Why do so many people hate the US?

[follower]

First, I agree with Diemen in everything he said. I would like to add some local colours though. My country, Brazil, has been an ally of US for its entire life as a free nation. We even fought together, side by side, on the Italian battle fields, during the World War II. But unfortunetaly, like many other countries in Latin America, we had a brutal and cruel rightist military dictatorship, during the 60s and 70s. Brazilian people in general suffered a great opression, all individual rights were taken of the citizens and lots of people died under torture, many more injured and some are still missing. And the Brazilian militaries who perpeprated all those crimes were, unfortunetaly, backed by the US government at that time. They were even trained in American military academies, like West Point. I think that it is the origin of the hatre towards US that still exists here, although I don?t agree. I don?t hate anybody.

Of course, I haven?t seen a word, here in my country, in favour of all the atrocities comitted last September 11th. Many Brazilians live and work in US, 300.000 live in the metropolitan area of New York. Some worked in the twin towers of World Trade Center, and there are many Brazilians missing, until now. But unfortunetaly what I said above it?s true. American foreign policy towards Brazil and its option to give support to our despots during the 60s and 70s, and their absolute fear of comunism, were the source of bad and strong feelings against US government that are still alive here nowadays, among part of the Brazilian people.

I think many of you maybe didn?t know about the facts I mentioned above, but I do think we can learn with and from each other mistakes. I truly hope that such events never happen again, no more dictatorship here, no more acts of terrorism anywhere.



[This message has been edited by follower (edited 09-14-2001).]

 

[Marko]

Well here goes...

I don't hate you and I never will, I know a lot of people from the US and I enjoy theor company a lot. But you can iritate me like no one else sometimes!!! For instance, this atack on NY: It was terrible, evil and sickening. BUT today in all of the Europe there was the day of mourning and a 3-minute silence at 12:00 for the victims in US. It's o.k., and i respect the victims, but i don't mourn today, becouse (can you say suckup) europe never did something like that for 150,000 people who died in Turkey a few yrs ago in a earthquake, they never did it for 1,000,000 tutsi people killed in africa few years age, neither has US did it foe any victim in the world ever, except for their own, and these things are happening all the time (maybe you think that your life is more worth than an african or turkish life???), and I never did a 2-minute silence for my fellow countrymen who died for my country in a war that lasted for 5 yrs (1990-1995, 20000 people dead, and ther are just 4,500,00 of us). My country is Croatia, and I bet that you never stopped to think about it in those years for even 1 minute, hell I would be amazed if you even knew for my country!
One more thing about my war, my country wanted to go out of the comunism, but then we were attacked by Serbia which was led by Slobodan Milosevic, the biggest war crime criminal before bin laden if he did it, and US didn't want to help us because it was in a US interest to keep yugoslavia together (and you say that you support freedom - don't give me that BS - you support your own interest and you only care about money and oil!!!). US decided to put an embargo on buying arms for my country, and Serbia was 3rd biggest army in Europe back than. After few yrs by the support of Vatican and Germany we got our country, but Slobodan Milosevic beacome the simbol of stability and peace for the US - until he became to dangerous for the US during the war on Kosovo.
I can rumble on abut this, but then again I could never stop... The same thing is happening in the middle east - you created Afghanistan by giving them money and arms to fight Russians, and now they are the biggest threat for you... You pushed Saudi Arabia to put Bin Laden on exile and push him out of theri (his) country just becouse he spoke about islam and against US military bases in Saudi arabia (and you talk to me about the FREE SPEACH) - and now you have the biggest monster in a modern world - a monster that your country created!!! Than vietnam - don't tell me that you were "helping" poor people... Kuwait - do you think that you would go to help them if they didn't have so much oil? Why didn't you "FREE" people in Somalia.
And the last mistake was Durban - conference of human rights - Israel was declared "rasist" state, and then US comes in, puts a lot of preassure, and at the end there's no sign of that conclusion in the final declaration - and you say that you go to world to promote freedom and human rights.
I don't hate you, but don't go phatetic on me about fighting for freedom - I fought for freedom and my countryman died and for five yrs I couldn't go out on the street without being afraid of the bomb falling or a air atack. You are victims today, but don't talk about the biggest evil that ever happend in the world, becouse a lot of us expirienced worst things than that.
I don't hate you, I love you, I hate the lunatic that would do a thing like that on tuesday and I feel for you, but do a little reasrch on history, and reflect on what I said.

