Why the World LOVES the US!

[michael saulnier]

In spite of the view of world wide hatred of the US... It's also true that we're the most LOVED country in the world. Leadership aside, we've got LOTS to love. Our culture has become WORLD culture. Of course some nations, (the French), HATE this... but it's a fact. People all around the world know our tv stars, movie stars, music performers and more. I'm not so sure whether this is the BEST thing about us they could love and admire... but it's clear that people around the world do. We're also the worlds largest charitible nation. Not ONLY the official US government, but the population of the US is the world leader in charitable giving. We're "big-hearted" people... especially when it's a friend in need. We're still HUGELY attractive for people to immigrate here. A recent report put the non-native born population at over 30 million. That's over 10% of our population... I bet no other nation has such a large immigration movement in total numbers and percentages. People wouldn't go to the trouble of relocating here if they weren't attracted so powerfully. Of course we've designed and invented much of the worlds technology. Other nations have added to this area, some extensively, but we're the leader in patents and in key areas like computers, software, cars, jets, and more... made in the USA means innovation and quality. Finally, if it wasn't for Americans, (yes, I KNOW that also means Canada, and central and south Americans, but here I mean "citizens of the USA")... there wouldn't be music as we know it today... Especially because of two US companies... Fender and Gibson. We wouldn't have had the Les Paul, the Strat, the Tele and more... And without those... where would we be? :eek: So, in spite of the recent surge against our leaders and a rise in anti-US feelings around the world... There's still PLENTY about the US to love. ;) Think so too? guitplayer

[Dan South]

Guit - One word of advice. Don't go overseas and say this if you have illusions of returning in one piece.

[Steve LeBlanc]

[quote]Originally posted by Dan South: [b]Guit - One word of advice. Don't go overseas and say this if you have illusions of returning in one piece.[/b][/quote]:D :D :thu:

[nursers]

Heheh I think you may be right Dan :) Particularly the US Culture = World culture bit :)

[Nawor]

Yep... Momas homemade apple pie, Chevys, John Wayne AND you better Goddamn like us or we'll...

[hrn]

And I have thousands of relatives there, most of us from Europe have. Even I can feel the touch! Hans

[Rick K.]

Huh...I have lots of friends from all over the world who don't share your point of view. Rick

[michael saulnier]

Let me practice my... "American? No, I'm CANADIAN!" Yah, eh! :D guitplayer

[boosh]

Yeah you're right,..... you guys invented it all!! Am now waiting for the american that tells me he invented fucking. Well he can't 'cause that a thing europeans invented. More so,...If the europeans didn't invented fucking the only people living in America would be natives. Reminds me of a thing ,the natives got fucked by americans. Nuh all foolishness aside,...it's true,America does great things and certainly made his marks on the world. Popmusic,movies,hamburgers,hotdogs... Man I grew up with shit like that and love you for it. It's just bad times now and the hate part gets bigger 'cause a lot of europeans are afraid America is leading them into destruction. I really hope this all passes by quickly and we all can be friends again(I never stopped being one btw). Oh yeah,....... Elvis is KING!!

[michael saulnier]

[quote]Originally posted by Dan South: [b]Guit - One word of advice. Don't go overseas and say this if you have illusions of returning in one piece.[/b][/quote]You mean, all those peace lovin' folks "over there" are gonna "GET ME" just 'cause I love America? Or at least I love Strats and Les Pauls! :wave: 'cause I'm just a... guitplayer

[KenElevenShadows]

It's a love-hate thing. I don't know that the "culture" that we export is something that is completely admired, but it is often popular. Coca Cola, rock and pop music, movies, that kind of thing. The U.S. does a lot of wonderful things, but it does a lot of screwed things as well. It's a lot of both.

