EPTHow do foreigners view US politics? - Page 43
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Promises
Netherlands1821 Posts
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The KY
United Kingdom6252 Posts
On November 07 2010 22:57 Promises wrote: As a point of notice, I dont actually believe there are racist tendencies in the Netherlands. There are tendencies to ban certain ideologies or religions (namely Islam), and that is where the conflict is. Racism as far as I comprehend is is an entirely different beast, and something largely absent in at least the netherlands, and I suspect a lot of other countries aswell. It's the clash of ideologies (christian/muslim/atheist all in a nice big fight) that's setting the stage at the moment. Prejudice = prejudice. Racism is often used as shorthand for things like islamaphobia now. Banning religions is banning freedom of thought. | ||
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lOvOlUNiMEDiA
United States643 Posts
The USA is composed of the descendants of people who fled Europe. What type of people fled? By and large, poor people and religious minorities. Who stayed in Europe? Those in powerful positions or those with no desire to make a better life for themselves. Those who fled were implicitly saying with their actions, "Europe, you are not good enough for me and my family." That is why America's existence always has been and always will be a subtle insult to most Europeans. And, feeling insulted, most Europeans feel a constant but mild contempt for the United States. Nothing, not even saving the Europeans from themselves (twice), was or will be enough to end the chronic irritation most Europeans feel toward the USA. | ||
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Blobskillz
Germany548 Posts
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jello_biafra
United Kingdom6642 Posts
On November 07 2010 22:53 KwarK wrote: NHS gets about 10% of the budget. My figures are a few years out of date but I believe it was 90B in 2007 lowering down to 70B by 2009. It's really not that much. Yeah I thought it would be about that, so I pay like 2% tax towards it, not at least 10% as that guy claimed, a negligibly small amount. On November 07 2010 23:05 lOvOlUNiMEDiA wrote: European feelings toward the USA are the same as an overbearing parent's feeling about their independently minded child: offended. The USA is composed of the descendants of people who fled Europe. What type of people fled? By and large, poor people and religious minorities. Who stayed in Europe? Those in powerful positions or those with no desire to make a better life for themselves. Those who fled were implicitly saying with their actions, "Europe, you are not good enough for me and my family." That is why America's existence always has been and always will be a subtle insult to most Europeans. And, feeling insulted, most Europeans feel a constant but mild contempt for the United States. Nothing, not even saving the Europeans from themselves (twice), was or will be enough to end the chronic irritation most Europeans feel toward the USA. Canada, Australia, South America etc. are made up of the descendants of people who "fled" Europe but on the whole Europeans don't have the same feelings about those countries as they do about the US. That has nothing to do with it, most of these people left Europe because they saw an opportunity to make an easy buck in the new world or they just failed too hard in the old world and wanted to flee somewhere to try something else or they were persecuted in some way. The constant but mild contempt you speak of is due to perceived American arrogance, ignorance, backwardness, meddling in the affairs of others, "evilness" etc. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of these America haters, just saying that's not the reason for the hatred. | ||
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DwD
Sweden8621 Posts
This thread really is fucking depressive and it's no wonder your country is going down the toilet. You spit on the elder and sick and say "I dont care, let them die" It's not even worth the time to discuss anything with someone of this mindset. You are the lowest of low, thinking your life is worth more than someone elses life. I bet you people want to stop sending aid and supplies to Africa, it goes from your taxmoney after all, right? Just let them rot over there... | ||
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Monsen
Germany2548 Posts
On November 07 2010 23:05 lOvOlUNiMEDiA wrote: European feelings toward the USA are the same as an overbearing parent's feeling about their independently minded child: offended. The USA is composed of the descendants of people who fled Europe. What type of people fled? By and large, poor people and religious minorities. Who stayed in Europe? Those in powerful positions or those with no desire to make a better life for themselves. Those who fled were implicitly saying with their actions, "Europe, you are not good enough for me and my family." That is why America's existence always has been and always will be a subtle insult to most Europeans. And, feeling insulted, most Europeans feel a constant but mild contempt for the United States. Nothing, not even saving the Europeans from themselves (twice), was or will be enough to end the chronic irritation most Europeans feel toward the USA. Thank god you solved that mystery. I was beginning to wonder why the US' image among "foreigners" errrr europeans has changed so much to the worse over the last dedades. I was even starting to believe that the chosen people of the bestest (#1 !) country in the world could be responsible themselves. | ||
