Question about anti-American sentiment

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VisariLoyalist

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#51  Edited By VisariLoyalist

@Origina1Penguin said:

@c0kemusheen said:

I just wish more people around the world judged us Americanseverybody on a one by one basis

This is my sentiment. I share it with whoever will listen.

We are all just humans and we can argue about what we view as monstrous constructs of societies of humans but we cannot deny their humanity. That's why it disgusts me when something a leader has done justifies hate of the average person. There's some sort of class argument here to be made about the difference between the actions of the ruling class and the really mundane and uninteresting lives of most people.

Also when I visited israel everyone was really nice to me. Proceed with flame war about how israel is evil now.

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DarthOrange

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#52  Edited By DarthOrange

@c0kemusheen said:

Am I the only one who is severely disgruntled by the amount of anti-American comments and xenophobic representations of myself (as an American) all over the internet and the world. The reason I bring this up is because I recently went back to the Azores (islands that belong to Portugal in the Atlantic ocean) to visit my old family. I was born in the Azores on an American base (mother is portuguese) I went to a hotel and to rent a room and the keeper wouldn't let me book a room because I was American, and of course I was offended so I told him in portuguese to fuck off and I went on my merry way to another establishment.

I understand that not everybody of that nationality is an ignorant prick so I don't judge them as such. But yet I am constantly bombarded with rude comments (not necessarily towards myself) on the internet and these forums. You can have a logical conversation about anything pertaining to American life or country without having extremely generalizing comments blurted out. Although thus is the nature of a completely anonymous forum but these rude comments transfer into real life as well.

Hell I was talking about my grandfather who served in Vietnam, only to have an several Australians tell me "you fucking yanks lost the war but we won our part," "your gran dad deserved it" and they got voted up. Again I hold nothing against Aussies i've met very many that I like, I just wish more people around the world judged us Americans on a one by one basis rather than thinking all 300 million of us are the same and treating us like targets to take pot shots at. ugh.. does anybody else feel the same way, try and keep it civil, i'm just testing the waters to see how other people view the issue.

I know that my government has sent many men my age to do evil things around the globe, and i'm sure much of the negative sentiment is from that, but judge the ones who committed the acts NOT ME. Hell I wish our democracy was direct, that way we could have actually voted on the war, I for one would have said nay. Thoughts?

Dude the US is kind of a fucked of place, but Americans rarely know how bad some of the shit that is done here is. For example:

Operation Just Cause (1989):

Or the shit with Guantanamo Bay:

Or the general treatment given to immigrants.

Or how bad segregation still is in this country.

Plus American Citizen douche bags doing shit like this doesn't help either:

I am an American, born and raised in California I wouldn't want to be anywhere else on earth, but I hope these examples help you understand where the rest of the world is coming from with their general dislike of the United States.

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VisariLoyalist

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#53  Edited By VisariLoyalist

@DarthOrange: to say that americans are responsible for everything that's done in america or by americans is insane. That is the same logic that cause people to support the war in afghanistan and iraq, and it's the same logic people use to argue for a war with Iran. It is an illogical view that supposes the creation of hatred (that is the expansion of hatred to people not involved) is justified because of some other evil which has taken place. It argues that any rejection of this illogical hatred is tantamount to wholesale support of the supposed evil. Two wrongs don't make a right.

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DarthOrange

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#54  Edited By DarthOrange

@VisariLoyalist:

I totally agree with you but this is the basis of why most people who hate America hate Americans. It's not like it's a majority of people in the world have this hatred, but as you well know being a person on the internet the minority can be quite vocal.

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Contrarian

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#55  Edited By Contrarian
Post by c0kemusheen (59 posts) See mini bioLevel 10

@Tim_the_Corsair said:

Claude, although I'm Australian and thus find your elections to be confusing. And by confusing, I mean idiotic.

Wow you're a fucking prick.

No offence intended, but perhaps this is more about you than America. I assume you started this after you read that thread. It seems a rather over the top response to a fairly benign comment. I am pretty sure many Americans think their electoral system is idiotic. Are they all fucking pricks as well?

To add to what many have saisd, arseholes are everywhere, in every country, in every city, in every town. That is just life. If you get upset any time someone says anything vaguely anti-American, you will die from high blood pressure at a young age. A person can criticise an aspect of any country with perfect validity without hating the country. That is free speech, not hate.

