I'm really, really not attacking or trying to be nasty - I lived over 2 years in the States and many parts of it I love to bits!! So the following is just my honest opinion and feelings, etc., etc.
why has this comment about the US provoked such a sarcastic response? Is it the general anti-American feeling overall? Yeah, I'm afraid it is. Well, not anti-American - just anti-"We Americans are the best evah!" The United States are at this point the biggest political (and probably cultural?) power/influence in the world - no contest. But it wasn't always like that. But you often get Americans in the media and in RL who seem to believe it is so. Aaand from over here (Europe) that's kind of a joke:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Greeks' democracy... it was the aristocracy that had the vote, correct? Shepherds and people who belonged to a certain household were automatically represented by the head of that family? And in the States, women couldn't vote - and slaves and Native Americans? I don't know about the last two, but I kind of doubt they were allowed to vote? In other words, not that much more democratic than Ancient Greece?
Anyways - yeah, I totally admit, I boggled at your statement, because from my POV it's just not true. But it sucks to have someone attack your nationality - and of course you have as much right as anyone to be proud of yours (if I was born in the States, I'd be damn proud to be American - I happen to be born in Denmark, so I'm damn proud of that; I'm just that kind of person), so I understand you feeling defensive. Sorry, *sniff*. That's not a sarcastic *sniff*, btw.
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branchandroot
I had the title above, because I certainly didn't want this to get nasty!!!
Date: 2004-09-18 07:30 am (UTC)why has this comment about the US provoked such a sarcastic response? Is it the general anti-American feeling overall?
Yeah, I'm afraid it is. Well, not anti-American - just anti-"We Americans are the best evah!" The United States are at this point the biggest political (and probably cultural?) power/influence in the world - no contest. But it wasn't always like that. But you often get Americans in the media and in RL who seem to believe it is so. Aaand from over here (Europe) that's kind of a joke:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Greeks' democracy... it was the aristocracy that had the vote, correct? Shepherds and people who belonged to a certain household were automatically represented by the head of that family?
And in the States, women couldn't vote - and slaves and Native Americans? I don't know about the last two, but I kind of doubt they were allowed to vote? In other words, not that much more democratic than Ancient Greece?
Anyways - yeah, I totally admit, I boggled at your statement, because from my POV it's just not true. But it sucks to have someone attack your nationality - and of course you have as much right as anyone to be proud of yours (if I was born in the States, I'd be damn proud to be American - I happen to be born in Denmark, so I'm damn proud of that; I'm just that kind of person), so I understand you feeling defensive. Sorry, *sniff*. That's not a sarcastic *sniff*, btw.
I really suck at internet communication :o/