Posted on 03/12/2008 9:50:32 PM PDT by james500
The consequences of liberal Democrats ‘change’.
Just wait until the ‘Magic Negro’ becomes president.
And I am not a damned, blame-America First liberal.
In fact, I started to see this commence under the Clinton Administration--he was REALLY bad for American PR overseas IMHO. Corrupt and decadant. It got worse and worse under Clinton and then Bush 43, steadily.
While neither violent nor vitrolic, it is still nevertheless quite discernable here in Japan under the surface, and very openly in the media. They even have a Japanese term for it now, called "beikoku banare", or "cutting off from America" (going more independent in Asia, for example).
Due to a series of missteps under both Democrap and Republican administrations and presidents, things have indeed changed.
The way I notice it the most is to talk to America about young Japanese.
Their response about that magic land of America 25, 30 years ago, was to almost want to escape to America and live high on the hog in a dreamlike state.
Nowadays, you get not so much as an uptick in interest toward or admiration of things American. I dont know it is particulary the fault of Bush, but I personally know it to be a true phenomenon, like it or not Freepers back stateside.
Don't kill the messenger--even though it may not fit in nicely with the majority sentiment of this thread.
The magic for the French was lost almost 70 years ago.
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but
sin is a reproach to any people” Proverbs 14:34
Solutions: They could START by NOT selling the TV shows like "COPS" in international syndication so it can be shown on Singapore, Indian, Japanese, Korean TV where I have seen it shown, and cringe whenever I see it. It shows the US in the worst possible light. American neighborhoods are not all "COPS", but the ones that DO exist, are a reality. It just gets splashed all over out here, and I for one do not appreciate it.
...and the last time they were a world power they had a King living in Versailles...
Ah, the French.
Always there when they need us.
I think it might be an ironic downside to winning the Cold War. The Soviet threat is gone so countries feel less compelled to align themselves with us. Also, with the pressure off, they can indulge in some nationalism, which naturally will have an anti-American flavor since America is the dominant power. And of course the Left in these countries has been waiting for the opportunity to rekindle anti-Americanism. I think an increase in anti-Americanism was inevitable to some extent regardless of who was president.
Our (American) particular idiom kinda precludes active PR. Any thing the gov’t tries to do to present a positive image is immediately jumped on and dismissed as propaganda. Reporters who are cooperative with the White House are seen as pawns or worse.
Wow, so Americans aren’t so popular in Australia? I was thinking Aussies felt pretty friendly towards us.
If you asked the average Australian on the street what bugged them most about America, what do you think it would be? I’m just wondering if there are particular reasons or if it’s just kind of a mood.
I think it just comes from being the big dog. The US is the Dallas Cowboys of the geopolitical world. We are the most loved, and the most hated country.
Yep, at the end of the day, I think this is what it comes down to. Anti-Americanism is part of the balancing of powers between nations. It's office politics writ large.
Being anti-US in most cases comes out of a desire to just be a contrarian.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.