Why do Americans not give a damn about the rest of the world?

Question

'Damn' was being very polite, since it was in the headline. The original header was to b, "Why are Americans complete ignorant a##^o&&s when it somes to the rest of the world?" If you are American, and disagree with this stement, please answer the following queries before rebuttle: A) Name 3 capital cities on the African continent; B) Name three wars prior to WWI which America was involved in; and, C) Name 3 American poets.
Only intellignent responses, people.

Answer 1

African capitol cities; Nairobi in the Repuublic of Kenya, Cairo in the Arab Rebuplic of Egypt (Most americans forget that Egypt is in Africa), and Pretoria is the administrative capitol of the Republic of South Africa and Cape Town (also called Ekapa Kaapstad or Kapstad) is the Legislative Capitol of the Republic of South Africa. (BTW I have been to all four)

3 wars before WWI that America was involved in, 1. Tripolitan-American war (1801-1805); 1900 Chinese Boxer Rebellion; and the Phillipine-American War 1899 - 1913

3 American Poets: Edgar Allen Poe (1809 - 1949), ), Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886) and Maya Angelou ( 1924 - )

I don't disagree that MOST americans dont' knw or care about the rest of the world, hell most dont even care about America or other americans, but there are a few...who because of travels, contacts and generally higher inteligence than most, who at least have a small bit of knowledge on the rest of the world. IF more poeple would bother to learn about places other than their own, even visit them...things might be different. Personally I think every american should have to spend at least one month living in a foreigh country, living LIKE the people in that country live...THAT would bring a greater understanding and unity than anything else I have seen attempted....

Answer 2

What is this, "Who Wants to be a Millionaire"? Whenever there's any kind of natural disaster anywhere in the world, Americans are always first on the scene. We have churches that send more aid money to victims of these disasters than entire countries are able (or willing) to send. What percentage of Africans could name three capital cities on the African continent? Probably not as many as you think... Perhaps you could answer the question, "Why is America the place that everyone in the world wants to live?" There's a simple answer to that question.

Answer 3

If America is so uncaring about the rest of the world.....
You in your vast wisdom and compassion answer this.

What country lead the way in rebuilding Europe after the second world war......(Debts the European countries still haven't repaid)?

What country without whose military, financial, and scientific help
has allowed you to speak English, and the French to continue to speak French to this day?

What country is THE ONLY COUNTRY to start and maintain (pay for) an organization solely dedicated to world peace and international cooperation.

What country has provided the military shield that has protected Europe from communist aggression?

If you think America is so bad and such a blight on the world you are sadly and very ignorantly mistaken.

Answer 4

A .
1. Nairobi
2. Johannesburg
3. Cairo

B.
1. The American Revolution
2. The War Of Northern Aggression(Civil War)
3.The Spanish-American War

C.
1. Emily Dickinson
2. Carl Sandburg
3. Robert Frost

Kid stuff. What's your point, and why are you so angry?
By the way, I'm a blue-collar worker that lives in Georgia.

Answer 5

3 African captitals acccra in Ghana, Cairo Egypt, Nairobi Kenya. 3 wars Spanish a\American War, Mexican War, War of 1812. 3 American poets Robert Frost, Carl Sandburg and and Emily Dickinson. I really resent your statements and if America doesn't give a dam about the rest of the world why are they fighting in Afganistan and Iraq? For your information I was one of thousands of Peace Core volunteers who spent over a year in Central America. You don't know what you are ralking about, sorry to say/

Answer 6

I am not an American yet i feel i know the answer. It is not that American people don't care about the rest of the world . you know the old saying "once bitten twice shy"
America (US) resolutely refused to intervene with the wars of the world and kept aloof. it was forcibly drawn in by Japan by bombing pearl harbor without any provocation.
US was caught on the wrong foot and had to do emergency gearing up to enter the war.
i think the US Government does not want a repeat experience from middle east. Even china is a deceptive thing.
We have seen how North Korea went ahead and burst the atom bomb under the auspices of china. It could have never done so without the go ahead from china.
Now Iran is getting ready with its Bomb and not afraid of world opinion. Who is backing Iran?
Us now wants to pre empt any attempt for a 3rd world war.
So the enemies blame it as a meddling nation.
Only history will show how far the US is right in its attempt.

