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....

Quoted from Joost

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.

This is true, but I feel like if all I'm doing is trying to enjoy and discuss a Blur video or watch a clip a Sacha Baron Cohen I really don't need to read 25 comments about how stupid and fat Americans are. I really don't see people attacking let's say the French or the Italians. It's always: you Americans. And it's said with such disgust it makes me sad. I mean, I don't think the people I know are trying to destroy the world. We're just trying to live. Our government is just as imperfect as any governent, but I'll quote a line from an old movie here:

"You American haters bore me to tears, Ms. Barham. I've dealt with Europeans all my life. I know all about us parvenus from the States who come over here and race around your old Cathedral towns with our cameras and Coca-cola bottles... Brawl in your pubs, paw at your women, and act like we own the world. We over-tip, we talk too loud, we think we can buy anything with a Hershey bar. I've had Germans and Italians tell me how politically ingenuous we are, and perhaps so. But we haven't managed a Hitler or a Mussolini yet. I've had Frenchmen call me a savage because I only took half an hour for lunch. Hell, Ms. Barham, the only reason the French take two hours for lunch is because the service in their restaurants is lousy. The most tedious lot are you British. We crass Americans didn't introduce war into your little island. This war, Ms. Barham to which we Americans are so insensitive, is the result of 2,000 years of European greed, barbarism, superstition, and stupidity. Don't blame it on our Coca-cola bottles. Europe was a growing brothel long before we came to town."

So there are many ways to look at the world and who bares what responsibility. Don't put it all on our shoulders. Now I know a lot of people think Bush is the modern day Hitler, but I think that if you really think about it there's a huge difference. I don't say he's not dangerous (or him and the people around him) or hasn't been the cause of many deaths, but there's a huge difference. And we are certainly not behind him. For the most part. It's a huge country so there's always that faction out there. That scary, close minded, violent faction. I just think it's unfair to lump us all together as fat, stupid war mongers. We're people and especially when we're just posting about some stupid band we don't deserve a million insulting comments.  

Quoted from An Apple Beatle

I think your alright Sandra as it goes.

I don't even know how to take that.

Quoted from An Apple Beatle

I admit to begrudging the fact America's involvement in WW2 was a bit late and at a great cost to Britain...

It's interesting you feel that way, Apps.  I always thought that FDR did a lot before the U.S. entered the war to help Britain (such as the Lend-Lease Act).   Britain won WWII with U.S. help, but lost its empire.  I think the loss of territorial possessions had more to do with the post-war economy in Britain than anything the U.S. did.  I think Britain is still struggling with its post-colonial identity.  The Beatles were a great part of Britain losing the stodgy old-school class-structured Britain for something cosmopolitan, radical, multicultural (white guys in love with black music).  

My only problem with Britain politically is that damned monarchy.  After you guys chopped off Charles' head, you should have done with it.  The Restoration was the worst thing to happen to Britain in the last 500 years.  

I only bring the topic up as means for a discussion. It's no argument. I have visited several boards and inevitably the anti-American sentiment comes up. I don't feel I was attacking people from the UK either, only stating that the majority of comments came from them. Probably because of the whole speaking English thing. I mean, I know the sentiment is felt throughout the world. Political stuff aside my point was that I don't think it's fair or right to generalize an entire nation of people. THAT creates boundries. Discussion can only bring enlightenment.

Also, when I said I didn't know how to take that I wasn't being a jerk or anything. I seriously didn't know how to take it. The as it goes part threw me. But I suspect that if any of us met in person we'd seem to be nothing like we are on this site. Or at least seem very different. Well, I know I'd be. I usually keep this stuff inside and just try to keep everyone around me happy. Anonimity allows for certain privileges I guess.

Its a funny ol world. I'd like to live in peace.
Peace & love. x

Quoted from pc31

you mean that's a lie?????

Yeah, it's a lie. We're not smoking pot. We're using coke.

Quoted from Bobber

Yeah, it's a lie. We're not smoking pot. We're using coke.

Now that you've banned magic mushrooms.

Quoted from BlueMeanie

Now that you've banned magic mushrooms.

That's just this time of the year.

and i thought you guys and girls were into pespi cola......we do the dew here...

