Author Topic: Global Views of America (Read 3406 times)

GRUNHERZ · « **Reply #90 on:** June 20, 2003, 05:35:06 PM »

So the French hate Christianity? No wonder they love Saddam and are now doing the leg work arresting activists for the Iranian mullahs...

straffo · « **Reply #91 on:** June 20, 2003, 05:43:31 PM »

Dig a bit in our history and look what happened to the cathare , the huguenots ,what is a "dragonnade" and what happened in the Cevennes.

And you will know why we are affraid of the "Christian" like Amalric the Abbé of Cîteaux.

_Schadenfreude_ · « **Reply #92 on:** June 20, 2003, 05:53:29 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Martlet
You can probably find a translation if you look hard enough.

lolol I understand the meaning of the word but having seen the 300lbers wallowing along in Florida the one thing America is not is Athletic - overfed, obese, porcine, adipose, avoirdupois, baby elephant like, blimpish, butterballs, corpulent, fat, fleshy, gross, heavy, hippo like, outsize, paunchy, plump, porcine, portly, pudgy, roly-poly, rotund, stout, tubby, two-ton, upholstered, whales....but not Athletic....

funkedup · « **Reply #93 on:** June 20, 2003, 06:03:00 PM »

I can understand why Europeans would be interested in redefining morality. I mean, their whole traditional morality and way of life was proven to be a complete failure in the 20th century when they nearly destroyed themselves twice. Only under American supervision were they able to stop killing each other and rebuild their societies. But unfortunately, like a petulant teenager with a pierced nose and a leather jacket, they now think they know better than their parent. They think they are grown up now and can make up their own rules. All I can say is, "good luck", and "stay out of our way".

straffo · « **Reply #94 on:** June 20, 2003, 06:08:18 PM »

That's not exactly my interpretation ,as you already guessed

.

I just see (certainly amplified + distorted by the media) some American (read the bible belt) following the very same path we were on some century ago ...

It was wrong and we proved it repeatedly

funkedup · « **Reply #95 on:** June 20, 2003, 06:11:33 PM »

I think it is much different here because religion is not part of our government. Remember that the first colonists here were refugees from religious intolerance in Europe, and that our Constitution guarantees religious freedom and separation of church and state. Much has been made of public acts of worship by elected officials, but they are merely exercising their Constitutional right to freedom of expression and faith. Don't be afraid. Come into the light.

Udie · « **Reply #96 on:** June 20, 2003, 06:13:03 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by funkedup
I think it is much different here because religion is not part of our government. Remember that the first colonists here were refugees from religious intolerance in Europe, and that our Constitution guarantees religious freedom and separation of church and state. Much has been made of public acts of worship by elected officials, but they are merely exercising their Constitutional right to freedom of expression and faith. Don't be afraid. Come into the light.

You're a religious Christian Rightwing Nazi rapist er... racist!

blue1 · « **Reply #97 on:** June 20, 2003, 06:25:45 PM »

Don't waste too many tears on the on the Iranian activists Grunherz. They are a terrorist organization as described by the US and the EU. They are the same group the US bombed in Iraq during the war. Saddam was financing them. At the moment they are busy setting themselves on fire in London and Paris. Fanatics!

I think what Straffo is getting at is intolerance from the religious rather than religious intolerance. Sometimes the more religious you are the more intolerant you are of any other view. Fundamentalism basically.

I do think he's wrong on that point because the constitution of the US was very careful about that kind of thing. Something which the new constitution of the EU is copying.

To answer Lazs point:

Quote

blue.. it seems so pointless still... What country has America rolled abrams into and made a part of the U.S. ? what country has been invaded by America that isn't better off for it for that matter?

I think england is projecting... they knew what total bastards they were when they had the reins and they project that onto us.

Again... what is the point?
lazs

Without being glib, I think the point was to make a television programme that people would be interested in seeing and finding out what people really thought of America in certain countries. The war and 911 has put America in the spotlight as never before.

Like I said everyone has an opinion about America. If you've been overseas lately particularly Europe you will see American influence everywhere. We tend to copy the Americans good and bad. The American economy drives the rest of the world so if shoppers in Minnesota stay at home someone loses their job in the Phillippines. So everyone thinks about America at some point mainly because you can't get away from it.

My job depends on the US economy. So if you guys are happy and have lots of dollars to spend then so do I.

That is the point.

