United States of America

“sorry to offend anyone, but american people are often very offensive and rude. it gets annoying.”

Maybe that’s cuz we’re sick of people like you with preconceived notions that Americans are “offensive and rude.” Come here a non-asshole attitude and you might actually like us. Cheers mate!! :)

Sorry, I meant come here WITH a non-asshole attitude

why don’t you (americans of USA ) go in other country with a non-asshole attitude?

I hate how people of the US are called Americans when Mexicans and Canadians and everyone in “central” and “south” america are Americans also. Its stupid.

electronchelle: I agree

because you life in the united states of america. so what would we say to the people in that country?

a friend of mine went to NY for studying on the university there. She told me it was sooo easy, that you don’t have to be smart to finish uni in the states. so maybe the rumour is true about a dumb country?

Yeah since the Netherlands is SOOO much smarter than the U.S. :rollseyes:

That’s pretty bold of you to call other people stupid when your yourself suck at grammar and spelling

im question it, and by the way. stuck in grammer of a second language isnt that bad. since most people doesnt even speak a 2nd language.

electronchelle: “I hate how people of the US are called Americans when Mexicans and Canadians and everyone in “central” and “south” america are Americans also. Its stupid”

I think we should call people what they want to be called.

For example, even though there are semantic problems with the term “african-american,” if people want to be called that, fine with me.

boomstam: “you don’t have to be smart to finish uni in the states”

depends what you mean by smart.

to finish university in America or anywhere, you have to have at least some native intelligence/brain power; and it also helps tremendously if you’re liberal.

But you don’t have to be wise.

true salle, willpower and hardwork are at least as important. but still, as a student you should think about the level of education.

what do you mean with the liberal thing?

Boomstam: “what do you mean with the liberal thing?”

core values and ideology are more important than superficial values such as: what kind of food one likes (e.g. americans like hot dogs, hamburgers, and french fries more than europeans); what sports one likes (e.g. americans don’t care for soccer); or what music one likes.

liberals in america have the same core values as the typical european, especially western european.

therefore, american liberals think europe is superior to america in terms of ideology.

what’s distinct about america is to be found among conservatives (like myself). american conservatives are ideologically different from american liberals, and from europeans.

if the liberals in america were to dominate, america would become ideologically identical to europe.

the highest concentrations of liberals in america are in academia.

this is not to say that there aren’t fair-minded professors who will give their (few) conservative students the marks they deserve.

but it helps to be liberal if you are in college.

i see but liberals arn’t the oposite on conservatives in here. It’s more progressive vs. conservatives on of our biggest liberal party is conservative. sound strange but it would be more oposite to socialism, where in people would lose their freedom of rights. Also, the term liberal is different in each nation. our “liberals” are right winged. I woudnt know directly how the term should be used in france or germany.

for me conservative ideology in USA is a non-sense, the power of USA was the opening toward the new ideas and the other cultures, a closing and an attachment to the “old” traditions it would be fatal…

perhaps mistake

(sorry for bad english trixareforkids)

In Australia our conservative party is called the Liberal Party. I think the name refers to their economic policy, but there may be other tradition behind it.

Also in Italy, “middle-right” “leader” Silvio Berlusconi call himself liberal, but he isn’t liberal at all (he isn’t even a political)

Speaking of myself who is not an american, (soon though :) This is the best country in the world and most american’s don’t know how very fortunate they are to live here. Before you start knocking the U.S. try living in another country…like Canada…and then you will see just how awesome it is to live in this fantastic country!!!!!!!!!!

welcome to america! congratulations and good luck! :)

I feel bad for anyone who hates anyone. I feel so alienated from the views of any group. I thought I was a Liberal, until I looked around at the masses of Liberals who want human rights for all, but speak violently towards Conservatives. Conservatives in America obviously don’t carry peaceful policies. I like my country, but as a land mass, not as a country as in state matters. In fact, it all depresses me very much. Then I look at Europe, and I smile at many of the countries who seem to have it so right over there, and I know that all people are different and hate is everywhere, but all of you saying that, due to the place I was born, you hate me. That hurts. Of course this country has done good. Most definetly it has done bad, but we are all people, and noone deserves any of this (words of hate). As that guy said above-our future is basically Venus. If not, we at least know our Sun will burn out. Then the pointless circular life cycle will be reborn in this section of the universe. Why don’t we all just be happy and kill ourselves instead of each other? (That last sentence joke). Why let politics run your lives? You’re an individual. Are you (anyone outside of the U.S.) a slave to you country? I can speak for myself when I say no. Now I know there is plenty of chauvanism over here-but that doesn’t even come close to representing the opinions of all. Oh, and one more thing… “The Best Country To Die For”? Give me a break. I’m not even going to start with my opinions on this.

I’m just curious Vano, show me liberals speaking violently to conservatives. I know liberals can be blunt – but is there any language that indicates that they would do harm to a conservative?

People around the world are angry at Americans for a number of reasons. US foreign policy is the big one. Pre-emptive war. The piousness and the arrogance. The export of vapid American culture that lacks substance. The ignorance. The hypocrisy. All tied up in a stereotypical picture of the fat, stupid, couch potato American watching Fox news and gouging on McDonalds burgers. The same American not realising how lucky they are. (Granted there still other first world countries better off)

There are lot of intelligent Americans who don’t follow the above. George Bush is a public relations disaster for the US. Bush comes off as a complete idiot, voted by the same bunch of idiota. It’s what the world sees. It’s not completely fair. And the damage that he has done will continue for a long time. But with luck, the right person will get in and change that.

Vano: “I feel bad for anyone who hates anyone”

Everyone experiences hate. Does this mean you feel bad for everyone who has ever lived?

That’s not a rhetorical question, by the way. It may very well be appropriate to feel bad for everyone who has ever lived.

You shouldn’t over-empathize, however, to the point that it affects your well-being and your ability to function. Then you won’t be useful to yourself or anyone else.

Some hate, by the way, is justified. For instance, hating evil and those who perpetrate it.

Vano: “I feel so alienated from the views of any group”

Recognize that you are liberal; but I sincerely hope you grow out of it. you will be happier when you do. I mean it. I used to be a liberal.

Vano: “masses of Liberals who want human rights for all, but speak violently towards Conservatives”

Yes, like the joke: a socialist is someone who loves people, but only in groups of a million or more.

Something similar can be said of liberals.

You’ve hit on a truth, vano, and I commend you for it. Liberals hate conservatives much more than conservative hate liberals. And liberals display hypocrisy in greater amounts than conservatives.

I don’t mean that liberals are intrinsically worse people than conservatives. I DO mean that liberalism is a very bad value system and that very good and talented people fall into it because it can be deceptively seductive.

Like they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Liberals hate conservatives not because liberals are hateful people; it’s that liberalism encourages hatred. Liberals are hypocrites not because they are bad people; it’s that liberalism increases hatred.

Vano: “Conservatives in America obviously don’t carry peaceful policies”

“Obviously”? Not only is it not obvious, it’s not true. Conservatives in America are among the most peace-loving people in the world.

But they know that peace is achieved through strength, and that freedom is achieved through fighting evil.

Vano: “I like my country, but as a land mass, not as a country”

I have no idea what you mean by that.

I myself LOVE America.

Vano: “it all depresses me very much”

It has been definitively shown that conservatives are happier than liberals across all levels of income. The more conservative you become, the happier you will be.

Vano: “Then I look at Europe, and I smile at many of the countries who seem to have it so right over there”

This shows that you’re liberal.

Vano: “all of you saying that, due to the place I was born, you hate me. That hurts”

If you’re referring to Europeans hating America, it’s because Europe is liberal; and America, by comparison, is conservative. Most Europeans hate conservatism. They also are jealous of America. They don’t know that america’s prosperity stems from its conservatism.

Vano: “Of course this country has done good. Most definetly it has done bad”

The good America has done outweighs the bad by a ratio of a thousand to one. or maybe a million to one. in other words, it’s not a close call.

Vano: “we are all people, and noone deserves any of this (words of hate)”

Some people deserve words of hate; for example Hitler, Idi Amin, saddam Hussein, and Cho (the Virginia Tech killer).

Vano: “Why let politics run your lives?”

I can answer that. Politics is more important to liberals than conservatives.

Liberal activists let politics “run their lives” because it is a religion for them. That’s why liberals (e.g. jojo on this forum) is so rabid. Liberalism is for him a religion and he reacts exactly like a religious zealot whose religion is threatened. To liberal activists conservatism is heresy and blasphemy.

Conservatives, on the other hand, are mostly religious and mostly Christian. Therefore, for most conservatives, politics is NOT their religion. Christianity is.

It’s been said that when people stop believing in the “big G,” they transfer their faith to the “little g.” (“big G” being God; “little g” being government, i.e. politics.)

Vano: “I know there is plenty of chauvanism over here”

No more than anywhere else, and a good deal less than most places.

Vano: “but that doesn’t even come close to representing the opinions of all”

A third of Americans tend liberal; a third tend conservative; and a third are “nothing,” i.e. ignorant and/or apathetic.

Vano: “The Best Country To Die For? Give me a break”

What better country to die for? During the entirety of its existence, America has been far and away the best country on the planet.

Salle, as Jojo said in the Atheism forum, I could never lie to myself, which could be good or bad (ignorance is bliss). This applies to must of what you just said. Anyways, I believe that hate breeds hate. We all have a Saddam inside of us, and we all have a Buddha inside of us. That applies to whatever the first one didn’t cover. I am not attacking you. I’m just sayin’.