On a more serious note, I think we all get critisised wrongly sometimes, due in part, to a lack of understanding of another people's culture. I can completely empathise with how you feel Sondra. I've been brought up with other people saying things like: 'You English and your tea', 'You English and your weather', You English and your Monarchy', You English driving on the left', You English and your queueing'!!! Mostly irritating I know, rather than insulting, but a lifetime of it really makes you mad sometimes. Sometimes ignorance can be bliss, and sometimes not. For those that are ignorant by choice, pity them. Smile and nod, and know that you're above that.

Quoted from BlueMeanie

On a more serious note, I think we all get critisised wrongly sometimes, due in part, to a lack of understanding of another people's culture.

True. I once heard Bill O'Reilly say on TV that a lot of thing are going the wrong way in America and that if they wouldn't be careful, "America could end up just like The Netherlands". I was very insulted when I heard that.

Of course you can legally get cocaine in every supermarket here, our women have abortions just for the fun of it, we have government funded campaigns to convert people to homosexuality and we have more brothels than houses, but I don't see what's wrong with all that?  

The Americans i have met have always been nice people , so i can only judge on my experience which as been good.
I don't like rudeness and i find the internet a very rude place to be sometimes , ive seen a lot of things written and i just think where are your manners , that might be a bit old fashioned but i was taught " Good Manners " if you can't make a point without been rude you should be silent .
My mum always says manners cost nothing and i agree with her ?

DaveRam

Quoted from adamzero

I think Britain is still struggling with its post-colonial identity....

My only problem with Britain politically is that damned monarchy.  After you guys chopped off Charles' head, you should have done with it.  The Restoration was the worst thing to happen to Britain in the last 500 years.  

Agree with the first bit totally. Britain has three choices - side with the US, side with Europe or go it alone. It's still not sure what way to go.
Re the monarchy - I used to feel the same as you, especially re The House Of Lords. But bear this in mind - Britain has had stable government for 300 years now, free of the revolutions, totalatarian governments and civil wars that have beset everyone else (including your good selves.) It is a nation proud of it's traditions of civil liberties, free speech and tolerance.They must be doing something right.

Quoted from An Apple Beatle

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.

I can't hold that against them. they had involved themselves in a european war in 1917 just to see the continent tearing itself apart again barely a generation later. Why should americans die for what would be seen as protecting the Soviet, French and British empires (that themselves enslaved and exploited millions). If I'd been an american in 1939 i wouldn't want my country involved in another european squabble.

It's a fair point Kevin & AdamZero earlier. On re-reading this thread, i stand a bit more enlightened and apologise for my own tone. Just hope my brother gets home in one piece instead of defending stupid oil lines!

This is a pandora's box of a subject and can be justified/villified in many examples. I wish I never grew up at times to learn the worlds sins.  

Hatred of a country is a strange one , as i grew up, i was feed with WW2 war films and it was off to the fields with are sticks as guns and go and shoot as many Germans as possible , i hated Germans and i`d never met one .
I treat people as they treat me ,and it dos`nt matter to me what colour , country they come from i, have respect for anyone, and who has  respect for me .
I was once proud to be English , not any more , when `ive been abroad and seen how English treat people, with no respect and no courtrsey and it upsets me .
But not all English are like that ? i guess not .
When i went to New York i could`nt get over how friendly the people were , doe`s that mean all New Yorkers are like that ?
Hate Americans , no , only small minded people who hate someone for the only reason that they live in another country , and are proberly wishing they were living there and its just jeaousy , i hate living here now and i`d leave tomorrow if i could .
Any Offers  
As Goerge said , "its easier to critisise someone else than to see yourself "
Love and peace , heres hoping      

here, here. x

Ignorance ard racism ara closely related.  Puerto Rico is a territory of the US and there's always controversy over the political status of the island.  But I've notieced that  lot of people in PR who are pro independence who are very attached to American lifestyle and values.  But again I can't make generalizations, that's the problem with religion and other matters.  Everybody has the right to have their own believes.  Maybe some of the policies followed by the American governement are not the best but that doesn't mean Americans are bad,  The same happens with Muslims, we can't say all Muslims are terrorist but yes, there's a lot of people in the world that hate Americans probably because they want for their nations what US has achieved...