Does anti-American ranting and raving (from the mouth of Europeans) annoy the hell out of you?

Question

First off: I voted Democrat in the last election, and I guess most would classify (or pigeonhole) me as a "liberal." But my political views are all over the place.

Now the story that pissed me off, and inspired this question:
My uncle is in the Army, and he's stationed in Germany. And apparantely, the German people love to harass him and his children (my cousins). They love to look down at him and tell him how EVIL his country is. And these are Germans telling them this..... What kind of short memory do these people have?! Do any of them remember the Holocaust?!

A friend of mine recently visited Spain and France, and she was lectured and scolded as well. It's like these people think you're evil because you're from a certain place.But no one treats Chinese people like **** just because of the actions their govt has taken

I guess my point is this: the best way to unite this country, is to make everyone realize how much the rest of the world can't stand us..... Agree or disagree

Answer 1

The people in the U.S. who most need awakening are beyond hope.

I'm not all that concerned about what people in the street in any country, but I am interested in what people with good reasoning powers say about us good and bad.

There are lots of things we could learn from other countries. It would be a good exchange for some of the technology we have exported and some of the ideas we exported in the past about individual rights.

You will notice when you travel to other parts of the world that germanic and asian tourists are the rudest people around, lots of unwarranted conceit, but those are not the thinkers.

Answer 2

It does not bother me in the least. It goes with the territory. When you are top dog then everyone wants to pull you down. It gives them a sense of equality.

Most Europeans get their info from movies and such. But they have no idea about the size and variety of this country. Unfortunately some Americans go abroad and act like idiots.

I spent some time in Austria and Switzerland last fall and never once had anything untoward said to me. Act decent and you will be treated decent.

Unfortunately we have had a boorish kind of government for the last six years and they resent it. Some I talked to were surprised that I was so critical of Bush. One fellow at first was hostile but when I asked about his own government he said: Ah yes here it is the same. We shook hands and went our way.

Answer 3

Perhaps some experience from an American living abroad for many years may help give you some perspective.

I find myself occasionally apologizing for my country. How can I not? Even in places where we are popular, America often comes off looking so un-engaged and so callous to what it does in the world that I really do understand why people form such negative opinions of us. I have also seen some Americans behave abysmally abroad, although that is by no means unique.

That said, I never feel the need to apologize for being American. I am who I am, and I find that the best way to deal with unreasoned anger or hatred is by gently and humorously reminding them of their own country's shortcomings (Germany would be like shooting fish in a barrel!). Often--not always, but often--most people think better of their remarks.

Lastly, I might remind you that unreasonable hatred ranting and raving against Americans may upset you, but Americans do the same thing. What makes it alright for Americans to foam at the mouth about people and countries they know little about yet speak with such hateful certainty?

Cheers.

Answer 4

I am not being a smart *** when i say this as my answer:
I don't care.

I spent three years living in Europe... this was before George W. Bush's presidency (but I have kept contact with many people I knew in central and eastern europe). Even then Americans were seen as unsophisticated and naive about geo-politics... Europeans, in general, are very attuned to American politics as well as their own. They are scared now by the "cowboy" diplomacy coming out of the White House and question Bush's intelligence about other cultures and politics in general.

I can understand where they are coming from... they are frustrated by a nation that appears to bluster through a region and dictate (in spite of it being a democracy at home) policy. Not my opinion but I see the validity of it. It may not be fair to your uncle (or any other regular American overseas) but how many times do we Americans ridicule the French and their culture? or the United Nations? or any other European nation that does not agree with us?

We are just as bad as they are so I don't think that much about it.

Answer 5

Well it will not be to long and they cry for us to save them again.
I say no let the Muslims they invited in Jimmie Carters time and to live under Sharia law and not their own laws. SO we just let them fall.

Not to long right before 911 I was in NYC at the UN and on a school tour and a Spanish lady who was the guide started ranting and raving about the US not paying their black mail. To which I stood there with about 100 people around and set her strait on fact and told her at the end if she did not like here to leave.
To which there was a large applause and this is what every American needs to do by putting these narcissist self centered losers in their rightful place. Of course for the left here thy love a loser like they are so they would defend the Europeans and all cry together.

Answer 6

I do not agree with the end of your statement or the question. But there is one thing that burns me up even more than some other country's ignorant losers ragging on us. That is when the ignorant losers in OUR country start bashing the United States! If it's so horrible to live here, get the HELL OUT! No one forces anybody to live in the U.S., go live in a socialist paradise like Sudan, or Iran!

Answer 7

They are jealous. They remember when they were the big dogs on the block, and we were a crude little nation that tried to stay as far away from them as possible. Then, all of a sudden, in the 20th century, those annoying little colonials, full of the people who ran away from their crappy systems, started kicking their @$$es in every category. We became stronger, richer, more productive, and all around better. While their empires collapsed, we became the world leader. Now they want us to go down so they can feel better about their failed socialist states.

Answer 8

No. Often they are right. I have no use for our current government either. But then being anti Bush is not necessarily being anti American. When I go abroad I tell people I am Canadian.

Answer 9

Of course it offends me. They are rude and they expect everybody to cater to their opinion. They treat us the same way they think we treat them. As if we force them into anything. Well, nobody really cares and why should they? When everybody is telling Spain how to run it's country then they can deal with it, until they, they get the backseat.

Answer 10

Partially agree.