NationStates Jolt Archive

This letter is not addressed to only one individual; it's not addressed to one particular country either. This message is directed toward those who live in other countries and despise Americans. It is especially written for those English who detest us, for those Australians who loathe us, for those French who contemn us, and for those Canadians who abhor us. I would list more countries whose people dislike us for misinformed reasons, but I've run out of synonyms for the word "hate." Dear World,

Stop. From the time I began contacting those who live in other countries, I've been barraged with prejudice based on my nationality. I've mustered the most popular reasons from those who hate me, and every single reason for this universal contempt makes me sick. I hope that after a short review of them, they will make all of you sick as well.

There are several personality traits that Americans are infamous for. Most specifically, we are disliked for our "ignorant, arrogant, and violent nature." Interestingly enough, if you've ever listed us as the three of those in that particular order, upon naming the first one you're already a hypocrite. Let's face it, folks: you don't know shit about us. I'm not saying that we know shit about you, but facts are facts: you're generally just as ignorant as we are. However, unlike you, we don't judge you based off of cliches. Believe me: I have lived in the United States for all of the 19 years of my life, and we simply do not fit our stereotype. Many people think Americans are ignorant because they know Americans online who are. Here's a newsflash for you: almost everybody you meet online will be a narcissistic, self-centered jerk. Have you ever even taken a single step onto United States soil? If not, your information has probably come from friends, family, the internet, and the media. Your friends, family, and the media received their information from their friends, family, and media. Can't you see that this is merely an epidemic? Can't you see that you've been infected with the ignorance you accuse Americans of having?

Unfortunately, I've heard far more inane reasons for hating Americans. Some hardcore bigots go as far as saying the we're inferior because we prefer American Football over Rugby. Many detest the fact that "Soccer" to us is "Football" to them. Even more ridiculous is the nitpicking of how we spell and pronounce our words differently than they do. Are these really sufficient reasons for judging each and every one of us? They seem a little bit trivial to me. What's next? Are we going to be accused of driving on the wrong side of the road? How about how our traffic signals signify it's time to go as green, instead of blue? Oops. I hope I didn't just give you more fuel for your contempt.

All in all, Americans aren't arrogant, violent, inferior, or stupid. Honestly now, if the above fallacies give people sufficient reason to hate us, then I have every right to hate Canadians for pronouncing "about" awkwardly, the French for eating snails and having curly mustaches, the English for having tea time, and so on. I won't, though. I would never degrade myself to the point of basing my arguments on ridiculous streotypes. I hope that after you folks have read this, you will no longer either.

I agree, everyone has their different views, but in the end, were all on the same boat folks. And if ya'll still have differing views about us Americans, come to Texas, i'll show you what America is all about.

i am a texan.

That is true!! The Americans are good people...

I also agree we are all on this rock together and we should make the best of it.

Amen to that, why can't we all just get along!

However, unlike you, we don't judge you based off of cliches.

I would never degrade myself to the point of basing my arguments on ridiculous streotypes. I hope that after you folks have read this, you will no longer either.

Ironically, speaking is such a broad manner (we, the Americans) could be considered to make a generalization and assume "all" Americans think and act as you and the Americans you know.

I'm not bashing you or anything. In fact, I agree with you when you say all kinds of generalizations are silly. I just thought it was a bit funny and so I pointed it out in the name of pedantic humour.

Of the very few Americans I know personally, most I only know online, and almost all are pretty ordinary people (considering I know them from sites like this, of course :P ).

I think a lot of people dislike America's current stance in international politics, and sadly some people decide that because they disagree with some of a nation's policies, it means they have a personal disagreement with each and every citizen of said nation. This is, of course, stupid. Sadly, some people don't get that.

Usa A Ok!!!!!!!

Majority rules. The majority of americans voted for that clown you have running the show. The majority of americans are ignorant of the rest of the world. If the majority of you werent so opinionated you would get more respect from the rest of the world. Who says yours is the right way.

:gundge:

k

Actually, when compared to much of the world, America is kinda, well, really stupid. Our math and geogrpahy scores back that statment up as well. Looking at these studies, American's have no clue where China is. Don't know anything about the location of Iraq, can't preform the same math their counterparts can in other developed countries and haven't the faintest idea of the scope of world politics.

And we're also violent.

This letter is not addressed to only one individual; it's not addressed to one particular country either.[ Marked " Return To Sender " ]

Leave it to a Texan to defend "our great country." Every tax-leaching red state Bushite should really quit with all the incessant self-righteous buzzing. This is the most ridiculous bunch of stuff I couldn't quite make it all the way through.

