What Makes America So Great: Are we a Bunch of Fascist, Greedy, Dumb Pigs?
WARNING: Do not drink any liquids while reading this blog post. You’ll know why… soon. 
I just received the following message today:
(sic) Its the fact that the american people and government are to ignorant to be able to embrace their multiculturalism and try to make everyone the same fat, stupid, greedy, obnoxtious asshole american people that the world tends to HATE.
My jaw dropped to the ground when I read this. Classic: It was written by not only a kid, but someone who’d not even stepped foot into the US. I was shocked that these kinds of messages were being sent to Canadian citizens everywhere. I haven’t heard something similar to this just once, not even twice, but many times. It puzzles me. It isn’t just Anti-American Canadians that are guilty of this either. So, are some Anti-American Europeans, but we’ll get into that later.
To challenge this cliche knee-jerk and ever so tired reactionary statement above, I will first say that Americans do *not* do the following:
- We do not force people to eat certain foods. This is a free country. You have two hands and a mouth, and nobody but YOU controls what you put in there. If you become fat from over-eating, it’s YOUR problem unless you are sick. There’s a little something called “personal responsibility”, and in the US, you are accountable for your own actions. “Free will” if you must say. Nobody puts a gun to anybody’s head and forcibly shoves Big Macs, super-sized fries, and two chocolate shakes down anybody’s throat! If you decide to live a sedentary life, that’s again, YOUR choice, unless you’re disabled. And if it’s fact that we forcibly make our immigrants fat, then how can we explain for all those who have immigrated here that are thin and eat healthy? If you are swayed by our Big Mac commercials, guess what…? Again, that’s your problem and YOUR choice that you’re too stupid to think for yourself and choose to be brainwashed by a silly 30 second commercial. Sixty million people are obese in America. Now, if we were a fascist country, how do you explain for those other 240 million? How come they’re not obese? And how in the world does this have anything to do with multiculturalism or the lack of is beyond me…
- America does *not* create or forcibly make someone “stupid”. This one, too, boggles my mind. Doesn’t this lie more in the hands of parents? If you cannot afford a decent college education, there are plenty of other ways to learn. Ever heard of financial aid? Community Colleges? Scholarships? Independent study? It’s up to the individual. The last time I checked, our government doesn’t police or meddle in the private affairs of others. Here in America, we have that much freedom: Freedom to be dumb and freedom to be intelligent and freedom to be dumb sometimes and intelligent sometimes. At least we have CHOICES here. Your brain cells aren’t served to you on a silver platter. You stimulate your own brain cells without expecting nanny-coddling-government to do it for you. And you call Americans lazy?
- America does *not* coerce her immigrants to become “greedy”. How is this… I wonder? I’m sincerely confused. Greed by definition is the stepping on other’s toes to get what you want. This is not a quality that makes an American likable - yes, even to another American! Yet again, these mindless teenybopper bigoted mental midgets are confusing the big corporate giants such as Halliburton and Microsoft (to name a few) with the general public. Sure there are greedy Americans that are a part of the mix. Again, it all starts with how one is to be brought up. If a Mexican person decides to risk their life crossing our borders (which most do) to come and live here, where exactly are they “taught” to knock other people over to “grab it all for themselves”? Who teaches them? How are they taught? Again, our government is NOT a dictatorship. You listen to what you want to; you choose to learn what you want; you choose to agree and disagree with what you want. There are just as many generous and cooperative players out there whom aren’t getting credit in this very cruel and unnecessary sweeping generalization. What some Anti-Americans don’t get is the fact that Americans are victims of the Major Corporate Giant system too. We are to take personal responsibility for ourselves in this country. We’re on our own with limited help, and if nobody else is going to cater to our needs, we need to get off of our asses and fend for ourselves…. yes, those “lazy bastard Americans”. However, THAT can be a bit harsh for some people who cannot, for a valid reason, fight for themselves. But America understands this - which is why over half of American citizens are on welfare. Get a clue, people!
As far as using up all the world’s resources are concerned, you may want to also take a look at how Canada is viewed as the world’s biggest pig when it comes to the consumption of energy. Some also say that China is the world’s biggest green house gas producer. (Global Warming may even be a hoax and even if it’s not there are more people dying in the UK from the cold than the heat!) If we are eating too many twinkies and not leaving enough for South Africa, you’re wrong. We donate more than other countries … by a long shot. And South Africans appreciate our triple-processed twinkies.
