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Dennis Prager: So, We're Hated
Town Hall ^ | June 22, 2004 | Dennis Prager [Creators Syndicate]

Posted on 06/21/2004 9:28:42 PM PDT by quidnunc

There are many ways to philosophically divide Americans. Liberal-conservative and religious-secular are two obvious ways. But there is another, no less significant, division: Those who are ashamed of America for being hated and those who wear this hatred as a badge of honor.

I am in the latter group.

I understand such hatred. I am a Jew, a member of the most consistently and deeply hated people in world history. As such, and as coauthor of "Why the Jews? The Reason for Antisemitism" (Simon & Schuster), I have devoted decades to thinking about Jew-hatred.

There are basically two possible ways to look at anti-Semitism. One is that anti-Semites are essentially decent folks and Jews have usually been so bad that they have merited anti-Semitic hatred. The second is that the Jews have generally been a decent people who antagonized many of the morally worst people of their time and place.

-snip-

Turning to hatred of America, the same questions and answers apply.

Either America is evil and hatred of it is merited, or America is a decent country and the haters are evil.

The correct explanation is so obvious that only one who already hates America or who is simply morally confused would choose the first.

-snip-

(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Miscellaneous; Philosophy
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1 posted on 06/21/2004 9:28:43 PM PDT by quidnunc
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To: quidnunc

I'm glad the rest of the world hates me and am proud to be an American and a Jew.


2 posted on 06/21/2004 9:31:15 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: quidnunc

It use to be that I could care less about Isreal. "A socialist democracy , their problem , not ours" was pretty much my view. After 911 I want to see Isreal crush her enemies even more than most Isrealis do. Islam is evil. Deal with it.


3 posted on 06/21/2004 9:52:40 PM PDT by Nateman (Socialism first, cancer second.)
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To: quidnunc

I think it's much simpler than Prager says. I think it's because the evil people know we stand between them and world domination.

For the other, non-evil people in the world, the resentment and cheering for our enemies is based on envy. People in general like to see the big man take some body blows occasionally. People like to cheer for the underdog and anyone/any country that confronts us is definitely an underdog. Most importantly, the people don't seem to care who's doing the damage to America -- they don't realize the implications of their tacit approval of the evil ones.

This applies to everything, not just countries. For example, almost daily there are threads on FR bashing Microsoft. Why? Mainly because they're a powerful company. Every mistake is blown up into a msft-bashing ceremony followed by requests for government intervention, lawsuits, etc... Is this behavior that much different from a bunch of Somalians dancing on a downed US helicopter?


4 posted on 06/21/2004 10:17:49 PM PDT by mikegi
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To: mikegi

And we should remember we were the underdogs once and we need to never forget how we became the big boy on the block and why the former big boys are now the little girls.


5 posted on 06/21/2004 10:32:29 PM PDT by Walkingfeather
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To: Walkingfeather

We're still the world's n**er and k**e. To a lot of people abroad, Americans are still less than human and they make sure we don't forget it.


6 posted on 06/21/2004 10:35:07 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: goldstategop
We're still the world's n**er and k**e. To a lot of people abroad, Americans are still less than human and they make sure we don't forget it.

I totally disagree. They're envious of our lives here. They look at their own circumstances and figure it must the US that caused the difference.

7 posted on 06/21/2004 10:51:07 PM PDT by mikegi
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To: goldstategop

Yeah but remember they wake up every morning and Curse God that they are French, or whatever. We wake up thanking God we are americans.


8 posted on 06/21/2004 10:57:37 PM PDT by Walkingfeather
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To: Walkingfeather

What I meant to say is they hate themselves in the same way racists and anti-Semites hate themselves. Its easier to project your inadequacies and failures onto your victim than take responsibility for falling short. Like the Lee Greenwood song says, I'm proud to be in the good ol' US of A.


9 posted on 06/21/2004 11:03:24 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: quidnunc

The Jews helped to kill Jesus...but back then if you believed in God you were a Jew anyway. Persecuting the Jews for killing Jesus is nonsense.