[nursers]

I just wish the US would export Twinkies - tried one for the first time on a trip to the US in 2001 - bring em down under!!! :)

[boosh]

[quote]Originally posted by guitplayer: [b] [quote]Originally posted by Dan South: [b]Guit - One word of advice. Don't go overseas and say this if you have illusions of returning in one piece.[/b][/quote]You mean, all those peace lovin' folks "over there" are gonna "GET ME" just 'cause I love America? Or at least I love Strats and Les Pauls! :wave: 'cause I'm just a... guitplayer[/b][/quote]People here in Amsterdam are in fact really sick and tired of all the shit,.. I saw americans and dutch fight last saterdaynight cause of this so YES You might have a problem if you're gonna sing your national anthem overhere. In my studio you won't unless you don't make me popcorn ;)

[Rog]

Hmm, maybe you need something bigger than 11/9 to wake you up? The alarm bell is ringing. I'm fucking shocked by the mastubatory tone of your post.

[michael saulnier]

[quote]Originally posted by nursers: [b]I just wish the US would export Twinkies - tried one for the first time on a trip to the US in 2001 - bring em down under!!! :) [/b][/quote]Aren't [i]Twinkies[/i] banned for international shipment by the UN as "toxic poison"? Now HoHo's. We can get you HoHo's! :freak: guitplayer

[michael saulnier]

[quote]Originally posted by Rog: [b]Hmm, maybe you need something bigger than 11/9 to wake you up? The alarm bell is ringing. I'm fucking shocked by the mastubatory tone of your post.[/b][/quote]Humor in the face of tragedy. Are you disagreeing with my tongue-in-cheek point? :D In spite of the protests around the world that reflect disagreement with, perhaps even hatred of, the US administration... Are you suggesting that EVERYONE in the world hates the People of the United States? Is EVERYONE a terrorist? Or supports them? Of course not. We DO have some bitter enemies. They better be worried, cause the ramifications of 9/11 worked BOTH ways. I don't believe "most" people hate us... at least the average person in the US. It's a love/hate thing with our leaders, culture, and a bit of jealousy about our strength and wealth. But LOTS of average people still want things American. Don't they? Again, we must suck so bad that millions immigrate here every year to wallow in the pain. :freak: My post isn't supposed to be "mastubatory", it's just providing some counter balance to the preponderance of posts explaining over and over how "bad" we are... :rolleyes: There's a lot to love about the US. Is that so bad? :confused: guitplayer

[boosh]

[quote]Originally posted by Rog: [b]Hmm, maybe you need something bigger than 11/9 to wake you up? The alarm bell is ringing. I'm fucking shocked by the mastubatory tone of your post.[/b][/quote]Me myself was shocked at 11/9 but the fact is just there... most of the non americans weren't. Just a simple fact. In the nineties 1000s of civilians were killed a few thousand km from my home(the Netherlands) in Yugoslavia. Just to name one thing. All around the world 1000s of people get killed in wars,genocides(Ruanda)etc etc... No one is shocked by that and that is simply the truth. If it happens in your own backyard than why bother?? So what makes the 9/11 thing so special for the non americans then?? The only special thing was that we saw it live on t.v. Offcourse it was a big tragedy and the people who did it have to be punished.War on terrorists is okay. Don't understand me wrong. I feel deeply for all of those who lost their loved ones in the WTC accident but the fact remains... 80% of the europeans look at the big picture. They don't wanna go to war because 4000 americans lost their lives. They don't wanna go to war if 4000 chinese loose their lives either for example. 80% of the europeans see the world as THE WORLD!! Not as the U.S. and the rest who have to obey. The feeling is that GW tries to rule the world.People here see him as an idiot who wants to finish wht his dad couldn't. The whole europe-america situation is based on not knowing eachothers visions and culture. In the end all of us want the same thing but wanna get there a different way.World peace is everybody's ideal thing. Well it'll never happen. And certainly not if people who think alike and have the same enemies start fighting over nonsense.