Our donations including private donations to world hunger and foreign aid are quite generous. Sure, we abuse our power sometimes (which I don’t like, by the way), however dingy brainwashed monkies like to see the US only for it’s faults as opposed to ever looking at what we’ve done RIGHT. I don’t know how people can call all of us greedy pigs when we sacrifice the needs of our OWN citizens in need and constantly prioritize those in developing countries. If you remember Hurricane Katrina, and also the tsunami in Indonesia, you’ll know that Indonesia got support FASTER (much faster) and more efficiently than Kartrina did or could have ever dreamed to have gotten. Lots of Americans naturally complain that other countries “get the goods” before we do. Even if our selfish interests come to play when giving foreign aid, think twice before you collectively try to bully all of us into thinking that we’re “greedy“.
America has limited government. YOU choose your own destination in life - *not* your next-door big fat white hairy bible-thumping gun-toting neo-con hick neighbor. But see, you’ll never know this unless you’ve lived here, yourself. We are clearly more diverse than any other country (yes, and even the ‘evil whities’ don’t all think alike), but your press tells you that we’re all alike. This problem is not with your agenda-ridden media as much as it is with YOU that chooses to believe everything that you’re told. And you have the nerve to tell us that we’re not “free”? If Micheal Moore and Rosie O’Donnell is not any indication of how free we are, I don’t know what is? Just no dildos in Alabama, EH?
You people also confuse Americans with “being white” and I have the foggiest clue where you got that from? Oh wait. Thanks to Michael Moore for that. Just keep in mind that when you make hateful blanket statements about American people, you are also including ALL of those people that have immigrated here from all over the planet. Black people are American too, so you’re a racist as well!
Do me a favor: Ask all the immigrants if they’re happy here. Wouldn’t that be the TRUE test, after all? I mean, it SPEAKS VOLUMES that the majority of immigrants (both illegal and legal) come here ONE-WAY. They don’t return to their respective countries. Why? Ask yourself why most immigrants chose to immigrate to the states more than any other developed nation in the world. There’s got to be a reason for this.
- America does *not* train her immigrants to be “obnoxious assholes”. We are allegedly somehow schooling people of all different ethnic backgrounds to “conform” to the “All-American Obnoxious Asshole Think-Tank Committee”? Does anybody have any substantiated evidence as to how America takes all of these (naturally smart and kind people …just because their immigrants) people from different nations and molds them from “nice to naughty“? This is actually a funny accusation if you ask me as it suggests that Americans are inherently mean, and also suggests that if you come from another country outside the states that you’re inherently GOOD. How does one tackle such a weak “black and white” narrow-minded argument?
The dumb kid who said this to me is a walking contradiction to it’s most frightening degree. To see the world as “black and white” and ignore the “gray areas” is to indirectly admit to being an elitist, ignorant buffoon that makes Bush look like a Cum Laude graduate.
Next, to assume that all Americans are “obnoxious assholes” is to make it VERY clear that you’re *not* an expert of the American culture - rather an expert at having your thoughts, thought for you. My burning question is.. how does someone that has had both a limited to none, face-to-face experience with Americans and not having ever come to live here, claim to be an “expert”? America (find my definition of “America” in my glossary) is too big for some of these ‘holier-than-thou’ small-minded simpleton multicultural elitists with a “small penis syndrome” to consume. Keep in mind that there are 50 states, and there are over 30,000 incorporated cities within those states and 300 million inhabitants. Every city in the US has it’s own unique style and personality.
At least we all don’t think alike here in the US unlike some other countries where those that have a different opinion are out-casted. Remember Michael Moore? We are proud that we can think any way we want to here and be who we are. I sometimes hate that there’s a virtual civil war going on in the US as the two parties (Republican and Democrat) are extremely bitter toward one another. There are times that I wished that we all thought the same. However, on the bright side, that’s the beauty of America. We have the choice of either thinking for ourselves or being dumb and following the crowd to get “social approval”.
Within these 30,000 cities there are sub-cultures within each culture. We are free to be prejudiced as we’re free to be tolerant. It’s up to you. Being an “obnoxious asshole” is, once again, a CHOICE. Pretending to be a multiculturalist is worse than being an “obnoxious asshole”, anyway.
And if stating this,…
(sic) Its the fact that the american people and government are to ignorant to be able to embrace their multiculturalism and try to make everyone the same fat, stupid, greedy, obnoxtious asshole american people that the world tends to HATE.
…. is not a classic Gold Standard tell-tale sign of Obnoxious Asshole-ness, I don’t know what is?
