Is America, Really as bad as people say? Options

[CrazayChristian]

I know, I'm an American, why am I asking this?

Well, I've heard both sides of the story, and I still don't see why people dislike America.

I came across this topic:

Click

And I realized that there must be some sort of prejudice involved.

In my opinion, we are doing alot already. We actually have more troups in the yugoslavian area than Iraq, and I think we lose more people there than Iraq. We have troups there to help stifle the fighting.
We have troups in Iraq so that we can help them to defend themselves.
We are the big brother of Isreal.

And yes we've had some bad moments, such as the bikini Islands. But, you're expected to make mistakes. Look at how the European powers did hundreds of years ago.

Some people blame the president for the problems, but put yourself in his shoes, to control the most powerful country in the world and try to make everyone happy. It just doesn't always work out.

So, I'm wondering, why do certain people (almost entire countries) dislike America?

(I'm curious about my facts, and I figured debate would be the best way to discuss diffrent sides)

[*kryogenix*]

The short answer: NO.

The long answer: As soon as someone argues otherwise.

[*not_your_average*]

President Bush's decisions have affected many, many countries in severely adverse ways. Take Iraq for example. We might be there to "help" them, but he attacked a soviergn nation with little proof of them being against our country. In Pres. Bush's press conference yesterday, he kept mentioning 9/11 while talking about Iraq, even though there is little proof of anyone from their country being involved in the 9/11 attacks. Even so, that is only a minute group of people, and we cannot blame an entire country for that. Now look at Iraq. There are car bombings, suicide bombings, all carried out by the insurgents. There was no news of this happening before the war.

This is exactly why so many countries hate the US. We have done things to their countries that might be unforgivable.

[CrazayChristian]

What about the middle east countries that are starting a democratic goverment?

And yes, there were no car bombings before? Why? Because there wasn't a threat. And if we didn't go in, then we would have never gotten the alquida(sp) leaders, and there would have been a threat still in the country. Car bombings happen because we are doing something that is affecting a terrorist force. If there is no problem there, and training them to defend themselves were not a problem, then why are the terrorists trying to stop us?

[*not_your_average*]

And yes, there were no car bombings before? Why? Because there wasn't a threat.

If there was no threat, then why did we go into Iraq?

And if we didn't go in, then we would have never gotten the alquida(sp) leaders, and there would have been a threat still in the country.

You just said that there was no threat. You're contradicting yourself. Besides, Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. Saddam Hussein had no say in the 9/11 attacks. Osama bin Laden is believed to be hiding on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. That is nowhere near Iraq.

Car bombings happen because we are doing something that is affecting a terrorist force.

Again, you contradict your first statement. Plus, there was no good proof that terrorists were hiding in Iraq.

....why are the terrorists trying to stop us?

Because they are terrorists.

[*mipadi*]

In my opinion, we are doing alot already. We actually have more troups in the yugoslavian area than Iraq, and I think we lose more people there than Iraq.

I think those figures are inaccurate.

[Spirited Away]

Just FYI, and really I'm not throwing this directly at anyone, but I feel like someone is going to blame this all on Bush sooner or later, so I might as well say this for the record: people have disliked Americans since before both Bush Sr and Jr.

[meaganbabin]

i dont think it is as bad as ppl. say it is i mean if it was so bad y are they still living here?

[Spirited Away]

i dont think it is as bad as ppl. say it is i mean if it was so bad y are they still living here?

.... I think we're discussing about people outside US borders.

[meaganbabin]

I love america so i dont think so lol

[technicolour]

YES! Another debate over the war. WOOT! I am totally going with kryogenix on this one. NO!

The car bombings are aimed towards us. They despise us. They want us to rot in hell. We are their threat.

Besides, Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. Saddam Hussein had no say in the 9/11 attacks. Osama bin Laden is believed to be hiding on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. That is nowhere near Iraq.

THE WAR WAS BASED UPON THE FACT THAT IRAQ HAD WMD'S. Getting the damn old bums known as terrorists were just a plus.

Just FYI, and really I'm not throwing this directly at anyone, but I feel like someone is going to blame this all on Bush sooner or later, so I might as well say this for the record: people have disliked Americans since before both Bush Sr and Jr.

Someone is going to blame it on Bush. Hell. People over there have hated us for like ever. Sure. It's all Bush's fault. [sarcastic here.]

[Spirited Away]

I love america so i dont think so lol

The point of the debate is not whether any American individual like or dislike America, but rather to look for reasons why foreigners may be hostile against America.

Just so you know, the rules of the debate forum is strictly enforced, so read that before posting.

[DizBukHahNi]

Everybody hates America, even some Americans. I don't know why, alls I know is that America kicks arse.

[sadolakced acid]

outside of america, china is held in higher status than america.

[technicolour]

China is communist. Higher status? Which status are you talking about...?

[Paradox of Life]

Everybody hates America, even some Americans. I don't know why, alls I know is that America kicks arse.

You just contradicted yourself. That's not justifying anything in this debate. And it's false. Not everybody hates America (considering you don't). If that were true, it wouldn't be as powerful a nation as it is now.

