Here is an interesting question: to those from outside the United States:

[Raven_Letters]

Oh God. Here we go again.

HELLO!!! EVERYONE!!! MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!!!

Would people stop going on and on about this? Whats the point? What is it Schadenfreude that drives you?

I don't like stereotypes , I don't accept that when it comes to Muslims or anyone else and I am sure not going to accept it for the US.

Stop trying to ascribe to all Americans the actions of a few. Want a target Go after the people in Wall Street and the Whitehouse who sold the world and their own people this Snake oil garbage.

I see people living in tents, not being able to pay for much needed medical care, not being able to send their children to a decent School, if they can afford to send them to school in the first place.

Today I have been spending a lot of time talking about the whole "Muslims forcing women to wear Burqas" business, and just as I do not accept that kind of narrow minded, bigoted and often times racist garbage, I don't accept that Americans are all a bunch of moronic, gun-loving , greedy , racist , psychopaths!

If they did you wouldn't have an Obama in the white House with 2 million people in the square during the inauguration.

Which America are you talking about here? The one in California with a majority Hispanic Population? The Quakers? The Amish? the Coastal areas? The heartland? The Churches? the States? Vermont? Illinois?

For God's sake! Enough! What your going to tell me All Americans deserve their fate? Even the Children and the people who have been kicked out of their homes? The people who opposed Bush and his policies? What?

Will everyone PLEASE for the love of God stop this nonsense. You don't get to pick and choose which form of Bigotry - be it race, religion, nation, gender, or sexual orientation. Your either against them all or your against none.

You want to talk about politics? Fine. Between right and wrong? Fine. Just don't make the mistake of thinking those on the other side of the fence are all the same.

 

[anNIALLator]

I dunno... I've never been to america so I shouldn't really pass judgement but Borat made me kinda scared of the USA.

 

[damn12369]

some people may be surprised at this but i lived a country called Jordan (its right next to Iraq) for 5 years, (my dad worked for the state department thats why they we were there). okay Jordan is one of the few middle eastern countries that true loves US citizens, now they arent so found of the US government, but they love the everyday citizen. i know live in Germany, and let me tell u i felt more kindness in Jordan than in Germany!

 

[bjj hero]

Having lived in Texas I found Americans kind and accomodating. Some of youre ideas are a little "out there" for me, Socialist being a cuss word, love of guns and God, fanatical patriotism. I know this isnt everyone but its far more wide spread than it is in the UK.

These are cultural differences and Im sure plenty of my traits are odd to Americans. I do find it odd how little many Americans know about the world outside of the USA, a big chunk of the population never leave the US.

Oh yeah, and the way you refer to foreign nationals as aliens is quite disturbing.

On the whole though I like you and your brethren, as people. Im not so keen on your government and foreign policy but I wouldnt want to be judged by the shit decisions made by the british government.

There is no "number one" country in the world, there are some places Im glad I dont live but no place is perfect.

 

[Iampringles]

I've never seen the USA as the greatest country in the world, but the media portrays US citizens as very patriotic people.

Also, the definition of great can vary.

Each country has great people, but It does not make the country great.

 

[Duh]

]
It makes me happy to know I can speak to Mr. Something from the UK and then at the same time I can speak with Mrs. Maple Leaf from Canada.

sounds like you're having one hell of a tea party

well, i would say its nice to know that everyone in the world is just the same, boring

 

[JenXXXJen]

While I generally dislike the blind patrioticism that so many of you seem to have, all the Americans I have ever met or talked online to have been really nice, so I don't have a problem with the people at all. Though I suppose it depends where you go, when my sister went to New York everyone was really brash and rude, but she said she would have felt ripped off were it any other way.

I do, however, have an issue with the country as a whole. People are at their worst when thet're in large groups. I remember seeing this video once about what random American people's views were on Iraq, and they were just all "Yeah! Go USA! Put a crater in the whole middle-east! Whoop!".

That attitude is pretty scary coming from the most powerful country in the world.

 

[-Orgasmatron-]

I think the USA could be a really awesome country if done right, the legality of guns is one thing which I really like about it... seriously. Most people from outside the USA think that having guns legal is stupid, but it makes everyone in the USA equal, in the UK if I 6'5 goon built like a brick **** house wants your phone, he'll have it, in the USA you can carry a gun and even if he has also got one you are still on level terms because you both have the power to do serious damage to each other.

As for American people, I haven't met many, but like all people some are alright and some aren't I guess. Apart from those beverly hills tossers and all that, I could quite easily murder all them given the opportunity.

 

[Bagaloo]

Don't really care where you are from, as long as you are a nice, respectable person then we can get along.

I've never been to America, and the only interaction I've had with American's is over the internet, and lets face it; everyone is an asshole on the internet.