Happy Festivus everyone! ;)

Hey, someone had to save ya'll's asses from the Muslim Extremists, you know the ones who think that everyone who doesn't see life their way should be killed.

"However, unlike you, we don't judge you based off of cliches."

Hmm all french are cheese eating surrender monkeys

All english have bad teeth and are snobs.

America has its stereotypes.

As for violence your murder rate is huge compared to the rest of the western world and you invaded Iraq based on screwed up facts when the UN was saying we don't think there are WMD here.

ok by this note i can tell you what i think of yank.

i am a canadian that has been across to the u.s. i have meet many of you.

this is what i think od MANY of them, not all, you people have a nack for saying the worg thing at the wrong time quote "yuor canadian money must have been made by a bunch of faggits" thanks for that to all of you, our money is different colours to make it easier to find, but before you people say anything you seem to not be able to find a black puck on white ice.

not all canadians say aboot, i say about so stop saying aboot when you talk to me, it pisses me off.

i met a yank that tried to drive up canada to alaska(sp?) with a map form a place mat, the only problem was that it showed canada as only about one inch thick, he got to my hometown and asked how much longer to alaska, and when i said about two days, that is what you get when you drive though B.C.'s back country, he cursed me out and calling me a "stupid fuck", so i said you got me anf sent him east to calgary, oops.

so you can figure out why i dont like you people, but on the other end i have met others that are very nice people, and i will welcome them back into my home if there fight ever gets grounded again because of an attack on your homeland, yes my family took in a family of 5 and we had a great time.

but dont get high and mighty saying don't stereotype us, and turn around and do the same to us

Majority rules. The majority of americans voted for that clown you have running the show. The majority of americans are ignorant of the rest of the world. If the majority of you werent so opinionated you would get more respect from the rest of the world. Who says yours is the right way.

:gundge:
Sounds a lil opinionated to me. And where are you from may I ask?

All in all, Americans aren't arrogant, violent, inferior, or stupid. Honestly now, if the above fallacies give people sufficient reason to hate us, then I have every right to hate Canadians for pronouncing "about" awkwardly, the French for eating snails and having curly mustaches, the English for having tea time, and so on. I won't, though. I would never degrade myself to the point of basing my arguments on ridiculous streotypes. I hope that after you folks have read this, you will no longer either.

I, as a fellow American, will now point out your own arrogance and ignorance in making this post. Evidently, for all of your affected wisdom, you really have no idea about why most countries of this world do not like us.

The United States produces disproportionate amounts of pollution and consumes disproportionate amounts of everything else, to our population. We burn the coal and oil that other countries wish they had more of and in doing so contribute more to the global warming climate changes that harm every nation. The United States wastes enough food to feed all the world's starving and poor 10 times over. And we do all of these things in a blatant fashion, flaunting the fact that we have "earned" the right to do so.

Even better, we have earned no such right. Our insatiable government deficit spending eats up the world's capital reserves and threatens every country's economy. Every dollar spent on American debt is one dollar not building factories or farms or infastructure. As the remaining superpower, we have used our forces in a manner most see as belligerent and unnecessary, for ends the president will not explain to either the nations of the world or even the American people.

Our nation has incredibly bad test scores, given our fantastic wealth. We out-consume and out-pollute anyone else by a landslide. We act in a fashion that the world despises and tells them to like it, dammit, or maybe we'll invade them next.

Ignorant, greedy, arrogant, violent. Like it or not, stereotypes generally have a basis in fact. Maybe you should look a little bit closer at why people say what they do before casting the first stone.

Hey, someone had to save ya'll's asses from the Muslim Extremists, you know the ones who think that everyone who doesn't see life their way should be killed.
Yes, by invading Iraq we made the world safe from radical Islam. Because Iraq, as a secular state led by a Sunni who despised Shittes and Islam in general, obviously had to be tightly involved with the Shitte-dominated terror organizations.

I agree, everyone has their different views, but in the end, were all on the same boat folks. And if ya'll still have differing views about us Americans, come to Texas, i'll show you what America is all about.
OMGISH :eek: :eek: :eek:

ok by this note i can tell you what i think of yank.

i am a canadian that has been across to the u.s. i have meet many of you.

this is what i think od MANY of them, not all, you people have a nack for saying the worg thing at the wrong time quote "yuor canadian money must have been made by a bunch of faggits" thanks for that to all of you, our money is different colours to make it easier to find, but before you people say anything you seem to not be able to find a black puck on white ice.

not all canadians say aboot, i say about so stop saying aboot when you talk to me, it pisses me off.

i met a yank that tried to drive up canada to alaska(sp?) with a map form a place mat, the only problem was that it showed canada as only about one inch thick, he got to my hometown and asked how much longer to alaska, and when i said about two days, that is what you get when you drive though B.C.'s back country, he cursed me out and calling me a "stupid fuck", so i said you got me anf sent him east to calgary, oops.

so you can figure out why i dont like you people, but on the other end i have met others that are very nice people, and i will welcome them back into my home if there fight ever gets grounded again because of an attack on your homeland, yes my family took in a family of 5 and we had a great time.

but dont get high and mighty saying don't stereotype us, and turn around and do the same to us
Only parts of Canada I've been to are in and arround BC. Prince George, Vancouver, Calgry, Jasper etc. Thought the Canadians were a great bunch, can't get of the tashes and baseball caps worn indoors though!