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lOvOlUNiMEDiA
United States643 Posts
On November 07 2010 23:12 Blobskillz wrote: well I dont mind all the religious fanatics fleeing to the US in the early 1800 Haha! This comment made my day. Nice. | ||
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Krigwin
1130 Posts
On November 07 2010 13:26 thehitman wrote: I'm referring from even remotely insulting someone, and I still wont but lets gets real, that is just absurd statement, its nonsense, its how a 1 year old baby think, its unimaginable someone can say that, its unhuman. You sir are everything that's wrong with US and even the world. I didn't post that bro. Your poor formatting alarmed me for a second. On November 07 2010 23:20 Monsen wrote: Thank god you solved that mystery. I was beginning to wonder why the US' image among "foreigners" errrr europeans has changed so much to the worse over the last dedades. I was even starting to believe that the chosen people of the bestest (#1 !) country in the world could be responsible themselves. What kind of dirty European are you to even suggest such a thing? Have you not been paying attention? We're the best country in the history of the universe and anyone who suggests otherwise is purely jealous. It's a good thing you've come back towards the light and recognized the true greatness that is Americastan. | ||
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Euronyme
Sweden3804 Posts
On November 07 2010 22:57 Promises wrote: As a point of notice, I dont actually believe there are racist tendencies in the Netherlands. There are tendencies to ban certain ideologies or religions (namely Islam), and that is where the conflict is. Racism as far as I comprehend is is an entirely different beast, and something largely absent in at least the netherlands, and I suspect a lot of other countries aswell. It's the clash of ideologies (christian/muslim/atheist all in a nice big fight) that's setting the stage at the moment. I think Hitler said something similar, but he wasn't racist though.. he was just fighting jews and muslims.. wait.. I would edit that post of yours if i was you. In all honesty though I think the main reason to the racism in Europe today is due to really bad integration. Notice that an adopted child with a different skin colour is not considered to be a threat, whilst a family of immigrants would. Better integration is the key to a modern society. Almost every country in europe has tendensies of going all out North Korea instead of dealing with its problems though. Also racist parties tend to lie like crazy. For instance the Swedish nationalistic party said that most crimes are commited by immigrants (seems to be a common thing to say nowadays), but actually neither nationality nor skin colour is written down in police reports, so how the heck would they know that? Just a hint, don't trust the parties saying that muslims are behind all your problems. It's pathetic and a big fat lie, and would it indeed be true, it's rather your poor integration policies fault than the immigrants themselves. For instance it's quite common that immigrants are basically placed in the same neighbourhoods, which makes it alot harder for them to adapt to the new country etc etc etc. I doubt people in general commit crimes if they live a good and healthy life. However that obviously is not the case in Holland. | ||
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slith
Germany165 Posts
On November 07 2010 23:03 The KY wrote:Banning religions is banning freedom of thought. Even if those religions aim for "banning" freedom of thought? (Not specifically Islam) | ||
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The KY
United Kingdom6252 Posts
On November 07 2010 23:05 lOvOlUNiMEDiA wrote: European feelings toward the USA are the same as an overbearing parent's feeling about their independently minded child: offended. The USA is composed of the descendants of people who fled Europe. What type of people fled? By and large, poor people and religious minorities. Who stayed in Europe? Those in powerful positions or those with no desire to make a better life for themselves. Those who fled were implicitly saying with their actions, "Europe, you are not good enough for me and my family." That is why America's existence always has been and always will be a subtle insult to most Europeans. And, feeling insulted, most Europeans feel a constant but mild contempt for the United States. Nothing, not even saving the Europeans from themselves (twice), was or will be enough to end the chronic irritation most Europeans feel toward the USA. No...I'm pretty sure that's all rubbish. We don't think of the USA as former Europeans, at all. Maybe that would have been true 200 years ago. The saving Europeans from themselves bit is especially bizarre. Don't want to start a retarded WW2 argument, but that's a dumb thing to say. | ||
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MichaelZon
Finland21 Posts
The only reason why non-american people laught at america is because lets be honest america has done so much stupid shit. Number one thing being the war in middle-east and otherwise just meddling with other countrys business, acting as if you really cared about democracy in some country when everyone clearly sees the politicians are thinking of oil and the money gained. And while you are acting as the world police you trample on other cultures wihtout knowing anything about them and not caring. I know. QQ but i had to get it out of my system. | ||
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DoubleReed
United States4130 Posts
