Here is an interesting question: to those from outside the United States:

[santaandy]

so you understand that i mean that americans have nothing to be ashamed of nowadays with obama being president. other than the damn dirty racists.

I find myself offended by your sentiment that as an American I cannot be a good person without a black president, especially from someone outside of our country. Why in the seven hells is Barack Obama the only thing that can make America and Americans good in some people's eyes? And you think Americans are small minded? Geez!

EDIT: Also, why do people fear American patriotism so much? So we love our country, so what? Those of us who do it right won't hate yours. Loving your country is not a crime. The only thing I can ask is: don't you love yours? Don't you have your own patriotic celebration (at least Canada has Canada Day)? If so, why the hate on us? If not, what does that say about you and your country? Maybe if people understood that more (I admit, on both sides of the argument) there would be less tension between America and everyone else.

 

[santaandy]

so you understand that i mean that americans have nothing to be ashamed of nowadays with obama being president. other than the damn dirty racists.

I find myself offended by your sentiment that as an American I cannot be a good person without a black president, especially from someone outside of our country. Why in the seven hells is Barack Obama the only thing that can make America and Americans good in some people's eyes? And you think Americans are small minded? Geez!

what? it has nothing to do with the fact that he is black. hes a competent leader. alot better than George W. Bush

Sorry, I guess I am so used to hearing that kind of thing that that's how you came off. I hate being so knee-jerk, but that sentiment is way too common, here and abroad.

 

[Jimmyjames]

As a British citizen, I'm happy being your cooler older brother, and you can borrow my Clash records any time.

Amen, brother. What I wouldn't give to have been born British 40 years ago.

Really, I think our own media is responsible for the hatred, and in a smaller way the Bush Administration. Our media has sold the US public on being some sort of enclave, while at the same time bringing about loathing here and abroad for our foreign policy. We should have come out of 9/11 being the equivalent of little orphan Oliver, instead the media chose to paint ourselves as global bullies.

 

[oktalist]

There's a kind of European smugness where we look at America's hysterical overreaction to the events of the 9th of November [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Date_order#Usage_issues], and we say "thanks for that, America, thanks, you've set us off on a course toward the destruction of world civilisation as we know it, thanks for that, thanks." America is currently the most hated country in the world. Americans don't know that; they don't read or watch news. If they did, they would be unhappy. But you shouldn't hate Americans, right. They live in a state of kind of ignorant prelapsarian bliss. If you go to America, and watch the Americans in their natural habitat, the theme park, the shopping mall, the race riot, the high school massacre, and you watch them walking around, looking at colours, shapes, lights, words... sometimes, maybe, imagining what the words might mean. It can be very relaxing to watch. Enchanting, even. Like watching carp in a pond, swimming around, their mouths opening and closing.

[/joke]

Seriously, the American government is pretty much hated everywhere, Republicans marginally more than Democrats, but I hope that my fellow non-Americans realise that that should not reflect on the American people themselves, that is, that they differentiate between a country's government and its civilian population. Americans are human beings like everyone else and you can't make sweeping generalisations, no matter how much you want to. So let me extend the olive branch of peace to any American Escapists who will accept it. You're good people. Or at least, no worse than the rest of us

I envy your constitution. Too bad it's largely ignored and circumvented by your government.

 

[El Taco the Rogue]

I guess I'll be playing New Zealand then...
(*coughs*)
I'm the only person I know who actually stands up for/respects the US's population. Not kidding

 

[Chibz]

Americans are quite disliked even over here, a fact I find funny.

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

For me the concept of freedom in the American sense is the freedom to be a jackass. Ironically, America is less free than most developed countries (including Britain, especially ironically).

Could you elaborate on this, please? As an American, I am not happy with the direction my country has taken since the Iraq War. By which I mean, out of mind with righteous fury. Are you referring to the Patriot Act specifically (nothing short of martial law), or are there other sweeping injustices at work here?

I keep shouting to the rooftops that "freedom" means more than lip-service, but, ironically, I don't think Americans even care anymore. It's all party politics. Oh George, why didn't we listen?

 

[Jimmyjames]

There's a kind of European smugness where we look at America's hysterical overreaction to the events of the 9th of November [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Date_order#Usage_issues]

9th of November? What... the fall of the Berlin Wall?

:::EDIT:::

Nevermind, I see where you're going with this.

 

[Vuzzmop]

I don't want to make assumptions based on a few, but most of the Americans I have met in person have been horrible, ignorant people I would rather forget about. The people I meet on the internet, however seem perfectly fine. What does that say? Probably that living in New Zealand has caused me to come into contact with too many cultureless LOTR tourists.

 

[Ushario]

I've met some very cool individuals from the U.S.A. and I've met some really stupid ones.

My dislike of the U.S.A. stems from politics and history.

I do try to judge everyone individually.

 

[Aramax]

The USA really is the greatest country in the world but this bit of information actually tells us more about the whole world and very little about americans. We always tend to aim our anger toward those we find in the path that leads to greatness/victory/wealth... it's called competition and this is what our economical system is based uppon. Can't really blame people for being competitive.

