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originally posted in: Europeans are bigots.
7/5/2013 4:43:27 PM
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The irony in this thread is simply striking. Telling people to stop generalizing the citizens of your country while generalizing an entire continent? Besides, as a European, I can honestly say I have never met anyone who actually hates the US. As another Floodian once said: "People over here don't hate the US. They just look down on and laugh at it." And, in all honesty, it is kind of true.
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  • Did you even read the whole thing? I didn't generalize anyone, and whether or not you hate or you're just "looking down and laughing" you're still, by definition, being a bigot.

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  • But that is where you're wrong. No one that I know has the attitude of "That person is American, lets immediately treat him with contempt." We laugh and look down upon some because of the stupid shit they say or do. The combination of arrogance and complete ignorance happens to be very prevalent in the US, more so than any country I've ever heard of, and that is part of the reason why people generally dislike the country and its citizens. When we as Europeans see thousands of Americans celebrating in the streets chanting 'USA USA USA' when Bin Laden got killed, we don't "hate" you. We just facepalm and shake our heads in disbelief at such ridiculousness. When we see crowds of people marching through the streets protesting because 'WE NEED OUR ASSAULT RIFLES AND IF THE GOVERNMENT WANTS THEM THEYLL NEED TO PRY THEM OUT OF OUR COLD DEAD HANDS', we don't hate. We are baffled and shake our heads in pity. I am a European now staying in the US. And yesterday, for the 4th of July, two people asked me if I had ever seen fireworks before. Not as a joke, but in honest sincerity. Because they weren't sure if such amazing and advanced technology has been introduced to anywhere else in the world. So if you wonder why a lot of people do not like the US, part of the answer is the staggering combination of arrogance (USA NUMBER 1 BEST COUNTRY EVER FREEDOM FREEDOM EVERYONE IS JELLY BECAUSE OF OUR GREATNESS) and ignorance (ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT THERE'S OTHER COUNTRIES WITH FREEDOM AND CIVIL RIGHTS? I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN AMERICAN THING). The point is that people don't usually dislike the US because of what your government does, as you claim. It is because of a certain very irritating mindset that seems to be a lot more prevalent in the US than anywhere else. Just look at the Flood right now. And I know that not all Americans are like that. In fact, it's probably a minority. I have a lot of American friends who aren't that way. My girlfriend even is American. I don't consider myself a bigot. I don't treat people differently or think of them in a different way because of their nationality. My opinion of them is based on the things they do and say, not their nationality.

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  • What you're saying makes a lot of sense, but I've met a lot of people from other countries who judge me just by the fact I'm American. I can get how our patriotism can get under other people's skin and I can see how you why you think that way about the people against gun control. You're use to a place with really strict gun control, however we're not. So when someone complains about not being able to own a gun, it probably seems stupid to you. However when the government threatens to take out guns it's a big deal because the right to own guns is written in the constitution and it's something we've had since the dawn of our country. Anyway, I shouldn't have used hate in my post, but still many people judge the people of the U.S. based on the things you've said and it's not really fair. Of course it's not everyone and they're are probably more reasonable people than there are not, but I've noticed a lot of bigotry from both sides. I think it's something both Americans and Europeans could work on.

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  • Edited by Flee: 7/5/2013 10:00:27 PM
    Those were just examples though. I could go on and on. Your broken legal and political system. The fact that you civil liberties like abortion, gay marriage, euthanasia, universal health care, affordable and decent education and so on are still under debate, whereas we've had them generally accepted for over a decade. They are all just examples of things that make other developed nations look down upon the US and shake heads in disbelief. It does not have much to do with nationality. I don't know anyone who'd treat someone different just because he or she is American. People judge others based on values. And it just so happens to be that a lot of values that people here think of as low, poor and sometimes even despicable, are very prevalent among the American people. Of course, not all Americans are like that. But from my experience, I'm sorry to admit that a lot of them do seem to be that way. So yes, I'm sure there are people who'd think different of you because of your nationality. That there is bigotry on both sides, like you say. Is that smart or acceptable? Not really. But I can understand why. Either way, I'll continue doing what I do. I treat everyone with respect, regardless of their nationality, until they do something to lose it.

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  • That's fair enough, I suppose. Though, governmental and social issues are no way to judge an individual. Just because one person doesn't agree with gay marriage or abortion doesn't mean they're a bad person and that they aren't deserving of respect. Also, I don't think people should dislike America because of those issues, the U.S. also got rid of slaves after Europe did. So we're a little slower on some of these things, that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'd like to think that people base others off of values, but I've seen people base others off of a lot less. Yet, it's good to know that there are people out there who treat others with respect, regardless of who they may be. I'm sure that their are plenty of people like you in Europe as well, I just made this post mostly as an observation. Not to generalize any one group.

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