Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences - This topic has 38 replies, 39 voices, and was last updated 17 years, 6 months ago by
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- Why do Americans feel it's their duty to 'right whatever is wrong' in the world? I know they claim it's for world peace and protection, but I think in achieving this so-called world peace they are actually engaging in war after war and creating problems out of nothing. I'd like to hear opinions from Americans and those of other countries.
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Name : noha, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Religion : Muslim, Age : 16, City : cairo, State : NA Country : Egypt, Occupation : student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class,A better question might be 'Why do non-Americans seem to think that all Americans share the same views?' The vast majority of my friends do not want the United States involved in other nations' disputes, do not support this president or the notion of another Gulf War and do think that the Palestinians deserve a state (virtually all of my Israeli friends think so, too). And yet the Asian and European press takes glee in presenting us all as war-mongering bullies. You accuse us of not paying enough attention to you. Well, perhaps if you took the time to realize that we are as varied as you are you'd be getting a better response. The world press is alienating the very Americans the peace movement needs in order to be effective. We're tuning out in droves because we're sick of being misrepresented.User Detail :
Name : Emma25385, Gender : F, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States,We should make ourselves more free and correct such problems as the disproportionate number of minorities in prisons. President Wilson wanted to make the world 'Safe for Democracy' while black sharecroppers were being lynched by the Ku Klux Klan.User Detail :
Name : John29177, Gender : M, City : Chestnut Ridge, State : NY Country : United States,I don't think the average citizen feels we need to fix the world's problems. I think they wish the world would take care of itself. I think history would show that when the United States intervenes, it is because other governments ask for its assistance - i.e. Kuwait. I resent countries that put their hand out begging for U.S. aid and then turn around and criticize us for any stand we take. Most citizens would prefer we bring home all our troops from overseas, eliminate all but disaster aid and let the rest of the world fend for itself. But then we would be even more hated than we are now, because we would no longer be giving away our country.User Detail :
Name : Kathy26655, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 50, City : Springfield, State : IL Country : United States, Occupation : Medical, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class,I'm American and often wonder the same thing.User Detail :
Name : Sunny27759, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 22, City : New Orleans, State : LA Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,Not all Americans agree with everything the United States does. I don't think we would care about Iraq and other conflicts in the Mideast if we did not get the majority of our oil there. Everything comes back to money. There are a lot of evil things that have gone on in this world that the United States has not been involved with. We try to help people in need, but we also always have our own position in mind. On the other side of the coin, many countries are quick to stick their hands out to America when they need something. We just need to find a balance in our foreign policy.User Detail :
Name : Scott, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 20, City : Chicgao, State : IL Country : United States, Occupation : Construction worker/student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class,I'm from Europe but live in New York, and I do feel like it's a little of both. On the one hand, the United States and other politically stable countries have everything to gain by the rest of the world being stable - which means that their good lives will not be disrupted in any way - which I think is perfectly understandable. There are also many whose interests are more economic, i.e. making sure cheap oil keeps coming, regardless of what kind of regime you're supporting, getting constant supply of cheap labor, agreeable trade regulations etc.On the other hand, many Americans feel so fortunate in life, being that they have food, shelter, stable government, etc., that they feel it's their obligation to help those less fortunate. Life in the West is so good that it's not suprising that those living here would want others to live similarly. I, for example, would love to see women from Middle-Eastern countries be considered equal to men and have the kind of freedom I have. But, would they really want that? Am I making assumptions about what makes people happy? Perhaps yes. But I know how good Western freedom is, and I would really wish that for the rest of the world.
You must also realize that many wars are, paradoxically, fought to prevent war. If for example an area is overrun by guerillas, etc., war may ensue to end the fighting, not exacerbate it. The bombing of Afghanistan killed and devastated many, but don't you think it was necessary? What was the alternative? Have the Taliban remain but have a 'peaceful' country? War is an unfortunate necessity when facing tyranny.