Not everyone likes it. Osama Bin Laden hates America and the west in general because his version of Islam is threatened by notions of equality and freedom and all the rest. So he wants to destroy that. If you look at the results of the survey you can see that Jordanians have a very low opinion of Americans. That would go for most Arab countries. But they as ignorant of what America is really like as Americans are of them.

That's the point too. Convince the Arabs the US is the good guy and they stop sending suicide bombers.

Martlet · « **Reply #98 on:** June 20, 2003, 08:00:37 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by _Schadenfreude_
lolol I understand the meaning of the word but having seen the 300lbers wallowing along in Florida the one thing America is not is Athletic - overfed, obese, porcine, adipose, avoirdupois, baby elephant like, blimpish, butterballs, corpulent, fat, fleshy, gross, heavy, hippo like, outsize, paunchy, plump, porcine, portly, pudgy, roly-poly, rotund, stout, tubby, two-ton, upholstered, whales....but not Athletic....

You need to read the post again to understand why your comment has absolutely nothing to do with what I said. Then, you need to stop hanging out with the fat folks in Florida. You should have gone to the beach instead.

NUKE · « **Reply #99 on:** June 20, 2003, 09:53:51 PM »

Quote

Like I said everyone has an opinion about America. If you've been overseas lately particularly Europe you will see American influence everywhere. We tend to copy the Americans good and bad. The American economy drives the rest of the world so if shoppers in Minnesota stay at home someone loses their job in the Phillippines. So everyone thinks about America at some point mainly because you can't get away from it.

It's interesting to me that almost nobody I know ever thinks about what America's influence is in Europe or around the world. I know it seems to be a common view that Americans are arrogant, or "chest-beaters", but in reality I think most of us just prefer to go about our lives like anyone else does.....not really thinking of too much other than our own lives, family, friends, job, health, etc.......

blue1 · « **Reply #100 on:** June 21, 2003, 12:33:27 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by NUKE
It's interesting to me that almost nobody I know ever thinks about what America's influence is in Europe or around the world. I know it seems to be a common view that Americans are arrogant, or "chest-beaters", but in reality I think most of us just prefer to go about our lives like anyone else does.....not really thinking of too much other than our own lives, family, friends, job, health, etc.......

That is so true Nuke. It's unfair to say that all Americans are arrogant. Most people just get on with their lives. The average person around the world doesn't think about it either as they settle down in front of the TV to watch Friends or The Sopranos with a bottle of Miller in their hand and a Domino's pizza on their lap, wearing a baseball cap, a t-shirt and jeans and looking forward to going to seeing Springsteen when he hits town next week. The wife is at the shopping mall and the kids are out playing on the skateboard.

America has a huge influence all over the world good and bad.

straffo · « **Reply #101 on:** June 21, 2003, 03:33:22 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by blue1
I think what Straffo is getting at is intolerance from the religious rather than religious intolerance. Sometimes the more religious you are the more intolerant you are of any other view. Fundamentalism basically.

My thought , exactly.

I hope I'm wrong but it's my perception (you can say "cliché") it certainly show that's I've not an extensive knowledge of the USA.

Last week I was a in a business trip in the country side and met some American and got some very interresting discussions about a lot of subjects .

We showed our respective lack of knowledge of each other country it was a good way to learn ,sadly I won't be able to do a trip in the USA before a long for financial reason but I don't think we are very different.

Quote

Originally posted by NUKE
It's interesting to me that almost nobody I know ever thinks about what America's influence is in Europe or around the world. I know it seems to be a common view that Americans are arrogant, or "chest-beaters", but in reality I think most of us just prefer to go about our lives like anyone else does.....not really thinking of too much other than our own lives, family, friends, job, health, etc.......

My interpretation (again

) is that this arrogance is not an US citizen arrogance but more a country arrogance ,at least it's how I perceive it.

moggie · « **Reply #102 on:** June 21, 2003, 03:39:18 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by lazs2

I think england is projecting... they knew what total bastards they were when they had the reins and they project that onto us.

lazs

Gee, guess you're right. After all, look at our "Indians"; they now constitute the world's largest democracy. Where are all your "Indians" now, please remind me?

Syzygyone · « **Reply #103 on:** June 21, 2003, 08:18:45 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by straffo
We showed our respective lack of knowledge of each other country it was a good way to learn ,sadly I won't be able to do a trip in the USA before a long for financial reason but I don't think we are very different.

Straff, my man, we are very differenet. Here, 99.9% of the women shave their underarms.

straffo · « **Reply #104 on:** June 21, 2003, 08:24:16 AM »

I won't shave my armpit and won't be your jail woman.

or did I mistranslate your post ??