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For those of you who live in other countries, how do you feel toward the United States?
Since I don't travel much from my home near Los Angeles, I often wonder how others feel toward America and Americans.
ZX Style 20+
My view of US is entirely created by the media.
But every year my view on the US is getting less positive.
Nowadays i see the US as the nation who feels the need to control every other country.
And they manipulate all the other NATO countries to think and act the same as they do.
For instance let's take Iran and North-Korea.
The US eventually wants to be the only one with thousands of nukes.
On what basis do the US have to be the one with the monopoly on nukes.
If the us really don't want other countries to have any nuke, then first dismantle your own.
But since those countries don't listen to the UN, they get called axes of evil by the US.
So they have their own opinion and thus they are axes of evil???
I am a European so i have nothing to do with the last two countries (axes of evil)
But i am neutral in this situation.
The american people i respect, they are driven people and innovative.
Furthermore i've heard that they are mostly superficial and are very materialistic.
Yes i heard that from an US citizen so it's not my prejudice.
Don Anderson 20+
So when I hear someone say America is currently out to take the freedoms and rights, I trust that they are speaking of the American leaders. And in a recent poll shown that 53% agrees with them and also believe the US is taking the rights away.
Take Iran for example, I view its government as trouble makers, but its people as good people I would like to know better.
greg dahlen 30+
Don Anderson 20+
But more to the point, although you can say that the citizens lack courage for not kicking murderous leaders, you should not say that the citizens are also murderous. Plus how can citizens be responsible when one party controls the media, the school and the second party in order to give the illusion of a way to kick them out. If your leaders, media, schools tell you the same lie, how would is a citizen to know that it is a lie?
Considering the US is ranked 47 in freedom of the press, how confident can we be that the US really has two genuine parties.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Press_Freedom_Index
greg dahlen 30+
Reply at the top if you like.
Dan Clarke
Muhammad Aizat Zainal Alam 30+
The world has changed, very much indeed.Going back 50 years ago, I doubt a person like me could have a conversation with a person like you.Thank God for technology.But USA still has the power to bring peace to people all over the world.
The Palestine-Israel issue should be a start I suppose.
Kate Blake 50+
And of course descendants suffer because defence personnel were war damaged - now known as PTSD. We commemorate the young men who died but those that live with these memories, it has a devastating life long effect and their famillies pay for it in too many ways.
As our defence personnel are still finding out in these current wars - the price in human costs is far more than the death toll.
Muhammad Aizat Zainal Alam 30+
My hometown is a place named Butterworth in Penang. If you were to google the name of that place, it was once the RAAF base stationed in Malaya.Australians also played a major role during the war (and much more, The Malayan Emergency to name a few) and for that Malaysians are forever thankful for.We see Australia as a 'big brother' to us since we share a long history way back to the colonial days.How could we ever forget that.The memorial still stands at the island's esplanade .From what I see, cooperation was far more important than competition in those days.That I think is something worth taking note.
greg dahlen 30+
Muhammad Aizat Zainal Alam 30+
Malaysia is the country I am proud to call home.Our capabilities are small and limited yet we do what we can to give back to the world .People should know that we are a developing nation.There are so many internal issues that we can't afford to intervene in another nation's issues or problems.
greg dahlen 30+
Muhammad Aizat Zainal Alam 30+
http://simonsundarajkeun.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/malaysias-united-nations-peacekeeping-missions/
Just to name a few.
Kate Blake 50+
Wouldn't the world be a much happier more peaceful place if we each focused on resolving our own internal issues before interfering with others?
george lockwood 30+
Dan Clarke
America has done allot to progress science, culture and politics in the last century. I think allot of people are very quick to judge America and maybe won't realize how well they played their role till after their current stint as world leaders is over. I hope that their legacy of democracy, egalitarianism and freedom of speach lives on in the next phase of global society.
greg dahlen 30+
Random Chance 30+
American'ts worship lies more than anything else. They find the truth revolting and deny it vigorously,
even attacking those who call them on it.
They are blood-letters, craving for the shedding of other people's blood.
They elect those who will do this for them.
America is now made up of Manchurian Candidates and Manchurian Citizens.
