I have to tell you that anytime I seem to go to a site that involves people from other countries it is INEVITABLE that someone will start making really rude anti-American comments and think it's okay. I mean, I go to YouTube to watch a Blur video and people, mostly from the UK, are commenting on how dumb Americans are or how fat Americans are or how they musn't like a song/movie/whatever because they're too stupid to get it and so on. I go to IMDB to read about a movie and I see the same thing. The expression I cannot stand the most is when they start with, "You Americans..." It's extremely offensive and filled with disdain.
I find it hard to understand how some people can generalize us so easily and harbor such hatred for people they have never met. I think it shows such ignorance and intolerance. I really have to work hard not to start feeling anti something myself because of these kinds of comments. I mean, obviously I know there are issues with our country, but the comments made go beyond the political and they do nothing to provoke intelligent discussion in any way. It's usually about personality and I really don't know how you can assume we all have the same personality. Fat, dumb, ignorant, low taste, low intelligence, overly sensitive, etc. This is what I see all the time. It's just pure hatred.
And do not think for a second this is because of Bush. I was watching an old Doors interview from the sixties and they were asked how the European audience differed from the American audiences. The said they liked it when they were political and they particularly cheered when anything Anti-American was said. No matter what it was. So this blind hatred has been going on forever. Sheep.
Personally, it sounds to me that these people suffer from some sort of inferiority complex and putting down an ENTIRE nation of over 300 million people makes them feel better. That's my assessment at the moment. I think people think it's okay to put down Americans. Like somehow we deserve it and should just take it. I really just want to just say f*** off. Take your half assed theories and f*** off. Not that I would ever say that though. I mean, I'm sure these are intelligent people commenting on these boards and who am I to question their great insight? After all, I'm just some American.  

damn you got fire inside you woman!!!i have always admired the way you speak your mind....where were you when i was swingle??????i think we get a bad rap because our fair nation was started with revolution and it has been working....america rose to a world power rapidly....we do have more freedom than most countries.....you have some that curse our systems milking it for all its worth too...do you know we pay people to immagrate here???do you know there are over 20 million illegal citizens here????some of the hate maybe deserved but alot is jealousy....let me say i am proud to be an american...and i enjoy the circus.....

I just laugh.

Quoted from Klang

I just laugh.

I used to find it amusing at first, but not so much anymore. It's nothing but blind hatred at this point. It's as if these people are indoctrinated from birth to hate Americans. There's such disgust in the comments I've read over the years. It's disturbing. Again, I'm not talking about our government or our policies. People have a right to be angry about things that concern the welfare of others. I'm talking about us as people. There is genuine disgust for us as people and I think it's wrong. As I think it is wrong to hate anyone based solely on race, nationality, or religious affiliation.

I agree with what you said. People may put down Americans because they are secretly jealous of the power that the USA holds in the world. It also probably doesn't help that the media portrays the American image of being rude and obnoxious. I admit to a little Anti-American sentitments at times but for the most part I think that the label put on them by the media is stupid. Most are portrayed as backward hicks who are against change, but really that's only a small percentage.

Also: Scotland is the second fattest country in the world after the United States.

Fair play to your views...I don't hate Americans...I secretly fear that America's actions may cause Armageddon though. Anyone who has children would probably deep down bear that same fear. Thats why I havn't actually had children yet....Feelings become mixed and come out in different ways.
I admit to begrudging the fact America's involvement in WW2 was a bit late and at a great cost to Britain...Thats a power struggle though by power hungry politicians...not peace-loving individuals.

On another note....I'm ashamed that Britain is trying to get rights to territory in the South Pole....More colonial power hungriness......Power obsessed is a nation all of it's own.

Quoted from Sandra

I used to find it amusing at first, but not so much anymore. It's nothing but blind hatred at this point. It's as if these people are indoctrinated from birth to hate Americans. There's such disgust in the comments I've read over the years. It's disturbing. Again, I'm not talking about our government or our policies. People have a right to be angry about things that concern the welfare of others. I'm talking about us as people. There is genuine disgust for us as people and I think it's wrong. As I think it is wrong to hate anyone based solely on race, nationality, or religious affiliation.

I agree but I am sure disturbing comments can be found from all nations. I think your alright Sandra as it goes.

I suppose I often laugh to keep from crying. Look, the people of the USA are so diverse in every way imagineable, it might stand as a microcosmic representation of the entire world itself. That's why we squabble so much among ourselves, I guess. The foreign policy that the government implements doesn't reflect the wishes of anyone that I know, and the elections are looking like they're rigged anyway. So who really is in charge here? All the little guy can do is complain and hope for change, which is not a very dynamic tactic but what else is there, short of mass insurrection (which will never happen)?

<scratches head>

yeah, and some people think that muslims are terrorists. anyone who judges someone by their nationality or religion is uncultured. true story.

Quoted from Sandra

It's as if these people are indoctrinated from birth to hate Americans.

Some of them really are.

Quoted from Sandra

I mean, I go to YouTube to watch a Blur video and people, mostly from the UK, are commenting on how dumb Americans are or how fat Americans are or how they musn't like a song/movie/whatever because they're too stupid to get it and so on.

Sandra, take these comments and replace "Americans" with "Jews". Or "African Americans". Or "Latinos". What do you get then? Racist comments. Now put the word "American" back in there. What are they now? Still racist comments. Generalizing the entire population of a particular country in an overtly negative way, that's simply what we call racism.

This means you have every right to feel offended by these comments. But it also means that you should realize that people that make such comments are a dumb, ignorant minority and are not worth your energy.

Generalisation. Everybody in the world thinks that everybody in The Netherlands is smoking pot every day.

Whatever hate or praise we get for being whatever nationality we are comes from our past actions as a nation. If you live in a successful country no doubt you've got there from creating some kind of Empire, the praisers benefit from the Empire and the haters don't benefit from the Empire. That's a generalisation on a generalisation. In a way. I think.

Quoted from Bobber

Generalisation. Everybody in the world thinks that everybody in The Netherlands is smoking pot every day.

you mean that's a lie?????next you'll be telling me there is no santa claus!!!!
i love this comment...the praisers benefit from the Empire and the haters don't benefit from the Empire. That's a generalisation on a generalisation.
true wisdom there who....