God bless you all (not just the US)

 

[Bastardy]

hitman, you need to stop masturbating, because you're only kidding yourself. we are not the pinnacle of human creation as you seem to think. we are just people just like everyone else.

 

[follower]

Hitman,

You asked, I answered, with honesty. Those are facts, you can't deny facts. I don't know what kind of answer you were expecting but, please, be more mature. Everybody makes mistakes, we're all human. You are not super heros.

 

[Hawkmoon269]

well said Marko and follower

------------------
The more you take the less you feel
The less you know the more you believe
The more you have the more it takes today

 

[Hitman]

Originally posted by Bastardy:
hitman, you need to stop masturbating, because you're only kidding yourself. we are not the pinnacle of human creation as you seem to think. we are just people just like everyone else.

Dude, you need to calm down and tone down your idiotic sexual humour. I'm not "masturbating" to anything. I simply said we are the most successful nation in history, and if you have a different opinion or facts to prove otherwise, please state them and drop the absolutely idiotic sarcasm. I am not some patriot who never sees the ills of the US government. The US government is FAR from perfect. But we do help more people around the world than every other nation combined, and the hated around the world to the US is due to jealousy and COMPLETELY UNJUSTIFIED. So please do me a favor and leave your idiotic sexual references aside, at least for the next couple of weeks. As a resident of New York with countless friends in the NYPD and the NYFD, I for one can live without it. Thanks very much.

 

[Hitman]

Originally posted by Marko:
Well here goes...

I don't hate you and I never will, I know a lot of people from the US and I enjoy theor company a lot. But you can iritate me like no one else sometimes!!! For instance, this atack on NY: It was terrible, evil and sickening. BUT today in all of the Europe there was the day of mourning and a 3-minute silence at 12:00 for the victims in US. It's o.k., and i respect the victims, but i don't mourn today, becouse (can you say suckup) europe never did something like that for 150,000 people who died in Turkey a few yrs ago in a earthquake, they never did it for 1,000,000 tutsi people killed in africa few years age, neither has US did it foe any victim in the world ever, except for their own, and these things are happening all the time (maybe you think that your life is more worth than an african or turkish life???), and I never did a 2-minute silence for my fellow countrymen who died for my country in a war that lasted for 5 yrs (1990-1995, 20000 people dead, and ther are just 4,500,00 of us). My country is Croatia, and I bet that you never stopped to think about it in those years for even 1 minute, hell I would be amazed if you even knew for my country!
One more thing about my war, my country wanted to go out of the comunism, but then we were attacked by Serbia which was led by Slobodan Milosevic, the biggest war crime criminal before bin laden if he did it, and US didn't want to help us because it was in a US interest to keep yugoslavia together (and you say that you support freedom - don't give me that BS - you support your own interest and you only care about money and oil!!!). US decided to put an embargo on buying arms for my country, and Serbia was 3rd biggest army in Europe back than. After few yrs by the support of Vatican and Germany we got our country, but Slobodan Milosevic beacome the simbol of stability and peace for the US - until he became to dangerous for the US during the war on Kosovo.
I can rumble on abut this, but then again I could never stop... The same thing is happening in the middle east - you created Afghanistan by giving them money and arms to fight Russians, and now they are the biggest threat for you... You pushed Saudi Arabia to put Bin Laden on exile and push him out of theri (his) country just becouse he spoke about islam and against US military bases in Saudi arabia (and you talk to me about the FREE SPEACH) - and now you have the biggest monster in a modern world - a monster that your country created!!! Than vietnam - don't tell me that you were "helping" poor people... Kuwait - do you think that you would go to help them if they didn't have so much oil? Why didn't you "FREE" people in Somalia.
And the last mistake was Durban - conference of human rights - Israel was declared "rasist" state, and then US comes in, puts a lot of preassure, and at the end there's no sign of that conclusion in the final declaration - and you say that you go to world to promote freedom and human rights.
I don't hate you, but don't go phatetic on me about fighting for freedom - I fought for freedom and my countryman died and for five yrs I couldn't go out on the street without being afraid of the bomb falling or a air atack. You are victims today, but don't talk about the biggest evil that ever happend in the world, becouse a lot of us expirienced worst things than that.
I don't hate you, I love you, I hate the lunatic that would do a thing like that on tuesday and I feel for you, but do a little reasrch on history, and reflect on what I said.