On November 07 2010 23:44 slith wrote: Even if those religions aim for "banning" freedom of thought? (Not specifically Islam) ...then what - specifically - are you talking about? And besides, who cares if they do? As long as you have separation of church and state that's not really an issue, is it? | ||
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Monsen
Germany2548 Posts
On November 07 2010 23:18 DwD wrote: lol IOvOIUNiMEDiA give me a break. It's like saying all Australians will always have a tendancy to steal cause prisoners got sent over there. This thread really is fucking depressive and it's no wonder your country is going down the toilet. This thread is awesome. Foreigners asked for their opinions on the US (politics) almost unanimously agree on sillyness(1), ignorance(2), dominance of money/greed(3) and blind patriotism(4). And then there are the US posters heroically coming to the rescue(4). First and foremost completely ignoring that even if those opinions were completely unfounded and wrong, the fact remains that a majority of the world sees the US like that(1). You can't argue that fact away. And there's probably a good reason for that (and it just might be possible that it's not "the rest of the world is evil/stupid/jealous"). The "counterarguments" to foreigners opinions are in good parts informed by having gone to highschool in america. "Homogeneous europe" (2) has probably no idea how different the people of New York and Salt Lake City are. America is different from the rest, and since they were successful half a century ago, they must be right, which inescapably means the rest is wrong. Education, Healthcare and Welfare are silly socialist ideas (proven wrong by history, because who won the cold war after all, eh?) draining the taxpayers money and keeping him from spending half the the world budget on military or getting so damn rich one day that he could be elected a representative of the common man. (roflmao(3)) The only depressing part is the reality of those americans (stop spoiling this thread with reason and critical thinking btw) who can see where their country is going and can do nothing about it. Disclaimer: I consciously adapted the tone of voice of the thread. | ||
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The KY
United Kingdom6252 Posts
On November 07 2010 23:44 slith wrote: Even if those religions aim for "banning" freedom of thought? (Not specifically Islam) Yes. Religion is an internal belief, 'ban' it and you're trying to stop people from thinking what they want. You're allowed to think that, for example, gay people are mentally ill. Try and implement a policy based on that and you might run into a few problems. Many people do think Islam is a force for evil that aims to subvert freedom. They are obviously wrong. But how retarded is it that the solution is 'to be free, we must stamp down on freedom of religion'? Not to mention that the reason a lot of extremist Muslims hate the West is because they percieve that there is an international war against Islam. Banning it in a Western country would only reinforce that belief and there would be dire consequences. It's a stupid, vicious circle of idiots. EDIT; And besides, who cares if they do? As long as you have separation of church and state that's not really an issue, is it? Yeah, and that. | ||
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Krigwin
1130 Posts
On November 07 2010 23:53 Monsen wrote: The only depressing part is the reality of those americans (stop spoiling this thread with reason and critical thinking btw) who can see where their country is going and can do nothing about it. I tried to point out that problem with this thread and tell them to stop posting like 3 or 4 times in a polite manner, I don't know what else us "bad", "Michael Moore-loving" Americans can do. | ||
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Cheeselicker
United Kingdom78 Posts
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Monsen
Germany2548 Posts
On November 07 2010 23:57 Krigwin wrote: I tried to point out that problem with this thread and tell them to stop posting like 3 or 4 times in a polite manner, I don't know what else us "bad", "Michael Moore-loving" Americans can do. Yes, when I said get out of here with your reason I WAS DIRECTLY LOOKING AT YOU. | ||
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Hider
Denmark9448 Posts
On November 07 2010 10:34 ChinaRestaurant wrote: The biggest problem i see with getting rid of medicare etc is that in the end it really hurts the economy. Just think how many people cant work if they cant afford to get their illnesses treated. Im sure thats not a number that should be ignored. I can understand that some people arent really a fan of your new healthcare system, but thats probably just because its so much worse than it could be. Just look at certain european countries (especially the nordic region has superb healthcare), or even canada. If you strictly want to look at it from an economic point of view just think more people working=better economy. You might not end up earning more money but hell at least some people who didnt have the previlege to be born into a family thats not on the brink of poverty get "a chance at life" as you take it for granted (at least thats how your posts sound to me). Lol, does the nordic region has suprberg health care? Its awful. Long waiting lists, poor service, lots of misoperations. Quality is just awful. But at least your in DK able able to pay money to get private health care insurance, which lots of people are doing, well because the public health care is awful. | ||
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