My advice? If you’re going to have an opinion about the US and want to sound intelligent and “morally superior” at the same time, KNOW what the heck you’re talking about, for one. And two, if you’re going to accuse the entire United States of something, make sure that you’re own hands are clean first. You have the right to say whatever you want, and nobody’s going to stop you - even Facebook, Youtube, and any other websites in cyberspace where you whine, moan, pitch fits, and groan about the big bad neighbor to the south. We let you do what you want, however, you’re not sounding like too bright a bulb when you’re hand-fed your thoughts without having any REAL experience living in the states.
There are two-sides to every story. Dumb people only look at one side. And it’s that same kind of collective-Nazified-group-think that get dumb presidents elected too. Remember that. How DID Harper ever get elected? I sure hope that you don’t have a electoral voting system like we do here? Let’s just say that America is *not* the Democracy you’d like to think it to be, but that’s another story for another day….
An Italian blogger who is against Anti-Americanism, posted an entry that had to do with a man from India that immigrated to the US. 
“If Dinesh D’Souza or his publisher were concerned with being politically correct, this book would never have seen the light of day. D’Souza is not interested in defending an idealized version of America. Rather, he describes the real America, both the good and the bad, and reminds American citizens that they should be proud of themselves and their country despite the peevish criticism that the United States receives from others who blame them and their country for everything that goes wrong in the world. Not surprisingly, America’s harsh critics conveniently only tell one side of the story and never give the United States credit for any of the good things that happen around the world.”
You can read more about this and it’s reviews at Amazon.com. A gentleman named, Darren, reviewed the book on Amazon and pointed out similar things to what I’ve been discussing in my blog:
“If all cultures are equal, if everything is relative, if no culture can really be termed “superior” to another, why is it that every year, all over the world, millions of people vote with their feet for America and the American way of life? People immigrate here from every corner of the world, and it’s virtually a one way traffic. How many Americans choose to emigrate to Nicaragua, Sierra Leone, Thailand, or Poland? But people from other countries are so eager to come here that they will do it illegally if they cannot do it any other way. If America is so terrible, how did we become the richest, most prosperous nation on earth? I know many would say it’s because we are oppressors, and we have exploited the rest of the world, both people and natural resources, until we are on top, but this doesn’t wash. While we are no angels, to be sure, neither are we really comparable to history’s REAL oppressors, such as the Nazis, or the communists (who not only killed more millions of people than the Nazis, but had a far, far worse record of raping and polluting the environment than any Western country). I have yet to hear a multiculturalist give me a convincing answer to this.
Multiculturalists, like most modern leftists, live in an idealized universe; they have long since lost the habit of testing ideas against their actual results in the real world. If you look the facts in the face, it’s very hard to disagree with most of what D’Souza says.”
Another great thing about America, in my opinion, is that we’re a healthy combination of both being multicultural and a melting-pot. Like I had mentioned in this entry, when one immigrates to America, they get to keep their ethnicity, they get to continue speaking their language, celebrating their holidays and their religion, reading and watching news in their own languages, they get to keep eating their own foods, and do the same things that they did in their own country simultaneously becoming an American and learning English - (although there’s a HUGE amount of immigrants from many countries that have been living here for 20 + years that still cannot speak English). If that’s not a hint of multiculturalism and tolerance, I don’t know what is? Even those within the same ethnic group are allowed to be free-thinkers, say what they want, and be their unique selves - yes… just like the “ugly, fat, greedy, ignorant, white man”. There are several unique varieties to being an “ugly, fat, stupid, greedy, and obnoxious” white man. Come to America and see how they come in all different colors, shapes, and sizes.
And by the way, how did Arnold Schwarzenegger get elected as governor of California? How did Obama get where he is now if we’re so “intolerant”?
Here’s a speech about what makes America a great country by a German immigrant at Wisconsin’s McCain campaign event.
Now, this is something that you cannot find in any textbook in any classroom across the globe. Sadly, there are too many people from developed nations on the world map that have no clue about what the Americans did for Germany. Who cares if you’re from the right or the left? Who cares if we didn’t go to WWII until we were attacked first (mind you, an attack from a country that was part of the Axis of Evil - hello?) Another hint, we DID get involved BEFORE the Pearl Harbor attacks - ever heard of the Lend-Lease Act of 1941? That’s all trivial regardless of any “hidden motive” or unsubstantiated “conspiracy theories”. The fact of the matter is that we did good that we never get credit for from a bunch of leeching, dependent, ungrateful and stubborn little elitists that think their cow pie doesn’t stink. And they have the nerve to call America “arrogant”?
But the prepubescent teen had more to say.
Also, in my country I have been brought up to respect and admire the us from my PARENTS, from my TEACHERS, and also from the MEDIA. This is just the result of my own reaserch and conclusions about the country and its fundamentals.