God bless you all (not just the US)

Actually, as a history major I know very much about your country. It is a common misconception among non-USA citizens that we do not know anything about other countries, but that is such an ignorant misconception. Not that it should mean anything to you, but my favorite basketball player in the world for many years was Drazen Petrovic. I loved Petro so much that I did much research on the country as a youth and I even rooted for Drazen and Toni Kukoc and the rest of the team against the Dream Team of the NBA in 1992, as unpatriotic as that may sound. I always root for the underdogs. I am very sorry that your country lives in fear of bomb attacks. That is so horrible, and I know I can not even understand the fear. The US walked out of the United Nations conference because it supports Israel and does not believe it to be a racist state. That is the belief of the country. Can you fault it for it's belief? I do not believe Irael to be a racist nation. I applaud Colin Powell for acting as he believed and not worrying about the "popular opinion". The great leaders in the history of the world such as Martin Luther King never cared much for the "popular opinion." I never said the words "biggest evil in the history of the world". As far as I am concerned, Evil is Evil. Timothy McVeigh is Evil. Charles Manson is Evil. Osama Bin Laden, and ALL OF HIS FOLLOWERS are Evil. They have committed unspeakable horrors, to which I have been a first hand witness. I can't even believe I am taking time to post on website right now, but it is the only way I know to fully vent my anger without driving my loved ones crazy. The US is not an evil nation. The people of this nation are not evil This government is not evil, in fact it works better than just about any other government in the world. We also help other countries out more than any other government in the world. Bottom line, if you can dispute these last two comments with hard facts than please present them. Does any other government work better than the US governement? Does any other government do more good for the rest of the countries in the world? I don't think so. And even if there were 2 or 3 (which I kind of doubt), that would place us in the top 2 or 3 % of all governments in the world. Go ahead and hate us. Whatever. I am simply mad, and if you really hate the US, go ahead and post more insults on this thread, I don't plan on checking it ever again.

 

[Bastardy]

i am perfectly calm. you've been using the caps lock and exclamation marks, my friend, not me. masturbation is not just a term in the sexual sense, it also refers to unrealistic/irrational behavior or speech that is meant to inflate one's ego and self-esteem by ignoring reality. this is what I feel you are doing. yes we are in a way, lucky to live in a free nation, but that's where it ends- luck. I don't believe we're so terribly superior to everyone as you seem to think. i don't know what to make of this outpouring of patriotism the US is going through right now, some of it strikes me as blatant propaganda, and that to me does not seem to be the right way to deal with these tradgedies, as blindness to the truth/reality is what got us into this mess in the first place. i am proud of a lot in my country, but I think perhaps the world has disrespect for us because of the cloud of Americanism so many of us live on. I think being realists and pulling together that way is the best thing "America" can do for the near future. i don't know. i am but one person and there is no solution to the feeling this has caused here. the epic scale of this investigation is impressive, but its also a bit of a shock to see the country thrust into a state of war like this. for those of you elsewhere, things have definitely shifted in the US. being just outside boston, i don't feel too far from all of this. the entire government has focused its attention on this matter, there are arrests and evacuations being made everywhere, people keep saying WAR! it feels totally different all of a sudden. no hard feelings hitman, we're in this together, discussion is good though.

