What is it and why do other countries feel the way they do about us Americans?

Question

Yea, I know we have our problems, but there are alot of things about us that make me super-proud to be one! But I don't get it why we have to be one of the most hated nations! Is it because we speak our minds or what? I know that there is alot about us that we do wrong to us, too! But if other countries don't put thereselves in a position were we have to fight back we won't! We help donate money to other countries in time of need, and from what I hear we give poor countries food and supplies, even during war against them! Forgive me if this sounds stupid or is offensive to anyone but I don't appreciate people talking down on my nation and my home! I mean do we talk down on other nations and make it known that we hate them? Although I don't like George Bush, I forget that he is an idiot and stand by my nation!

at times I get angry at this country and its citizens but when it comes to the US against other nations, I am here to back my nation up!

Answer 1

If you listen to just what the press and Liberals say, then, yes we are hated by the entire World.

Reality, we are well respected amongst all GOOD nations. If there is a nation that is under a dictatorship or a theocracy, then no, they don't like us because we defy them and they do not want their citizens to see how good of a country we are.

Reality is only in who you listen to and how well you know the real truths. Keep that in mind when you listen to people that espouse nothing but negative information. They can not have a positive if all they hear is negative!

James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
15 Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.
16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

Those who speak of nothing but evil and negative is evil and negative!

Answer 2

There are a variety of reasons that the United States (and it's citizens) are resented so much.

Since the United States represents the major super power right now, we are perceived (and rightly so) as a nation that pushes it's weight around on other countries to do what our leaders want. Our current president is very active in forcing his personal agenda down the throats of other countries which why he is perceived by many Americans and citizens of other countries as the most hostile president in American history.

When we attacked Iraq for George W Bush's personal agenda, the world saw the USA throwing her weight around against a country that could not defend itself. Since most people of other countries cannot see how low the president is doing in US popularity poles, they assume that the president is acting with the blessings of all American citizens.

Another reason that other nationalities resent Americans is because most Americans are ignorant of world events. If you lived in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America and Central America, chances are that you would know exactly what is happening in your neighboring countries as well as what the USA is doing. If you asked most Americans what is happening in France, Argentina, Canada or even Mexico right now, most Americans would be clueless.

Yet another reason is that most people in other countries have to learn at least two languages - their native language and English. Most Americans only learn English. Some people resent that they have to learn English as the International language even thought the most spoken language in the world is Spanish.

One other reason is that some people don’t actually understand how much power the American people actually have with our leaders. I was in Israel in 1984 and I met a man from Columbia who hated all Americans. He felt that all Americans should know what our CIA was doing in Columbia and should make our president change his policy. He did not understand that the American Citizens have no way of knowing what our secret service was doing and, even if we did, all we could do is cry out against an atrocity but we cannot easily change a presidents foreign policy.

And finally, many American travelers come off as having a US superiority complex and being worldly ignorant when they travel. This goes a long way towards breeding contempt from people of other nations.

I am proud to be an American but I can see and understand where these other people are coming from.

Answer 3

We really arent the most hated nation at all. I guess it all depends on who you talk to really, now isnt it. I notice a lot of kids are talking about the us and war. Kids who never really had it so good. These kids have never seen hard times, or hardships. They have the cars, nintendos, cell phones, and malls. They are the spoiled and the rotten. Maybe if they had actually lived thru a real war, or experienced famine, or lived under a real dictator they would think differently

I've been all over the world and have talked to many people overseas. Its usually the kids that talk the trash, and the older people that talk more rationally. The older folks have lived thru things, and see life in a more practical sense. The kids look thru idealistic eye lenses and just want to ***** about the minor imperfections of life. When I was in S. Korea, the college students protested and the older Koreans were soooo thankful for American presence. In Iraq it was different. The Iraqi's not only are happy we are there, they dont want us to leave. I know the media says otherwise, but they are wrong. If the media says the Iraqis want us out it is because they are probably talking to the insurgents, not the real people.

And a final note about Bush. Why is it only americans that turn on their President? What other countries have you seen that call their leaders idiots to the world? Is it not a wonder that other countries laugh at us when they see us showing our *** to the world? They see americans as stupid people because we are so un-unified that we are willing to call our leaders insulting names in the full view of the world. Do you think it makes you look better to insult our president? It doesn't. It makes us all look like fools, and that is why they are laughing. No, they dont laugh at Bush, they laugh at you.

Answer 4

I'm a person from one of those 'Other Countries'

I used to be an avid supporter of the USA but your behaviour over the last few years has been a real 'turn off'

My country (Australia) has historically been a close supporter of the USA but its beginning to wear a bit thin. And believe me, I'm not the only one here that feels this way.

9/11 really screwed your country up big time and we have not enjoyed watching it happen.

BTW...Jack_F (above) said, "Why is it only Americans that turn on their President?" He's wrong, Australians don't hesitate to call their leaders idiots or worse if they feel that its the case. We have a nasty little 'dictator' now that needs to go.