[boosh]

what I meant to say was,..... if it DON'T happens in your own backyard than why bother?? Americans have a peculior way of thinking by the way. If you don't love them and kiss their butts,...well than you must hate them intense.. Europeans don't hate the americans at all,they just don't agree sometimes. Eurpeans are entitled to have the freedom of speech and have their own way of thinking without the u.s. patronizing them. Europe is NOT!!! the enemy but an alli,allie?? shit how do you spell that? We want to get rid of all bad influences in this world too but wanna have a voice in what is going to happen. Our childrens lives are at stake here too!!

[Rog]

[quote]Originally posted by guitplayer: [b] [quote]Originally posted by Rog: [b]Hmm, maybe you need something bigger than 11/9 to wake you up? The alarm bell is ringing. I'm fucking shocked by the mastubatory tone of your post.[/b][/quote]Humor in the face of tragedy. My post isn't supposed to be "mastubatory", it's just providing some counter balance to the preponderance of posts explaining over and over how "bad" we are... :rolleyes: There's a lot to love about the US. Is that so bad? :confused: guitplayer[/b][/quote]No, it's masturbatory. There are no redeeming features of the US right now. There are no redeeming features of my gov't right now. I'm fucking ashamed and I can only apologise to the world, Blair will never again get my vote. I feel sick.

[Kaz]

The whole "us and them" thing has got to go (maybe in a few billion years). The U.S. is great, except for California, or the midwest, those southerners are idiots, lot of morons in New Jersey, everyone in Oregon is a bit retarded, I don't like New Yorkers at all... Speaking of terrorism, and the fear "we" have of all these countries with insane dictators who have weapons of mass destruction, and "our" plan to systematically shock and awe them, the biggest terrorist before 9/11, was Timothy McVeigh and company. Where was he from?

[boosh]

[quote]Originally posted by zk2: [b]The whole "us and them" thing has got to go (maybe in a few billion years). The U.S. is great, except for California, or the midwest, those southerners are idiots, lot of morons in New Jersey, everyone in Oregon is a bit retarded, I don't like New Yorkers at all... Speaking of terrorism, and the fear "we" have of all these countries with insane dictators who have weapons of mass destruction, and "our" plan to systematically shock and awe them, the biggest terrorist before 9/11, was Timothy McVeigh and company. Where was he from?[/b][/quote]I was afraid to bring that up casue than I would be that european again ;)thankzz

[Charlie-brm]

That's cool with me that you're proud Guit. I think people should have some satisfaction with where they live. Let me give you some tips on what makes a Yank stick out a mile though. Actually I call American tourists "Y'alls". :) It's the unabashed conviction that everything about the U.S.A. can be described in superlatives: Biggest, Best, Most, etc. There's no room for anybody else to share the limelight, is there? That's a two edged sword because another characteristic of Americans is to voice their opinion, whether it is asked for or even correct, ie. shooting from the hip. If you're abroad, most people cringe and bear it. They'd really like some modesty. eg. You bet no other country has such a large immigration movement. Did you actually check? Yes, U.S.A. is 11% from the last census. [quote] With more than 200 different ethnic groups, Canada has the second-highest foreign-born population in the world, after Australia, with some 5.4 million people, or 18.4 percent of the population, born outside the country. [/quote] [quote]According to Census Bureau data: There are about 24 million foreign-born people in the U.S., both legally and illegally. Of those, about 2.8 million came here illegally, but were granted amnesty by the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act. As of 1990, there were an estimated 3.3 million to 5.5 million illegals here. This means that the vast majority of the foreign-born -- between 77 and 86 percent -- are here legally. Proponents of stricter immigration laws believe these estimates understate the number of illegals; but if the numbers are correct, 8.7 percent of the U.S. population is foreign-born -- up from 7.9 percent in 1990. According to economist Julian Simon, this is at the lower end of the scale for Western democracies. In Australia, for example, 22.7 percent of the population was foreign-born in 1990; in Canada, it was 16 percent; and in France, it was 6.3 percent.[/quote]Every dog face in North America came from somewhere else at sometime. They didn't come to enjoy the inventions, they MADE those inventions. Usually within the first or second generation. I thank the bureaucrat who let in Charles Steinmetz. He couldn't have been much to look at when he arrived, and he was a socialist. [url=http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blsteinmetz.htm]Charles Proteus Steinmetz[/url]