From Salle’s last post, I could breakdown each of his statements and probably find some research, facts and information to debunk each point. But in the end it doesn’t really matter. You can not convince someone of reality when they continually ignore evidence and reason.

Quite ironic to be likened to a religious zealot.

I’m just going to presuppose that when Salle sees what you have just written, he’ll ask you to prove it, so I’m just going to throw my prediction out there, and maybe he won’t bother. You made the statement about how pointless this has become, so let’s just leave it at that.

Good quote from Dawkins:

You’re as much a fundamentalist as those you criticise.

No, please, do not mistake passion, which can change its mind, for fundamentalism, which never will. Passion for passion, an evangelical Christian and I may be evenly matched. But we are not equally fundamentalist. The true scientist, however passionately he may “believe”, in evolution for example, knows exactly what would change his mind: evidence! The fundamentalist knows that nothing will.

The strength of the United States is its diversity. Some leader some day will recognize that and encourage our diverse opinions and reap the best of this country. It’s futile to try and condense the broad range of people into this country into one easily identified, homogenized, body. The only advantage to that would be for people who want to sell us all something; the American car, or the American yogurt!

it’s one of its strengths certainly, but not the main one.

Well said mocris. Go home Salle.

This is a positive and eloquent excerpt from Obama (in reference to US diversity):

Given the increasing diversity of America’s population, the dangers of sectarianism have never been greater. Whatever we once were, we are no longer just a Christian nation; we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers.

And even if we did have only Christians within our borders, who’s Christianity would we teach in the schools? James Dobson’s, or Al Sharpton’s? Which passages of Scripture should guide our public policy? Should we go with Levitacus, which suggests slavery is ok and that eating shellfish is abomination? How about Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith? Or should we just stick to the Sermon on the Mount – a passage so radical that it’s doubtful that our Defense Department would survive its application?

This brings me to my second point. Democracy demands that the religiously motivated translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values. It requires that their proposals be subject to argument, and amenable to reason. I may be opposed to abortion for religious reasons, but if I seek to pass a law banning the practice, I cannot simply point to the teachings of my church or evoke God’s will. I have to explain why abortion violates some principle that is accessible to people of all faiths, including those with no faith at all.

This may be difficult for those who believe in the inerrancy of the Bible, as many evangelicals do. But in a pluralistic democracy, we have no choice. Politics depends on our ability to persuade each other of common aims based on a common reality. It involves the compromise, the art of the possible. At some fundamental level, religion does not allow for compromise. It insists on the impossible. If God has spoken, then followers are expected to live up to God’s edicts, regardless of the consequences. To base one’s life on such uncompromising commitments may be sublime; to base our policy making on such commitments would be a dangerous thing.

Let’s hope this guy is real.

Positive article on US animosity (it’s not all that bad):

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/11/AR2007051102069.html

Very encouraging words from a professional politician, in line with what Bill Clinton had as vision and in line with one of the most faithful of politicians, Jimmy Carter. We need healers, not someone who has a narrow dogmatic point of view. We need peace in this country and the continued courage to allow this country to evolve into its promise. I wonder how many ESOL programs we could fund with the money from the ridiculous fencing of the southern border. How much potential could we discover if we were not funding the oil expedition in the Middle East. We are a diverse country…people from many tribes, faiths, points of view…we need, for our own growth, to learn to have the debates without the rancor.

Wise words Mocris.

A wake-up call for me came on a vacation to British Columbia. I’ve always thought of Canada as a real friend of the US and still feel strongly tied to Canada. People we met there were surprised we were from the US in that we did not fit the impression of US citizens that has been formed for people in other countries. They liked us as real people, but did not like Americans (the image). I shared with them that the image is just a convenient classification but has little if anything to do with the people I know and work with.

For people in the UK the most telling image of Katrina was the sudden appearance of all the people at the Superdome. They sincerely did not know the US had such a substantial number of poor people. It shocked them.

By the way, JoJo, I love the hat!

America is a great country, but like a lot of other things, it has its downsides: George Bush. Oh, and Paris Hilton.

i wonder, what would happen when the chinees market would fall. It will be happening sooner or later, since that currencymarket is so unstable.

anyways, i wonder what would happen with the dollar. since the chinees gouverment cool their currency with dollars. When that market falls a lot of dollars will be released the dollar would fall but oke, not a real problem with that since the USA got one of the strongest economics.

The problem would be when people and buisnisses will get afraid and quickly start buying euros for dollars, then it would be like 9/11×1000 (in economical way)

Boomstam: interesting.

Why do you think the Chinese are going to fall? I was reading that the Chinese are slowly selling their US bonds. I’m interested in this stuff, but the bigger picture is eluding me.

The US dollar has been in decline through the Bush term. The last couple of months certainly haven’t been great. Euro keeps getting stronger.