Australians have always had an aversion to 'authority figures'. The USA at this time is the largest 'authority figure' there is

Answer 5

Its not your richness, its your terrible foreign policies and how you all talk your country up all the time. Fair enough to be proud of your country, i am proud of mine too, but you always say you are the greatest country, or that you save the world. I think what annoys people is that you don’t realise you place in the world as a country, not THE country.
Remember many countries donate money and help other nations just as you do, and im sure you guys aren’t jealous of Europe’s money now that its economy is larger, nor will you be with China when it surpasses you.
People will be less angry with you when you change your foreign policies and realise you are but one tiny part of the big wide world.
And hey, i like the U.S. in general, but you aren’t the greatest country in the world.

Answer 6

Well I know they don't teach you this in school but for the last 200 years America has had some major problems with its foreign policy... we tend to rip off every country we deal with. What's worse, we engage in policy which is designed to run other countries economies into the ground... we have screwed over nearly every country in South America at one time or another, and in the past 90 years we have done little else but bully countries in the middle east, largely for the oil. The CIA overthrew the democratically elected leader of Iran (Prime Minister Mossadegh) when Iran's Parliament nationalized the oil industry and cut companies in Britain and the U.S. out of the money. We then set up the Shah of Iran as the dictator because he would keep the oil money flowing, never mind the fact that he made Saddam Hussein look like Mr. Rogers. In short the US has been using its financial and military muscle to screw other countries over for the last 200 years and it looks like we wont be stopping anytime soon... We are less than one twentieth of the world's population but we use up over one fourth of the world's natural resources. This makes lots of other countries who are less well off mad. Big surprise. It just seems worse right now than in the past because the current administration is more blatant about sticking it to other countries and makes up stupid reasons for doing it.

Answer 7

Basically what the first guy said. I am in a different country right now and asked one of the people why there are so many people who don't like us. He said it was envy. Of course, one of his reasons for envy was that our nation is so big, where I am is a small nation. It does mostly have to do with power, because the US has military here right now, and some people feel that we are occupying the country. However, we aren't, it's just that because we are such a powerful nation they feel our presence is a controling force.

Answer 8

Typically when others say that they dislike the US, they are saying they dont like the policy the current administration is setting forth. Whether or not you believe that Bush has been correct in his policy towards the Middle East, other nations have philosophies that have worked for quite a long time also. When the philosophies clash, bitter feelings are made clear.

Think about how we as Americans responded to France when they opposed our efforts in Iraq. Many felt as though we should change the name of our food from french fries and french toast to liberty fries and liberty toast. America has responded in kind to other nations.

There was a shift in American Philosophy at the end of WWII. We went from a sleeping giant to actively getting involved in world affairs. We began to fight the "Cold War" which, in turn, sent us into several more wars in the world to try to erradicate communism. Now we have turned our eyes to global terrorism, and our policies seem very extreme to many other people in the world and within our own borders.

I think the best idea to keep in mind is that most do not want America to disapear, but wish a change of philosophy. Of course, there are radicals in the world that would have America purged from civilization. But America has its own fair share of radicals that call for the erradication of other nations. Judge for yourself what philosophy you wish to stand behind. But try to resist stereotyping everyone who exists in a particular nation like many Americans have been stereotyped.

Answer 9

Standing by your nation is not a bad impulse, but it should not override your morality or common sense. America has, indeed been a great nation and done many great things. It has accomplished much and shown tremendous generosity to much of the world at times. However, American governments have also interfered in the internal affairs of many other nations without having been attacked or provoked. On September 11th, 1973 Chilean President Salvador Allende was assasinated with the help of the CIA. The dictator Augusto Pinochet came to power after Allende's death and ruled with an iron fist, while being very friendly to American corporations. In the 1950s Americans helped to engineer the assasination of the leader of Iran, replacing him with Shah Reza Pahlavi, who ruled as a dictator for decades while helping American corporations exploit his country and his people. Saddam Hussein likewise came to power in Iraq with the help of America, co-operated with the Reagan administration and went to war against Iran with the support of America. Donald Rumsfeld, your Secretary of Defense (or is it Secretary of War), was part of the co-operation with Hussein. Some of the massacres Hussein is now on trial for were committed during this war, with the full knowledge of American military supporters who did nothing to prevent or punish it at the time. American people are mostly good people, kind people, admirable people. But they choose to ignore the evil done by their government. Those who hate America do not hate your freedoms, as President Bush likes to imagine, they hate that you are often interfering in their own quest for freedom.

Answer 10

Actually, other countries are no more offended by the USA than any other time in the last 100 years. The media is doing it's best to convince you otherwise in their last ditch attempt to change control of the government.
Hint; What do you think countries said about us when Kennedy was president? Or when Carter was president?
Don't listen to media. We are still shelling out Billions in aid to countries all over the world. And when the next world crisis comes, they will be look to us to fix it, like we always do.