Answer 7

This is your question, so I shall play by your rules:

a. Cairo/Nairobi/Lusaka
b. Spanish-American War/ Mexican-American War/War of 1812
c. Robert Frost/e. e. cummings/Walt Whitman

Now. To answer your question, Americans care a great deal about the world. After WW I, it was the Americans who warned the Europeans that a draconian peace treaty with Germany would breed resentment and lead to a new war. But instead of following the American course of forgiveness, the Europeans demanded their pound of flesh, which set the course for WW II.

After WW II, the Americans singlehandedly prevented starvation in Europe by offering at considerable cost to themselves (25% of the total national budget) the Marshall Plan which saved Europe from destruction caused by its own arrogance and short-sidedness.

Because of their concern for peace in the world, it was Americans who fought for the creation of the United Nations, where arguments among nations could be settled without resort to violence. That this institution hasn't always worked is irrelevant to American leadership in ensuring its creation.

Similarly, starting with Mac Arthur's words of reconciliation at the surrender of the Japanese, instead of pursuing a course of vengeance, America poured billions in aid to the Japanese people, and thereby ensured that a once feared enemy would become a peaceful and prosperous democracy.

In 1961, America was the first nation on earth to establish a publically funded organization (the Peace Corps) devoted to spreading literacy and assistance to the poorest people of the planet.

Every year, American organizations like "Care," "Save the Children," and dozens more like them spend additional billions attempting to provide hope around the world. And there has yet been a worldwide disaster (such as the Indian Ocean tsunami) where American organizations were not center stage offering
help.

You claim Americans don't care. But if that is so, I challenge you to examine the record carefully, and name one other country that has done more for outsiders. Britain? France? China? Please -- get serious. While Europeans were busy gobbling up as much of the planet as possible in their quest for empire, it was the United States that argued for "Self Determination."

Has the US been perfect? Of course not. But once again, name one country that is. Has it made mistakes? You bet. But in the eternal balance of Blessings and Curses, the US has been a far greater blessing to this planet than any other I can name.

Answer 8

You've already received many clear, concise, intelligently worded answers to your questions.
I applaud all of them for their polite responses. I've found on my travels that many people, from whatever country, are warm and friendly, kind and helpful. This is true in America as well as in Britian, Mexico and Canada. Most countries' media focus on what happens locally, in their own country I mean, more than on world affairs.
That leads all of us to take a narrow view of the world at times. If you want proof, look at the media statement you're basing your question on.
Oh, and before you give us Americans a little quiz to see if we qualify as intelligent life forms, you might want to clean up your spelling: be instead of b, statement instead of stetment, rebutal rather than rebuttle, and worst of all - intelligent instead of intellignent. Makes your rant against our ignorance look a touch silly.

Answer 9

Mark, you shouldn't believe everything you read in the newspapers.
While it is true that the "average American" is a complete moron (ever see Leno do a "man in the street" Q&A on current events?), the same is true in virtually every nation I have visited.
The average Egyptian is a drooling idiot. The average Frenchie is a rude drooling idiot. The average Brit is a violent drooling idiot. The average Korean is a hungry drooling idiot. And so forth.
The trouble is that we tend to judge "foreigners" by the ones we meet HERE in OUR country. And we tend to forget that these people are WORLD TRAVELERS. That makes them something of an elite - both economically and, yes, intellectually. So to compare foreign visitors to natives is statistically insupportable ... like comparing apples and cranberries.
I did like your three questions, and frankly I was shocked to find myself stretching a bit to come up with the "three American poets," but then, poetry leaves me rather cold most times.
A) Cairo, Tripoli and Algiers
B) The War of 1812, The American Civil War and the Spanish-American War
C) ee.cummings, Robert Frost and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (and my wife, Anne).
Cheers, and thanks for the morning brain-stretch.
Now go vote.

Answer 10

a) Cairo, Monrovia, Johannesburg
b) Spanish-American War, Mexican-American War, War of 1812
c) Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, Henry David Thoreau

I do not see why I have to answer these questions. I am from America and I care about everyone in the world, not just people in America. The politicians make it seem like we do not care about everyone else. Do not listen to the politicians. I did not vote for any of them. Not all people here do not care for others. Those who do not care are just selfish. I and everyone I know of cares about the rest of the world.