Hating America, Hating Humanity

National Review Online ^ | August 30, 2005 | PAUL JOHNSON

[theFIRMbss]

>Anti-Americanism is a phenomenon which, though common and ubiquitous, is difficult to explain because it is illogical, irrational, contradictory, and mysteriously primitive

People overseas
often judge America
based just on tourists

they encounter and
our movies and TV shows.
Hating us based on

our pop culture and
yuppies taking two weeks off
to get drunk and puke

at famous landmarks
isn't illogical or
irrational or

contradictory
or primitive. Most folks here
hate those same things, too!

[SE Mom]

What a fantastic piece...thanks for posting!

[RMDupree]

He is Mr. America, America personified, even caricatured. He brings out all the envy, fear, and emotional anxiety which lies at the root of the anti-American disease. He is good-looking, upright, a Texan, a man of wealth and self-assurance. He is not by nature talkative, does not articulate abstract thoughts or concern himself with fine distinctions. He sees the world in black-and-white terms, with clear and absolute differences between good and evil, right and wrong. He worships God. He is a Ten Commandments man. He does not meet trouble halfway and is slow to anger, but when roused his anger is terrible and enduring. His personal life centers around the family, an institution European intellectuals view with unease and marked qualifications, not to say distaste. He does not dance effortlessly on the sacramental turf of the campus, or fit into the smoke-filled culture of the basement café, or find books axiomatically preferable to the saddle. Does he read poetry to relax, or study philosophy as a hobby, or worship Picasso? No. All this adds up to a terrible indictment.

I love our President!

[SirJohnBarleycorn]

Thanks for posting this brilliant essay by one of my two favorite living historians.

With respect to the hard left, the islamofascists and the Euro-neonazis, it's obvious why they hate us. Beyond these specific groups however, I believe the explanation lies not so much in politics but psychology. In particular, the psychology of adolescents.

[RoadTest]

Well, there you have it: the reason for the unreasonable hatred of our President. It is so virulent I cast about for a reason and this guy snagged it. Nice going, Paul!

[whitedog57]

Remember the song "Everybody Needs Someone to Look Down On?"

Well, America is the logical target since ... we are the most successful. It is pure jealousy cloaked under leftist hokum. I travel around the world and get to witness firsthand the repression and insane regulations (and customs) governing other countries. Even foreigners who can't find opportunities in their own countries hate the US! A good example is my son's Swedish martial arts instructor. He complains endlessly about the repressive laws in Sweden, the social hierarchy, the lack of opportunities. He has his own business in the US and is doing well ... but always says how much better things are in Sweden than the US. e.g. "We don't have race problems in Sweden!" What I was witnessing was pure jealousy of a free society.

Sure, some Americans go overseas and embarrass themselves (and us). Also, American TV is degenerate and stupidying. And our movies as well (to quote Michael Medved, "With a 20 million dollar budget, this is all they could think of?"
So, yes, we embarrass ourselves.

But, it is jealousy, pure and simple. They defend their twisted and corrupt cultures by deflecting blame and anger at the US.

[AmericanVictory]

There is a quite impressive cadre of such historians and authors. The left never mentions them or their work.

[adorno]

Well, America is the logical target since ... we are the most successful. It is pure jealousy cloaked under leftist hokum.

You got it exactly right.

What is even worse, when I scan through some of the hate America posts in left-leaning forums, is the extent to which some of those America haters are willing to carry their anti-Americanism. I read through many posts which were hoping that China or Russia would gain superpower strength just to counterbalance the U.S. or even overtake it. Those idiots have no idea of what would await them if those countries were to become dominant at the expense of the U.S.

Basically, what they fail to understand is that....

As goes the U.S., so goes the rest of the world.

[SirJohnBarleycorn]

I'd be willing to bet your Swedish bud avoids going near the immigrant neighborhoods of Malmo - which are basically no-go zones for the Swedish police.

[Riley]

Beyond these specific groups however, I believe the explanation lies not so much in politics but psychology. In particular, the psychology of adolescents.

I think that this is exactly right.

[ClaireSolt]

Don't believe that everybody hates America. It is still the shot heard round the world and the shining city on the hill for millions, maybe billions.

[Crawdad]

'Camp of the Saints' should be on everyone's reading list.

[Crawdad]

btt

[asp1]

BTTT

[Dave Olson]

I'd heard reported that, so far, over 50 countries around the world are sending aid toward the hurricane damage.

I don't doubt that the intellectual left hates us, but this aid tells me that the hatred is confined within that group rather than the world in general.

[Capt. Tom]

Fonda, as an example, protested in favor of a Communist dictatorship which surly would have had her and Kerry executed(or "re-educated") the minute they gained power. It is truly amazing. These dictators torture and massacre millions and yet it is America and GW who are the bad guys? i don't know. it is not explainable by me.

Fonda and Kerry are first and foremost anti- American,who happen to be US citizens, . They support these enemies of this country to bash this country.

Remember being born and raised in this country makes you a citizen of the USA, and not necessarily an American. -Tom

[aworldtrader]

"My definition of an intellectual is someone who thinks ideas matter more than people."

Intellectuals ain't.

[aworldtrader]

I travel the world, and I can tell you that most people respect America. The people who hate us generally emanate from poor, and corrupt countries, like Pakistan, Indonesia,
and Burma.