 

[JenXXXJen]

Fuck, delayed double post.

 

[chaser[phoenix]]

Wow. I went to sleep after posting this topic with one reply; I wake up to see it became relatively popular. Either way,

While I generally dislike the blind patrioticism that so many of you seem to have,

Yes, I suppose to be blindly patriotic and "fuck everywhere else, this is America rawr" is poor, but I've never been outside of my home country. While I have issues with the United States and my politics and politicians I cannot help but be at least a bit patriotic since, while I have issues with my country and at times those who lead me, I still support them (except Bush)(and Cheney) (and his entire cabinet) .

I've no desire to rise up against said leaders, though at times I disagree with their motives and America's whole "world police" front I don't have quite enough knowledge to say that I know exactly as to why everything happens; why we invaded Iraq instead of concentrating on Afghanistan as we initially went out there to do and then completely scrapped in favor of Iraq so we could "liberate a people" which I assume was also falsely told to the American people.

But then that's the American media. Liars and fear-mongering bastards they are. Telling you that around every corner is a predator and a terrorist; that unless you support the country blindly you're not American and you're not a patriot.

In short, I'm patriotic but not blindly so.
I respect my country's leader now and I'd hope that after his four years we're in a better place.

I have the money to travel so I intend to do just that quite soon. Travel the world, as it were. Maybe even find a new place to live.
I just don't want to have to lie about my place of birth.

 

[Davey Woo]

Just to say before I get going, I'm not trying to insult Americans/America in any way

I think the whole "America is great" thing comes from the fact that (Using Britain as an example), If we get on America's bad side, we'll have all of America's military power upon us in a matter of seconds.

It's the same with Russia, we don't like some of the things that they do, but if we annoy them, they'll turn the taps and *bang* no oil/gas for Britain.

Politically speaking: "America is great" because they're a huge country, with a huge military, and lots of money, and if we don't think they're great, we'll get pummelled into the ground quicker than we can say sorry.

From my own experience I think America's citizens are pretty much the same as any other really, some are nice, some aren't.

 

[IsoNeko]

Patriot is just another word for extremist.

 

[chaser[phoenix]]

Patriot is just another word for extremist.

I don't know.
I always assumed it chivalrous to be proud of your homeland. Not as blindly so as many here (and I'd assume elsewhere) are, but to be proud of where you're from is what counts most.
As an American I have very little to be proud of without being attacked for my leaders' decisions and for our retarded power as was stated in the post before this one: say something against America and we'll blow you up before you can think twice.
But that's a problem with us I suppose. So quick to pull the trigger; if they're gone they cannot argue their point.
And as a country we've grown used to that I suppose.
To be honest I'm sick of the wars and I strongly believe that what's been done shouldn't have, but then I'm a college student and sort of a hippie.
I'm proud of where I come from but not where I am, if that makes any sense. My forefathers and all those who came before me did a lot, or so I've learned in school. I'm proud of that, but not as much proud of what has become of it.

 

[Superbeast]

Hmm, how can I phrase this without sounding like an idiot...

I'm British (English, since we enjoy our little inter-nation rivalries, particularly us English and the Welsh), and I have a mixed view of America.

I don't hold *a lot* against the people of America, but I don't like the country (from an international perspective). Particularly due to Hollywood and the American media.

Hollywood - apparently, the USA captured the Enigma (despite it being a very costly British action) and won the Battle of Britian (where there were next to no Americans involved - only one or two pilots and British-built machines). I believe it's "creative" films like these that annoy other countries (particularly Britain and France) and only go to enforce the stereotype of "American people" - since after all, if an American is brought up on a diet of movies believing that the won the entire war single-handed and had every great invention ever, they're going to believe it (and not through their own ignorance, since Hollywood is keeping them so).

Media - similar thing with Hollywood. Except with regards to Islam. As a Brit, I hate muslim extremists (and any extremists for that matter, but I want to focus on Islam for this point) - but I also hate the way the American media portrays every muslim as a potential bomber (in particular, see recent Fox news broadcasts regarding the UN mandate about defamation of religion). This is dangerous, as it encourages hatred towards anyone non-American Christian and alienates normal muslims and potentially makes life harder for them as their non-muslim peers begin to distrust them (and bully them in schools).