 

[JayBrand]

The US would probably have turned out ok if it hadn't been for the ridiculous level of religious stupidity and blinding patriotism.
Not saying that every american is like that, but it seems to be the overall way of the land.
The thing that puzzles me are some of your messed up laws...f.eks the fact that you can't drink (even beer) until 21, but you can drive a car from 16? What do you think demands the most responsability and is the most dangerous to teenagers and others?

Get a friggin' grip.

Tip 1: Don't mix religion and politics. Religion f***s up the world to great extent. Good ethics should suffice.
Tip 2: Never think that you're the best(country). Always strive to be better. That way you don't get stuck with the same s**t for decades.


Greetings from Norway. We function.

 

[Horticulture]

Greetings from Norway. We function.

That's it. You are so going on the list of countries to invade for oil.

 

[nekolux]

Let's just put it this way. Southpark episode : " I'm a little bit country ". There will always be idiots no matter where you are. The UK, europe, asia. Everywhere. But the thing is with US being the major super power in the world and what with all their MNCs being extremely prominent ( Universal, Disney etc. ) they get the spotlight a lot. Your team is your weakest link so when you get the spotlight as a team, it doesn't matter that you have 50 geniuses out of 100 people. People will see that 1 drooling idiot shooting his mouth off, pissing everyone off and then saying " I"M AMERICAN!!!one!!!!eleven!!! ". I loved disney cartoons when i was a kid. But at the same time these are the guys with hannah montana, jonas brothers etc. It doesn't matter how good their good stuff is, their bad stuff is just so horrible i can't just ignore it.
It's like that 1 stuck pixel on your LCD screen you can't get rid of and no matter how hard you try, you can't ignore it.

P.S And I'm pretty sure you guys dont have 50 geniuses out of 100 people and just 1 idiot out of 100 people.

 

[JayBrand]

We might buy 18 fighterjets soon so be afraid >_<
Man, my country knows how to waste some bucks too.

Finland got it together too ^^
Maybe its the cold weather that keeps our heads cool and our minds focused so that our nations work?
Proof: Canada (good guys ^^), Northern europe (calm nice ppl ^^), Greenland, Iceland = Nice place.
Middle-east...not so comfy, mexico (horribly dangerous)...too many too mention.

Ok, so i know that isn't all right, but interesting trend.

Maybe having to shuffle snow every friggin' morning keeps us level

 

[Vortigar]

rant

New Amsterdam was not the first city. We came in third after the Spanish and English (maybe fourth or fifth after the French and the Germans). We did have a good eye for location though. Being interested mainly in a spot to build the biggest harbor/trading post on the East coast instead of just wanting to leave our home country probably helped with that. We saw America as a new chance for business and managed to exploit it very effectively (and ruthlessly).

The Dutch and German influence on the development of the early American colonies was quite big and is mostly swept under the rug because the home countries lost interest and the major conflict was with the English. Maybe there was a bit of Spanish influence fuelling the decision to trade New Amsterdam for Surinam, but who knows about the minds of the Staten Generaal from back then?

Mostly though, chill out man.

The US would probably have turned out ok if it hadn't been for the ridiculous level of religious stupidity and blinding patriotism.

The weird thing is that this could very well be due to historical factors. America was colonized by people who didn't feel accepted in their home country. People who wanted out, who didn't like where they were. Many of them for religious reasons. So you can bet your ass that when the home countries came after them, telling them to do this or that they rallied against their former home and shouted the praises for 'their America' at the top of their lungs.

America was colonized by European malcontents. Just like Australia was originally a prison.

 

[Stakhanov]

We have congress, and all our laws, declarations of "war" and everything else has to be approved by them FIRST (all however many HUNDREDSof them), before the president can even get his hands on it.
I know not everyone understands how our government works, just like I'm not quite sure how Parliment works, but I try to get that point accross.

Just to point out that America hasn't 'declared war' on anyone since WWII. Despite this, America has been involved in dozens of military actions. Also, with a Republican Congress, Senate and President and FOX News being the most widely watched news source in America, there was a period in which the Executive had no oversight of any kind. Hence Iraq, Enron, AIG, Merrell, Gitmo, rendition etc.

I know a whole lot of Americans, including many service personnel, and I like pretty much all of them. The Americans I know are uniformly decent, fun, good-hearted folk. The political direction and actions of America over the last 40 years, I know from my MA in Political Science and they are not so nice. Not so nice at all. Hegemons are always resented, of course, but American foreign policy hasn't been good at winning friends since the 70's.

Oh and Parliament is a bicameral oppositional system, based on simple majority votes. The house is split into an elected chamber (the Commons) and an appointed chamber (the Lords). The system is oppositional and designed to create strong executive branches, with the Lords acting as a body of oversight. The mechanics of procedure are too complex and mind-numbing to go into but I can recommend you some reading if you like?