 

[u2utah]

Hitman, I understand you are very angry right now, but it appears to be coloring your perception of what you read. You asked a question and got some very thoughtful responses IMO. How many times did Marko say he didn't hate America? Yet you rave that he says he did. He gives an interesting perspective that I think is important. If you asked the original question with real interest in the answers, read the answers without responding hatefully. Perhaps in a few weeks you can read them with a more objective eye. Right now the hurt might be too deep. I hope you can find some comfort.

It is completely understandable that in the midst of our shock and horror and sadness that we are acting as if we are the first people ever to experience such horror, and that America is this innocent victim who have never harmed a living soul in the whole of history. This attitude is certainly understandable since it's been a short time since it happened and it truly is a horrible, tragic thing.

I really don't think Marko is trying to minimize the pain of those who lost loved one's or the horror of the act. Marko is simply stating that the US government is not completely virtuous and blameless and has caused suffering to innocent people (however justified one says it is) and that we are not the only country to have been stricken by violence. When this is declared "the first war of the 21st century" people in places like Sierra Leone might understandably take exception. Look at some of the numbers of dead in his post. It's truly horrific.

My hope is that this tragedy will give us more empathy when we hear of tragedies, wars, etc. in other countries. I hope we remember how bad we feel right now when it happens somewhere else. (Particularly if (when) innocent people are killed in an act of retaliation for this attack). It is heartening that the world is responding to our pain, but he makes a good point in that we should ALL respond like this WHENEVER something horrible happens, not just when it happens to us.

America does indeed have much to be proud of. It is wonderful to see the outpouring of help and support, to see the tireless rescue workers in New York giving it their all and putting their lives on the line. The U.S. has extensively helped other countries, and even helped our former enemies rebuild. We seem to get over our anger after wars. You don't see much extended hatred for Germans or Japanese, for instance. This is a real blessing and helps us avoid situations like the Balkans or Northern Ireland. My hope is that this will be the case in this situation as well. It is painful to me to hear of people of Arab decent being singled out for acts of hatred. It is a specific group of people who did this, and they alone should bear the blame, not everyone who has the same religion.

I pray that we don't give in to fear, anger and hatred, and sacrifice our freedom for some imaginary security which is never possible. Freedom of speech, freedom of movement, freedom of the press, freedom to gather, etc. are the essence of what is good about America. If we let those negative emotions consume us and limit us, the terrorists will have won even if we succeed in wiping every one of them off the face of the earth.

Anyway, that's my perspective. I have found the level of thoughtfulness and debate on this forum heartening. For the most part people are being respectful of others opinions even when they strongly disagree. Please keep it up.

 

[Hitman]

Fair enought U2Utah. No doubt, I started a topic in which I in no way wanted to hear the answers to. That's why I logged back on the topic. What got me about Markos post, is that although he said he didn't hate American, he said "I don't mourn today." and seemed quite resentful of a moment of silence for these horror. My main point was I think there is so much unjust hate towards the US. I do not hate any country with the exception of those countries in the Middle East which have so demonstrated their hate of us and their horrible disregard for human rights. I don't hate Columbia or Brazil or France or England or Japan or Russia, despite the fact that all these countries' governemnents may have done things in the past that may have been reprehnesible and I may disagree with. My main point in my post was that the US is so wrongly hated, especially considering the fact that it does so much good for the rest of the world. You are right, though, as is the previous post that compared my post to "masturbating...". Discourse is good, I may be a little too emotional to particpate at the moment though.

 

[Marko]

