and I'm one Canadian who is damned tired of hearing them get kicked around. They will come out of this thing with their flag high. And when they do, they are entitled to thumb their nose at the lands that are loating over their present troubles. I hope Canada is not one of those."

Stand proud, America! This is one of the best editorials that I have ever read regarding the United States. It is nice that one man realizes it. I only wish that the rest of the world would realize it. We are always blamed for everything and never even get a thank you for the things we do. I would hope that each of you would send this to as many people as you can and emphasize that they hould send it to as many of their friends until this letter is sent to every person on the web. I am just a single American that has read this. I SURE HOPE THAT A LOT MORE READ IT SOON.

Goens001, that dated - check out the reference to obsolete airplanes - piece of propaganda was written in 1973, presumably to help America get over it's defeat in Vietnam.

It has been posted here at least six times.

I'm sure some Canadian somewhere has said something nice about America in the ensuing 28 years.

N'Spite, I do agree that this is a debate forum and as such I find it incredibly stimulating. I am not offended that you disagree with me! Lots of people disagree with me. I think you will find that on a previous thread I have stated how open I am to other opinions.

But I just think you need to be maybe a bit more tactful in expressing your opinions, especially as YOU take offence when people criticise YOUR ideas. As much as I have disagreed with a lot of what you have posted, I have refrained from posting back in argument; however it DOES set alarm bells ringing for me when people state that they know they are right about an issue, especially when making such sweeping generalisations as you have. Are you any closer to taking on board others' opinions? I know I for one have found a lot of food for thought here. For example, I think it's great you love your country so much. I just hope you realise there are other countries out there just as good, and just as bad, as America.

Jude

Jude, you said you have read my posts, yet you are painting all of them with that one statement that I had made to one person who would not debate me. My reference to "I am right" was becasue the only thing he could do was say I am wrong without any debate on issues that he had braught up, And that I debated, and once I debated it he would just go on to list another of his biases. In none of my other posts I have never said I am right and I know it. As a matter of fact I go out of my way to either state that they are my opinnions, or that i could be wrong. I say that I know how you feel and the reasons that you do and sympathise, I would probably feel the same in your shoes, but listen to my side for a change.


I am here to take opinnions of another, ANd when people shove "facts" in my face that I know are their opinnions and alot of it slandered, I try to show my point of view. I did not come here just to hear how bad America is. DO YOU PEOPLE HONESTLY THINK THAT AMERICA IS THE WORST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD?..No i don't think you do, but on almost every single post I see slander against America. SLander because it is one sided half truths. We are in no way perfect. We do things I am ashamed of. BUt I see alot more shameful activity going on in the rest of the world.

WHat strikes me is who has said anything bad about other netionalities? What American comes in here and keeps saying UK SUcks or France sucks? We are your whipping boy for all that is wrong in the world and any AMerican should find offense to that. I am personally sick of it because it is not called for or appropriate. I can take critisizm, Hell I voted for Bush, so I deserve all I can get. But Blind biggotry is an undesirable trait that the world is showing me and I don't like it.

Prior to the the current outrage, by going its own way on biological weapons, Kyoto, missile defense and a growing list of global issues, the Bush administration was turning the United States into a pariah.

N'spite,

Once again you miss the whole point of this forum.

The question was aked why do people hate America. People here for the most part have tried to give answers to that question. Unfortunately there have also been some anti American tirades of little value, but there have also been pro American tirades with the same amount of value.

I do not personally hate America/ns in fact a lot of my friends on h2g2 are American, i have also trecked in Nepal with a couple of Americans, played rugby with some etc, etc


However, a lot of people do hate America including the vast majority of the muslim word (approx 1 billion people). No amount of you and others saying we are the best country, the oldest democracy etc is going to change that. In fact such statements even irritate people like myself who are also from western democracies and have all the same freedoms that you enjoy.

What you need to do as a country is look at why these people hate you and either do something about it or ignore it as you see fit but be aware of the possible consequences either way.

