posted on June 20, 2003 04:09:38 PM newAmericans not ruffled by world's contempt
The rest of the world often entertains itself being annoyed with the United States. The opinion polls often show it.
But that's nothing like American opinion of the global village. The inevitable experts say American scorn for foreign contempt is rooted in a fierce but amenable independence and an inner mettle.
"What we think of ourselves does not depend on the opinions of others," says Matthew Spalding, director of the B. Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies at the Heritage Foundation. "And that is what it means to be self-governing, as our founders originally intended. It gives us great confidence."
"We don't ignore world opinion, but we don't allow it to determine our fate. At our core, we have intellectual and moral independence in the very largest sense."
Poll numbers support that, too.
Almost six out of 10 Americans, according to a recent ABC News poll, are not particularly concerned that the relationships with France, Germany and Russia were bruised during the war against Iraq.
Two-thirds of Americans are happy with their country's role in the world, according to a Gallup poll, and 64 percent think that our way of life must be protected "against foreign influence," according to a Pew Research poll.
Though there was hubbub recently over an American boycott of French products — "freedom fries" and all that — one poll offers a reality check: In a Gallup/CNN/USA Today survey of 1,001 persons in late April, 67 percent said they don't even buy French products in the first place.
There also appears to be some irony: U.S. foreign policy, pop culture and attitude irk the world. But the world still waits at the door.
Indeed, a Carnegie poll in November of more than 1,000 foreign-born immigrants found that 80 percent of them, given the chance to "do it again," would come to the United States; 96 percent said they were happy; and 80 percent called this nation "a unique country that stands for something special in the world."
U.S. relations with the world are rife with complexities, though. People worldwide "actually like Americans, and they continually think of us, yet we barely recognize they exist," notes Mark Hertsgaard, author of "The Eagle's Shadow: Why America Fascinates and Infuriates the World."
The attitude has changed a little after September 11, "but there's still a self-centeredness. We see everything through the prism of our own experience. We've been self-contained for a long time. But we're not the only country to do that. I can't think of a more self-centered nation than China."
Mr. Hertsgaard says the "if they don't like it, they can lump it" mind-set held by so many Americans could imperil the war on terrorism, as well as the global economy and other challenges, insisting that "we can't do it alone."
But he concedes that the U.S.-centered attitude has a positive side. It stokes the conviction that "we can change things, that we can do better, that life can be different."
Magnified by the war on Iraq, U.S. ire with waffling allies and rogue governments was particularly sharp earlier this year, prompting the New York Times, among others, to examine the "anti-Europeanism" phenomenon in the country.
"The current stereotype of Europeans in easily summarized," wrote Timothy Garton Ash in February. "Europeans are wimps. They are weak, petulant, hypocritical, disunited, sometimes anti-Semitic and often anti-American appeasers ... their values and their spines have dissolved in a lukewarm bath of multilateral, transnational, secular and postmodern fudge." (LOL!)
But Americans can't seem to nurture such a grudge for long. A Fox News poll of 900 voters released June 6 found that 61 percent were ready to "restore a friendly relationship" with France.
Things are still pretty acrimonious elsewhere, however.
This week, it was the British Broadcasting Corp.'s turn to poke at America. A BBC poll of 11,000 persons in 11 countries released Tuesday said 65 percent of those surveyed thought Americans were "arrogant," and 85 percent said Americans were not "humble."
But 73 percent also described America as "free."
"Open your eyes, you naysayers, and look at the American dream as I did," one Briton-turned-American told the BBC in protest on Tuesday. "Yes, it works for a quarter billion people."
posted on June 20, 2003 04:21:08 PM new
This is such a great quote, I have to repeat it:
"The current stereotype of Europeans in easily summarized," wrote Timothy Garton Ash in February. "Europeans are wimps. They are weak, petulant, hypocritical, disunited, sometimes anti-Semitic and often anti-American appeasers ... their values and their spines have dissolved in a lukewarm bath of multilateral, transnational, secular and postmodern fudge."
posted on June 20, 2003 05:37:57 PM new
Although I am a third generation native born American a good portion of my family is not. I speak to relatives in the UK frequently and at length. My family in the UK are far more conservative than I. By our standards they would be considered right wing, they believe themself to be moderate thinking Torries. They do not dislike the American people, they dislike the American government and believe it has lied to the world in order to achieve it's goals. The fact that a great number of Americans could care less of world opinion is no great surprise. That a fair minded newspaper such as the Washington Times would focus on these polls is more suprising..... not
posted on June 21, 2003 07:41:40 AM new
Let me be ‘devil’s advocate’ here and speak as an apologist to you Americans.
It think if you look at some of the results and as one pointed out during the show.
We clearly love your Coke & Mc’as’, music, movies and other things (although we may not admit it) and think Americans likeable, but think your leaders are arseholes,
(but then again so are ours, problem is our leaders don’t #*!@ as big ’slight paraphrase’)
http://www.abc.net.au/america/results/results1.htm http://www.abc.net.au/america/results/results3.htm
Not that either seems very +ve but if you look at both links it is reasonably clear (I think) that people think much more of the Average or Typical American than of your leaders, they are the ones damaging your relationships.
