America vs. the world

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Yeah, Easton Ellis is cool. Did you see the film version of American Psycho? I for one thought it was awesome. I think I know people like that...Anyway, this is getting more serious. Why can't we just make fun of GM?
Well, America is a superpower I suppose, but individual americans aren't, and its debatable if "we" are the "only" superpower in the world. . Elected officials and administrations do in the US what they do in every country, protect the interests of their country and citizens as they see most appropriate. It is interesting that the US was excused from their position on the human rights tribunal in the UN, and China is a member, though!
As for the list of countries America has bullied or hornswaggled, lets be real. Cuba is communist. America is not, and doesn't favor it. I don't know where the harrassment is. There are economic sanctions, and americans can't spend their tourist dollars there without first flying to Canada and then to Cuba or some other way. Same with Iraq. Unfortunately, the only method devised so far of putting pressure on Iraq to go "our" way has been to sanction them. So, the Iraqi people suffer, not only under the rule of Sadam but also for lack of necessities like, uh, food. Russia is a two edged sword. If you ask me they'd be better off Czarist. No idea has been so great and also so terrible as that of Marxism. Improperly implemented in Russia, no doubt. No period of capitalism to amass the wealth prior to its redistribution through the proletariat revolution and the siezure of means of production by those who produce something other than grain, snow and sturgeon eggs. Now they're "capitalist" and can organize totally unfair pyramid schemes, exploit the poor, perpetrate various acts of organized crime involving everything from fur coats, military equipment and porn, on the rest of the world, teenagers become prostitutes and a Snickers bar, which everyone wants for some god-awful reason, costs $50. Columbia? I really don't kow how Columbia is harrassed. They need money, which America gives them in exchange for trying, at least trying, to control their drug enterprises.
The whole Manuel Noriega thing was pretty crazy, I admit. Probably illegal, too. Probably totally ineffective as well. Most of the countries dish out like they take it from the US, though.
Look, America is a young, wealthy, capitalist society. Its a powerful country, no doubt, but I often get the sense that citizens of other countries as well as americans, think this is by itself a bad thing, or that its "monolithic". McDonalds is not America. Its an American company with international interests. If McDonalds wants to buy or lease space in Paris to open a restaraunt, who's to say they shouldn't or they can't? Can't I lease space in Paris if I wantd to (like I could!) McDonalds has had some tough times in Europe, they've been sued successfully a few times and have attempted to sue others for libel and slander against their chain and *lost*. Why anyone eats there who isn't on the road 18 hrs a day is beyond me, but thats their choice. GM wanted to buy Daewoo, the Korean automaker, but failed. Daimler/Benz merged/whatever you want to call it, with Chrysler. The business world is hardly one sided, nor is the political world. Globalization is not the fault of the US or any other country, its just the way things are going to go based on the rules of exchange and the production and distribution of consumer goods, and these rules have always been where people are, they're just a bit more expanded now.
A couple other things. If the Salvation Army wants to hire only faithful, fundamentalist types, why shouldn't they? Likewise for the Boyscouts. These are private enterprises, not government agancies. Would Hooters hire me to wait tables? Probably not. I get tired of hearing the "disenfranchised/I've been left out of the great banquet/People are being cheated" nonsense! Get real, already.
America is good at being blind to its faults, escaping acountability through some ridiculous catharsis (preferably in public), and speaking out of both sides of its mouth, but come on, America is also a high profile place, with a very liberal legal system and, hey, really low taxes. Its not all bad. If you want to see what I think is a great representation of liberal thinking in America, check out "Harper's".

 

Thank your answer Orkrist, I haven't seen the film, but I think, that Ellis's "new" book, Glamorama, is amazing! You're right, but please note, that I've just tried analyze my (our?) feelings about America. My statements aren't absolute. I think that there aren't any valid viewpont on this matter. When you examine a stranger culture, no matter how tolerant you are, you will have your own preconceptions. We can share our thoughts on this matter and if there any meaning of this topic, that is it. On marxism: we know that very well, you know, our home was the "happie st" barrack from 1956 (the date of our revolution aganinst the soviets) till 1989...

 

Brega, you are starting to make me sick with laughter. You know, in all of those countries that you listed, only Russia and China would last more than half an hour.

This is not cockyness, it is a fact.

Also, the only time we had ever had much of anything to do with Cuba is when the Soviets brought some nukes there. That would worry any country, considering that they could have taken out any city on the Gulf coast within about half an hour or less.

I am also still curious why all other countries are convinced that all americans love mcdonalds, eat hamburgers all day, and so on and so on because we "are rich, spoild people". I, for example, like mexican food better than any american food.(gotta love those enchilladas)

As for the uneducated part, my schools average GPA is over a 4.0. I know that there are much less educated places in the US, but that is mostly because they don't have the money they need.(the US is a very demanding county, ask any other ameriican here)

i think you shouldn't go by any stereotype because that is almost never the case of the indevidual that you are talking to.

You guys should lighten up alittle.

P.S. i hate cars, i'd take a truck any day(they are jsut more useful where i'm from)

 

Well, i think that the russians and chinese should work together to shoot down all american sattelites. Without the sattelites the americans can't use their high falootin' weapons systems. *VEG*
And Bush are still harassing many countries by blockades, air attacks and such.
And by the way, CRAPFOOD is CRAPFOOD wether its american or mexican.

[This message has been edited by Brega (edited August 14, 2001).]

 

Every Country has it stereotypes. If you believe them then you must be very slow. I have no problem with the U.S. U.K. or any other country.

