On Americans not liking Europeans (including the Irish?)

TomF

I just read this on the Internet, and hope it doesn't mean Americans aren't not liking us as much as we aren't liking them! Maybe the Boards of Directors of the American businesses located here don't care about anything but the bottom line, but surely tourists are eventually going to catch-on to us.

"... 'Why Europeans don't like Bush' has a shiny obverse, which is 'Why Americans care less and less.' The commonplace observation is that the end of the Cold War means that the Europeans no longer have to rely on the U.S. for protection, so they can be as self-serving and duplicitous as they wish. But what Americans seem to finally be understanding is that what the end of the Cold War really means is that the U.S. no longer has to give a damn about a European 'alliance' at all — especially one dominated by French and Germans. The solution to rampant, hysterical, angry anti-Americanism is cold, practical, systematic anti-Europeanism.

Let the European taxpayers pay for the obese bureaucracy of the EU and a military establishment to go with it. Let's charge them double for DVDs and make them wear native costumes. We can go take pictures of them in their quaint poorhouses. Demographically, economically, intellectually, scientifically, and politically, the EU is a dead-end, a goner before two more cicada cycles in Pennsylvania. The persistent cynicism, corruption, and economic stagnation of the eurozone is only the tip of that particular iceberg. The real crunch will come in a decade or two when pension systems begin to collapse and European nations have to save themselves by importing millions of Islamic immigrants. That process cannot be stopped, unless every European is seized with a sudden and urgent need to reproduce like bunnies."

http://www.nationalreview.com/europress/europress.asp

therecklessone

TomF wrote:

But what Americans seem to finally be understanding is that what the end of the Cold War really means is that the U.S. no longer has to give a damn about a European 'alliance' at all — especially one dominated by French and Germans. The solution to rampant, hysterical, angry anti-Americanism is cold, practical, systematic anti-Europeanism.

I wonder how successful the US would have been building up the manpower and hardware required for the current conflict in Iraq without support from the UK, Spain, Italy, and Poland (tell me they didn't forget Poland!). Hell, lets not forget the small matter of Shannon airport...

Add Turkey into the EU (yes Mr. National Review person, that Islamic state that helps you out every now and then) in the future, and tell me how the US can afford to be so practically and systematically anti-European?

seamus

Fluff piece written by rabidly patriotic American trying to find reason why America is No 1 and the rest of the world is nothing but a savage idiotic conglomerate feeding off of American money.

He's made two mistakes: First of all equating anti-Bush with Anti-American. Second of all presuming that immigrants (specifically Islamic immigrants) filling jobs that no-one else wants is somehow a bad thing. Like America's economy has nothing to do with immigration. :rolleyes:

To anyone: Using the French as degrogatory point of reference makes you look like a moron, and just confirms to everyone that you've run out of any form of points to make.

uberwolf

no man is an island, no country either. The author isn't very smart.

BlitzKrieg

just a check how is the European economy doing?

last i heard (admitably before september) it was doing very well.

Thordon

and hope it doesn't mean Americans aren't not liking us as much as we aren't liking them

Well I just had a nice conversation in IRC with an American pro-bush type person, apparently Ireland is 'a toilet', enough said.

Hobbes

I thought DVD's were double price because US businesses milked the markets and implement things like "Region locking" to stop the consumer from getting it cheaper easily.

As for tourists catching on??? US tourists aren't coming to the EU as much because the US$ isn't worth as much as it used to be.

Typical TomF post btw. Post a quote from some site and then never bother to comment any further on it.

uberwolf

Thordon wrote:

Well I just had a nice conversation in IRC with an American pro-bush type person, apparently Ireland is 'a toilet', enough said.

probably one of these punters who thinks there's a bridge over to here. The problem seems IMO/observation to have a lot to do with an insular perspective and ignorance.

mike65

BlitzKrieg wrote:

just a check how is the European economy doing?

last i heard (admitably before september) it was doing very well.

Which bit of it!? Like the USA the EU ecomoney is a smorgasboard with stars like ourselves and the UK and laggards like the French. Overall its been doing a bit better than we've been used to. But until the Germans and the French wake up and embrace the Anglo-US model they'll be in tickover mode for years to come. The Germans have started to make the changes required to promot growth but many major conglomerates like VW/Audi are still gearing up to leave.

The author apparently has'nt noticed that European captial is keeping the US afloat and thier trade deficit is our cash.

Mike.

Carpo

Y'know, I was going to write a rebuttal of the article, but then I thought to myself 'Whats the point?'. No really, what the hell was the point he was trying to make?? Normally (in the really real world) one would assemble facts, and form an argument to make a point. This eejit just witters on aimlessly about why Europeans hate (or are jealous of, which is apparently the same thing) America with out even the most defferential nod to things like 'logic' and 'evidence'. Its so vaccuous, there is litterly nothing there to rebut. So instead of writing a rebuttal, instead I'll write something in keeping with the style of the article, ie pure opinion, masquerading as fact, with no substansiation. Here we go.

