Ask500

OK, I suppose it's reasonable to state that disrespect of a country's leader is a primary reason for an individual to dislike an entire country. I don't agree that it is enough to change the overall world perspective though, and even if I did think that, I'd still like to know which of the four stated options are the strongest candidate in your eyes. These four are the ones that are discussed the most highly at dinner tables around my sphere of influence at least.

If you really believe my comments reinforce yours in anyway, you are truly insane.

If you insist on the childs game of "my country is better than your country" we too are plagued by immigration attempts. If fact if you were to compare the relative size of the UK and US with the numbers of people trying to enter each, we are probably worse off per sq mile than you are.

America is a great country in many ways, and is my second favourite country personally, not that that matters so much.

However, arrogance and stupidity are not the qualities of the great, and America is great in spite of, not because of, people who exhibit those qualities, both on this site, and elsewhere.

"Your comments prove my statement"???

Not only has America changed the way the English language is spelled, it seems an American is leading the way in redefining the definition of the word "proof". I really am going to struggle to teach English this year now that there are two very distinct brands of it.

I believe there are far more people who do everything they can to migrate to a country other than America, or in fact choose to stay in their own, than there are those hankering for a burger and some fries. Then there are of course the tourists who choose Europe, Africa or Asia well ahead of America.

Given that, I can explain your belief that your country appears to be the promised land to people from 3rd-world countries. It's the same reason I give for the ill-informed statements many Americans make about anything geographical or historical - lack of education. And just so you don't feel I am picking on America, I have a distinct distaste for any person who makes sweeping statements about how great their own country is without having possession of the facts. People coming from countries that withhold information from their citizens are all in the same boat, and that includes Americans, except that there is one very big difference. Americans have the resources and speak the chosen language of business and technology to be able to find out the facts. People from third-world countries don't have access to the information they need to make informed decisions - they just know about the "American dream". What information they do have is based on the "have a nice day" plastic smile version of life in America - the version that you are all defending when you could more proactively be looking deeper into the real substance of your culture.

There is a huge influx of migrants into the UK and Australia, as well as many other developed countries. They'll go where they think they'll be able to support their family. America just happens to be the most well known of the developed countries because that's what they see on TV and at the movies. They think they know what America is.

I don't blame the everyday American for standing up for their country. It would be unnatural for you not to do so. I don't enjoy listening to them deflect by trying to find fault with others whilst making blind or nonfactual statements about how "great" their own country is.

They are part of the right-wing nutcases that hang out everywhere. There is no reasoning with them. They are perfect examples of what one Libertarian icon referred to as "the insanity of xenophobia."

LOL - so shoot me for being in the majority. I'd prefer to say that I am disappointed that so many otherwise good people living in the US are being sucked in to the vortex and becoming unapproachable, defensive and holier than thou.

And I wouldn't know what a Liberal (begin the word with a capital letter if you are referring to the proper noun version of it) was if I fell over one. Politics doesn't float my boat the way it does others. I vote for the person best qualified for the job, not a party.

That's a very good point, and one must remember that sites such as this do attract the more vocal of us all - from both sides of the fence. As much as I vehemently dislike the ill-formed rusty blade these trolls like to wield, I must admit that I invite their attention by using forums like these, and posing questions as igneous as this.

some people seem to have missed my subtle sarcasm... "why do they hate America?" "screw them, America hates them too"

I agree with you on the surface, however I am of the firm belief that education can give people the tools to intelligently comprehend their environment. I don't mean formal education, although that's a strong part of it. So if people were able to form opinion based on wider input, and could analyse that input more effectively, I believe their patriotism would naturally be tempered to an acceptable and normal level.

I can say for one thing, if the British right like America it is certainly a recent thing that I was not aware of. I'd say the British are in constant exasperation with America. I'll take an American novel to explain. Take it that America is Lenny and Britain is George in Steinbeck's "Of Mice And Men". America is far more powerful, but a little lacking in sense.

It wasn't just the politics, I think the fact that despite a incredible tech advantage, and an economic/industrial base advantage so far in advance of N V that it probably could not be calculated, America still lost the war, did a lot to devalue American military credibility.

(I know many will say you did not lose but that is very hollow).

There were good reason you lost, the 2 main ones were the unfavourable media coverage, and the idiotic politicians trying to micro-manage the war, but to those not of a military mind, that mattered little.

Coming after the draw in Korea, you had to go back to WW2 to find a decent US Victory.

Even in the firsdt gulf war your politicians lost the bottle to finish the job, and had to go back and do it all again.

It is one thing having massive conventional forces, but if they are badly used, they do not generate as much respect as your might otherwise think.

And before someone jumps on me, yes I do realise that the lessons of Vietnam were absorbed, and the all professional army that followed the conscript one, was much better in so many ways.

And again, I need to point out that I mean no disrespect to the brave teenagers and men that went where they were send, and did the best they could under horrible conditions.

The what? There's your answer.

I always thought Germans had self respect. If you thought the states were good under Bush, you have a serious problem. Most of the rest of the world are just waiting with bated breath to see if Obama turns out to be the improvement we hope he will be.