If you look at the 2nd link, note that even Americans themselves rate reasonably close to the perception of themselves on the ‘Arrogance’ measure as the other countries (the difference is small when compared to other questions).
Also of interest is Q3. “Based on what you know do you agree or disagree on American policy on Israel and Palestine?” America was the only country to give a +ve response, even Israel was –ve.
In fact most questions on American foreign relations scored poorly.
It seems that this issue is creating some of the highest ‘resentment’.
Yep!!!
YOUR LEADERS ARE THE ONES DAMAGING YOUR RELLATIONSHIPS!!!!!!
This one is interesting.
http://www.abc.net.au/america/results/results4.htm
Q5. Do you agree America feels it is the only superpower in the world and can do what they like?
Average……..23
Korea………..61
Israel………..55…….Surprise (perhaps they know something)
Jordan……….46
France………35
Australia…….32
Canada………30
Russia……….25
UK…………..21
Indonesia……-7………Surprise
Brazil………..-21…….Surprise
USA…………-22…….Note, closest to Indonesia and Brazil
Don’t get us wrong: Don’t take it personal: we don’t mind you guys, hell, I even like spending time with you guys here, it’s just that your leaders (the powers that be) are arseholes.
And you guys that vote ‘conservative’ should try and work or how it can be that for all the strength USA has, you guys are typically far worse of than any others of us in the west.
Poorer health care, education, and housing.
Wake up 12 these are ‘AMERICANS’ I’m talking about, it seems your leaders have all the goodies.
They seem to be the ones who screw You, Your Country, and the World.
Anyhow, that’s what I think of ‘Americans’, and having seen the show, I think that’s the feeling the commentators conveyed.
We like you, but not your propagandists and the like.
posted on June 21, 2003 08:07:27 AM new
oops,
caught out with a Fruedian Slip!
12 wasn't even on this topic, I might need help, I think I've turned into an anti-12-ite.
Oh Well!
acceptable losses.
Let me retract part of my previous statement and add the words 'most of'
Don’t get us wrong: Don’t take it personal: we don’t mind you guys, hell, I even like spending time with most of you guys here,
posted on June 21, 2003 08:15:00 AM new
Well, that should knock George Bush off his pedestal!
"In France and Germany for example, more than 60 per cent of people said they approved of America when asked in the middle of last year. When asked the same question in May, only around 44 per cent of people still held that view."
In the golbal security survey I'm surprised that we were not considered more dangerous than Korea.
posted on June 21, 2003 08:57:13 AM new
Let me tell you something else interesting, which wasn't on the show.
My own little paranoid leftist theory.
The ABC 'Australian Broadcasting Corporation'
Has recently (within last month) been threatened with reduced funding, part of the reason if not the only one I got was that they are accused of portraying an ‘anti-American’ slant during IraqWar II.
I suspect that part of the motive for ABC to run this show at this time is an attempt to arm themselves with the defence that there portrayal of events or their ‘slant’ is ‘normal’.
By and large, I think the statistics do not place ‘America’ in a ‘favourable light’, and I do think some of the questions were ‘loaded’.
But hey, I’m just a second hand dealer, what would I know.
Note that the survey results site ‘Korea’ as one of the respondents to the poll, It was actually South-Korea.
Funnily enough, they saw USA as a bigger threat than North-Korea.
What was ‘fair’ or good analysis I thought was, as that the S-Korean reporter they switched too on the show explained attributing this to the fact that 2 American soldiers were recently scuttled out of there by the US Military after having killed a local girl in an auto-accident. Apparently that event saw a rise in ‘anti-Americanism’.
Then again.
You know how it goes, Americans can react the same way, as I’m sure Aussies can too.
I think it takes a lot of insight into statistics and regional ‘prejudices’ (for want of another word) to understand the complexity of these results.
But one thing for sure, we think a lot more of you than of your leaders, and you do too.
I must say, I don’t care much for most of our ‘clowns’ either.
But I do ‘care’ for the man & woman on the ‘street’ and yes 12 and alike, the man in the gutter too, as should you.
I think that the concern you show for them fairly well equates to the concern you show for others in the wider global or even local community.
posted on June 21, 2003 09:12:14 AM new
It is just the American attitude of "Screw everyone else, I got mine!"
Americans would quickly change their tune if the rest of the world suddenly stopped buying and selling from us. What if Americans couldn't get Nikes made in less-than-slave-labor sweatshops and corporations had to pay actual wages to have them made? How about cheap cars and cheap electronics? What if the middle east suddenly cut off our Oil supply, permanently?
What if the rest of the world boycotted us? Americans would gladly sacrifice Dumbya on the highest mountain and videotape it for other countries to see that we have "mended" our ways.
posted on June 21, 2003 03:37:03 PM new
And what if the USA stopped ALL the financial/food aid it distributes through out the world.