[michael saulnier]

Hey, I'm NOT saying that "only things from America" are good. Good things are found in every culture... and virtually all cultures of the world are in some part represented in "America". I KNOW about the "ugly American". But that's as much a stereotype as it is true. You might as well say the "stuck up" French or something. Perhaps there's some truth to it, but it certainly doesn't reflect ALL the people of that nation. I KNOW that all but the native Americans came from somewhere else... it's part of what makes America great. I didn't realize that Canada or Australia had a higer "per-capita" of immigration, but I bet, (see I'm betting without checking againg :eek: ) that OUR actual number of immigrants per year is more than both of them TOGETHER. Obviously their populations are a fraction of ours. :D Again. I'm no America, love it or leave it type. I think we've got MORE than our share of problems including major issues with BOTH of our political parties. I think they BOTH basically are full of self serving people who are forced by the system to make promises to get money to get elected. It sucks and tends to attract people who are willing to "play the game". But on balance, I think I'm lucky I live in the USA and wouldn't swap nations with anyone else. YMMV. guitplayer

[Super 8]

[quote]Originally posted by nursers: [b]I just wish the US would export Twinkies - tried one for the first time on a trip to the US in 2001 - bring em down under!!! :) [/b][/quote]You think Twinkies are good, you should try a DingDong! But you guys need to do your part too! What all this I hear about your Vegamite??? It SURE ain't in any of the stores I've been to... And more didgeridoos! We need more of them too!!! Tell you what; you send me an authentic didgeridoo, and I'll send you a case of our fine American Twinkies! Now, how can you go wrong with a deal like that!?!?!? :D

[Gus Lozada]

... surely is not because of the guy who's on TV right now, sending a message to the US.

[Rog]

[quote]Originally posted by Gus Lozada: [b]... surely is not because of the guy who's on TV right now, sending a message to the US.[/b][/quote]Yeah, who is that fucking tosser?

[nursers]

[quote]Originally posted by Super 8: [b] [quote]Originally posted by nursers: [b]I just wish the US would export Twinkies - tried one for the first time on a trip to the US in 2001 - bring em down under!!! :) [/b][/quote]You think Twinkies are good, you should try a DingDong! But you guys need to do your part too! What all this I hear about your Vegamite??? It SURE ain't in any of the stores I've been to... And more didgeridoos! We need more of them too!!! Tell you what; you send me an authentic didgeridoo, and I'll send you a case of our fine American Twinkies! Now, how can you go wrong with a deal like that!?!?!? :D [/b][/quote]It would be a deal if a didgeridoo wasn't so expensive - would want at least 10 boxes of Twinkies for 1 didge :)

[Charlie-brm]

[quote]Originally posted by guitplayer: [b] But on balance, I think I'm lucky I live in the USA and wouldn't swap nations with anyone else. YMMV. guitplayer[/b][/quote]I'm loud and clear on that Guit. I was passing on common complaints that might get passed around behind your back if you don't catch yourself first. I behave here the way I would to your face. We're airing out the laundry a bit, right? True, the U.S. really does need more political parties though to shake things up, and as we say in football, keep 'em honest.

[Wow]

[quote] The U.S. is great, except for California, or the midwest, those southerners are idiots, lot of morons in New Jersey, everyone in Oregon is a bit retarded, I don't like New Yorkers at all... [/quote]FUCK YOU, you just insulted 3/4 of our country, where are you from?? I see you dont list it. I get it, you are one of these alter-egos on this board. ALOT of people on this board have several names , and FLAME IT UP , when they are in their "Other state of being". I'll play along. :mad:

[Kaz]

Oops, I didn't mean to leave out 1/4 of the country! My bad. :rolleyes: