Quote:
Originally Posted by gastroboy 
Obviously I am not an American, and there are aspects of America that I admire but not the extreme and mostly ill informed jingoistic patriotism that mostly goes into denigrating or abusing other countries and cultures. Particularly when it is clueless and based on a far too typical and blatant "never been there, don't care" wilful ignorance.
I'm Australian and yes Australia, small as it is, has done a great deal for many, many other countries including your own, which you probably wouldn't even know about. For a start we gave you the only part of your democracy that probably actually works, the Secret Ballot. If you'd only listen perhaps you might get more.
We are not the most generous aid giver, that title goes to many of the European countries, although we do our best, which is considerably more generous than the Queen of Mean, which is the USA. Typically this is part of the lies that Americans feed themselves, that as a nation they are generous and caring.
Even when America does give aid (when it isn't military) it is tailored to the needs of itself and not the recipients. For years you dumped your surplus maize on 3rd world countries, whether that was good or not, now you don't even bother with that sham as you pour it into your cars' fuel tanks.
We would love to love you and find the friend we used to know, but America has taken selfishness, meanness, and sheer bloody minded obsession with the idea that you are the only ones that count to astronomic heights.
If you find yourselves unloved, try not to perpetually claim the credit for everything and anything, get informed about more than your idle local gossip and contribute instead of just take.
The reason the world is far more excited by the prospect of Obama as President is that he is more worldly as well as intelligent and informed. We see it as a dawn of a new America that we can once again admire and support whole heartedly.
We are not deluded that he won't be an American President working in America's interests, however his respect for others will earn him respect right back.
Obviously I am not an American, and there are aspects of America that I admire but not the extreme and mostly ill informed jingoistic patriotism that mostly goes into denigrating or abusing other countries and cultures. Particularly when it is clueless and based on a far too typical and blatant "never been there, don't care" wilful ignorance.
I'm Australian and yes Australia, small as it is, has done a great deal for many, many other countries including your own, which you probably wouldn't even know about. For a start we gave you the only part of your democracy that probably actually works, the Secret Ballot. If you'd only listen perhaps you might get more.
We are not the most generous aid giver, that title goes to many of the European countries, although we do our best, which is considerably more generous than the Queen of Mean, which is the USA. Typically this is part of the lies that Americans feed themselves, that as a nation they are generous and caring.
Even when America does give aid (when it isn't military) it is tailored to the needs of itself and not the recipients. For years you dumped your surplus maize on 3rd world countries, whether that was good or not, now you don't even bother with that sham as you pour it into your cars' fuel tanks.
We would love to love you and find the friend we used to know, but America has taken selfishness, meanness, and sheer bloody minded obsession with the idea that you are the only ones that count to astronomic heights.
If you find yourselves unloved, try not to perpetually claim the credit for everything and anything, get informed about more than your idle local gossip and contribute instead of just take.
The reason the world is far more excited by the prospect of Obama as President is that he is more worldly as well as intelligent and informed. We see it as a dawn of a new America that we can once again admire and support whole heartedly.
We are not deluded that he won't be an American President working in America's interests, however his respect for others will earn him respect right back.
You always talk like you speak for the whole world when really all you can offer is one persons opinion. And you always talk like all of us Americans are guilty of everything you accuse us of. That is insulting to a lot of people on this board. If we are all rude,selfish,hateful people, you are the kind of people that make us that way. I guess all Australians are judgmental, and egotistical.
I respect your opinion but thats what it is. I wont be trashing your country although it's not perfect either. But I like Australia. And your military people thought Iraq was enough of a threat to send in troops for which I am grateful. At least some of your people have enough of a spine to help others ruled by a murdering dictator even if it would cost their life.