Hi Mocris. Thanks ;)

I’m an Australian who works everyday with Americans. My income is 100% from the US – I have a lot invested in the US to say the least. The guys I work with are pretty intelligent, and it has been my general experience.

What I find interesting is that ignorant fundamentalist crowd – with a level of “my country right or wrong” patriotism that would make a german blush. On top of that a sickening piousness, elitism and arrogance. (Totally embodied in the current administration). It’s not the best PR. We’re all sick and tired of being sick and tired of the US. Hopefully 2008 will change that.

jojo: its like this. there is to much money, to much inflation, to much shares in a nonadult market. The only way the market is holding now is because it grows. once it falls, it falls hard. Like an pyramid game.. atleast thats been told by some economics in the world.

That the euro is stronger then te dollar doesnt say a thing about US economics under bush. because the valuta doenst have a zero point to compare with. they are just compared to each other.

Gotcha.

I’m curious where the yen sits in this as another point of comparison. I know the australian dollar is getting stronger against the US dollar (our conservatives have done a job with our economy), and I think it is holding against the Euro.

What’s valuta?

i dont know about the yen, i think? it would take hits just like the euro and the AUD . because they are connected to the dollar. The dollar itself would take the most hits, (well after the yuan itself) since the bank of china buys dollars to cool down their yuan when it grows to strong comparised to the dollar.

valuta is dutch word for currency hehe sorry for that.

Cool. :) Do you study economics?

I’m in love with Bridget Fonda.

I love the fact that in this forum, at the click of a button, I can have an interchange of ideas with a person in the Netherlands, a person in Australia, a person in Canada, in the UK, in Italy…all over. I can’t help but be encouraged that no government can as easily villify the people of a specific country, because, by just sitting at our computer and reaching out, we can humanize the people there, by creating a relationship, even superficial, or if lucky, deeper, with an individual. All the better if that person is able to convey a sense of their creativity, intelligence and concern. Transcends borders and creates, even without travel, a world citizen. Keep up the conversation, folks…it will heal us all.

I dont think america is all that, and i live there

What are your peoples' deal??? You don't even live here and you hate America. Have you even been here?? If you haven't shut the fuck up!! You don't know what your talking about then!! If your gonna diss my country your gonna go through our bombs! Frankly I like that America has done all of the stuff like bombing the Nazi's who didn't want that and for those who died when that bomb when down that would have had to go through way more than fatness or stupidty frankly when you look at GPA's for american students they are just as high or even higher that fricken Poland or where ever America has some of the top Colleges in the world and you call us stupid?? Yeah and how many of you eat at McDonald's Burger King Starbucks etc. all american based you fags!! I you want to pick on us because we're try to make to world a better place like in Iraq for example: their own people are bombing inocent people from their country. Is it just me or is something wrong with that picture?? and again we helped them set up a government that will make their people free!! Yeah I guess MY counrty is the bad country in the eyes of pompus negligent English people!! Now their just jealous that we aren't their "colony" yeah we are a bad country..You fricken charged us over triple of what your taxes were for FUCKING TEA!!!! Yeah were sorry we actually have better teeth than some of the english do!!! That fucking disgusting!! I would love to visit another country and see if I can speak out about things that actually matter! And by the way look at your countrys' top music charts!! were gonna take over and one day all of those fags that said America was messed up and wrong and all that other BS YOU are gonna be the lost class its gonna so fun to spit in your face when that happens and say:Well I guess you should have thought twice about messing with the UNITED STATES of AMERICA!!!! Look at you now srcubbing our floors! Then look at your neighbor that likes us! He now is in the highest class and his floor is the one your scrubbing!!! think about messing with us for all you know I could be right about your future!!! And that's when my scenario will come into play!!

are you joking? are you really proud of macdonalds? 50cent? oklhahoma shooting?

Shut the Hell up Ashlyn!!! America has nothing to be proud of we have nothing to be proud of!! We have helped in some world affairs but thats only because w have big ass bombs, and when the world crisis is over we hold it over every countrys head like they need to depend on us. It disgusts me how we use our power! not to mention we our over bearing self concerned idiots!!! Now it may be true that people from other countries stereotype us but we do the same thing back (ex. bad teeth comment). So you need to except the fact that America isn 't all that wonderful and the only reason the world puts up with us is because we can bomb they're country within minutes (disgusted again). So as I said before Shut the Hell Up  learn some humility (not to mention culture) and go back to your mcdonalds and 50 cent!

I agree with Dumbbrunette. I mean the whole comment about us bombing the Nazis makes me laugh, because we were a little too late in helping the Jews. Seriously no country is more amazing than the next, I mean life might be a little better in some countries but still, the sooner people realize we are just people and not gods the better. Get used to people saying shit about America, because I have. They have every right to say what they want.