I, as a fellow American, will now point out your own arrogance and ignorance in making this post. Evidently, for all of your affected wisdom, you really have no idea about why most countries of this world do not like us.

The United States produces disproportionate amounts of pollution and consumes disproportionate amounts of everything else, to our population. We burn the coal and oil that other countries wish they had more of and in doing so contribute more to the global warming climate changes that harm every nation. The United States wastes enough food to feed all the world's starving and poor 10 times over. And we do all of these things in a blatant fashion, flaunting the fact that we have "earned" the right to do so.

Even better, we have earned no such right. Our insatiable government deficit spending eats up the world's capital reserves and threatens every country's economy. Every dollar spent on American debt is one dollar not building factories or farms or infastructure. As the remaining superpower, we have used our forces in a manner most see as belligerent and unnecessary, for ends the president will not explain to either the nations of the world or even the American people.

Our nation has incredibly bad test scores, given our fantastic wealth. We out-consume and out-pollute anyone else by a landslide. We act in a fashion that the world despises and tells them to like it, dammit, or maybe we'll invade them next.

Ignorant, greedy, arrogant, violent. Like it or not, stereotypes generally have a basis in fact. Maybe you should look a little bit closer at why people say what they do before casting the first stone.


Yes, by invading Iraq we made the world safe from radical Islam. Because Iraq, as a secular state led by a Sunni who despised Shittes and Islam in general, obviously had to be tightly involved with the Shitte-dominated terror organizations.
From your post I can tell you're a Democrat and so am I. But I just disagree with you. Yes, we do such things, but that's still a generalization of over 290 million people. You cannot tie us down to any one ideal, because there are plenty of people who think the way you do about the u.S.

Hey, someone had to save ya'll's asses from the Muslim Extremists, you know the ones who think that everyone who doesn't see life their way should be killed.

thanks for that by the way. it is a blessing that one natio had the courage to do something. when actions needed to be taken, the USA took. god bless you uncle sam

Strange, seeing as when i went to America they seemed to think I was some ultra-rich snob. There steriotypes everywhere take it. The amount of times I've seen the British portrayed as snobs and people who are still stuck in about 1800 must run to hundreds.

So some people hate Americans, some people hate the British, some of you hate the French, some of the French hate you. THAT IS LIFE!

Anyway, i don't hate Americans, just Bush and those that support him.

Hey, someone had to save ya'll's asses from the Muslim Extremists, you know the ones who think that everyone who doesn't see life their way should be killed.


Oh yes, shame about the other 100,000 or so that were living in the same area when you went to get them.
I mean anyone can mistake a wedding party or two for armed forces, can't they.

One point, A reason that the fighting is still gong on is the WAY it was done. Without respect for the indiginous way of life. As an example, the southern area under UK forces, work (so I am informed) more with the locals, still some trouble but way less that the confrontational US approch received. Even allowing the SH came from the north.

Feel free to put me right.

Hey, someone had to save ya'll's asses from the Muslim Extremists, you know the ones who think that everyone who doesn't see life their way should be killed.


like Bush?

A lot of people love to generalize, usually on pretty shaky ground.

Surprising how many people hate Americans without ever having met one.

I've met and known a few Americans who seemed like such friendly, warm people, a lot friendlier and more expressive than many Kiwis.

There are idiots in every country. Being an arsehole is not dependant on birthplace!

How about we all try to treat people as individuals?

Did anyone else expect this to be a suicide note?

Did anyone else expect this to be a suicide note?

It crossed my mind. Would be a pretty crap place for last words!

It crossed my mind. Would be a pretty crap place for last words!
Yes, but to be perfectly honest, it's a crap place for any words, isn't it?

Yes, but to be perfectly honest, it's a crap place for any words, isn't it?

