There are seven year-olds with John Bull printing kits that have more readers than this blog (and probably better content too) but just in case I may offend someone who’s American and doesn’t know much about me, here’s a disclaimer. If you decide that I’m “Anti-American”, please click on the “more” link below.
It’s fashionable to brand people as “anti-american”. I’ve also seen the phrase “European attitude” used as an insult. I was once flamed in a discussion forum for writing “Black Hawk Down isn’t exactly a documentary” - I was told that I’m full of “anti-American hatred” simply for using that phrase.
I’ve been deeply in love with an American for over ten years. I’m very fond of my American in-laws. I have American friends. I enjoy visiting the United States, it has wonderful landscapes, people, food*, music. All my favourite TV shows are American. I enjoy American literature. The United States has its flaws and its faults, some small (American dairy products are awful) and some big (great health care if you can afford it) but overall I can’t honestly say if I prefered the UK or the USA, at least until Bush started dismantling the Constition. I have to admit I’m very worried about what’s happening.
There is only one thing that I could be described as “hating” about the United States: its foriegn policy. Internal politics in the US is a fascinating mix: there are things I like (very strong local democracy, the Constitution) and things don’t like (very weak national democracy, ignoring the Constitution), but the barely changing way the US has interacted with the rest of the world this century is often deeply unpleasant.
I think that US governments have been involved in or largely responsible for a very large proportion of the terrible things that have occured worldwide in the last century. In the century before that, Britain had a similar role. I hate neither country for this, or the people of the USA or the UK. I hate the things that Kissinger did - I believe he was responsible for truly evil acts - but I can understand his motives and rationalisation.
Recent research has shown that almost no-one in the entire world is “anti-American”. Even hardcore religious fanatic/terrorists in Egypt admitted to being big fans of American films and music. Almost everyone wants to holiday the US. The USA is the land of fun.
What just about everyone on the planet dislikes is the USA’s foreign policy. We don’t particularly like the US Government. But this isn’t “Anti-Americanism”.