10 posted on 06/21/2004 11:54:29 PM PDT by vetvetdoug
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To: Walkingfeather
Yeah but remember they wake up every morning and Curse God that they are French, or whatever.

That's just pain untrue. Europeans live good lives and so do Canadians and Japanese. Most have a sense of pride about their way of lives that is the exact opposite of cursing where they were born.

But, including the US, there are only a 1 billion people who live in material comfort. For the other 5 billion, who generally live in a state of penury, you are probably correct.

The French however, would be more likely to agree with the exact opposite of your statement.

11 posted on 06/22/2004 1:43:39 AM PDT by Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit (Tax energy not labor.)
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So ... doesn't this make the haters guilty of the *worst* crimes, "hate crimes" (against America)?

Oh, I forgot. Hate crimes don't count when they are committed against Americans.


12 posted on 06/22/2004 1:52:58 AM PDT by GretchenM (A country is a terrible thing to waste. Vote Republican.)
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To: mikegi

Excellent post and a very good interpretation.

Although hardly an excellent analogy, it is sort of why Formula 1 fans are happy when Michael Schumacher does not win a race.

Observers of history prefer balance when they are not actively shaping it.

As an American living abroad (in Europe), I can also say that Europeans, at least, do not hate Americans. They hate George Bush and they hate the type of Americans who are not willing to look at what European society has to offer in comparison to America before making an absolute judgement.

The über-coverage of Reagan we just had also reminded me that W's problem in Europe is partly a result of his inability to communicate in public and his allowance of his Defense Secretary to antagonize our allies rather than diplomatically trying to convince them.

The lack knowledge in how to deal with Europeans in the White House is astounding and depressing.

There is such a thing as a ugly American. I see them all the time. Their political affiliation is rarely an indication. BUt, I fear that many of the current cabinet in chagre of dealing with them might fall into that category

I also think it is often worth pointing out that "evil people" do not view themselves as such. That does not make them "good" but it is necessary to comprehend in order to deal with them. A great deal can be otherwise educated. The true "dead-enders" are few.


13 posted on 06/22/2004 1:53:37 AM PDT by Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit (Tax energy not labor.)
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To: quidnunc

bttt


14 posted on 06/22/2004 2:41:19 AM PDT by lainde (Heads up...We're coming and we've got tongue blades!!)
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To: Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit
The lack knowledge in how to deal with Europeans in the White House is astounding and depressing.

I'm sure they know how to curry favor with the Europeans -- it's just that they're not willing to drop to their knees and give Europe the Lewinsky that Europe feels it deserves for some unfathomable reason.

And France (and to a lesser extent Germany) spent a lot of time and effort trying to perform an unnatural act on the US and Brittain without the benefit of Vaseline.

So with all due respect, to hell with "diplomatically trying to convince them" of anything. If they can't stop behaving like spoiled children, and can't get on board just because it's the right thing to do instead of waiting for the right amount of butt-kissing to be given to them, then F 'em.

15 posted on 06/22/2004 2:58:49 AM PDT by Ichneumon
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To: Ichneumon

That is pretty much the attitude that the administration appears to have. It shows a lack of understanding and patience (not in terms of dragging things out, rather in learning the necessary formalities).

I appreciate you giving me and others a fine, but somewhat crude, example of what I was talking about.

Moreover, the diplomacy I am talking about happens behind closed doors, not in newspapers and television.


16 posted on 06/22/2004 3:08:10 AM PDT by Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit (Tax energy not labor.)
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To: Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit
That is pretty much the attitude that the administration appears to have.

Then I applaud them for it.

It shows a lack of understanding and patience (not in terms of dragging things out, rather in learning the necessary formalities).