Government/Foreign Policy - this links into dumb people and the media. Your government system seems to be very, very conservative (by worlwide standards). Even your Liberals border on something almost too extreme to be called "conservative" in the UK. And I absolutely hate the way that people (influenced by the media) say stupid things like "Free healthcare? That's a socialist policy OMG OBAMA IS A COMMUNIST!". You (the media stereotype) really need to learn that a little socialist policy (such as welfare and free healthcare) can be a good thing, and does not make the country a communist society in any way, nor does it herald the coming of a Red Apocalypse. I won't even get started on the way the US treats developing-world countries (not just Afghanistan and Iraq, but Africa too), other posters have gone into that. Also, although isolationism is what made America a superpower, the world has advanced and there now cannot be such a thing if a nation is to be prosperous. With this in mind, I think it's time the American government treated it's allies better (look at how Britain is treated regarding backing you up in Iraq - now we're expected to stay while the US goes home, since "they're the best" and we can't really argue with it); and it needs to treat neutral/rival foreign superpowers with more respect. Such as in a recent thread, a poster on this website stated his desire to (still) nuke Japan so they'd never be an enemy again (despite them being vital trade and research allies). It's time your people/media learned that you aren't the only ones to live in houses - the rest of the world isn't backwards, and frequently your fporeign policy and interference mucks up a country more (either directly through war or indirectly through investments ruining the local economies).

Now, with all that said, I know that these are the veiws of a currupt government, media and a very few individuals. Unfortunately, thanks to your media, it's these individuals that are displayed in a very vocal form to the rest of the world. And somehow your media makes this seem like a good thing. And how is such media meant to be good for the state of the nations mental aptitude? A better view of the world's affairs would increase your standing in worldwide opinion, IMO.

That's why I don't dislike American people - they have to do something stupid to me personally in order to earn that. But I do dislike the country, at least in as far is it acts towards the rest of the world and the maltreatment of the intelligence of a large portion (or the most vocal) of it's citizens. but the people themselves are just like any other countries' - good guys and jackasses. But the government, way it portrays itself and the way it acts to the rest of the world wind me up.

 

[forever saturday]

It seems Americans are actually pretty roundly disliked here.
It's a shame, seeing as how I constantly have to distance myself from the idiots who make us look so bad.

You see for me, I really only consider myself American because I can't truthfully say I am anything else. Which is a shame, because I really dont feel like an actual American. I never really fit in with anyone else here, and I always thought everyone was too loud and obnoxious. People who call themselves "patriots" often come of as nationalistic at best and xenophobic at worst. I can see why most people from other countries dont like America, because I certainly don't.

My opinion of Americans who aren't me is based off the americans I know, and they're arseholes. My opinion of americans who are me is that they were intended to be British or Australian or something, but something got screwed up in the celestial bureaucracy.

For me the concept of freedom in the American sense is the freedom to be a jackass. Ironically, America is less free than most developed countries (including Britain, especially ironically).

 

[black lincon]

however people here tend to hate America.

despite the fact that it is an American magazine.

the internet has no race nor nation.

but this site is still hosted in America by Americans and most of the articles are done by Americans. there for it is a bit silly to say that most of the site (most users here are Americans) hates Americans.

actually, it's not entirely obvious which group has the most members, technically it's the US but nobody but the employee's know whether or not the US makes up half the forum members. not only that you have to take into account how many active members are from each area, and I know most active members are not Americans. On top of all that, aren't Americans allowed to hate America? Just because Americans make the content doesn't mean that Americans are the only ones to read them, let alone half of the readers, I'll repeat myself, the internet has no race nor nation, people can think whatever they want about whatever without thought for national pride on the internet.

apart from the fact that this thread is about national pride.

I'm talking specifically about Americans commenting on their own country not the thread as a whole, sorry if you didn't pick up on that.

none the less i still haven heard that many Americans talk badly about their country in the same way that other people would about theirs. America is quite a patriotic country.

There fixed that for ya. We're more patriotic than most countries but the Americans on this site fall under the portion of the US that aren't all that patriotic, well most of them.

lemme ask you something.
Do you speak for all the Americans on this site?
i haven't seen any Americans ***** about their country. you may not like it, thats fine. but you do not represent the majority.

EDIT: Sorry for the two posts in a row.

No but if you'd bothered to look at the link in the original post of this ever growing string of quotes you might have found several (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.72054#745831, there I got it for you), in fact the very first reply was an American trashing America, admittedly that was during the bush years.

so you understand that i mean that americans have nothing to be ashamed of nowadays with obama being president. other than the damn dirty racists.

Most Americans have nothing to be ashamed of anymore. Despite Obama being a competent leader, and being capable of speaking, many don't like his policies, including some members of this site. The biggest hate bush got wasn't because he was an idiot, but rather from the fact that many vehemently disagreed with his policies.

 

[FinalGamer]

We mostly consider you to be brash and very emotional with a sort of twitchy reaction to everything around you, for the bad things.

The good things are that at least you're honest with your emotions, you're very diverse as a nation being mostly mutts anyway, and you produce a lot of good stuff.