Job Discussion Forums

[Seth]

So what exactly are you saying? Americans are idiots and the government is fascist? Anyone who simply says Britain is a 'lap dog' of the US obviously can't handle a civil conversation about the complexities of geopolitics. Did you forget that some of the largest oil companies are British? BP (British Petroleum) is really gaining foothold in the US. Did you forget that the event that sparked most anti-western sentiment (besides Isreal, which is largely a creation of Britain and the UN) in the Middle East was a British oil company in Iran in the late 50's? I'm not saying the US is better or innocent in any way, shape, or form. So spare us the nastiness and get to the point, you old sourpuss, you. Then we can curtail the useless banter that nobody will read.

So again, answer in one sentence, as you hijacked the thread:
Are Americans idiots and the government fascist?

The end. Thank you! I guess I'll allow you a few sentences more for some minor details, name calling, and righteous indignation, but a yes or no to the above question would suffice. And none of that 'sort of' stuff!

BTW, there's plenty of 'Anti-Englishism' up in bonnie Scotland. Even met an Scottish IRA member while I lived there. He was an arse, though. Plenty of 'anti-Germanism' in England.

[guest of Japan]

Bertrand,
No, I'm not troubled. I'm actually a pretty stable chap, but thanks for your concern.

Of course my first instinct to your post is to act in defense, but I've decided not to do that.

I've noticed that your reading list is composed of authors whom are highly critical the US. That's fine, but you might want to interject some diversity into your reading list. How about "A Peoples History of the United States," by Howard Zinn, or "Jihad vs. McWorld." I'm sorry I've forgotten the author"s name for the latter. Both of these books are quite liberal, so I don't think they will give you a cavity. They do however give a little more diversity of opinion than the authors you have mentioned.

Incidently, feel free to criticize my government all you want. But please don't assume that it is a nation filled with imbecilic sheep. Just like the rest of the frustrated world most Americans feel left out and victimized by the political process.

Have a nice day.

[arioch36]

Dear Berty...

Please take some laxatives before you burst! Thanx for helping me get to sleep.

Please post again when you have more boring shallow jingo speak to bore us with.

Strange the world so quickly wants/insists that the evil empire (US) send more troops yet into another country. Will they never learn the truth about America's imperialistic ambitions?

Fools!

Of course I do agree the world would be a better place if we hadn't shed our blood in France ( just because they were to cowardly to do it themselves. The French were great at invading small helpless countries, even better at running away from the Germans. What a nation of helpless cowards) But our carefully trained McDonalds operatives should soon eliminate this worthless nation from the face of the earth.

The plan? Allow their corrupt oil bureau to make money helping other countries develop nuclear weapons (oops, they have already done it) Then we can declare them as part of the axel of evil, and our McDonald's operatives will be ready for the pre-emptive strike

[Micro67]

This seems like as good a place as any to 'plant my rant' so to speak. I am an American and I'm not ashamed of it, then again it is not the sole precipice upon which I base my self esteem.

To all of the Super-Patriot American's out there. Great ... have at it, just please leave me out of it. Any debt I ever owed the U.S. has long since been paid and I definitely don't owe anything to the Bush Regime.

To all of those who chose to belittle every aspect of America and Americans - give me a break. Neither I nor any other American likely to frequent these boards is responisble for U.S. foreign policy. If W., Condi, or Rumsi are trolling here ... I'm sorry. I vote. Occassionally I'll write a letter or take part in a peaceful protest or boycot a product ... those are pretty much my options.

I don't have an issue with people being angry with our government, especially amongst ex-pats. We all have our own reasons for leaving our home country and I'll be the first to proclaim - proudly - that one of my main reasons was to escape the Bush Regime, rampant consumerism and many negatives that exist in the U.S., but I don't think that the portrait of America painted on these boards is accurate. Firstly, many of the harshest critics have limited experience at best with the country or the people. Los Angeles and New York are not the sum total of America.

I also object to the characterization of our educational system as somehow being a thinly veiled propaganda device designed to keep genetically inferior oxen ignorant and semi-literate. To the first point, yes there is a great deal of propaganda in U.S. schools, but I don't think that separates us from the pack a great deal and I also believe that information is available to people who want it.

U.S. schools are under-funded and have a wide range of problems, but one of them is not that they are populated by less intelligent creatures than the hallowed halls of European schools.

I live in Vietnam, a place where resentment towards Americans could easily be defended, and yet the only anti-American sentiment I get is from other Westerners.

O.K. - steam vented.

[yaramaz]

My personal policy is to never judge a person by their government or foreign policy. I'm Canadian (ok guys, I'm open for Canuck baiting and flaming!) but have spent the past 10 years in several geographical Elsewheres. I simply have found that I don't feel at home in Canda. This doesn't mean that I don't like my country or fellow country people. This said, kindly refrain from judging folks by the place of their birth and its governing morons. You can be a patriot based on your love for the beauty of the land, the expressiveness of a nation's arists and writers, or for all of your friends and family who hail from that land.

Kindly shake hands and make up, y'all. We have better things to bitch about than slamming others over their place of birth.