As for the originating story, you only served to prove that person's point. After you walked away, he would thought, "my point exactly". You have a choice. You could have had a simple discussion with him, even though it may not have got you your room, that left him questioning his narrow perspective. You would have walked away less angry and feeling like you played your part in dispelling the "ugly American" stereotype.

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Quantical

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#56  Edited By Quantical

Americans can sometimes be very loud. :)

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gamer_152

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#57  Edited By gamer_152  Moderator

There are some sadly ignorant comments in this thread. C0ke, the situation you described with the hotel in Portugal is way beyond the kind of racism I've seen towards Americans before, and I don't agree with what some have been saying in here, that you shouldn't have told the person you were dealing with to "fuck off" because it confirms their stereotypes about Americans. You probably shouldn't have insulted them because it's good to be the bigger man and stay courteous to people, even when others refuse to be, but I don't believe we should in any way modify our behaviour to account for the stereotyping that others do, they're the ones with the problem.

I do wonder if this is less a problem to do with attacks on Americans specifically though, and more to do with people just stereotyping people by their country in general. It's just that America's social and political issues are so widely known, there has been so much historical turmoil with America in the past, and there are so many Americans on the internet, they become the most regular punching bag by default, but I've seen plenty of people go off at people of other nationalities with little to no provocation. This in turn is perhaps best looked at as part of the larger problem of people stereotyping others by race, gender, class, sex, and so on.

I think you should be able to openly criticise the general social and political issues of other countries, but it's sad to see people still treat tired stereotypes as reality. What the government does is not detached from what the people want, especially in a democracy like America, but it's a complex issue. Different people have voted for different leaders in various capacities and no one leader is perfect. Any view where you try to pin the entire history, sociology and politics of a country on a single person is just ridiculously ignorant.

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babblinmule

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#58  Edited By babblinmule
@Gamer_152: Well said good sir. 
 
I used to work on the front desk of a hotel in London, and half the americans guests were lovely, charming individuals who were an absolute pleasure to talk to. Unfortunely the other half were, to put it simply, a complete pain in the arse to deal with. So it goes to show that its not down to the way that your country behaves, its down to the way the individual behaves that determines how people should view you. And to echo what others said; telling the guy to fuck off is really not doing yourself or your country any favours.
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mandude

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#59  Edited By mandude

I don't think the OP did anything wrong by telling them to fuck off, and for whatever harm it may have done, the demonstration of Portuguese (and thereby, that he's not just an "ignorant, dumb American") probably more than made up for that. I'm not sure that the racist in this incident would have expected any other response to what they did, and if they were going so far as to refuse service anyway, their views were already pretty cemented.

Having said that, while I've met many fantastic people over here, I'm genuinely apprehensive when talking to Americans. I've been harassed countless times for not being a Christian and asked what it's like to live without freedom. All this, by people who are seemingly normal, and who I would have considered my friends...

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TruthTellah

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#60  Edited By TruthTellah

I think is right on point here. It's a deeper issue with how human beings in general stereotype and mischaracterize large swaths of people, be that by nationality, religion, race, sex, etc.

The nation-based hate is only more apparent to an American because they're just a particularly well-known and focused-on nationality in the world today. If every country was as equally put in the spotlight, people would probably equally hate every country, as this world is a generally messed up place. Yet, even mistreatment based on nationality is far lower than racial or gender mistreatment, as these kinds of things are universal. You'll find some places full of people fine with other nations, but you'd be hard pressed to find any significant grouping of people that didn't have -some- issue with people due to race, gender, or religion. That isn't to say that abuse of people purely due to nationality isn't an issue, but it's only a small part of much larger issues in the very fabric of humanity which divide and mistreat individuals based on constructed assumptions.

It's things like this which we simply have to push through. We all face them on some level. The best we can do is attempt to be a honest, considerate person. If people recognize it and change their prejudices, then great, and if people don't recognize it and maintain their prejudices, then so be it. You can control nothing in this world but who you are. So, if you see prejudice, be a good man, and if you don't see prejudice, be a good man. If you're fortunate, people will be receptive to you; if not, then you're still someone you can be proud to be. And we always need more people like that.

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Simplexity

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#61  Edited By Simplexity

A lot of people don't look to kindly on the whole world police thing you guys seem to enjoy doing, I guess a lot of people don't really enjoy the mindless wars your lot throw yourself into either, other then that I don't see any reason to dislike America.