Hitman, I never said that I hate you or your country, quite oposite. I was just anwsering the question why people hate you. And I said that I don't, but you do IRITATE me sometimes. When I'm writeing about why you iritate me then you can not excpect me to be nice, and offcourse it will sound like a offending, but the question asks for it so i had to give it to you.
And I stand at my point that your country never does anything for the sake of GOOD but always for the sake of it's own interest (non-goverment associations and humanitarian organizations (pardon my spelling) excluded), I'm only talking about your government!!!
My point was that you (to general I know) don't notice all the bad things happening around the world, but when something like this happens to you then it's: Oh my the god is terible; thisi is worst than apokalips and so on... You notice the bad things only when it happens to you, and maybe that's just human, but don't ask from me to think only about you nowdays, or to have a day of mourning when I didn't have that for anyone else in the world, and your disaster is just one of many that happened in the world in last 3-4 years.
I realy apritiate your familiarity with my country but of all the people that I met in my life all over the world 95% didn't know what Craotia is (not only americans), except right after world cup in france when we were 3rd.
I don't know why people want to know the anwser to a question like this and than can't cope with the anwsers! In one of the first threads I was totaly with you and I got ticked off by some people who on the first day only talked about Bono and U2, who cares about them in a situations like this, when your relatives and your country is in trouble, but after few days i can say a few things...
I love all the people in the world except the Serbs who did too much wrong to my people in Croatia and Bosnia.
I see that you know something about my country, but just to keep you up to date, we are no longer at war. The war stoped in 1995, so it's peacefull for 6 years with no prospect of future conflict - we are to strong now.
And one more thing, why are you (Bush that is) already declaring War? to who, on what grounds? and all over the world you are telling all the nations to have dialog, to have compromise... about Israel read drgonzo's post... don't go to war because that's just what theese lunatics expect from you, and you will pull a whole world in it with you, and than this attack on WTC will seem like a very small thing... you're allready building up your forces in middle east and you still don't have enough proof that bin laden is the guilty one. I think that he is a prime suspect, but is it maybe a little bit too obvious? They were tailng him and his men so closely, but they couldn't smell anything strange... i don't know, it's just too strange...

well, maybe I'm boring but I'll say it once again, I don't hate you, I never will, I'm really sorry for what happened, but becouse off all the babling that came out of my mouth in this and previous post you can bet that in hockey betveen you and canada, i'll always be for canada.

bye, please don't misinterprete me again (well my spelling is so terrible right now that you realy could...)

 

[follower]

That?s okay now Hitman, it?s understandable that you are hurt and it?s difficult to keep calm in a situation like that. As Marko already said, he doesn?t hate you and I don?t hate you either. In fact nowadays some of my best friends are from US, although I have never been to your country, and it?s a dream I have. I admire you, everything you have built and your patriotism, but your government has chosen the wrong path in the past, they have chosen the wrong guys to associate with. I hope it does not happen anymore. And I?ll keep praying for the injured and the families that lost beloved ones.

 

[Marko]

U2Utah thak you for getting ma point riht and explaining it to the people a little bit more clearly, as english is my third language I think that I often seem a bit to hard.
I said that i don't want to mourn not becouse I don't fell for the victims, I do. But I will mourn for them with myself in my room and not publicly becouse for me it feels like sucking up. I pray for them, but not on the street and not on the TV.

Just one question that has to do with US patriotism: I envy you on such level of it, but when YOU and your frineds go to watch Pearl Harbour, Armagedon and such movies do you feel elevated (sorry it's not itentional) or does it feel too sugarsweet (for me it's realy too much - the movie is a disaster - my opinion), becouse I always wondered how come that americans buy into such propaganda. I mean loving your country is great its' beautifull, but in the movies it seems pathetic... well i wandered off the topic but i was always puzelled...

bye, no hard feelings hitman

 

[Hitman]

I have to say, some of the reasons that have been posted here to "Hate the United States" are absolutely laughable.
You hate the US government because of things they have done??

Do you hate Germany because of the Nazis?
Do you hate the Japanese because of World War 2?
Do you hate the English because of their entire history?

I could go ON AND ON!!! The United States is a Democratic and Capitalist nation. It is also the most successful nation in the history of the world. It also HELPS MORE COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD THAN EVERY OTHER COUNTRY COMBINED! We give so much of our money every year to other causes it is amazing. However, in the world view, we will never win because there will always be some group we have offended with a certain decision to PROTECT OUR INTERESTS! THAT'S WHAT WE DO! WE PROTECT OUR INTERESTS BECAUSE WE ARE A NATION, JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER NATION. It's so sickening to hear the resentment of this country. There is a lot wrong with the US, but not any more than any other country in the world, and we do much more good than any other country in the world.

[This message has been edited by Hitman (edited 09-14-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Hitman (edited 09-14-2001).]