No, hun. Your teachers and media are biased. Let’s have a look-see at my research. You cannot claim to have done your research yet have a one-sided view of a VERY large group of people (say, 300+ million?). You’re credibility is lost. Not to mention the hypocrisy in most of the statements made by Anti-Americans like yourself.
And Mr. “I’m an expert of all those places I’ve never been to” continues his little rant, ……….
The fact that you went to Japan and lived there for 6 1/2 years and learned their culture and language doesn’t impress me. It was your choice to do that not anyone elses. Not only that but you lived there temporarily so you weren’t forced to essentially become Japanese. Im sure they veiwed you in the same way that the rest of the world does plus your country dropped TWO nuclear bombs on their country so they probly dislike you even more then most.
Living in a country for a long time and learning their language and participating in their customs doesn’t automatically give someone a shiny gold star. However, my experience having lived in Japan made me grow in so many ways. I worked under their system there which is entirely different from where I come from. Speaking a second language does make you more open-minded. While I didn’t strip myself of my own “American identity”, I also blended into their culture or at least gave it a good shot. I feel, I have more a say as to how Japanese people behave and about their country than some little dweeb in secondary school who just got done learning the alphabet and hasn’t even stepped outside of his own comfort zone.
While I wasn’t forced to “do as the Japanese do…“, I did it because I wanted to. It’s called respect. I think this says more about my ability to tolerate diversity as opposed to some disgruntled Canadian teenager judging from a distance.
The most amusing part of his rant was the fact that he says, “the Japanese hated me more than any other group in the world”. (???) I’m sorry, I had to share this with you all just to show you what kind of people are out there. It’s no wonder why some Americans think that Canadians live in igloos. (joke) Anyway, I find this rather interesting as in my college days, the majority of my friends were….. JAPANESE! I mean, I sorta decided to pack my bags, live and work there for a reason. The Japanese are, with no doubt, the nicest people I’ve ever met! By the time I arrived in Japan, I was fluent in Japanese because all of my Japanese college friends helped me immensely with the language a few years before that. When I arrived in Japan, I lived with my friend’s family for two months. They took very great care of me as I was there until I found an apartment. But no… the Japanese are supposed to hate ME for something that happened before I was even born??? The Japanese have much more class than that; they put people like YOU to shame. This little whiny brat feels that it is right to judge a person based on wars that happened in the past ?
As a matter of fact, friends, one of my students in Japan (I was an English teacher there) was 70 years old - from the WWII days. She was learning English….. *gasps* …. in Japan! She treated me with utmost respect and told me that she wanted to learn English because a lot of people from other English speaking countries were frequenting her liquor shop. Now, would an Anti-American (who even lived through WWII) come seek me for help? Would an Anti-American learn English in Japan so that she could chat with other English speaking groups? And for the record, there are thousands of Americans living in Japan… happily. 
I also had a Japanese boyfriend and was, overall, well-liked and respected in Japan. If any nation should copy another nation’s “best practices”, Japan should be the role model of the world. Other countries, including America, should be more like the Japanese. And if this is not any indication of a positive experience in Japan, I don’t know what is, folks. I have over 400 photographs showing something a bit.. uh different than “being hated“. That country is amazing, and I wouldn’t be saying that if they all “hated” me or was keeping grudges over past wars like a retard.
And for the love of all that’s green and bushy, the attack on Japan in WWII was JUSTIFIED! Go read about Pearl Harbor and how Japan partook in the Axis of Evil in WWII succumbing to Hitler’s regime. We gave them warnings before the dropping of EACH bomb, and they refused to pay attention. They didn’t surrender until the third time we asked them to. I’m not going to do that research for you because I don’t think you’ll want to read it anyway as god (the secular one) forbid the US should defend herself and do something RIGHT. That picture is too pretty for you.
And of course, you conveniently are ignorant to all other evils in the world (both past and present).
Now, how in the world am I to take the rantings, of an arm-chair political science/international affairs expert wannabee, seriously?
So, you probably want to know why I wasted all this time on an insecure ignoramus who’s probably celebrating his first arm pit hair, right? I’d better waste my time with some more intelligent feedback if I’m going to waste my time at all, right? Well, while that does make better sense, and while this type of goon doesn’t reflect the opinions of the majority in his respective country, I do find more often than not, similar sentiments being expressed on the internet and found it important to voice my feelings on the issue, spread awareness as to what kind of freaks are out there, and debunk yet even more misconceptions about the US - which ultimately is the purpose of this blog… right now.
Suffice it to say that, I found this idiot’s profile picture on Facebook to be the most telling of all.
Now, if that doesn’t spell “insecurity” and a bit of jealousy toward America, I don’t know what does. Additionally, he belongs to the “Canadian Action Party“.
