Different views of the U.S.

[Lube]

I noticed a lot of people that frequent this board that are from countries other than the U.S. seem to demonstrate a certain level of hatred or intolerance.

There's plenty of hatred and intolerance within the US, thanks. No need to claim it's coming from outside.

Do you ever read news sources from outside the US? Do you think CNN and USA Today are unbiased?

 

[looseliam]

I enjoy foreigners point of views about what is going on here. I cannot expect to be impartial when reviewing my own country. I try and get my news about the US from the BBC; it isn't sugar coated.

 

[screwnutty]

I think hate is a strong word. Sure there maybe some ppl that hate americans but basically it's not Joe American or Jill American that ppl hate. It's basically how americans treat ppl when they travel. It's how your government treats other governments also.

Your government sometimes acts like it's the the school yard teacher and all of us other countries are just the kids out on recess. Sure it's one thing to set an example but sometimes your government just can't keep it's noise out of other ppl's business. They like to stir the pot so to speak!

Now as for average Americans....It all depends on the person. I use to work in a used book store and I encountered the "typical" american tourist.....basically the guy who thinks he's better then me and has an aura of superiority over me cause "Hey I'm American." Other times I've encountered American tourists that were fun to interact with....basically super friendly, they made me feel like we were next door neighbours and they came over to borrow some sugar or something like that!

So in the the end it's basically based on personal experience and what other countries see you guys doing in the media!

Hope this helps?!

 

[looseliam]

I've encountered those people abroad. The arrogant types you see in the movies. I usually pull them aside and remind them they're representing our country and I don't approve the manner in which they're doing it.

 

[Austin40acres]

I Yes, our president made some mistakes invading a country he thought was linked to 9/11 and hiding weapons of mass destruction. Not a mistake to be taken lightly, -

When did you ever hear President Bush say that Iraq was linked to 9/11?

Al Qaida had an office in Iraq. Saddam Hussein did his best to make sure that the rest of the world had weapons of mass destruction (like those he used against the Kurds or Iran.) Everyone on the Democrat side of the aisle said so until about 2004, when Kerry was running against Bush.

I would be interested in knowing if people from other countries form their opinions of the US based on misleading, inaccurate statements like yours that they hear from the US media.

That's the real question, IMHO.

A4A

(For those that hate Internet abbreviations, IMHO=In My Humble Opinion.)

 

[Austin40acres]

I wonder how some people continue to believe that there is honor or even a possibility to negotiate with those who say, "You must die, because you're not a believer in Allah."

I guess, to believe that, you must also have said that the Jews and the Muslims should have "negotiated" with the Christians during the Crusades. Where was their negotiating room?

I just don't get how some people can establish a "moral equivalence" between the US---who uses water-boarding, underwear, dogs, hoods, and loud rock music--with those who videotape people's heads being cut off.

Maybe this should be in the CE&P thread.

A4A

 

[Austin40acres]

AND, if "Bush, Sr." and Rumsfeld sold most of the weapons to Iraq; two questions:

1. Why were there no WMD's in Iraq? We sold them to Saddam Hussein, right? So, we KNOW he had them!

2. OK, so we gave him the weapons that didn't exist. Does that absolve the US of our responsibility to go back and clean them out?

A4A

 

[screwnutty]

I don't want to get involved in a flame war here between you two but I just need to clarify one thing. I love History. Took it throught High School and a couple of General Electives in College.

anyways...

US did not sell WMD to Iraq. They did however fund money and give advance weapons and train Iraq Troops to fight the war against the bigger threat during the 80's. Iran.

thank you!

now carry on!

 

[Austin40acres]

Thank you, Screwnutty.

So, the US did NOT sell WMD's to Iraq. The US only funded Iraq (under Saddam Hussein) to fight his war against Iran, after the Iranians kicked out the Shah, who was friendly to the US. Right?

I go back to the original intent of my post: Please post here a direct quotation from GW Bush linking Iraq to the 9/11 attacks. (Not a Michael Moore version, not an unspecified Internet site.) Go to the original source and tell me when and where a member of the Bush administration said that Saddam Hussein or Iraq was linked to 9/11.

You won't find one in any objective source.

And yet, that's the lie that people want to propogate and spread through the US media and then wonder what people of other nations think of the US.

It's not a fair question.

That's my only point.

A4A

 

[screwnutty]

Now you guys can't blame all of your troubles on Bush!

It's basically how your Government has treated other countries since the end of the Second World War. (You guys were obsessed with beating the Russians to Berlin that you left other countries under nazi control during your mad dase. You left us Canadians to do a job (that we gladly did! I for one am glad that we did!) to free countries like Holland and the Neitherlands).