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TruthTellah

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#62  Edited By TruthTellah

@mandude said:

I don't think the OP did anything wrong by telling them to fuck off, and for whatever harm it may have done, the demonstration of Portuguese (and thereby, that he's not just an "ignorant, dumb American") probably more than made up for that. I'm not sure that the racist in this incident would have expected any other response to what they did, and if they were going so far as to refuse service anyway, their views were already pretty cemented.

Having said that, while I've met many fantastic people over here, I'm genuinely apprehensive when talking to Americans. I've been harassed countless times for not being a Christian and asked what it's like to live without freedom. All this, by people who are seemingly normal, and who I would have considered my friends...

Well, if it's any consolation, as an American Christian who loves me some freedom, I think you're peachy keen, mandude! :)

Unless you're Norwegian. Those damn Nords with their fish... (Kidding!)

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CptChiken

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#63  Edited By CptChiken

every country gets hate for something. As english i have to put up with plenty of annoying things.  but the americans do seem to get the shorter stick with this sort of thing. i guess at some point down the line there is a reason for it but it shouldnt be so bad as to deny you a hotel room. That is Apartheid esc.

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mandude

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#64  Edited By mandude

@TruthTellah said:

Well, if it's any consolation, as an American Christian who loves me some freedom, I think you're peachy keen, mandude! :)

Whyyy wont you people leave me alonnne?!

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TruthTellah

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#65  Edited By TruthTellah

@mandude said:

@TruthTellah said:

Well, if it's any consolation, as an American Christian who loves me some freedom, I think you're peachy keen, mandude! :)

Whyyy wont you people leave me alonnne?!

Don't worry about it, duder.

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amir90

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#66  Edited By amir90
@TruthTellah

@mandude said:

I don't think the OP did anything wrong by telling them to fuck off, and for whatever harm it may have done, the demonstration of Portuguese (and thereby, that he's not just an "ignorant, dumb American") probably more than made up for that. I'm not sure that the racist in this incident would have expected any other response to what they did, and if they were going so far as to refuse service anyway, their views were already pretty cemented.

Having said that, while I've met many fantastic people over here, I'm genuinely apprehensive when talking to Americans. I've been harassed countless times for not being a Christian and asked what it's like to live without freedom. All this, by people who are seemingly normal, and who I would have considered my friends...

Well, if it's any consolation, as an American Christian who loves me some freedom, I think you're peachy keen, mandude! :)

Unless you're Norwegian. Those damn Nords with their fish... (Kidding!)

Jeg elsker fisk!

Back to topic:
I was brought up to judge a person by his personality.
That being said, I hate the American foreign policy, the government and that issues like religion in school, abortion, right for homosexuality, guantonomo bay and lobbying (how is that shit allowed in a modern country?)

However, whenever I do see an amercian tourist or a player online, I don't call them war hungry cunts. So I guess I play fair in that sense.
The wars the past 40 some years didn't help either :p
And calling soccer a lame sport in all your comedy family movies too ;0
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#67  Edited By Draugen

@TruthTellah said:

@mandude said:

I don't think the OP did anything wrong by telling them to fuck off, and for whatever harm it may have done, the demonstration of Portuguese (and thereby, that he's not just an "ignorant, dumb American") probably more than made up for that. I'm not sure that the racist in this incident would have expected any other response to what they did, and if they were going so far as to refuse service anyway, their views were already pretty cemented.

Having said that, while I've met many fantastic people over here, I'm genuinely apprehensive when talking to Americans. I've been harassed countless times for not being a Christian and asked what it's like to live without freedom. All this, by people who are seemingly normal, and who I would have considered my friends...

Well, if it's any consolation, as an American Christian who loves me some freedom, I think you're peachy keen, mandude! :)

Unless you're Norwegian. Those damn Nords with their fish... (Kidding!)

"Unless you're..." Hey!

Sigh. Another blatant case of prejudice against us Norwegians. Or as we like to call it, "fish-envy". :P

I'll be honest. When I was younger, (much younger) there was something about Americans that really rubbed me the wrong way. I would get provoked whenever I saw an American politician talking about "God's chosen country" and the "greatest nation on earth." At school and amongst my friends anti-American sentiments ran rampant, and in my teens, I've said enough horrible things about the US and its inhabitants that I'll probably never be let in if I tried. :) However, most Americans I've spoken with or met in person subesquently have been people I've liked, or at least respected. As I've gotten older, I've learned not to become infuriated by self-satisfied comments about how much better and more free America is than other nations. I can smile at it now. And you know what? Americans have alot to be proud of. And alot to be ashamed of. Like the rest of us.