The “Canadian Action Party” is very telling in and of itself. Never mind the fact that Canadians roam about cyberspace flaunting their Canadian Pride and telling all the Americans off simultaneously. Notice how Canadian Pride is non-existent without the mention of the USA. Anyway, lets see what the “Canadian Action Party” is all about. And I quote….
“The Canadian Action Party is, above all, a pro-Canadian party dedicated to the principle that Canada can best serve its citizens and the world by re-claiming and maintaining its political and economic sovereignty as an independent country.
It is opposed to the ascendancy of “corporate rule” and those aspects of unrestricted global investment that promote colonization of the world’s smaller powers and in Canada’s case its absorption by the United States of America.”
Actually, the Canadians DO have the power to un-join NATO. They can make their own computer operating systems, their own websites, their own technologies, and everything else that they’re taking advantage of. I think this makes them feel insecure and weak as a nation - considering how dependent they are. But see, the US depends on goods from China, Japan, and all other parts of the world including Canada, yet… that doesn’t make us feel … small. I love this convenient “blame my sorry-assed life” on America” banter when they’re supposedly a “democracy” to which they claim Canada to be the only nation that truly exercises FREE SPEECH. If they were THAT free, they’d become independent, make their own stuff, get out of NATO, defend their selves militarily (if London, Paris, and Madrid aren’t immune to terrorism, neither are they!) and make changes for themselves without playing the “look what you did to us” card.
The only thing I can think of to explain the type of behavior expressed by this bitter Canadian is that people like to feel a sense of “belonging”. A lot of people don’t question things when everyone’s thinking alike, right? Anti-American Canadians feel that if the whole world hates America, then that means that America merits the hatred and it’s logical and correct, right? The Nazis in Germany were brainwashed to hate Jews, right? So were two other countries. Weren’t they the majority? Was it right? That’s what the “mob mentality” is all about: feeling validated in a group. When are people going to grow a pair of cahones?
virgomonkey
davehatton01
zontarthemagnificent
cern4m
Jean
Yella Ojrak
mish.tragic
Wow, really long and slightly hypocritical post.
=My advice? If you’re going to have an opinion about the US and want to sound intelligent and “morally superior” at the same time, KNOW what the hell you’re talking about,
You should probably take some of your own advice.
You want to give me some examples of how I’m being hypocritical? My guess is that you’re thinking that I’m talking about every Canadian, right? Wrong. I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve mentioned throughout this post, other posts, in my “about me” section, and in my FAQ that I’m not talking about ALL Canadians. I’d say that at least 50% or more are guilty of Anti-Americanism - especially exemplified in this post, and in this post as well among many others. I go literally out of my way, also, to differentiate Anti-American Canadians from Canadians.
Additionally, if Canadians themselves are making this much a fuss over Anti-Americanism, then I think it gives more weight and credibility above my own personal experiences. Plus, if I really were out to get you (the collective you), I wouldn’t make any mention of Canadians that are against Anti-Americanism.
Obviously, I’m not talking about YOU. I made that point quite clear in my “about me” section. This blog is devoted to those who are Anti-American whether you’re from Canada, Europe, New Zealand, Australia, or even America! That’s it.
Well, other than the original bit I quoted…
“At least we all don’t think alike here in the US unlike some other countries where those that have a different opinion are out-casted.”
Oh really? How many of these supposed countries have you been to, or are you just capitulating to American propaganda.
“We are clearly more diverse than any other country (yes, and even the ‘evil whities’ don’t all think alike), but your press tells you that we’re all alike. This problem is not with your agenda-ridden media as much as it is with YOU that chooses to believe everything that you’re told. And you have the nerve to tell us that we’re not “free”?”
Yes America is quite diverse in some places, but I doubt it’s the more diverse than ‘any’ other country. Calling ‘my’ press agenda-ridden isn’t exactly being uncritical and fair. How much Canadian press do you actually take the time to read or watch? Canadian press is as ‘neutral’ as American press.
“Your teachers and media are frighteningly biased.”
Again, how can you make this judgment of another country? Upon what basis do you make this judgment? Do you really believe that American media and teachers are not biased?
If THIS is propaganda, then I reckon so?
Well, it actually IS. But it’s not like that makes us any better. It’s just that there are more people (300+ million) over here, so naturally, we’ll have more of a variety.
