Ugly Americans: The United States in the Eyes of Europe

Crisis Magazine ^ | February 3, 2005 | Dwight Longenecker

[NYer]

Dwight Longenecker is an American resident in England. A former Anglican minister, he now works as a freelance writer, broadcaster, and speaker. His Web site is www.dwightlongenecker.com.

[kingsurfer]

Americans, of course, are not immune to making self-important snap judgments of other cultures. We may not be fond of the French, but "freedom fries" and a wholesale condemnation of "Old Europe" actually confirm the European suspicion that Americans are ignorant, isolationist, and arrogant, and a cycle of petty name-calling is begun.

............................................................

I do hate when tit for tat name calling happens. Both sides are guilty of tacking the bait of the liberal media.

[Cornpone]

There's a reason we are over here and they are over there. We wanted to leave what they had behind and seek our own future. We set out from the start to be different and we are. Is the world so surprised? If so, then they have no one but themselves to blame. We've been telling the same story for over 200 years.

[NYer]

It is the religious faith of America that the European intellectual finds most bewildering and annoying.

The author, Dwight Longenecker, is a convert to the Catholic faith. He occasionally appears on EWTN and posts stories to Envoy Magazine's blog.

Catholic Ping - please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[NYer]

Mr. Longenecker is writing from the perspective of an American living abroad. What are your thoughts on his commentary?

[quadrant]

While visiting Paris, a friend of mine attended Mass at Notre Dame. He and his wife were surprised to find that there were but a score or so of worshipers, and all were Americans. The only French were the priests celebrating the Mass.

[Dallas59]

In contrast, when Bush said, "I'm glad that Slobodan Milosevic has gone. That's one more tricky Eastern European name I don't have to pronounce," it may not have sold well in Paris, Berlin, and London, but it hit all the right buttons in Topeka, Akron, and Indianapolis. Bush understood his electorate and appealed to their values, their beliefs, and their emotions. It may be corny. It may be embarrassing to the intelligentsia. But it's not stupid.

America gave a royal raspberry to the world. World, fix thyself...

[GarySpFc]

ping

[Incorrigible]

I've been traveling to Europe for 20 years. Truth be told, the protests and outrage at America was at a higher pitch during Reagan's term than anything we've witnessed in the past 4 years.

They'll get over it.

[TADSLOS]

The price we pay for being the planet's top dog. A phenomenon we see played out on any one of the dozens of "reality" TV shows on any given day. Lead, follow or get the hell out of the way.

[JudyinCanada]

Europe is just jealous of America because their smarter, more productive citizens left years ago for a BETTER life in America and Canada.

America is the model of success that Europe will never be.

It's jealousy, pure and simple.

I hate to appear to be stooping to their level, but I have met MANY Europeans whom I would be kind in just calling "ugly". Pompous, arrogant, big-mouthed jerks. Not all, of course, but enough that I might come to the same conclusions.

[Piquaboy]

I could care less what they think of us. When they start doing something for us, I might change my mind.

[trek]

Good piece. But the author fails to see that Marxism is really a religion. And that the modern Europeans are true believers. The author uses the usual euphemisms like "secularism" or "humanism." But the battle is really between those who believe in God and those who believe in the State. I know which hand I'm bet'n on.

[handy]

"the self-righteous, gun-totin', military-lovin', sister hot babe-marryin', abortion-hatin', gay-loathin', foreigner-despisin', non-passport-ownin' rednecks" of America.

That's me.

[BRL]

nice article

[starfish923]

I do hate when tit for tat name calling happens. Both sides are guilty of tacking the bait of the liberal media.

Amen to that. You hit the nail on the head.
The liberal media HATES authority. They are peuerile teenagers still rebelling against daddy and mommy.
They use their little word processors to feel big and bad like Alan Ladd when they are REALLY small and puny like Mickey Rooney.

If they don't eventually grow up they become national leaders of the Democrat party, Michael Moores/Barbra Streisands, founders of crap-sites like moveon.org and mega-arrogant Dan Rathers/Tom Browkas. They are warped Peter Pans living in the Never-never Land of the liberal, progressive, left-wing media world.

[marty60]

Ameicans do not have to be insulted by the likes of the FRENCH SOCIALIST GOV., or British Socialist, because we defend ourselves. Your statement is a perfect example of the go along to get along attitude that permeates the lefties. Since when is defending yourself "ignorant, isolationist, and arrogant."

[kingsurfer]

Coming from the country that brings you the Guardian and the Mirror I can tell you that the only people that read and agree with their stories and headlines are pc liberal idiots that are more interested in standing up for non-British people and standards than looking after their own country.

[ghostrider]

Screw the Europeans! They started a secret culture war with us many years ago. It has only recently broken to the surface for all to see. We are in a fight with a decedent culture of fear, appeasement and stupidity - the 21st Century version of Arabia. I say "bring them on."

[Jagdgewehr]

Ya. I can live with that.