Bush has a bad reputation. Why? Because he made up some bogus idea that there were "weapons of mass destruction" stashed somewhere in Iraq and was having a paranoia fit that they were going to come and attack America. So he sent in soldiers, ruined their country and is now trying to rebuild it in "his" why as an act of kindness. Oh, and did I mention there weren't any weapons of mass destruction at all?

If Bush is representing the USA, what kind of reputation is our nation getting? A bad one, that's for sure and a lot of people considered moving to Canada after he was re-elected as president. Not everyone hates America, but I could understand if they did. Anyone who hates America, but hasn't had a chance to live in it probably hates it for all the wrong reasons. It's not horrible. It just may be ruled by someone that is.

And even then, he's not badly affecting our daily lives. Just the daily lives of other innocent people in other countries.

Sorry if some of my facts are wrong. I don't read up on politics very much.

[sadolakced acid]

China is communist. Higher status? Which status are you talking about...?

that's the point.

(higher regard. like, americans hold the british in higher regard than the french.)

they like a commie country more than us.

[ryfitaDF]

i hate america somtimes.

people hate america because of our arogant diplomacy polacy. plain and simple.

[*mipadi*]

I don't think America is that bad of a place, and a lot of Americans are good, honest people who really do want to make the world a better place. Right now, I have a few concerns about the American government, but the country itself. By biggest concern is with things like Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. To turn on the news and see America torturing prisoners, or locking up men in a jail without trial for over three years, is disillusioning. We're not like that--that's not what we do in America. We're supposed to be honorable, and uphold justice, even for our enemies. One senator recently put it best, when she said something like, "If America is going to be the good guys, we need to act like the good guys." We haven't always been acting like the good guys in the past few years.

America is also rather arrogant at times. We refuse to support the Kyoto treaty, because for some reason we feel that we shouldn't have to help lower air pollution. We snub the UN (except when the UN acts in our favor), and we refused to allow American military personnel to be subject to international law.

At home, we currently have an administration who seems to be more focused on furthering Catholic political agendas than listening to the will of Americans as a whole.

Aside from a few problems with the US government, though, I don't think America, or Americans as a whole, are as bad as a lot of people say. I love America and think it's a wonderful country, except for a few (albeit big) things with which I take issue.

[sammi rules you]

you should read the book "the ugly american". it gives great insight as to why america as a whole is hated by other countries.

basically, the book is about how back in the day (and still even today, as my class discovered by doing a little research) american ambassadors would go over to less fortunate countries and make no effort to associate themselves with that countries. they brought in their fancy cars and such from america and bought lavish houses and even their secretaries had servants from the host country. russia, however, employed their own servants from their country, learned the host country's language, tried to blend in with the natives, etc.

well, that was why they did back in the day. what others have said about more recent times only fuels it more. we're a very greedy egotistical country. we think it's ok to take others' resources to consume for ourselves cause we're somehow "better" and then use it up like it's nothing. we're extremely materialistic as well, which fuels the more 3rd world countries to not be too fond of us.

[technicolour]

At home, we currently have an administration who seems to be more focused on furthering Catholic political agendas than listening to the will of Americans as a whole.

This country's rules were set up on a religious view.

Bush has a bad reputation. Why? Because he made up some bogus idea that there were "weapons of mass destruction" stashed somewhere in Iraq and was having a paranoia fit that they were going to come and attack America. So he sent in soldiers, ruined their country and is now trying to rebuild it in "his" why as an act of kindness. Oh, and did I mention there weren't any weapons of mass destruction at all?

Clinton had to deal with this too. Bush's DAD had to deal with this. It's not completely this bush's fault. It's been going on. Well. Frankly. When a leader of a country HATES US, and they had weapons that could kill the WHOLE country in a blink of an eye, um, I would do something about it.

[*not_your_average*]

THE WAR WAS BASED UPON THE FACT THAT IRAQ HAD WMD'S.  Getting the damn old bums known as terrorists were just a plus.

It was, but there wre no WMDs. Then, Bush had to rely on other reasons to justify this war. That doesn't make for a very good president in my eyes.

[*CrackedRearView*]

It was, but there wre no WMDs. Then, Bush had to rely on other reasons to justify this war. That doesn't make for a very good president in my eyes.

Presidents backtrack. It's a fact of United States life. Has been for centuries.

[*not_your_average*]

Presidents backtrack.  It's a fact of United States life.  Has been for centuries.

I still don't think the war is justified.

[*mipadi*]

This country's rules were set up on a religious view.

No. The country was influenced by religious views, but the Founding Fathers deliberately set things up so that religion would stay out of government. I'm not Catholic. The whole country is not Catholic. You are free to practice what you want in your free time, or teach your kids what you want--that's the great thing about America. But it is not the government's job to dictate morals and ethics to me or anyone else--that's for each of us to decide on his own.

Clinton had to deal with this too. Bush's DAD had to deal with this. It's not completely this bush's fault.  It's been going on.  Well. Frankly. When a leader of a country HATES US, and they had weapons that could kill the WHOLE country in a blink of an eye, um, I would do something about it.

Clinton didn't sacrifice thousands of troops over it, either. And there were no weapons of mass destruction--numerous investigations have come to that conclusion.