Why Do People Hate the USA

[downside]

With the WTC cleanup nearly complete, the question I have in my mind is why. I understand if you don't agree with our religions, our government or our econimic growth. But why hate us for ?

The Citizens of my country are, at times, cocky in thinking we are the best country in the world. At times, they can be hateful against other countries and laugh at other customs. The difference between us and the terrorists is that we don't act on those things.

We believe that everyone has a right to choose for themselves, and to live their own lives. So although we do not understand, or may not like other customs, we wouldn't attack for the sake of them being different. The attacks on us were just that. They don't like our views or our living conditions. So they attacked us.

That, to me, is ridiculous. If I didn't like your shirt, I might laugh at it. If I am a big jerk, I'll taunt you and humilate you. But just because I don't like your shirt, I wouldn't try to kill you. That's what this was. Opinions differed and one side sucker punched the other side. Why couldn't they just accept that we, over here, can do what we want, and they what they want.

Does anyone understand?

[MaggieL]

Originally posted by downside
Why couldn't they just accept that we, over here, can do what we want, and they what they want.

Does anyone understand?

Well, their point of view is that the US and the Brits held the Palastinian Arabs down while the Jews took over their country. That the Palastinian Arabs had been holding the Jews down for hundreds of years before that doesn't feature large in their thinking, since their position is "we were here first"....which is either true or untrue, depending on the timescales you choose.

Read though all the historical stuff at

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/iltoc.html

if what's going on in the Middle East doesn't add up for you.

[Nic Name]

Are you lookin' for answers in all the wrong places?

Some people have gone to a lot of effort to provide their answers to your question.

Maybe you will find some of the answers you seek in these links:

http://www.vexen.co.uk/hateamerica.html

http://www.csmonitor.com/2001/0927/p1s1-wogi.html

http://interconnected.org/dirk/?object1=america

http://www.co.jyu.fi/~np/hate/USAHate.html

Maybe not.

Perhaps you just meant to say, hey, what's not to like about the USA?

Nic *ducks*

Disclaimer: non of these are my websites or represent my views.

I just wanted to provide some guidance to the downside, who seems totally perplexed and seeking answers to the most vexing of questions. He asks why do they hate the USA, not why do we think they are wrong to hate the USA. Perhaps, like so many who ask that question, he really doesn't even want to hear what they think. It's usually a rhetorical question.

The answer given more often than not is that they hate us because we're God's Chosen People, because we're free, because we're rich, and because we're always right ... and, quite frankly, because we're better. What's not to like?

[jeni]

i understand why people from other countries could dislike ours, but i don't agree. i mean, there are assholes everywhere, right? why target a bunch of innocent people? not up to me to say. not something i'd ever do. i don't think the U.S. is necessarily better all around, just a damned fine place to live.

[downside]

I don't want to give the wrong impression; that I'm unaware of the world events. I'm simply venting. The US is a damned fine place. It has a mix of cultures and religions and races that all (basically) live together in peace. Not to mention it's econimc standing and it's limitless opportunities it gives to it's citizens.

That's why I'm confused. Don't bomb a place because you think it's better than what you have. I drive a 96' Chevy Cavalier. You don't see me intentionally crashing into the Cadlillacs on the road. The driver worked for that car. It's not his fault I have a crappy car. It's mine.

Again, just venting. No matter what is happening in the world, to attack the US people for living the way we do is cowardly.

[Nic Name]

That's why I'm confused. Don't bomb a place because you think it's better than what you have.

I see that of all the reasons given by others, you are most comfortable with the view that the root cause of the attacks is that they think we're better than they are. Well, frankly, they don't think we're better, and that wasn't their motivation ... so don't try to make sense of the terrorist attacks from that analysis.

There is nothing that could justify terrorism.

You seem to ask, "What causes terrorism?"

And then respond, "Well, that doesn't justify terrorism."

If you were to ask, "What justifies terrorism?"

The answer should be, "Nothing."

If you were to ask, "What causes terrorism?"

There are many answers.

That Americans are better than everyone else, isn't one of them.

[downside]

I've been misquoted in High School, but not recently. So for that, I thank you for the change of pace.