Most of America is seriously mentally ill. Some are borderline insane if not outright insane.
They cannot see their own insanity because most everyone around them is insane too.
Their politics are a joke, except for how dangerous it is to them and the world at large.
They are red and blue states, at odds with one another, think that is "normal", think sex is abnormally immoral and suffer from a form of National Bi-polarism, a very serious disorder.
Most who have bi-polar disorder are:
1. misdiagnosed - they tell themselves they are fine and so does their media
2. mismedicated - they are on all kinds of anti-this drugs and anti-that country, anti-that religion or beliefs, and anxiety medications are the number one seller there as well as the daily dose they get from their medical -media, and...
3. most commit suicide - as it can clearly be seen that this is what they are doing to themselves.
They no longer know the difference between right and wrong (the legal definition of insanity), and believe "doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results" is the definition, when that is the definition of "practice".
It can be however, a description of insane behavior and is, as is demonstrated by their love for voting, a practice that hasn't worked for decades.
The most important political things in their country, they no longer get to vote on and haven't for decades.
greg dahlen 30+
What is it about America that would create some of the conditions you describe?
How is it that voting doesn't work? Do you vote in your country? Do you scorn it there as well?
One thing I like about America is the multiculturalism. You walk down a street, you see black, white, old, young, Asian, healthy, handicapped. Is it like that where you live? Would you see that as a strength, or does it not matter?
Random Chance 30+
Sorry it has taken me a few days to get back.
There are other countries who do some things better than the U.S. but what concerns me most is the Imperialism of America and how easily Americans simply dismiss the horrible things they have done and are doiing, with comments like, "we have done a lot of good in the world", "we are the freest country, with the best standard of living" and so on. And they use this kind of denial to continue invading other countries, stealing their resources, impoverishing the people of other countries, destroying burgeoning democracies, spying on their own citizens, using the military to do this (which is outlawed by Federal law and both Bush Jr and B.Clinton admitted this), and along this way they are destroying the Constitution, removing the liberties of the citizens and lying to them about almost everything. They are being, and have been, heavily brainwashed, so they are now a mentally ill country as far as the population goes.
Al Gore won and georgie bush went into the W.H. But not only that, no politician has solved, is solving or will solve, the problems that Americans as a country now face. They have their money stolen, they are lied, to while funds appropriated for various projects are fleeced of funds that only go into the pocket of the rich - those in power. It certainly isn't in the pockets of regular people, so where did it go? Just disappear? No.
The Pentagon cannot account for 2.3 trillion in funds!!!!! And no one talks about, investigates it, researches it and gets answers from a government that is doing all they can and more, to do everything in complete secrecy. And why would anyone trust such a government or such individuals? People who do worship lies.
Multiculturalism is in every country in the world today, so your point about really doesn't mean much. It's everywhere. It's good for people, but not when it is in the form of a insidious, hidden form of invasion, a la, the U.S
Does politics solve problems? No
greg dahlen 30+
As far as funds being fleeced for various projects, I would say that funds appropriated for projects generally go toward completing the project. For example, highway funds build highways, sales tax funds food stamp programs ( think 50% of American households now collect some sort of welfare), etc. If rich businesspeople make more money, it is because they are the leaders on projects and work harder than the people below them. Of course there are corrupt exceptions, but if everyone were corrupt, America would not have the kind of standard of living they do. Even people on welfare here live pretty comfortably.
However, these are my impressions. If you can provide specific examples, do so. I find it hard to believe the Pentagon cannot account for 2.3 trillion. Can you give more proof that this is so.
Muhammad Aizat Zainal Alam 30+
I know this can be a little hard to digest, but Malaysians see the United States as a country with enormous power yet failed to use them properly.They don't 'walk the talk' one might say.
Need me to elaborate more? Sorry if I am being too honest here.
greg dahlen 30+
How has America failed to use its power properly?
Muhammad Aizat Zainal Alam 30+
The USA used to be the hero.East Asians are forever indebted to your country's service during WW2. They can repeat the same victory they once had in other parts of the world.However to our surprise, nothing happened.
greg dahlen 30+
Reply at the top if you like.
