Why do Americans think we hate them?

Question

I think the U.S people think we Iranians hate them but as far as I can see all Iranians including me love them.I live in Iran myself.We just don't agree with their government's policies."Be with us or you're a terrorist!"This is stupid!Right?I just don't get the point why Americans hate us.Surly because of lies and propaganda they have heard and they are still hearing against us.If I were them I would collect all these media and Bush's lies,put all of them in a box and throw them away!There would be no conflicts anymore!

1.Ok.Please hold your horses! As far as I can see in Iran no one cares what's going on in this world! Every one is busy with his own ordinary life! 2.How many times are you going to repeat these?I told you that they are all lies and propaganda against us.3.Just because Bush says Ahmadinejad is mad doesn't mean that his mad and just because superpower countries are against us doesn't mean we don't have international respect! 4.Iran doesn't fund Hezbollah it just gives lip-service.We are not that stupid.We need that money ourselves! 5.There are lots of people who open their eyes and refuse what they hear on media and they all love us. 6.Iran doesn't want to wipe any countries off the map.Generally Persian is a litterary language.Such sentences mean Iran hates Israel so much.We never think of attacking anyone like some countries we are just allowed to defend ourselves when someone invades us.

7.We don't need nukes.8.Please stop believing in Fox News and Bush.9.We are all happy living here.10.Thank you!

Answer 1

Thank you for the sweet words. Don't believe everything you hear about us either. Not all Americans hate Iran or even France, as some people would have you believe.

A lot has to do with the current poisonous political climate here, and the whole post-9/11 paranoia that has envelopped this country. The rhetoric of our Fascists in power, the brainwashing of the general public by the "media" and the average American's general malaise and feeling that something terribly wrong is happening have caused us to isolate ourselves, accept the easy answers our dishonest politicians are drumming into our brains and to give up our long-cherished Constitutional freedoms in the name of "national security". I am sure there will always be terrorists in the world, so our leaders are seizing the opportunity here to get more power for themselves by exploiting peoples' fear. The truth is that America itself is now terribly divided, not just between political parties or ideologies, but within families. People are filled with so much hate and frustration.

Your president's and other Islamic leaders' assertions that Israel doesn't have the right to exist are not helpful and are troubling to a lot of Americans. Personally, I feel Israel has become a very wrong-headed country after the assassination of Rabin, but I believe it has the right to exist if it goes back to the 1968 boundaries and compensates all Arab families whose lands have been swallowed up or who have received unjust treatment, even death of innocents and discrimination. Palestine must be an independent state. When I grew up here, I knew a lot of Jewish kids in high school and college. They were all normal, smart, fun-loving, reasonable and moral people, with strong family values, not the kind of fanatics that I suppose you might find in other parts of the world. A lot of them still feel this situation in the Middle East is wrong. I can't accept death threats against these good people. There are good and bad people in every group, regardless of race, ethnicity or religion. But now, everything has been polarized and distorted by politics and those who claim to have a monopoly on religion.
One more comment and that is this: Our overall ignorance about the nuclear issue and the nuclear treaties we have committed to are troublesome. In particular, the NPT is a conflicted treaty that created the original 5 nuclear powers, and gave everyone else the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. By definition and by international law, we do not have the right to tell Iran or any other country that is party to the NPT not to develop nuclear energy sources. Of course, such a statement is somewhat meaningless, when you consider it is possible to make nuclear weapons from the by-products of nuclear energy production. The NPT doesn't work, and we should all get together and develop a new series of treaties to prohibit further development of nuclear weapons by all countries and to reduce the arsenals of all nuclear powers (the original 5 and others). This means the US too! Robert McNamara told us about 10 years ago that we would only need 100 nukes at most for "deterrence".

