Who's The Problem? (America or Europe?)

ISIS--the e-zine of Ithaca's conservative underground ^ | SEPTEMBER 9, 2002 | by Jessariah

[Behind Liberal Lines]

I recently had the opportunity to spend some time with foreign students at Cornell. These were the newbies -- fresh off the plane from almost everywhere: Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa. This was not only their first time in America, but some of their first HOURS in America.

I was able to join them during a meal of hot dogs and hamburgers, and it amazed me just how different various places and cultures in the world are. Even after living in Taiwan for a time (and visiting such exotic places as Thailand, the Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong and San Francisco during the same excursion), it was still fascinating to see several young, intelligent individuals who didn't have a clue how to put together a sandwich. I saw a hamburger bun put on top of two loose hot dogs. I saw a single hot dog straddling two hot dog buns and then watched as it was all covered with pasta salad.

Don't get me wrong -- these kids weren't idiots...they had just never seen food like this before. (Sit me down at a table in India in front of a banana leaf with a pile of rice and dollops of condiments and I'd be just as lost.) Or better yet, how did you do the first time you grabbed a pair of chop sticks.

They were a great group, and I had a blast the few days I spent with them.

Then something happened that caused me a moment of pause and put a whole different spin on the situation. One of the students approached me, holding an empty cup, and asked if there was any water to drink. I leaned back, took a look around the room and saw the kitchen. I pointed. "There's a sink in there."

He just looked at me.

Thinking he didn't understand, I got up from the table and escorted him into the kitchen.

"It's okay to drink?" he asked, quite skeptically.

"Yeah. Sure." I filled his cup and handed it to him.

"In my country," he elaborated in a thick, European accent, "you can't drink the water out of sinks."

I explained that clean water was a big deal in America. "Here," I added, "they put signs next to faucets if the water ISN'T drinkable."

Then, a thought occurred to me. I went back into the room and looked around. Despite all of the differences in languages, native cultures and skin color, the one thing all of us in that room DID have in common (other than our inability to "properly" consume each other's cuisines) was that we were all truly excited about being in America. Here was a group of young, vibrant people who, most likely, had no idea what a water fountain was. I suddenly thought of all the many discoveries they had in store if drinking from a faucet was a big deal...

America gets a bad wrap. Doesn't seem a day goes by without hearing someone go on and on about how "we're the problem" with something in the world.

It rains and floods in Asia -- it's our fault because we didn't sign a treaty. That's just one of many idiotic ideas that have crossed the wires recently. (Meanwhile, these same environmentalist do-gooders gather mere miles from a Shanty Town in South Africa and gorge themselves on lobster and filet mignon while they debate how to end poverty and world hunger...)

For being one of the youngest countries in the world, we've come a long way in a short period of time. We live in a rich, fertile land filled (for the most part) with ambitious, creative and resourceful people.

But we're the problem.

There wasn't a kid in that room whose native country hadn't received American dollars, food, medical supplies and/or volunteers.

But we're the problem.

We've rebuilt cities. Guided countries from oppression to freedom. Developed advancements in science that heal their sick and grow their crops better; developed technologies that allow them to work more efficiently and live in greater comfort.

But we're the problem.

Whenever there is a catastrophe -- whenever there is a crisis -- America doesn't have to be asked for help. We offer it. Money, food, materials, supplies -- all products of American resources and resourcefulness.

But we're the problem.

Worst of it is, much of the dissent comes from some of our very own citizens, who have become so engrossed in their arrogant self-righteousness and self-proclaimed enlightenment that they've forgotten what it truly is to be grateful for the simple things in life.

Like being able to drink from a faucet in America.

The foreign students I dined with that day had more appreciation for America in a few hours than many of the anti-American nay-saying creeps ever will.

It's unfortunate that the creeps' hypocrisy runs so deep that they can't bring themselves to practice the "diversity" and "multi-culturalism" they try to shove down everyone else's throat, and actually learn this very simple appreciation for America -- their own native country -- from those who are just visiting.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

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[Behind Liberal Lines]

bump

[Soaring Feather]

But we're the problem.

No we are not the problem.

Seems strange to me, that all the people finding fault with America either are from another country or were born here and can't stand it.

Well go someplace else then and make trouble, some of us here love America and Freedom, in fact most of us!

[ZULU]

The hypocracy of foreign America-bashers is exceeded only by the ignorance of ignorance of most native born America bashers.

[riri]

I could never understand the hatred of America. I always knew the hatred was born out of jealousy but I especially couldn't understand how people could come here, live here, have all the luxuries and great way of life we have and still want to fly airplanes into buildings. Recently someone (can't remember who) put it is prospective for me.

They said that many times they come here and see all that we have and rather than thinking "Wow, this is a wondrful way of life-why is it that life in ----- cannot be like this?" They come here and think that somehow WE are responsible for life in ----- not being like this, and some how we are KEEPING all this for ourselves at the expense of ----- and the rest of the world.

[smith288]

They hate us because we are strong and powerful. Nothing more or nothing less. We are influencing the region, so we are evil.

They are being told that we are the reason they are downtrodden. We are a scape goat. Little does the masses know that we are a beacon for them. We are what is possible if you are given freedom. The masses would love our freedoms in Islamic states.

They dont hate us for our freedoms... I think our power and strength comes from our freedoms though and they think canceling out our freedoms will destroy our ability to be powerful...which might be true. They hate our power which is a result of our freedoms. So they want to destroy the source of our power.

I think if anyone is misunderstood, its us. These boobs who listen to their elders and are convinced they are good leaders but are being held back by the great satan. They are groomed to grow up to accept everyword they say as final and not put into question their leadership and goodness. Does living in 8 palaces in Iraq count as good leadership when your countrymen is dying of starvation? Is that good? Why would they believe that?

They misunderstand us greatly for sure. We would rather let them be in misery but we are forced to move because their leaders are telling them to kill themselves for their own ego and power.

So to end my rant... I summarize:

They hate us because we are a scape goat for their leaders and their masses are dumb as rocks...not because we are free. If they knew freedom, they would fight for it, the poor bastards.

[jdege]

The thing is, the among the nations in the world where you told not to drink the tap-water are such third-world hell-holes as West Germany.

[Soaring Feather]

Feel Better?

[John Valentine]

Seems strange to me, that all the people finding fault with America either are from another country or were born here and can't stand it. Are you trying to make a joke?