We need to take care of our own people before aiding the world.
"The human race is divided into two classes -- those who go ahead and do something, and those who sit still and inquire, 'Why wasn't it done the other way?' "-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
posted on June 21, 2003 07:59:50 PM newAnd what if the USA stopped ALL the financial/food aid it distributes through out the world.
Fine, but if Bush keeps it up, we'll be borrowing as much as the rest of them. With our deficit expected to exceed $300 billion this year, we no longer have any bragging rights.
Cheryl
My religion is simple, my religion is kindness.
--Dalai Llama
posted on June 21, 2003 08:07:02 PM new
We do not distribute aid for some altruistic reason. Simply if your neighbor is starving it is cheaper and more expedient to feed him than fight for your food. US Foreign Aid is used primarily to secure various raw materials and stabilize various geopolitical regions.
Hence we free Iraq and ignore the plight of Tibet.
posted on June 22, 2003 05:32:42 AM newThe most recent Pew Research Center for the People and Press poll, aimed at
gauging global attitudes toward the United States, has found that Washington
is losing its battle for the hearts and minds. Furthermore, not only are
Muslim-majority countries alienated from Washington, but also U.S. allies
who are becoming disenchanted with current U.S. foreign policy. The Bush
administration cannot be happy with the results of this poll, as it shows
that their administration has been a significant factor in the declining
popularity of American foreign policy abroad. In fact, the latest Pew poll
shows that one event -- the war in Iraq -- had a remarkably profound impact
on attitudes held toward the United States. In addition to inflaming the
entire Arab world, the decision to invade Iraq created massive fallout with
former U.S. allies, most notably France and Germany. Furthermore, and
perhaps most seriously, the invasion of Iraq, following the game of power
politics played by the Bush administration since their election, alienated
the peoples of nearly every country and society throughout the world.
The Bush administration is concerned about the fallout created by the
invasion of Iraq for a variety of reasons. By infuriating governments around
the world, including many of their allies, the current administration will
have a much harder time achieving future foreign policy objectives. Even
though the administration has expressed its willingness to
create "coalitions of the willing" to achieve foreign policy objectives, the
administration still finds the confluence of U.S. foreign policy and
international legitimacy important; this was most clearly seen with the
administration's desire to secure U.N. approval before invading Iraq.
Even more worrying than upsetting governments around the world, the Bush
administration has angered nearly the entire global population. Such a
condition is certainly not favorable to U.S. interests, and the
administration may be underestimating this significance. The danger in
upsetting the global population is that it increases the chances of
terrorist attacks against U.S. interests and possibly the U.S. homeland.
Hatred of U.S. foreign policy has caused much of the recent terrorism
against U.S. civilians, most notably in the September 11 attacks.
Unfortunately for both the American government and the American people, this
hatred and anger has been increasing steadily since the election of the Bush
administration. The fallout from the policies of the Bush administration may
take years to be realized, as more terror groups spring up due to current
events, such as the invasion of Iraq. These groups will have little problem
finding disaffected civilians who will be willing to strike back against the
object of their hatred.
posted on June 22, 2003 09:11:23 AM new And what if the USA stopped ALL the financial/food aid it distributes through out the world.
Don't worry, there are plenty of Muslim countries just floating in Oil and money who would love to start spreading their influence & beliefs thoughout the world. Countries would be more than happy to take their aid/bribes...and give in to their concessions.
And when the US hasn't enough gas to move a company of tanks, much less the whole military, get out your prayer rugs and bow towards Mecca. It will be the law.......
posted on June 22, 2003 01:18:17 PM new
Don't you think that some other countries are using the fact that no WOMD have been found to their advantage, when their real reasons for not liking the U.S. are based on jealous, religious views, which will never change no matter what President is in charge?
posted on June 22, 2003 01:27:39 PM new
No. I do not. While you can offer that argument in the case of various Middle Eastern countries it is laughable when applied to our European allies.
Simple fact is the current administration has chosen a path of attempted world domination and it has not been enthusiastically received by most of the world or a clear majority at home for that matter.
posted on June 22, 2003 01:46:40 PM new
Having more money doesnt mean anything. I think its going to be a tough race.
Not everybody has been brainwashed by the far right media.
This way of thinking only apeals to the dumb and the mean. Not everybody is dumb or mean.It jut seams that way becouse the people controling what you see on TV is the far right corpoarate consevetives. Bush better be careful.There are more people out there that are against this administration then the media leads you to believe.
[ edited by bigcitycollectables on Jun 22, 2003 01:47 PM ]
[ edited by bigcitycollectables on Jun 22, 2003 01:48 PM ]
posted on June 22, 2003 02:09:25 PM new
Maybe Bush can use some of the $200 million in his can of whoopass and pay off some of the $300+ billion in debt he's helped to create. Oh wait, he plans that we pay it off. Dummy me.
Cheryl
My religion is simple, my religion is kindness.
--Dalai Llama