Greg McEachern
I remember first real human contact with americans was a draught dodger that became friends with my older brother. Later I played music with a young man avoiding the draught and he broke down crying because of the shame he felt about his decision to leave the US. They were both good people. I think of Paul Simon's song 'American Tune', patriotic like an anthem. That's America; big on anthems and flags, so sure that their experiment is working. It's like God said "Let's do an experiment where everything is based on freedom and we'll make it mandatory that everyone must have a gun and we'll write that into their constitution". Paul Simon says "I can't help but wonder, what's gone wrong". I lived in Texas for a year and had some good friends there. But I remember a time when I was threatened by a man with a gun as he revealed that he thought I was a yankee. If I had known my own Canadian history I could have enlightened him to the fact that the yankee Americans said "You're either with us or agin us" to fight the south(George Bush said the same thing later). Instead we aligned with new Canadian provinces to form a larger Canada and a larger threat to the yankees. Hence we were actually helping the south. But I love the south, and Paul Simon and the american culture is part of my life. I met a war vet in a bar in Grants N.M. He had one plastic arm and we discussed the war; whether it was right or wrong and I left him telling him that I respected him and his sacrifice. So many wars are creating so many victims inside and outside america. When an army wins a war they want to fight another and when an army loses a war they want to fight again. Fewer victims-more forgiveness.
greg dahlen 30+
Greg McEachern
george lockwood 30+
Kate Blake 50+
I will watch this topic with avid interest.
Fritzie Reisner 100+
What interests me is how people form their views about other countries and their people or even their own country and its people.
For example, I wouldn't feel that the media through which I get information about other countries would give me a reliable picture at all about how open-minded the people are.
greg dahlen 30+
Is America more self-critical than other countries? Why might that be?
Fritzie Reisner 100+
Maybe you do feel well informed in this respect. I don't feel confident at all that the information I have about other countries is more than superficial. And I am often impressed with how homogeneous in views and disposition people believe Americans are.
The United States protects dissent via the Bill of Rights. Further, there is a long tradition of distrusting and criticizing authority and "the establishment", including government.
My statement made no comparison between the United States and any other country in the disposition to self-criticize or dissent. My claim was only that in the US complaining about/criticizing modern culture, government, education, and so forth is ubiquitous and has been for my whole life, at least. Those who do not criticize the country, its people, and its institutions would be the nonconformists in the US, don't you think?
greg dahlen 30+
Kate Blake 50+
One nation thinks US and it's people are the best in the world. It is the number one powerful nation and they know if they can ever get there, by marriage or green card or whatever it takes, then their life will be just perfect. Just thought of a few other nations who feel that way also, those invaded by China.
Another nation laughs at US, says its power is lost due to over indulgence in intoxicants and sex. They see themselves along with China as the new nations to be reckoned with, US is down the tube. From my side I think they are following your lead - if that is true?
Myself, I have met numerous Americans during my travels, but never visited. I wonder if being the most powerful nation for so long has draw-backs? Personally I feel Australia's health and electoral system are more effective than what I've heard about yours. I never cease to be astounded that you have such a strong gun culture, that this group is such an almighty powerful lobby group. That there doesn't need to be any logical reason for starting a war, and my country is more outrageous for following you into them. By logical reason I mean we all now know that there never was any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq but the propaganda generated from your country had everyone keen to fight ...
greg dahlen 30+
Yeah, I'm no expert on gun culture, being a pacifist who has never owned one. I usually feel glad that my fellow citizenry has guns, because I worry about our government suddenly becoming more dictators, trying to dominate the people by force, and if the people have guns, they could fight this. Knowing the people have guns keeps the government in check.
Kate Blake 50+
I can't be very specific because I don't know enough, sorry
Mathew Naismith 10+
The first things that comes into mind is greed & power mongering but that of course doesn’t apply to every citizen in the US only a few who really don’t care about anything else but themselves & of course we have them out in Australia as well.
I think the US seems a little like war mongers which is usually connected to dominance, power & money but in saying this if it wasn’t for the US countries like Australia would be in a lot of trouble which would be equal to what happened in WWII.
In all the US is a necessity to countries like Australia as we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the US being what it is.
Love
Mathew
greg dahlen 30+