thaluikhain said:
Um...how does "love the people, hate the politics" work? Don't the US people have a say in who runs their nation?
Ok, sure, you can be sympathetic to those US people that don't fit the stereotype and actually are interested in their society and the world around them, but as most people in the US don't vote, they would seem to be in the minority.
It means if you met us most of us are warm, friendly, considerate and helpful.
When we vote for a politician they don't tell us "We will present a predatory stance towards others and their natural resources." But then again we have a limited palette of options. Italy has like 26 viable parties. We have 2. 6 or so if you really want to get creative but in reality it's 2. Furthermore we are not responsible for the hate-engine that US politics is, where candidates will tout a conservative politician's gay daughter or use the non-Caucasian status of an opponent to cast dangerous suspicions about his allegiance.
The majority of people in America are actually quite reasonable even though we do have our share of total idiots and it's not really uncommon for a total stranger to offer you aid, even if they don't vote. I was on my way to the polls the day of the election to recall Grey Davis, I voted against the recall (and lost as the Governator later came to office) but before I could I stopped for directions and my car died. Well the guy (an office building's gardener) gave me directions and let me charge the battery. As I was about to go he asked if I was voting against the recall, I said yes and he said "Oh well that's good, I would too but I'm not voting." Not a bad person, even if he didn't vote. A lot of people are lazy yeah, or perhaps have lost faith in the system but I hope you can see how that might work.
Meet some Americans, see how you feel about them personally. Some politician had said that when you meet someone personally, face to face, and spend some time with them, it's impossible not to find something you like about them. And it's true. If you met some Americans and you didn't like them, meet better ones.
TU4AR said:
Polite but kind of dim people, tend to have smaller views of the outside world ("You've never been to Walmart?! REALLY?"), seem to have a lot of faith invested in their own system. Also your economics and aversion to any sort of socialistic progression scares the fuck out of me.
Gonig there later this year, we'll see how much of that is right (well, I already know the smaller view is, because that's already been said to me.) I have literally had to promise that I will not get into any political/religious/otherwise idealogical arguments with anyone.
Also guns.
Oh right, Australian.
Well if you go trying to sell them your altruistic view of capitalism you can expect them to debate you. That said as an american, I share your stance on our aversion to socialistic progression. The word "socialist" is used as a slur here. No doubt because a lot of very rich people saw something that made a very great deal of sense and would cost them a very great deal of money and so made strides to defame and curtail it as it spread across Europe. To great success it would seem. I wish you the best of luck on your trip and as a practical matter I apologize in advance for all the questions you will receive about kangaroos, koalas, boomerangs, didgeridoos, your "accent" and Mad Max. People may also quiz you on Paul Hogan and Steve Irwin. I apologize again, in advance.
Kagim said:
I'm from Canada.
America is that country underneath mine.
Most people i know point at America and mock some part of it to feel good about themselves despite not actually doing anything good themselves. Its the place that my social studies class spent a solid twenty minutes mocking causing me to leave the room. When confronted by my principle i merely said "I don't think prejudice should be taught in schools." and spent my suspension playing video games.
Whats my personal opinion of America.
It's a country, that's not mine, and is an ally to mine. I think hating Americans for the loud mouths is as stupid as hating any group for the loud mouths.
I'm sorry if i was supposed to bash America, but i won't.
You're a good person for making a stand like that. I appreciate what you did. That said I thank everyone who has had something nice or in the least considered to say. For those of you who didn't I can only say, I'm sorry you feel that way, but it's not like I don't understand.