:D

Have you ever even taken a single step onto United States soil?

oh yes. plenty of times.
the first time i went there, i stayed a couple of months with a family in Muskegon, Michigan. that family and mine have been friends for a long time now.
while staying there, the family invited a couple to have dinner with us. when the couple knew i was mexican, they couldn't believe it: they did not believe i knew how to use the remote control. they couldn't believe that the car they were driving was made in mexico. they couldn't believe that i could speak 3 languages.
they told me they tought that, in mexico, we didn't use computers, didn't have TV and didn't have a decent education to learn different languages.

However, unlike you, we don't judge you based off of cliches. Believe me: I have lived in the United States for all of the 19 years of my life, and we simply do not fit our stereotype.

oh yes. your country never, EVER uses stereotypes.
silly me. i think i should go outise to drink some tequila, put on my sombrero, ride my donkey and eat burritos (which are NOT even close to mexican food, btw). yup. oh, and i will yell "arriba arriba!" while riding on a dusty city. yup. always dry down here.

by the way, i have gone to the US for about 10 times now, staying sometimes a week or so and a year in 1999.

Did anyone else expect this to be a suicide note?


yeah

Great post and topic by the way.

There are sterotypes about every race and every nation. It's a bit sad.
But in my opinion, we are basically all the same. I say this because I'm an american living in japan married to a brazilian. I've had friends from Indonesia, China, Argentina, Mexico, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, and of course Brazil. I have heard all the sterotypes about americans, i think. And there are some americans that fit those sterotypes, and some that do not at all. One of my Indonesian friends couldn't believe that I was a virgin at 19 because she said that "all american women love to have sex"(basically that we are all sluts) and we all know that we have those all over the world. Ah from my Brazilian friends "Are there poor people in the states?" "Americans really love war don't they" etc etc.

All it is misunderstandings not helped by the media. Watch the news from the US then Japan then Brazil, they will all say something different, have their own twist to the story.

There are good and bad , smart and stupid, selfish and giving, etc. people everywhere in the world. If we could just get that through our head we might have a different world today. Just accept people for who they are and don't try to change them. Listen to what they have to say but don't always have to agree. You come in contact with someone arrogent, stupid, self-righteous...turn the other way.

Ah,,btw.,before I came to Japan I was under the impression that all Japanese people were well educated and smart. I was proved wrong. One of my students, who was a college graduate, did not know where Germany was!! So so much for stereotypes!

Sorry about all the rambling...tend to do that on this subject. And all the spelling mistakes...I'm not a stupid ignorant american just a really bad speller.

Hey, someone had to save ya'll's asses from the Muslim Extremists, you know the ones who think that everyone who doesn't see life their way should be killed.

Save our asses? In case you missed it, said "Muslim Extremists" only hate people who poke their nose in their business and base on their holy land. Since the majority of other countries have not done that, no they don't hate us. They just want us to stay out of their business. If Israel and oil were not in the middle east, the Americans would have about as much interest in "saving" them as they do in "saving" Africa. Zip, zero, none!

I believe about the stupidest thing I've heard come out of an America politicians mouth over and over and over again is "We are spreading democracy, elections will prove it can be done"

I have a news flash for those of you who believe that. Elections do not create democracy, democracy creates elections.

Perhaps if American administrations stopped propping up every tin pot dictator when it suites their interest only to try and take them out later when it comes back to bite them in the ass, the rest of us people who you say can't say "about" or "eat snails" or even like tea might shut up and leave you alone. At the end of the day, I believe that is all we are asking of you. Leave the world alone. Help when you are asked. Attack those who attack you. Other than that, super power or no super power American administrations seem to always think they have some sort of world mandate that they don't. If you are all so smart, why can't you figure that out?

then I have every right to hate Canadians for pronouncing "about" awkwardly

ahem...

*we* do not pronounce "about" as "aboot" unless maybe they are from Newfoundland (and/or Labrador... I still haven't figured that out) and they didn't join Canada until 1950 something. England couldn't afford the welfare payments after WWII so we got stuck with em. LOL!

Majority rules. The majority of americans voted for that clown you have running the show. The majority of americans are ignorant of the rest of the world. If the majority of you werent so opinionated you would get more respect from the rest of the world. Who says yours is the right way.

:gundge:

Actually, the majority of us did not vote for the "clown" in the whitehouse; but the majority of the votes counted were meant to make us believe that.

Personally, I believe it is our nature to be judgmental; it is our humanity that tells us it is wrong. Being able to make snap judgments is vital to our survival as a species; it is the use of generalizations contrived from a few encounters that is hard to stop. We just need to keep trying.

I listen to several news outlets and read a variety of media. I feel it is important to understand more than just what is going on at home.

Slender Goddess

Hey, someone had to save ya'll's asses from the Muslim Extremists, you know the ones who think that everyone who doesn't see life their way should be killed.

Way to ruin the point about stereotyping