I am sorry if I offend people when I say we are the oldest democracy, best country,, when actually I never said we were better than others. I did however say that we were no worse, wich needed to be said because others are alluding and outright saying we are. I also said we were the oldest because of the comment about us being chioldren. SHould that not offend me? Is it hypocrittical for an American to defend himself and his country? I see no other person HAVING to deend his country on these boards.

I'll tell you what. We Americans will see the bias against us in the international community and we will just closeourselves off again like we have done for that past 100 years, Until we are needed for something. I mean it is not like you people want us to understand, you just want to stick your fingers under our noses and accuse us of the entire worlds miseries, and most of your accusations are self deluded and false. We are not perfect, we mess up more than we would like, BUt sometimes I wonder why we even try. ANYTHING we do no matter how we do it or what our intentions will be used against us. Our leaders mess up and that is all that can be said towards us. Well Noone wants to hear that all of the time. YOu wonder why Americans don't share yoyur opinnions about America. Get real.

And the vast majority of the muslims hate the west my friend. We are all infidels. America is just the great Satan and the rest of the west is their deamons. But hey, blame it all on us. we are used to it.

Post 129 is a sentiment expressed on thousands of American websites. The only difference is in the phrasing.

Millions of Americans agree with the view posted.

loonetunes


I think prior to to the WTC events. I think that George W was well on his way to being a one term president. Now he is turning into a leader. Don't confuse one president with a long term direction. Many in the US were appalled by W and his cowboy attitude. One of the things that did come out of Kyoto was that many countries were looking for a excuse to not sign and W was a good scapegoat.

Japan and a few other European countries didn't sign because if they did it would be giving the US an unfair economic advantage.

Here's some wise words abour Dubya's speech (today) that were posted at Lil's Atelier by a female American h2g2 researcher

I wish he hadn't claimed that they hate us because of our freedom. While that may be partially correct I am sure there are many, many more reasons, and it makes us look elitist (which, I think, is another reason they hate us anyway).

I wish he didn't seem so rip-roarin' to get into armed conflict.

I wish he hadn't used the metaphore "..the unmarked grave of discarded lies."

No matter what Bush said it would have been critisized. I think he is doing a hella job, I just wish he would keep his mouth shut

I read the article cited from the editorial of a Canadian
newspaper. And I did with growing astonishment.

The misunderstandings between people are not only based
on different feelings and judgements of the same facts.
They are very often based on the selection of facts that
are brought by the media to the people in the country.

So some of the claims in this editorial seem plain wrong to
me. Since I'm not claiming the I have the full truth on
my side I will only show where the oppinions of the article
clash with the common sense of a German that regulary reads
German papers. Of course I will also tell where I agree!

The article mentions American help in World War II and I have
to add that the Americans even got themselves involved in
World War I. There is an interesting story to tell about
the riots caused in New York because the government was
recruiting men to fight in Europe. This event triggered some
reforms in the U.S.

After World War II America did help in rebuilding my country.
But I really feel no thankfullness for that. Why?
Because from my point of view America did this only to follow
its own interests and not because of its idealism.

I'm however thankfully that the U.S. and the Soviet Union (now
Union of "independant" Staates) made way for the German reunion.

The comments on money that Germany owes the U.S. I do not
understand. The debts that the U.S. has to pay are much higher
in relation to their population and in relation to their
gross product than they are for Germany. And it seems a little
naive to me too because it is not staates lending money to
someone but banks.

The comment about no other nation building decent aeroplanes
made me laugh. Didn't you hear about the european AirBus
machines. They are even that good that Boeing pressed the
U.S. government to do something against the competition.
This discussion got some space in our newspapers since the
competition in this area is very distorted: AirBus gets huge
direct subventions from the european countries while Boeing
is sponsored via military contracts.

The man on the moon. Well. First there was Sputnik that really
shocked the Americans. Maybe there is no other nation to put a
man on the moon because it is so pointless apart from the
publicity. Today most scientists that want to do experiments
in micro gravity prefer the Ariadne rockets to put up their
satelites. In former times they even used the Soviet services
because they were even cheaper than the european Ariadne
service.

