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July 25, 2005
Why do they hate us?
Neil got this from a frenchman...
For no good reason: it's all about anti-americanism, bascially. Bush=Hitler, USA=polluters [doesn't matter that we're also big polluters, we're jealous cause you have the nice cars and the low cost gas whereas here it costs 5.5$ a gallon thanks to taxes and we have cars that provoke laughter from Americans when they travel to Europe: "oh look, it's so tiny! How can they fit in ?"], Hollywood=war machine against our sophisticated culture [60% of French movie-goers prefer to see an American movie rather than a French one, guess why], California wine=rat piss [at least that's the message from winemakers who rely on subsidies cause their rat piss doesn't sell much], MacDonald's=junk food meant to make French women overweight and clogg our arteries [Mac Donald's France is the most profitable Mac Donald's branch in the world, and noone forces us to get there], etc etc...
Of course there's also no reliable information about Iraq in Europe, except of course for a US and Iraqis bodycount: they're always glad to report bad news, especially successfull terror attacks and US death. And there's almost no understanding of the US strategy, and when you make the point all you can get is a blank stare and then the usual "it's about oil, you fool!".
Might as well say it, that's sounds like the same reasons why the liberal left hates America. Read the rest because according to Herve, "Yet there's a tiny minority of US supporters."
Meanwhile... The Ace of Spades sums up the hate:
In the interests of intellectual honesty, I will admit that the left is right-- the action in Iraq, and our support of Israel, does in fact contribute to "why they hate us."
Those who say Iraq and Israel have nothing to do with this are being rhetorically excessive, or a little naive, or just telling what they think is a white lie in the service of a bigger truth.
However-- the reality is that "why they hate us" is, as they say, overdetermined. Meaning: there are so many reasons they hate us that it's glib and stupid to attempt to say they bomb us for this or that reason. They have hundreds of reasons.
If not for Iraq, then for Afghanistan.
If not for Afghanistan, then for Palestine.
If not for Palestine, then for our military presence in the Gulf.
If not for our military presence in the Gulf, then the simple fact that we dominate the world miltiarily, technologically, and culturally, which is an affront to radical Islamicists who believe that Muslims must rule the world, and to follow Allah's teachings righteously, they must fight us to claim world dominion as dictated by the Prophet.
Etc.
And changing our behavior won't change any of this. We risked blood and treasure to save Muslims in Serbia; that won us no fans whatsoever. They're still screaming about the Andalusia and thousand-year-old grievances. Those who believe a charm offensive is going to win the hearts and minds of people still nursing grudges from a frickin' thousand years ago are simply delusional.
They just hate us.
Read the rest. Its right on point.
Posted by LindaSoG at July 25, 2005 07:46 AM
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Comments
Hi Linda
Wow - what a great site.
Left wing activists taking to the streets in protest against the government is nothing new.
Like most well adjusted students, I also went through "a phase". Grasping every alternative cause within reason, I figured that only global anarchy could solve the world's problems.
This was during the coldwar era in early 80's. The pro-Palestine, anti-Israel thing was seriously marginalised back then. Instead, leftie attention was focussed on the "eeevil Reagan/Thatcher nexus". To be fair to the activists of this era, they didn't glamourise or excuse the USSR very much.
Well, like most well adjusted 40-somethings, I have of course long grown out of such naivity, but despite my teenage flirtation with all things moonbat, I don't think I'll EVER be able to figure out the morons of today's counterculture.
Protesting, they say "against war" and "for human rights", their entire MO seems to revolve around promoting the most vile, violent aggressors of basic human decency the world has ever seen.
Whilst Israel bends over backwards to be a showcase example of liberalism - with free healthcare, full democracy, strict anti-racist legislation, legal abortion, no death penalty and greater rights for Gay people than most countries in the West - our friends on the left vilify her as satan, and team up with people who would stone gays, adulterers and apostates to death.
Is it self-loathing? Are they just trying to "out-radical" each other because the most offensively pro-fascist ones get all the chicks?
My theory (based on spending too much time trying to analyse Ken Livingstone) is that Liberalism has run its course.
Western society has equal rights for women, protection for gay people, workers rights and anti-racehate laws. Back in the 1970's these were liberal ideals - now they are a societal reality.
So what does the radical leftie protest against? The liberal causes of yesteryear have been exhausted and the only remaining causes that will give them any kudos are the ones that were always too obnoxious to be taken up in the past.
As the far left slides towards it's natural home - a menage a trois with the Neo Nazi right and demented Islamists, there is one shred of hope: ordnary, decent people are breaking their traditional dignified reserve and kicking against the pricks.
Hence it's always a joy to come across a common sense, but forthright blog like yours. Congratulations!
I'm rather new to this, so please take a look at my blog and share some points, tips and advice.
best
Phil
Posted by: Phil Davis at July 25, 2005 10:59 AM