 

Jack: Your Schools average is a 4.0 GPA? This means that in your school everyone is preatymuch getting strait A, Personally I find this imposible but if you are shure where are you I want to move there.

[This message has been edited by kemanmaldea (edited August 14, 2001).]

 

I'm not sure if all of those countries have been "harassed" by the US:


Russia: harassment is a 2 way street!
North Korea: Unprovoked invasion of South Korea...the UN intervened, not just the US
Iraq: Again...Invaded a neiboring county, and some of the countries, like Syria and
Yugoslavia, supported the US involvement
Vietnam: again...invaded it's neibour, but the US involvement in Vietnam is WAY too complicated to dicuss.
Chile: I like mine HOT
Colombia: ? how does spending Millions of dollars in humanitarian and military aid to fight international durg dealers and leftist gurllas, at the REUEST OF THE COLUMBIAN GOVERNMENT, constitute harassment?
Peru: See Columbia
Ecuador: See Coulmbia
China: See Russia
Sudan: is this REALLY a country? The only thing going for Sudan is it's capital has one of the coolest names KARTOUM
Bolivia: See Columbia
Iran: Wait until the Talaban start messing with Iran...and see who they come calling for help

Orkrist the Cleaver>>>>>great post

 

And who the HELL did dub the yanks to the f*cking world police. Why don't they just let other countries deal with their own damn problems! My father's people has suffered in over 50 years by the hands of the Israeli scourge! And you yanks don't seem to give a bloody rats ass about that! On the contrary, you supply them with all the weapons they need to keep on with it! You fascist-republican!
And by the way, the FARC guerilla in Colombia are just fighting against the oppresion of the junta government!
And just because the countries that you've listed had mad leaders bent on world domination, doesn't mean that you can kill the entirely innocent population.

[This message has been edited by Brega (edited August 15, 2001).]



[This message has been edited by Brega (edited August 15, 2001).]

 

The "yanks" (god I hate that! I'm from South Carolina, I don't like yankees!) were elected to be the worlds police by default. It's funny. Before the second world war the US was, for the most, part a VERY isolationist country. But after ANOTHER world war, I guess we decided that enought was enough! I all ways find it funny that so many people complain about the US being the worlds police when they don't like what we are doing, but when it's in their own best interest and we don't do enough they complain about it! What did the fron page of the paper say just a few days ago? "Arafat complaines that US should do more" Of course, the plo was the only orginization to support Iraq about 10 years back....but it seems like they like us fine when they can use us to help them get what they want!

 

The "yanks" become the police only if they can gain something from it. Some things go unnoticed by big brother and other things don’t its like selective policing. Not because after ANOTHER world war, they decided that enough was enough! (enough was enough please )

 

Well....I would HOPE that it is/was selective policing! God knows how many people we would upset if it were not!

As far a getting something from it...I'm not really sure what the thousands of US troops are doing in the Balkins right now? Our European allies(NATO) seem to be happy that we are there...but I'm not sure how it's in the US's best interest; except, of course, to keep another european war fron starting.

 

Well,i think i got a bit too emotional there for a while, sorry 'bout that. But i'm just sick of the allies playing valiant knights while they are killing so many civilians.
And the Cuba crisis did end some 30 years ago so just stop starving them out with blockades. I don't have anything against americans, i don't carry prejudice against anyone. I just don't think its fair to solve violence and terror with even more violence and terror.

[This message has been edited by Brega (edited August 15, 2001).]

 

Actually....I AGREE with you Brega!

It is time that we ended the Blockade of Cuba.

And I don't think anything should be solved through violent means. I also don't think its fair to solve violence and terror with even more violence and terror. Infortunately the world is a violent place, and we, as a planet, still have not evolved enough to solve our problems peacefully. But, i do think that we ARE making progress. Hopefull we'll never live through truly dark and violent times like out fathers and grand-fathers did.....at least not on the scale of the second world war. If you look at the numbers of civilians killed there (or combat personal for that matter) It makes modern civilian casualties pale in comparison. Look at the Allied bombing of Dresden Germany in late 1945...More German Civilians were killed there than Japanese in Hiroshima!

The US has made and will make forign policy mistakes...but I truely believe that they are acting with good intentions. If the US was truely power hungry and evil, like other powerful countries through history, the would would be a terrible place.

 

You actually agree with me, Llandon?
I thought that you would call me a wuss and then say you'd kick my commie ass...
But anyways, what you're saying is sensible enough. Striving for peace is good, but i'm not sure that is what Bushie boy is doing.
He seems quite inbred if you ask me.
He is full of outdated fundamentalist and anti-human bullshit.

 

Awwww....don't worry too much about little George W. And definately don't believe the press...they HATE the guy.

Remember...Clinton, the most loved by the media prestdent ever.....bombed(or attacked) MORE countries than ANY presdient in US history!

 

Well, Georgie boy has been cursed by indian medicinmen anyway, he will probably die a sudden death like that of many other american presidents that was elected in a year that ended with a zero.
And i think that they really should build a Clinton Monument beside the Washington Monument. And besides Bush Jr. has only been in power for less then a year...

[This message has been edited by Brega (edited August 16, 2001).]

 

Brega - isn't the Washington Monument already shaped like Clinton's Legacy????

 

Clinton should have his own monument about double the size of the original monument

 

Clinton's monument should be shaped like a cigar.

 

Kill the Clinton coments please.

IMO the entire continuing process with the US blocanding Cuba has to do with Castro. I believe that within a week of Castro's death relations with cuba will be normalized and we may even see them become one of the US's biggest friend, once we come through and help them out with all the things that ouer blocade is hurting.