Our press is agenda-ridden too. While we don’t teach Americans to hate Canadians, listening to talk-radio here can give you the idea that hating Muslims is a good thing. So, with that being taken in consideration, we are equal, as you had mentioned, with respect to the media. I guess, the point I was trying to make is that from a young and vulnerable age, our school system does not teach us to hate other groups. Our TV media also doesn’t teach us to hate other groups of people. See, we keep getting accused of being brainwashed… and indeed there are just as many brainwashed Americans as there are Canadians. And that’s another point to my blog. My agenda is to show that, at the end of the day, we’re all the same kinda creatures.
In my last response to you, I left a link to where you can actually see Canadians saying exactly what I’m saying here. 95% of my research is based on what the Canadians are saying, themselves. Heck, maybe even YOU can help me with that!
I hope that clears things up. And please also understand that I don’t think the US is the best country in the world either. I think we have, clearly, more problems than Canada, by a long shot. So, don’t read too much into things - rather, just click on my links.
Thank you for replying.
“Well, it actually IS. But it’s not like that makes us any better. It’s just that there are more people (300+ million) over here, so naturally, we’ll have more of a variety.”
You’re confusing quantity with quality. Just because there is more of something doesn’t mean it is very diverse. NYC is diverse. Portland, Oregon, not so much. Mid-west? Not really. I suppose it may depend on what definition of diversity you are using. No place, other than NYC that I spent much time in, in America was very diverse, and I pretty much lived in the four-corners. If you want diverse, come visit a city like Toronto where almost 50% of the population wasn’t born in Canada. I doubt even NYC has that level of diversity.
I’m not denying that some Canadians say some pretty nasty things about Americans - then again I heard some nasty things from Americans when I lived in America because I was Canadian, not much and not often, but it did happen.
What most people in Canada rail against is the arrogance of the average American. Having lived in both American and Canada I can speak to this. The average American is an ignorant creature when it comes to anything non-american. The average Canadian isn’t much better, but I guarantee you the average Canadian knows more about America than the Average American knows about Canada.
Most Canadians who make disparaging comments against Americans wouldn’t actually have any problems with the average American. Most of the frustration that others have with Americans is the general ‘I’m better than everyone else’ attitude of AMERICA. This doesn’t relate to individual Americans - who are people just like everyone else in the world - but as a concept, America is arrogant.
This is a list of all the languages spoken in the US as of 2000 as a whole. Here is a total breakdown as of 2005. In Miami alone only the minority speak English at 25% and 66% speak Spanish and a percentage of all other ethnic groups can be found on that map as well. That’s quite an interesting site, and you can use it yourself to get the breakdown for both states and cities individually. If you look at this site it says the following:
I grew up in Miami, FL. In my university, I saw people from literally ALL over the planet. I heard multiple languages being spoken around me. I had friends that were S. American, Caribbean, Cuban, African, Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Korean, German, and so on. However, on the flip side, there is far more intolerance here as opposed to a lot of other developed nations due to the fact that we, again, have such a huge population.
We don’t learn about Canada that much in our schools. My guess, and this is just a guess, is because you all aren’t too different from us culturally. Many Canadians don’t think that’s fair. But how are we supposed to help that? Why is this a reason ‘rail against’ us? And I wonder why Canadians would be offended by that? From the Anti-American Canadians, I hear myths often being spoken about us, and that’s not TRULY *learning* about America. The facts unknown about us is outstanding! Even American history that you guys learn in school is very biased… just like ours.
Actually, I believe that we all come out of school with these misconceptions about a lot of countries. Truthfully, I’d rather learn nothing about a particular country than come out of a classroom with a bunch of incorrect data in my head. Easily brainwashed people will learn to hate the “evil neighbor” and chances are they will never take the opportunity to explore for themselves. You can see here that there’s a definite flaw in your system. And I can just see that on a daily basis on Facebook alone! But like I said, America’s the same in that regard. Textbooks will always try to make the country that you’re in the best country. It’s basically teaching Patriotism. And every country does this. The only reason I get frustrated when Canadians come up with all these distortions about America is because they accuse America of the very same thing. If you look at it reasonably, we don’t know jack poop about each other.
I disagree with you there. This is what’s so incredibly frustrating!!!! I cannot even begin to count how many times I’ve seen Canadians preach how much better they are compared to the states. And they flaunt their pride all throughout Facebook. And most noticeably, I see that so many Canadians cannot have pride or identify themselves without comparing themselves to the “evil white Americans” next door. Americans have pride and sometimes flamboyant patriotism too, but we don’t do this at your expense like some of your people do to us. Now, that’s arrogant. Canada is probably just as obnoxious about it - if not worse! Just skim through my posts and you’ll see what I mean. I reckon that the friends you choose to be with are intelligent and you’re intelligent yourself - so the idea that your own people could do this would be absurd, but it DOES happen and more than often.