Answer 2

I think there is hatred and mistrust from both sides. (Sorry, but I really dont believe that the whole of Iran LOVES the USA) Not everyone on each side is full of hatred, but there is a lot of fear, mistrust and suspicion on both sides. And both sides have at least some reason to fear.
Sometimes the loudest people get heard more often. And the media concentrates on showing us the acts of those that burn the flag and so on because that is what sells. There is a lot of ignorance in the American public and the current government promotes it because that way its easier to manipulate the masses into supporting whatever Bush wants to do. Most Americans have no idea if Iran is a country or an exotic dessert. But if Bush says Iran is bad, at least 40% of the population says "Right on!" Its a shme people dont bother to research things from neutral third country sources or travel and find out about the world more. Or maybe invite their next door foreign neighbor to dinner and listen to what they have to say.
Both sides should chill and unite to protect the innocent form the extremist nut jobs out there!

Answer 3

Hmm, it is not like Iran's president wants to bomb israel back to the stoneage, or anything. Wiping it off the map might also mean that they win a legal battle and Israelis are forced to leave from "arab land".

Calling the holocaust a myth could very well been a metaphor, I don't know.

Are these the kind of propaganda Americans are subjected to?

Answer 4

David...All Americans don't hate Iranians. My son's best friend is an Iranian immigrant and his family.

What you are seeing/hearing, and MUST try to understand is propaganda...pure and simple...and it is put out there by a media that has its own agenda. They want you to think we hate Iranians, because sensationalism will ALWAYS attract attention.

The fact is, David, that Americans don't hate any one group of people just because they may be Iranian, Iraqi, Arabian, or any other nationality.

Americans, collectively and I'm sure I can't speak for all of them, do hate the actions of the few, the deranged, the militant and extreme factions, of ANY nationality. Particularly, when we feel our sovereignty is threatened. We're the UNITED States of America, and that's worth remembering. Sure we bicker and squabble, and fight amongst ourselves, but Heaven help those that would attack us. That's when we close ranks, join together, and do some serious butt-whipping.

Answer 5

I'm an American, fought against your country in 87/88, remember when your country was mining the gulf? Took 58 of your countrymen prisoner off Farsi Island, killed a few more of your countrymen in the process. Could of killed the 58, but didn't. We abide by the Geneva Convention.Took our prisoners to Dubai and released them. I don't hate Iranians, I just didn't believe in what your government was doing at the time, just as you don't believe in what our government is doing now. Funny thing is,I was actually helping Saddam in his war against your country.Even funnier,is the fact that my son ended up fighting in the first gulf war against Saddam. There was nothing personal in my actions, nor my son's. I will support my government and you will support yours. That doesn't mean we hate each other.

Answer 6

I myself dont hate anyone but terrorists...Terrorists meaning people of any race, color or creed who have proven themselves to be conspiring against any government through violent actions. Like I have said America voted against Bush. He still was made president cause the electoral votes added up and let him in. Only certain people in america have electoral vote power. The only actions we as americans can do is protest against it because anything that goes through congress or senate takes a long time for it to be decided on. I am just waiting for the end of Bush's term.

Answer 7

Nice to hear from you. I don't think we know too much about you except whenever bad news footage comes across CNN, so you seem a scary lot. I agree with you that Bush's policies are waaay out there and so do many other Americans. The world will find that out when he gets voted out of office, finally. From your question, I guess I will go learn more about Iran and their people. Appreciate you for speaking up. Thanks.

Answer 8

The Iranian people on the news burning American flags gives me that idea.

Your Representative calling my President Satan gives me that idea.

No one from Iran coming out to say they don't support Assholemajad gives me that idea.

As soon as Iranian people turn out in the street to protest their Government, then I"ll believe there is not all hate for Americans.

P.S. I think you are not Iranian. DAVID????

Answer 9

Now that America has a psychomaniac oligarchy, one might think that Americans would feel empathy with peoples around the world who have suffered the same thing. Nope! We keep thinking that Bush is the greatest, wisest Santa Claus who ever lived, even if he does keep sending our young people to the slaughter, prevents education, prohibits vote-couting, wastes all our money..... [sigh]

Answer 10

When I see with my own eyes people, common street people, burning my flag and dancing around, it is not hard to figure out why you are hated. When I see US troops handing out American supplies to people who were hit by the tsunami in third world countries and they have on Osama tee shirts, its not hard to figure out why you are hated. Your leaders are insane and dangerous, it is too bad the people in middle eastern countries dont have the balls to overthrow these people. Weak minds are easily controlled though. I pray for you.