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Name : Julian, Gender : F, City : New York, State : NY Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,Anti-Americanism is very strong in the Middle East. At least you are asking questions instead of just bashing the United States My theory is that the United States has no choice but to get involved with world events. If it doesn't get involved, then dictatorships and other forms of governments will spread, governments that have no respect for human rights. And no matter what the United States does, everybody is going to be pointing their finger and criticizing it. So the United States might as well spread democracy. And I do think there are some bad people in the U.S. government. But at least it isn't setting up evil governments or dropping nuclear bombs over major cities. And the United States does seem to be trying to avoid an all-out war. President Bush and much of the public seems to support an all-out war though, complete with as many deaths as it takes. Most people have not learned anything from World War I or II.User Detail :
Name : Vince, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 18, City : Preeceville, State : NA Country : Canada, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class,The actions the rest of the world sees are decided by American politicians, not American citizens. I believe a lot of politicians, regardless of political parties, are influenced more by the power of large corporations, money, etc., than by doing what individual working-class citizens would like. I think in some instances, like helping starving children in Third World countries, the United States is just trying to help. But I also think the government does a lot of other things, like getting in the middle of other countries' civil wars for its own self-interest, and uses the cover of 'righting what's wrong.'User Detail :
Name : C.S., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 27, City : Denver, State : CO Country : United States, Occupation : Engineer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,We are the largest military force in the world, but the United States rarely acts unilaterally. It acts on treaties and responds to the interests of allies and often the United Nations. We share common ideals and interests with our allies, and signed treaties after World War II to prevent anything like that from happening again. Our country is often perceived as acting independently when in fact our actions are based on treaty agreements or are at the behest of the UN.I wish we had peace in this world. I wish differences could always be solved diplomatically. I don't think this will happen though, because there will always be people who have no respect for others, place no value on life or human dignity and who are ruthless in amassing wealth and power. The United States doesn't usually act unless acts of agression spill beyond a country's border or unless it has a treaty obligating it to do so. I don't like the fact that my country is often the world 'cop.' It costs us money and lives, but what other country has the money or military strength? We are a huge country blessed with abundant resources, and since we are all immigrants, we have strong ties in many parts of the world. Our government is not perfect, but it and the American people want to be good neighbors and do care what the world thinks.
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Name : Pat, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Buddhist, Age : 41, City : phoenix, State : AZ Country : United States, Occupation : professional, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class,We do not get most of our oil from Iraq or the Mideast. Our largest source of oil -- more than 50 percent - comes from right here in the United States. We get about 10 percent from Russia, 20 percent from Venezuela and the rest from the Mideast. A war in Iraq would actually hurt us with regard to oil prices, as an immediate influx of Iraqi oil -- already spoken for by French and Russian oil consortiums -- would drive down the price of the oil being produced here. Now ask yourself why the French and Russians have been an obstruction to the current drive to remove Saddam Hussein from power.User Detail :
Name : Justin27094, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, City : Chicago, State : IL Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,Americans have, as a people, a very strong desire to help others. This is not unique, but at this time their power to act is. Unfortunately, when people want to help others they usually try to reshape them in their own image (as parents do children, the religious do non-believers, etc.). As a result, 'cultural imperialism' goes hand-in-hand with any kind of engagement with others and it isn't always appreciated. The only alternative (and it's quite a strong force in American politics from time to time) is isolationism. You see that in various countries where the power structure tries to limit 'corrupting external influences.'User Detail :
Name : JerryS, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 52, City : New Britain, State : CT Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class,To respond to you question as an American. We feel it is our loyalty to the world to help out in whatever way we can. In some countries they dont have as many privlages as we have and dont have oppurtunities to do the things we can. Therefore we try to give them the oppurtunity to know how it feels to live in the United States without over crowding th U.S. It is not like we try to create wars out of what we are trying to accomplish. But some countries are afraid of change it is not like we want them to have the beleifes we do it is a free country after all. You practice what you believe. There may be racisim here but that is all over the world and not just ethnicity also gender.User Detail :
Name : Maggie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 20, City : Houston, State : TX Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class,I being an american, beleive that we should keep ourselves to our own and leave the rest of the world alone. We need to kick everyone out of the U.S. that were not born here to parents that were born in the U.S. If they refuse they should be killed immediately. We also need to bring all of our troops home and let the rest of the world starve and kill themselves.User Detail :
Name : joe-smith30600, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 37, City : Aurora, State : IL Country : United States, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class,I totally agree with you. I am an American, I vote my conscience, I write letters of protest to my elected offcials, and I have participated in anti-war rallies. I think our government is very self-interested, and helps when it thinks its economic interests would be served. On the other hand, many Americans are sincere in their desire to help the world. Much of the aid to other countries comes from contributions of individuals, not the government. Many of us realize how materially fortunate we are, and wish to spread the wealth. Please realize that there are millions and millions of Americans who are frustrated with the government, are concerned about the world community, do not believe that American values are superior to other cultural's values and don't quite know what to do about it. Judging the values of another society is not just an American thing--the difference, I believe, is that American is often in a position to act on their judgements. In fact, parts of the world community expect us to involve ourselves and criticise us when we don't. Overall, I think our country is too quick to judge, too arrogent, and acts too often out of self-interest. On the other hand, the situation is more complex than it seems, and Americans are far from united on their opinions. We are an extremely diverse nation....User Detail :
Name : Marianne22236, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 40, City : Cleveland, State : OH Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,
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