Well first, very little is taught about America in our public school system, other than in a relevant historical context. Much more information is gained through various media (t.v., internet, movies etc).
As for Florida, I didn’t say that there was no diveristy in America, and quite obviously there are regions of diversity, but there are large regions with little to no diversity.
I lived for awhile in Durham, NC, where the African-American population was probably about 50% or higher. The rest of the population was white, with a small hispanic population. Sure there were people from other cultures that lived in the region - lots of major universities in the area- but those proportions aren’t, in comparison to other regions, very diverse. A city like NYC or Toronto with large amounts and high variety of diverse populations is has high-diversity. Any city with a college will have diversity due to foreign students, but if the populations of that culture are small, it doesn’t add much to the diversity.
America has pockets of diversity, but as a whole, isn’t diverse. Same with Canada.
Patriotism is always done at other’s expense. That’s what patriotism is. America is rife with patriotism. And, yes, Canada is too, I’m not denying that. I stand by my statement, though, that America is, as a nation, arrogant. I lived in America for over ten years, met many Americans, and the view of the average American on other nations is horribly arrogant. Hell, I married an intelligent, well educated, well traveled American and she had tendencies to be arrogant towards others as well.
It’s hard for the average American to fathom that people in other countries may not love America as much as Americans do, and that they may actually like their own country more.
This is a generalization, obviously, but it’s very true. I met many people who were exceptions to this, but I met many people who exhibit this trait. There are many factors that determine a persons view of course, such as education, travel experience, where they grew up, etc. Canadians aren’t immune to this either. I never said they weren’t.
And just because I think Americans are arrogant doesn’t mean that I don’t like America or Americans. I made many good friends everywhere I lived in America and enjoyed my time there.
I also met many Americans who were fed up with America’s antics, especially under the Bush regime. This has been a pretty popular stance amongst the more liberal of the population, so you have to take the attitude with the proverbial grain of salt, but some people were lucid and serious.
Anyway, I don’t think we entirely disagree, we’re just looking at things from different sides of a border.
And I wouldn’t take Facebook as a pool from which to draw conclusions. Facebook is, ultimately a minor and insidious tool which shouldn’t be used to gauge true opinion. For every punk kid with a facebook account and anti-American sentiment, there are intelligent people with other opinions.
Personally I believe we should get rid of borders all together. Get rid of federal governments and keep politics at a local/community level, and then we can avoid crap like this altogether.
Oh yes! That can’t be denied.
I agree. But the university I went to in Miami was a no-name university. However, in Miami there is UM and FIU, and that does draw lots of people from all over.
I see arrogance too here. Americans can be arrogant. Not trying to excuse them (because arrogant Americans bother me too!) but we are a jaded society - which probably also is a result of and a cause for the rapid crime we have here. And when I say “crime”, I’m talking about all crimes including sexual abuse/child abuse and the like. We, in my opinion, are the most criminal in the developed world. This is unfortunate. And I think a jaded character is expected. But I, just like how some Canadians feel, do *not* like it at all.
Ok. This belief system, I have experiences… *gasps* with my own family. My family are neo-con radical Republicans. And this mentally is spread throughout the neo-con culture. I do agree. But.. only that it’s a neo-con-culture thing. Radical Liberals, however, detest America to the point of being a traitor. And we have many of them here. Normal liberals are those people who both are proud of where they’re from simultaneously having a thirst for knowledge, self-improvement, curiosity about other places, people, and languages, and will humbly admit the fault of their country.
Just like with diversity or the lack of, it depends on where you are in the US, as you said. At this very moment, I think that liberals and radical liberals are more widespread than the neo-cons and normal cons (at least above the 50% marker). And being that Bush’s approval rating is at it’s lowest low at 30% says a lot too. Suffice it to say, our electoral voting system sucks the big one! It’s truly not fair! It all depends on the political position of any person. Republicans (the more extreme ones) stereotypically are apathetic (toward other cultures/places) and patriot in an arrogant way. The poor opinions that some Americans have about Canada, Europe, and other parts of the world does exist, but as adults we are less likely than others to say it to the faces of those people we don’t like. I’m not going to lie. I have prejudicial biases too. But why start sheeeeet with people, unnecessarily?