By that way. I'd like to thank the neitherlands for Tulips. Beautiful flower! I enjoy them alot!

 

[Austin40acres]

You dodged my second question, Lohan.

A4A

 

[Austin40acres]

Tulips are definitely beautiful.

A4A

 

[james1200]

I noticed a lot of people that frequent this board that are from countries other than the U.S. seem to demonstrate a certain level of hatred or intolerance. I see the U.S. as a giant melting pot of all different religions, ethnic backgrounds, and beliefs. Yes, our president made some mistakes invading a country he thought was linked to 9/11 and hiding weapons of mass destruction. Not a mistake to be taken lightly, but he certainly is not the "Hitler" that some foreign nations make him out to be.

-

why it's not just foreign nations...50% of our own people think he's hitler...a really dumb version of hitler, but hitler nonetheless...i dunno where u live, but i've never seen anything like the hatred for bush around where i am...and i also say fuck bush and our entire government...people overseas have every right to hate our government after all the bullshit of the last 3 years...still, most of them distinguish between it and the american people...they're not as dumb as you think.

personally, whatever patritotism i felt after 9/11 has disappeared...i loathe everything we stand for and it's sad for me...i don't wanna hate my own country but i'm beginning to (and don't give me crap about how we should support the troops cause it's not their fault...i ain't supporting a bunch of people that are commiting atrocities in my name when they're really doing it for halliburton...if they're too dumb to figure that out, well, don't expect me to cry for them when they come home in body bags...it's their reactionary follow the leader mentality that got them in that mess...nobody is forcing them to sign up.)

 

[Ramindra]

I noticed a lot of people that frequent this board that are from countries other than the U.S. seem to demonstrate a certain level of hatred or intolerance. I see the U.S. as a giant melting pot of all different religions, ethnic backgrounds, and beliefs. Yes, our president made some mistakes invading a country he thought was linked to 9/11 and hiding weapons of mass destruction. Not a mistake to be taken lightly, but he certainly is not the "Hitler" that some foreign nations make him out to be.

-

From the mouths of babes......

There is no intolerance in the US? C'mon, read CE&P any day of the week!

The Pres has made "some" mistakes? How many is some? Ask that question on CE&P and see what response you get. A lot of people would say there was only one mistake and that was electing him in the first place!

 

[gsdx]

Do you ever read news sources from outside the US? Do you think CNN and USA Today are unbiased?

The news we get in Canada is quite different from the news available in the US. Over the past few years during which I have spoken with my American friends on the internet, there have been several important stories out of the US which don't get any mention whatsoever in the United States, and many stories which do appear in both countries are quite different. The only way to know which version is more likely correct is to search out the same story in new services in other countries and compare notes.

 

[beafous]

I am not from America, but I personally do think that the U.S. is a great country. I have been to America many times on holiday and I always loved it and I also think that the country is based on good fundamental ideals. However, like many people, I do dislike and disagree with the current government administration, but people should learn to separate the two. Hating those in power doesn't necessarily mean the hatred of the country. I loved the Clinton administration and I hope that America soon returns to this great kind of presidency.

 

[wentworth]

There's plenty of hatred and intolerance within the US, thanks. No need to claim it's coming from outside.

Do you ever read news sources from outside the US? Do you think CNN and USA Today are unbiased?

They're more unbiased than the Guardian or Daily Mail--or Le Figaro or the Toronto Red Star.

 

[wentworth]

The news we get in Canada is quite different from the news available in the US. Over the past few years during which I have spoken with my American friends on the internet, there have been several important stories out of the US which don't get any mention whatsoever in the United States, and many stories which do appear in both countries are quite different. The only way to know which version is more likely correct is to search out the same story in new services in other countries and compare notes.

And then pick the version that suits your politics best?
That's a "brilliant" method--and very commonly used.
No, but seriously, what you deem important outside the USA may not be all that important inside the USA. You cannot view the U.S. through ethnocentric eyes (wish the word would spread).

 

[wentworth]

Did you see the links posted by Effortless_pro? Wasn't there an official report released not too long ago disproving Bush's allegations of the Sadaam/911 link? Hmmm...

-

President Bush never said there was a link.
So there were nno "reports disproving Bush's allegations....". There were no allegations to disprove.
Post direct quotes from President Bush linking Saddam Hussein and 9/11.
We don't want NYT "interpretations", we want direct quotes.

 

[gsdx]

And then pick the version that suits your politics best?
That's a "brilliant" method--and very commonly used.

I was not making a comment. I was merely posting an observation. The news doesn't even have to be political to be different.