I think the reason Americans meet so much ire abroad is a matter of scale.

Small fish will always try to eat the biggest fish in the fjord. (Old Norwegian proverb) (...not really)

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TruthTellah

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#68  Edited By TruthTellah

@Draugen said:

@TruthTellah said:

@mandude said:

I don't think the OP did anything wrong by telling them to fuck off, and for whatever harm it may have done, the demonstration of Portuguese (and thereby, that he's not just an "ignorant, dumb American") probably more than made up for that. I'm not sure that the racist in this incident would have expected any other response to what they did, and if they were going so far as to refuse service anyway, their views were already pretty cemented.

Having said that, while I've met many fantastic people over here, I'm genuinely apprehensive when talking to Americans. I've been harassed countless times for not being a Christian and asked what it's like to live without freedom. All this, by people who are seemingly normal, and who I would have considered my friends...

Well, if it's any consolation, as an American Christian who loves me some freedom, I think you're peachy keen, mandude! :)

Unless you're Norwegian. Those damn Nords with their fish... (Kidding!)

"Unless you're..." Hey!

Sigh. Another blatant case of prejudice against us Norwegians. Or as we like to call it, "fish-envy". :P

I'll be honest. When I was younger, (much younger) there was something about Americans that really rubbed me the wrong way. I would get provoked whenever I saw an American politician talking about "God's chosen country" and the "greatest nation on earth." At school and amongst my friends anti-American sentiments ran rampant, and in my teens, I've said enough horrible things about the US and its inhabitants that I'll probably never be let in if I tried. :) However, most Americans I've spoken with or met in person subesquently have been people I've liked, or at least respected. As I've gotten older, I've learned not to become infuriated by self-satisfied comments about how much better and more free America is than other nations. I can smile at it now. And you know what? Americans have alot to be proud of. And alot to be ashamed of. Like the rest of us.

I think the reason Americans meet so much ire abroad is a matter of scale.

Small fish will always try to eat the biggest fish in the fjord. (Old Norwegian proverb) (...not really)

heh. It's alright. I love you in all your fishy goodness. Especially after Skyrim! ;D

If you want my actually serious response to this, my longer post on page 3 is a little more along the lines of how I feel about general prejudice amongst people by nationality or otherwise.

I've always found that people are quite different from their stereotypes, and I take some offense to the suggestion from some in this thread and elsewhere that anyone should "not be surprised" that people treat you like crap. It's not right no matter how much you think someone "deserves" it. Individual human beings are always that: individual. And they should be considered as such, with an open mind.

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WinterSnowblind

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#69  Edited By WinterSnowblind

This happens to just about every country. Have you seriously not noticed how some Americans will treat people from other countries/religions/backgrounds?

America has a very bad reputation across the rest of the world, yes, but there's a reason for that. Trying to prove that guy wrong and taking the moral high ground would have painted you in a much better light. Instead you acted equally as ignorant and proved everything he thought about you right. You seem to be stereotyping people from these countries just as much as they are to you. The superior "I'm better than you" attitude is something people hate most.

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clstirens

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#70  Edited By clstirens

@Dagbiker said:

@McGhee said:

A few months ago I spent five weeks in Spain and never had anyone treat me differently because I'm American. I only got a couple nasty looks because my Spanish was so bad and I was often a pain in the ass when trying to buy something.

People are generally friendly no matter where you are, but there will always be a few assholes in every culture.

This, I thought i would get a whole lot of looks in Europe, but everyone treated me great, and any wrong doing was because of communication.

This^ I spent 21 days exploring Italy, France, and Spain. Even went to a running of the bulls festival in a small french town (a local tradition. All of the locals were friendly and invited us to join in), and a few pubs during the World Cup. 99% of people were incredibly friendly to me, even during instances of communication issues. The only rude comments I got were people asking (and this is hardly rude, really) "Do you like Bush?"

BTW, Bush was royally hated in Europe and was considered to be one of the driving forces to the world economic troubles, whether that was true or not.

EDIT: Yes, a small French town has it's own running of the bulls, not a Spanish town. I do not quite understand either.

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Alexandruxx

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#71  Edited By Alexandruxx

@Dagbiker said:

Telling people to fuck off is not doing america any favors.

Careful, nowadays they arrest people from other countries too.