I keep hearing time and time again of how traveling and curious liberal Americans are coming back from Canada and Europe with stories about how they were condescended to and mocked in public. This makes me disgusted. And I cannot understand this in that those who travel are typically those who are LIBERAL and ironically AGREE with the same people that hate them. Anti-Americanism is not about the individual; it’s about the *group*. I was debating with someone yesterday about the US. If I told this guy once, I told him about 3 times that I was disappointed with Bush, didn’t vote for him, embarrassed by him etc… nonetheless, he continued to say, “all you Americans………”. I couldn’t believe it? And that’s how I came to the conclusion that Anti-Americanism is NOT about the government, not about the individual, but about the narrow-minded/stubborn INDISCRIMINATE “hate by default” of any person that is American EVEN IF THEY ARE LIBERAL OR A RADICAL LIBERAL!! They hate ALL. It’s purely disgusting. I’ve actually become a bit more “red, white, and blue” in the process lol. -_-* *sighs*
I agree. Education and travel experience makes someone more tolerant and open-minded. But then again, you have to be tolerant and open-minded in order to take the step to travel and go to a university. Where you grow up too has much to do with it. Actually, those people who have family members in Iraq…… just don’t go there. They will automatically support the war, of course. But I find this with the Canadians that have their men in Afghanistan too. They too support both the war and the troops, generally speaking. I guess one never knows until it becomes a personal thing. So, … I guess it’s just that they don’t want to think of the possibility that their men are out there risking their lives over an unjust war.
I find you credible not just because you have experience living here, but also because the tales you tell I’ve seen myself. I’ve had my fair share of living in diverse/liberal areas (Miami and LA) and conservative areas (TX) (although the town in TX where I live now has a HUGE gay community (a good thing), lots of international restaurants, and more variety - but nothing compared with Miami and, of course NY (aaaaaaah I’m in LOVE with that city and think it’s the best next to Miami in the US. Tokyo? Aaaaah that’s for another day, but Tokyo is ‘MAZIN’. (!!!!)
Yes, I see that.
Ya think so? This is where I feel as if I’m on a bumpy road as I have asked myself the same question: “Are people that join FB on crack?” lol (Oops, that means me too -_-*) I don’t know, but I am open to that possibility. On the other hand, I find all sorts of ’stuff’ on the net, in general, that mirrors the ’stuff’ I find on FB. “What a jaded and sad world this is”, I think to myself. I have this idealistic view of how things SHOULD be rather than accepting things as they are. But maybe this is a pattern that I’ll eventually get bored with later. It comes to no surprise the amount of Americans who’d rather live in denial and apathy. Because on the other extreme (where I am now), is very painful and sad to see the shape things are in world-wide in regards to hate and collectivism. Maybe the apathetic are happier? Perhaps, a healthy balance is better, though.
Interesting. I don’t have an opinion on that. I don’t know if it would incite more hate or decrease it. Hmm… In any event, us neighbors SHOULD be friends, man… really?! That said, though, even Americans hate each other (ie North vs South // Rebels vs Yankees).
By the way, I am patriotic. In one of my latest posts I defined it the way I see it. I am simply just proud of where I’m from and defend my country and the people. However, a true patriot, in my opinion, will ALSO question their country, when needed. I am NOT happy with the way things are now from the most serious (Bush) to the most petty (no dildos in Alabama —- wtf???). Actually, I think EVERYBODY (regardless of where they were born/live) SHOULD be proud of their country too. This is not a bad thing. It only becomes bad when it’s used as an vicious attack against another country.
I will also say that after 9-11, we all bonded together, and hell… my husband and I even had the flag on our car! It’s like a way of saying, “We are one nation and we will have each other’s back - and not let those people get the best of us”. I think ALL country’s misinterpreted this behavior post-9-11 as “arrogance”. Anti-Americanism hit an all time HIGH following 9-11. But it’s not arrogance. Look at it this way. At least I know in the US, if someone’s house gets broken into and/or a crime is committed against a person in that neighborhood, the entire neighborhood becomes closer and unites. Acquaintances become friends. We’ve got each other’s back and look after one another. Generally speaking, if Americans feel threatened (with the exception of the radical liberals), we will unite.
It was amazing that after 9-11, all the southern towns that typically hate NY came over to help out after the mess. It truly touched me. I will never forget how bonded we all became. But, sadly, after our decision to go to Iraq, we once again, divided up. In my opinion, I believe the US is at a virtual civil war with one another. It’s even sad for me to see how much we Americans hate EACH OTHER. Canadians should NOT feel intimidated by the flags on some houses/cars ect. It’s not meant to be offensive at all. And I know for a fact that some people put a flag up outside their home to represent their son/daughter in Iraq. And they have every right to use the flag as a symbol of warm wishes for them. I mean, it’s family, after all. So, I think that needs to be respected.
Anyway, thanks so much for your time and patience with me. I know I have a tendency to ramble a lot, eh? ;-)))) And nice to meet you, as well. It’s always a pleasure to have a stimulating conversation with another person.