The article references implicitely the impeachment against
president Clinton - at least I did understand it in that way.
Well I saw Clinton as a President that really cared for foreign
affairs that was tried to be hunted down by puritans and their
political correctness. It was a pain to see the Republicans
risk their countries respect just to jetison their political
oponent.

The claim that no one does help America is not true. When it
comes to local accidents like tornados or train accidents
most rich nations are able to help themselves. Nobody would
expect an American to help in Germany on such an occasion.
I quite sure that the average American is not even informed
when huge German areas must be evacuated because of the flood.
So when it comes to Namibia, Turkey or Bangladesh to be in
trouble, Germans and Americans are there to help. And nearly
all other european staates are there too.

In this moment there are even Russians collecting money
to help the victims of the WTC terror act and their relatives.
They wont collect for the Afghanistan refugees that are starving
in Pakistan. But German people will.

Well, I could go on. Please feel free to tell me where I'm wrong.

N'Spite,

you really want to hear some bad s**t about other countries before you don't feel so focused on anymore? I'm sure I can think of some for every country I've ever been.
For example France : I've been to France almost all my life every year on holiday, and I love it dearly. I love the nature, the food, the wine, the good weather in the South. Yet quite some southern French people are racists (my dad once didn't get served at a bakery because he LOOKED like a Turk), they are suicide drivers and very fond of themselves.
Another example is England : because of the Englishmen's love for old and valuable things, cities like Oxford, Cambridge, Canterbury etc. are of the most beautiful I have ever seen in my live. I never had any bad experience with English people either, yet I can tell you they don't know how to make a decent cup of coffee, I can't understand why the Brittish royal family is so amazingly popular and I can't even begin to understand the UK politics regarding Ireland.


I can go on like this for a while (but I won't, even if it's only not to upset a whole bunch of people, which I am certainly NOT aiming at!). Maybe my slight dislike for peculiar things in a country will be called 'intolerance' by a lot of people, however I do like these places and I like to go there (I gladly 'tolerate' the bad coffee in England ), only I think it's the human nature to point out differences between their own culture and others. I also would never dislike the people of a country in general because of that country's politics or peculiarities. This includes American people.

BUT all these other countries are NOT trying to influence our own culture or politics and do not even have the power to have such an influence, in contrast with the US.
As I said before : 'high trees catch a lot of wind', and I do NOT mean with this that the US 'deserved' to get attacked like they did last week (as someone wrongly interpreted it some postings ago, I don't recall who...), I'm not even talking about that. I'm talking about the consequences of their dominance in a lot of international affairs.

Honey, What makes you think I want to hear bad s**t about anyone?. If I did I would start my own thread about France or England Or The Mideast. I am not attacking, I am defending . So basically you are stating what I have stated qat the beginning. The animosity towards America is not that they are worse than anyone, it is because they are dominant. That does not make me feel any better, and I assume it doesnt efffect anyone else either. So we will be your punching bags for the worlds injustice, We will be even more insular, because noone enjoys abuse, especially from peers. ANd it will snowball effect until the next era of our world, whatever that may be. Too bad really, I iddn't ask for it and neither did other Americans. Maybe the graceful thing for us to do is to leave you alone to cus us without a defense onour part. I know it has worn me out the past weak. And I am tired.

What makes me think that?

Quote :
"DO YOU PEOPLE HONESTLY THINK THAT AMERICA IS THE WORST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD?..No i don't think you do, but on almost every single post I see slander against America. (...) WHat strikes me is who has said anything bad about other netionalities? What American comes in here and keeps saying UK SUcks or France sucks?" Unquote.

The subject of this debate is 'Why do some people hate Americans?' And everybody is answering this question, or giving comments on some one else's opinion.

What I was trying to say is : of course people also have negative comments on OTHER countries, (and this was not the question), BUT although America is indeed most probably NOT the worst country in the world (I would rather live there than in any fundamental moslim country since this seems not to be such a good idea being an independent woman), it IS a country of great power and influence, which causes people to notice it much more and be much more annoyed about it if this influence is not wanted or disliked.


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