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alternate

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#72  Edited By alternate

It isn't about you being american (the internet stuff not the hotel owner). It is about them being internet trolls. If you had been black they would have used that, if you had been asian they would have used that, etc. Obviously they got to you too.

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isomeri

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#73  Edited By isomeri

Most of the hate towards America these days comes from the wars it fights around the world. Imagine if China was fighting two wars in South America for example in addition to bombing, abducting and torturing people from all around the world.

Personally the thing that bothers me about Americans (a rude generalization) is the hollow pride they feel towards their country. Don't get me wrong, I understand that nationalism is a sentiment felt in every country around the world. It just seems like Americans especially like to declare their country to be better than any other in the world, when in fact their empire seems to slowly be crumbling.

A lot of this also has to do with the power of the American entertainment industry. I'm sure that Iranians, Chinese and Germans feel similarly about their countries, but we're just not exposed to those cultures as much.

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alistercat

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#74  Edited By alistercat

I feel like American's xenophobia and ignorance to the rest of the world is infinitely greater than the prejudice towards Americans.

A shame you were treated that way.

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#75  Edited By Jimbo

For what it's worth, I think you were well within your rights to tell him to fuck off if he refused you service on the basis of your nationality. Actually I think it was quite restrained... for an American.

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#76  Edited By WMWA
@TheWholeDamnShow

I kind of enjoy the hate I receive as an American. It makes me feel like such a better person for not being so ignorant.

This. I usually just ignore it and keep it movin'
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9cupsoftea

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#77  Edited By 9cupsoftea

That's really unfair considering how open-minded, welcoming, and accepting Americans are to foreigners when they visit the US...

oh wait.

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#78  Edited By Chojin

Iraq changed a lot. Since the beginning of that war European news outlets have reported almost daily, in some way, shape or form about the 100 000 dead civilians and the 2 million Iraqis displaced Inside Iraq. About American media trying to justify it all. About American politicians lying. About the American people not knowing the difference between Afghanistan and Iraq. These are all examples of documentaries I`ve seen on cinema or TV. And every day that we go to work and our children goes to school, many of us are reminded as we are the ones now working and playing with some of the almost 3 million Iraqis who have fled their country.

I`m defiantly not trying to start a discussion on the war, but you asked so I`m going to give you an honest example:

Whenever you see the pictures of 9/11 you still get somewhat emotional, right? I definitely do, and I`m not even American. I still feel shocked and disgusted, even though I`ve seen those images a thousand times by now. The thing is that we`ve been bombarded with images exactly like those, but from Iraq for almost 10 years now. And to most people it`s equally shocking and disgusting to witness human beings do horrible things to each other, no matter if it`s on American or Iraqi soil.

These things do affect people and their perception of Americans in general in the same unjustified way that many Americans perception of Arabs has changed.

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ExplodeMode

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#79  Edited By ExplodeMode

Yeah, it's pretty stupid to generalize about anyone.  And you were fully in your rights to tell that guy to eat shit.  He deserved it.
 
What's the worst to me is when people in smaller countries do it.  If I were to say someone from Spain is the same as someone from Germany I would probably offend the German or Spanish person I was talking to, but people will assume all Americans are alike even though the distance from Madrid to Berlin would only run about half of the continental US.
 
@9cupsoftea said:

That's really unfair considering how open-minded, welcoming, and accepting Americans are to foreigners when they visit the US...

oh wait.


Like this.  Perfect example of generalizing.  Which Americans?  Personal experience?  Where did you go?  Do you paint every American with the same brush?  Or are you just talking shit?
We're on Giantbomb.  The Giantbomb guys are American.  Do you think if they met you they would treat you like shit because of where you're from?  Broad strokes are so stupid.
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PizzaSauce

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#80  Edited By PizzaSauce

The original poster sums up a common ignorance which other nations tend to believe Americans feel, that they have a duty to 'spread the word of liberty throughout the world'. it has to be understood that some of the things Americans do (as do my government as a Brit, cheers Tony Blair) are pretty fucking imperial from the indigenous population's view. People just don't really appreciate a force coming in, for so called 'help' only for hundreds of their friends and families to be killed by said force.

Look at the absolute disaster of the Iraq war in which pretty much NOTHING has been achieved, despite huge loss of life and phenomenal financial strains placed on countries throughout the world as a result of it. You caught Osama... yeyyyyy, it means nothing. He's a figurehead, and now a martyr.