I do not agree, however, that the message I am trying to convey is that "Americans are better than everyone else". In fact, all of my responses have included my theory; they don't like what we have.

And analizing terrorism, with large words and phrases, is entertaining but useless. Terrorists, with or without religion or governmental excuses, cannot be tolerated. At no point should we say "Sure, they killed many of our people. But look at the way they think." If "the way they think" includes killing people for the sake of disagreement in life, then they don't deserve the time spent on theorizing. Killing people, citizen at that, is not a discussion topic. It's a crime that cannot go without punishment.

[LordSludge]

Originally posted by jeni
why target a bunch of innocent people?

My best answer is that they're going for the soft underbelly -- no way they could go up against our military and make any sort of impact. Still hard to believe what happened.

What I find curious is that most Americans reacted with anger, whereas most Europeans reacted with sadness, as did I.

[downside]

Yes. I think there was the initial shock and sadness the first month during clean up. Now, the general public here is quite angry. Angry for a few reasons.

#1. Our Government, to us, can't move fast enough. We all understand that they are doing everything they can, when they can. But we have been a country that has demanded action when it is needed.

#2. Obviously, as I have been posting, we are confused and angry that someone would think badly enough to take innocent lives.

#3. After this time, we have seen countries, thought to be allies, who have celebrated. Some parts of the world, who are thought to be friendly nations have rallied and partied and laughed when our people were dying.

[Griff]

I think I used this paraphrase from Joe Sobran (maybe) here before. They don't hate us for our virtues, they hate us for our vices. I had the misfortune of reading Blowback : The Costs and Consequences of American Empire by Chalmers Johnson a couple months before 9/11, so I find myself unable to participate in the righteous indignation sweeping our country. He explains quite clearly why we are hated and why an event of this type was inevitable. Our values are not reflected in our foreign policy.


We have soldiers in well over 100 foreign countries, we have armed and protected regimes whose policies are anti-thetical to American values, we play with economies, we enforce sanctions on Iraq that kill civilians... Islamic fundementalists do hate us for treating women as equals but as tw will be happy to explain there are reasons why people join extremist organizations.

"Killing people, citizen at that, is not a discussion topic." The thing is, even though we are the biggest dog, this sentiment applies to us as well. There are a couple pretty good threads here on this but among the regulars here this discussion has been done... at length..... so we're probably a little burned out on it.

[Nic Name]

"They hate us for our virtues." is the Bush theme, and he's sticking to it, because it plays so well to the American audience.

Iraq Shimaq. Hussein is a poophead, plain and simple. He could very easily get those sanctions lifted, but he refuses to move.

The problem is with this fucked up notion with what seems to be a majority of muslims that the USA is attacking Islam whenever it gets into a skirmish with someone who has a brother who knows a guy whose boss gets his tires changed by an outfit that employs a follower of Islam. Since we have a big problem with Hussein, we're attacking Islam. We're killing children. Spare me the fucking bullshit.

There are plenty of legitimite reasons to be pissed off at the United States, but Iraq is not one of them.

[downside]

I'm not doubting it was a good book. But the topic in which he chose to write about seems loose. The equivalent of the book that you are describing would be something like "Earthquakes: Why I Can't Stop Them". Why publish/read a book containing nothing more than a "why we should be punished" theme. But that's another topic.

Anyone can right a book about why they think these people hate us. The real answer lies, obviously, in their beliefs. I believe, for instance, that a variant of the religion, combined with their economic state and a hint of pure hatred caused the September attack. The most important part, of course, is the hatred. I give no merit to any person, group or Religion that agrees killing humans is acceptable.

So, when you think about it, we don't need other reason in your book or otherwise. Ignore everything about the religion, the country, the economic stand point, everything. Just focus in on that one person. If a person, for whatever reason, justifies killing, they are wrong.

I agree on this being burnt out. People, in my eyes, try to delve into the minds of these people too much. You can't diagnose hatred.

Originally posted by downside
I give no merit to any person, group or Religion that agrees killing humans is acceptable.

What about sand niggers over in that Afghanamastan or whatever?

My point being, of course, that many people talk that line, but then call for revenge. Where do we draw the line? When is it okay to kill? What do you think about Napoleon Beazley?

[downside]

Did you get any point across from using racial slang?