Horse manure. You say, "There is such a thing as a ugly American". Well, there is such a thing as an ugly European. Neil Cavuto said it better than I could:

Never mind that France wanted nothing to do with getting rid of Saddam and wants everything to do with rebuilding Iraq after Saddam. Here's the kicker: France says Britain and the U.S. should not have a role -- it's up to the United Nations to decide.

So, let me see if I've got this right. France offered not one soldier, not one plane, not one tank, or ship, convoy or grenade. Not one missile. Not one drop of blood. And yet, France is going to decide the new Iraq?

Well pardon me, Pepe, but I don't think so.

I don't know what amazes me more: How callous the French are, or how arrogant they are. People are still dying in Iraq and they are already tripping over their corpses to cash in on Iraq?

France couldn't lift a hand to a rifle to help us, but is more than willing to go for a few of their precious Euros to screw us?

We fight and die to free a people whose suffering you more than happily ignored. And they saunter in to set up shop so that they can merrily profit?

Please tell me the French word for chutzpa!

France schemes to sell brie, after we've given blood?

France plots business storms, while our guys are choking in sandstorms?

France notifies the world they're ready to do deals, while we have servicemen in this country notifying families of killed soldiers they're ready to do funerals?

What the French lack in guts, they more than make up for in nerve.

France wouldn't help the Iraqi people when they needed rescuing, but is more than willing to dive in and take the money because maybe France needs rescuing.

The French are as morally bankrupt as I hope soon they will be financially bankrupt.

Pity the poor country that calls you a friend and realizes the hand it's holding, is only digging for spare change.

You sicken me.

-- Neil Cavuto, 3/27/03

That sort of ugliness isn't the result of George W. Bush not "learnign the necessary formalities". It's the result of an ingrown European sense of unearned entitlement. That same sense of entitlement is at the root of Europe's belief that the US needs to kiss up to them.

I appreciate you giving me and others a fine, but somewhat crude, example of what I was talking about.

I submit that if you think so, then you didn't really understand it.

Moreover, the diplomacy I am talking about happens behind closed doors, not in newspapers and television.

Irrelevant to my point.

17 posted on 06/22/2004 3:23:19 AM PDT by Ichneumon
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To: Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit

Because America was founded by people of British descent, I think that Europeans feel there is more of a connection than their really is between their countries and ours. Europe and America have beeen separated by an ocean, two centuries, and masses of immigrants from non-European countries. Europeans look at Americans as a wayward family member when in fact we're hardly a family member at all.

As far as dealing with Europeans, I don't think the current administration is incapable of it. They just don't see the overwhelming need.

It's all about Iraq, of course. America is engaged in a war on terror. The battle in Iraq is a strategic part of that war. It was a bold and aggressive move, and one would expect criticism for it. But you win wars by making bold attacks, not by having your allies vote on your next move.


18 posted on 06/22/2004 3:26:45 AM PDT by Toskrin (War least of all goes according to plan.)
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To: Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit

at this point and time in world matters i could give a big flying rats a$$ flock about diplomacy to any nation that is turning thier back on the U.S.A.
1) move our bases out of thier pos country
2)no more money period to be spent on thier pathetic arses.
3)boycot all products especially frances.
4) flip them off and do it adamantlly.
5)tell the U.N.get the hell out of our country.
6) tell NATO to b*te me. handle it yourselves
7) if they get uppity, sell them munitions, just deliver them from 30,000 ft.
BUG OFF ENEMYS!!!!!!!!!!!!


19 posted on 06/22/2004 3:29:07 AM PDT by 537cant be wrong (the lib turneraitor)
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To: Ichneumon

For the record, I am no fan of France.

Also, for the record, I do indirectly blame W and his cabinet's attitude toward Europe for the fact that I have had to deal with Gerhard Schröder for the last 3 years.

A bit less hubris and bit more diplomacy would have denied Gerhard the ability to use anti-Americanism to win in 2002. I say this with absolute certainty. A different attitude would have meant a different German government and an additional, traditional European ally.


20 posted on 06/22/2004 3:30:11 AM PDT by Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit (Tax energy not labor.)
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