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Sooty

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#81  Edited By Sooty

Protip: The bigger the country the higher percentage of assholes and thus more people run into said assholes. Of course most people are logical (hahaha, no they're not) so they don't tarnish everybody with the same brush. (but yes they do)

Although I do think the American government make themselves look ridiculous more so than any other government, with all the religious crap, Republicunts, world policing, SOPA/PIPA - everything having to have an acronym...yadayada

and Sarah Palin.

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Foxtrot0245

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#82  Edited By Foxtrot0245

@9cupsoftea: Regardless of how someone feels about illegal immigration, visiting a country =/= illegally gaining access to a country and subverting the system of laws in place for lawful immigration or visitation.

Also, last I checked, if someone in the US was denied service because of race, creed, nationality, etc, then this would be an international news story about how awful this man was treated. Since it happened elsewhere, he can only vent his frustration on a internet forum, where people still don't care because "it's just an American."

Am I the only one who sees the irony in making angry sweeping generalizations about the entire US being ethnocentric and racist?

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leebmx

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#83  Edited By leebmx

I think what gets America and Americans the most grief is the difference, and therefore the hypocrisy, between its self image and its true nature and the volume at which this disparity is pitched. The image the U.S. projects to the rest of the world is of a country which really believes that it is the standard bearer of truth, democracy and freedom and one which gives off a level of unthinking patriotism which would be considered scary and threatening were it to come from say a middle eastern state.

What also grates is that if you look closely you see a country where the values it professes as sacred have been perverted by money and greed and where freedom and oppourtunity are not available to a large part of the population.

However the main cause may just be the more simple reason that the U.S. just shouts the loudest. They dominate culture across the globe and because of that their hypocrisies and myths are going to be more obvious and easier to critisise than those of smaller countries. The U.S. also has a want to preach and meddle, however proportional to their size it may be no greater a tendency than in other states but because of their larger voice and reach it makes more of an impression on everybody else.

However there are a myriad of differing views and people within the U.S., and one has to treat individuals as they come. No-one should ever be condemmed because they come from a certain place and hating someone because they are American is just stupid.

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Black_Rose

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#84  Edited By Black_Rose

America has always been paramount in portraying negative representations and stereotypes of other cultures and countries, I don't see why you'd expect to be treated differently.

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TheWholeDamnShow

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#85  Edited By TheWholeDamnShow

@Black_Rose said:

America has always been paramount in portraying negative representations and stereotypes of other cultures and countries, I don't see why you'd expect to be treated differently.

America IS made up of other cultures and countries. I don't understand why people think the U.S is full of big fat old white racist men. In fact, most of us are intrigued with the foreigners we meet. Especially Europeans. I do understand that the U.S does have a race problem though, but what country doesn't? The rest of the world needs to get off their high horse.

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theguy

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#86  Edited By theguy

I think of all the groups that are discriminated against Americans have it better than most. I'm not saying it isn't wrong but there are those with far more reason to complain.

EDIT: Ah thought of a good analogy:

It's like complaining about your cold while sitting next to a cancer patient. Your complaints are perfectly valid but still...

(Obviously this is ridiculously extreme but you get the gist.)

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MikeGosot

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#87  Edited By MikeGosot
@c0kemusheen: Did you said "Vai se fuder"? Isn't that "fuck you" instead of "Fuck off"?
Also, i'm Brazilian, so i got to deal with a lot of comments on the vein of "You're a dumb monkey" and things like that. We all feel your pain, but it's HARD to judge people on a one by one basis, and you know how much people love the easy way, so... Stereotypes are not going to die soon.
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Ninja_Welshman

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#88  Edited By Ninja_Welshman

Try being Welsh. Everyone thinks you bum sheep!

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huntad

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#89  Edited By huntad

Would you also include things like when people start off a sentence on the forums with: "Why do Americans____"? I don't see why anyone has to be labeled into a particular group anyways. We are who we are, but don't let your views of a country define everyone in it.

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mandude

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#90  Edited By mandude

@Ninja_Welshman: You mean English, right?

I'm sorry. My friend went off to study in Wales, and we keep calling it England instead. It makes me feel bad every time I realise what I'm doing...

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TheHT

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#91  Edited By TheHT

@c0kemusheen said:

@Dagbiker said:

@McGhee said:

A few months ago I spent five weeks in Spain and never had anyone treat me differently because I'm American. I only got a couple nasty looks because my Spanish was so bad and I was often a pain in the ass when trying to buy something.

