Wouldn't you say that this is a double standard?

Question

I have noticed that there are some conservatives on here who get ticked off when any non-American posters criticize Bush or his policies. Indeed, some of the conservatives here argue that non-American posters have no business criticizing Bush, since they're not from the US. Why is it, then, that these very same conservatives feel that they themselves have the right to criticize leaders of other countries, such as Chávez or Castro, for example? It's really a double standard. Not only that, but if anything, the non-Americans have more of a right to criticize Bush than the Americans have to criticize the other leaders, since as the leader of the free world, Bush is more likely to have more influence in global affairs than leaders like Castro or Chávez.

BTW, I have actually seen Venezuelans criticize Chávez on the Spanish language version of Y!A.

Also, I'm not talking about the illegal immigrant controversy. I'm talking about certain conservatives here who get ticked off at non-American posters who criticize Bush.

grumpyoldman: During the Katrina disaster, Cuba offered to send emergency personnel to aid the victims, but the US turned them down. Also, Greece offered to lend two of its cruise ships to be used as hospital ships, yet we turned them down, too. Perhaps the rest of the world would help us if our leaders let them.

tim t: Since the President is the leader of the free world, he exerts A LOT more influence in world affairs than any of the European leaders. Since the Europeans are also affected by US policy, they have as much right as anyone to state their opinions about the President.

ALASPADA: I have actually gone to the Spanish-language, German, British, Canadian, and Australian versions of Y!A. I didn't vehemently criticize their leaders, but I do remember saying some pretty unfavorable things about Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and not being penalized for it. I'll bet that if you went on other countries' versions of Y!A, you would have a certain amount of freedom.

Answer 1

I would like to know when it became unpatriotic to criticize our government.

Americans will never view anything the same, because we are human beings. There will always be human interpretation of all events, books, religion, clothes and everything pertaining to our lives.

100 people can witness one single event and you will get different versions.

It's also not fair that non-Americans can't criticize us or the President. I think that it's interesting to hear a foreigner's opinion about the U.S. regardless if it's positive or negative.

It's good that we can have different opinions of the government and we aren't forced to say the same thing about the government.

Anyways, I like these quotes:

"Difference of opinion leads to enquiry, and enquiry to truth; and that, I am sure, is the ultimate and sincere object of us both. We both value too much the freedom of opinion sanctioned by our Constitution, not to cherish its exercise even where in opposition to ourselves." --Thomas Jefferson to P. H. Wendover, 1815. ME 14:283

"In every country where man is free to think and to speak, differences of opinion will arise from difference of perception, and the imperfection of reason; but these differences when permitted, as in this happy country, to purify themselves by free discussion, are but as passing clouds overspreading our land transiently and leaving our horizon more bright and serene." --Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Waring, 1801. ME 10:235

"Is uniformity of opinion desirable? No more than of face and stature." --Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia Q.XVII, 1782. ME 2:223

"Is uniformity attainable? Millions of innocent men, women and children since the introduction of Christianity have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned, yet we have not advanced one inch toward uniformity." --Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia Q.XVII, 1782. ME 2:223

"It is a singular anxiety which some people have that we should all think alike. Would the world be more beautiful were all our faces alike? were our tempers, our talents, our tastes, our forms, our wishes, aversions and pursuits cast exactly in the same mould? If no varieties existed in the animal, vegetable or mineral creation, but all moved strictly uniform, catholic and orthodox, what a world of physical and moral monotony would it be!" --Thomas Jefferson to Charles Thomson, 1817. FE 10:76

http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/jeff0750.htm

See! Thomas Jefferson and I think alike!

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it - Voltaire

Answer 2

You will find hypocrites in every group. Funny how you liberals don't admit to your own hypocrisy on many issues. Your assertion that: "if anything, the non-Americans have more of a right to criticize Bush than the Americans have to criticize the other leaders" shows us all why leftists like you cannot be trusted. You blame America first for every problem real and imagined and excuse every form of evil done by non-Americans

Answer 3

How about all the criticism of the French because they didn't go along with Bush's ill advised war? I'm afraid to say that many Americans are xenophobic and lack a very broad world view.

Answer 4

Well it might be but I think its more like why do people in Europe feel they need to comment on who are leaders are , do you think as a US citizen that we spend lots of time telling Europeans who they should or should not vote for??

As for Chavez and Castro those are different subjects! Should Hitler have been criticized?

Answer 5

No its not because this is the US site not a site for other countries. Yahoo does not let me on the other country sites so let them whine on their own site. And if you do not see the difference between a Castro and Chavez to our President you need to go back to school. I would not even let you use them as a comparison to President Clinton, I might not have liked him as a president but he was by far better than the terrorists like Chavez and Castro.

Answer 6

You have a point, but a lot of the criticism of people like Chavez and Castro is in response to what those two individuals have to say about America, Americans, and our government. That's fair game, because their positions don't entitle them to tell America or Americans how to be, and when they try, we have every right to tell them to pound sand.

Answer 7

Think of it in these terms. Our Presidents, liked or not, will always take criticism from abroad. I think you are seeing a generalization here.

Plus, many European countries have state run or state dominated TV. It's easy to put out a non-US message that way. So, it's not surprising to see many Euros regurgitating what's fed to them that way.

Castro and Chavez absolutely deserve criticism. Were you in either country, you can forget being able to even post on Y/A.

When posters from other countries criticize those two, you can bet I'd support them.

Answer 8

Also, some of the conservatives here argue that non-American posters have no business criticizing Bush, since they're not from the US. However, Bush invades their countries, makes policies that directly effect their countries and their citizens. Bush's middle name should be "double standard."

Answer 9

I am a Democrat, I don't like Bush but I don't like non Americans criticizing our president or anything else American. At sometime or another we have probably sent aid to every country in the world. How many have sent us anything?

Answer 10

I dont think its a double standard at all. They have one standard only no one criticizes the christian warrior bush. Anyone that irks bush gets criticized.