People are generally friendly no matter where you are, but there will always be a few assholes in every culture.

This, I thought i would get a whole lot of looks in Europe, but everyone treated me great, and any wrong doing was because of communication.

Okay, I guess I just had a bad experience, I understand telling him to fuck off was rude and uncalled for. But at the time it seemed justified for him refusing room and board to an American

No way duder, that wasn't uncalled for. Though I suppose someone could think it was technically rude (har har).

Dagbiker's right, you weren't doing any favours to America by saying it, but it's not like if you hung your head and slumped away without a word that keeper would have had a change of heart towards Americans. So, you didn't really do any harm either.

So hey, fuck that guy. Unless he was looking out for you because there's violence against foreigners in that hotel. That'd be a twist.

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Draugen

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#92  Edited By Draugen

@MikeGosot said:

@c0kemusheen: Did you said "Vai se fuder"? Isn't that "fuck you" instead of "Fuck off"? Also, i'm Brazilian, so i got to deal with a lot of comments on the vein of "You're a dumb monkey" and things like that. We all feel your pain, but it's HARD to judge people on a one by one basis, and you know how much people love the easy way, so... Stereotypes are not going to die soon.

But everyone probably assumes you're ace at football (sawker) though?

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MikeGosot

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#93  Edited By MikeGosot
@Draugen said:

@MikeGosot said:

@c0kemusheen: Did you said "Vai se fuder"? Isn't that "fuck you" instead of "Fuck off"? Also, i'm Brazilian, so i got to deal with a lot of comments on the vein of "You're a dumb monkey" and things like that. We all feel your pain, but it's HARD to judge people on a one by one basis, and you know how much people love the easy way, so... Stereotypes are not going to die soon.

But everyone probably assumes you're ace at football (sawker) though?

Yeah, that too. I don't even like football. Also, i've already seen people assuming that i know how to dance samba and "dance" capoeira. But more often than not, people think i'm a dumb motherfucker who lives in a jungle(Or in a favela.).
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Hellstrom

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#94  Edited By Hellstrom

Stereotypes don't bother me at all espeacialy the ones that are true like Americans being fat. Seriously, you guys need to lose weight. Its getting ridiculous.

@TheWholeDamnShow:

America maybe made up of different races but all those groups have been assimilated into "One". So you have the Caucasian Americans no matter what they are being completely Anglonized! Yeah i made the word up. Same goes for the Black, Asian, & Hispanic groups. I think there is a much stronger cultural difference between Quebec and the rest of the Canadian provinces than there is between Caucasian Americans.

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ThePickle

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#95  Edited By ThePickle

We don't share the Europeans ridiculous spellings and shitty football. Frankly, I think they're just jealous of our cool football.

Either that, or the corrupt government, poor education system, dominance of Christians, lack of an understanding of "separation of church and state", idiotic pop culture, and obesity. But c'mon Canada, you gave us Justin Bieber.

Every country has fucked up shit. The Canadians rioted because they lost a hockey game, England super-rioted because a drug dealer got killed, Greece has tons of debt and North Korea is led by the son of a crazy person (who also happens to be a crazy person).

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Clinkz

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#96  Edited By Clinkz

@Sooty said:

Republicunts

That's me! I'm part of the problem. The world has plenty of reason to hate my nationality and political standing regardless of my character.

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Spoonman671

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#97  Edited By Spoonman671

This thread is back.  Yay!

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spartanlolz92

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#98  Edited By spartanlolz92

im sure everyone experiences something like this sadly people we remeber the most are a**holes

im sure there are alot of nice portugese (insert other countries here) just like some americans can be assholes but most of us are generally good people

one thing i felt really bad about seeing was when the russian team got booed at the bejing olympics because of the georgian war granted you can dislike the governtment boo that not the guy who just wants to compete

people just need to learn not to be a**holes i have feelings just like you usually that will shut them up or make everyone else view them as a prick

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Neeshka

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#99  Edited By Neeshka

Is this a troll thread ? Do people really not understand why the rest of the world dislikes America ?

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baconbutty

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#100  Edited By baconbutty

Telling this story as if it were a shocking experience that is unique to Americans doesn't really help to be honest.

There are groups that have put up with shit like that for centuries, and have had it way worse than not being to book a hotel.

You met an asshole. It is as simple as that. In the grand scheme Americans have got it fucking awesome. Wherever you go people generally like you.

Stop taking everything so personally, America!