That article was utter tripe and its author should not be allowed out on his own. According to a recent poll 73% of people said they 'felt stupider after reading it'.

Fin.

Captain Trips

BlitzKrieg wrote:

just a check how is the European economy doing?

last i heard (admitably before september) it was doing very well.

Yes it is. Over the past decade, it has matched the US for all intents and purposes. The interesting thing is that in calculating expenditure, etc., differs markedly between the US and EU. For example, buying software for a 100 office computers in France might be listed under expenses, but in the US might be investments.

Plus, the 5.6% unemployment rate of the US which on the surface is much better than e.g., Germany, fails to include the people that they dump off that count when they've been unemployed for too long (yes, after a period, you are no longer even a statistic). It's closer to 9-10%.

The strong Euro is probably not our (EU) doing, but more the dollar weaking all due to the US. The dollar is on a bg dive across the board incl. CHF, UK£ and so on.

[Then again, my own political leanings would be that the EU is basically the future of the planet as the US has not shown it can negotiate successfully with foreign governments whereas the EU is the cooperation between previously warring ones. The only union the US will form is allowing US companies to get cross-border contracts and so on. No hint of joint governance.]

Subtle differences have occurred, including the Mercedes cars in the US: prices have gone up in the past year and the standard equipment has gone down (yes really!). Americans of the sort in the original post will start to feel that pride hurting when bread, butter e.g., double in price over comign 24 months as the dollar needs to get back in line. IMHO.

The Insider

uberwolf wrote:

probably one of these punters who thinks there's a bridge over to here.

Reminds me of the time I was in the states, we pull up in are car to a Petrol Station late at night, the attendant asks us were we from, we state Ireland, he then replies "so did you guys drive over then"

:rolleyes:

OfflerCrocGod

TomF wrote:

Let the European taxpayers pay for the obese bureaucracy of the EU and a military establishment to go with it.

He's got us on that point our huge and bloated EU army is crippling us look at all the billions of €s we pour into it while it gets blown up in Iraq.....Oh wait, wrong army

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

doh.ie

TomF wrote:

Let the European taxpayers pay for the obese bureaucracy of the EU and a military establishment to go with it. Let's charge them double for DVDs and make them wear native costumes.

This is something I've seen expressed before on some US websites. The anti-EU sentiment (as opposed to anti-European, although I accept this contains both) is something I've only seen in the last few years, but it appears to me to be some kind of concern that the EU might actually become some kind of 'superstate' to rival the US. Not that the public in any of its countries would support that. But it is a new trend, and like the rest of that article, an idiotic assumption.

When one country feels the need to be more important or militarily superior while shutting out the rest of the world, it's on a dangerous path. Comparing international opinion of the US years ago with how it is perceived today, it's hard to believe so much damage in international relations can have been done.

But articles like that one don't help much.

wheels of ire

The source of the article says it all. The National Review is a publication of the rabid right, and trots out simple lies to to repeated by the simple and mindless in place of considered thought-out argument. A kind of soundbite fast food for the cretin.
You'll find large chunks of this vile poison on most Bulletin Boards, quoted verbatim. And ,should you ever dare criticise the Bu****es or Israel under your email address, you can look forward to tons more in your inbox, sent by the cyberBrown Shirts.
Just hang on to the thought that at least the paper is biodegradable. After all, the 'arguments' are constantly regurgitated, sorry, recycled.

TomF

Well, I won't reveal how much I bet on Bush or how much I won, but let me say that I am not worried about mortgage payments after today! [Cue maniacal laughter.]

therecklessone

TomF wrote:

Well, I won't reveal how much I bet on Bush or how much I won, but let me say that I am not worried about mortgage payments after today! [Cue maniacal laughter.]

You will be if Bush's next war in the Middle East pushes up European interest rates...

Hobbes

Considering the odds for Bush and Kerry were dire in the bookies I find it hard to believe you made any kind of profit unless you lacked any reason and bet everything you owned.

Essey

I'm American and I love you!! Kiss, kiss. We all do - we just dont take you seriously.

MeatProduct

Essey wrote:

I'm American and I love you!! Kiss, kiss. We all do - we just dont take you seriously.

I don't think anybody should be taken seriously, most of all ones self. Although I fear the reason that some Americans might not take Europeans seriously is through a lack of education rather than anything that may be that bit more enlightened.

It's really a pity that Bush has managed to divide the world. To such an extent now that people will freely insult eachother just on account of their location. This is all going down a very sad path. Where can this lead us? World peace? Better understanding? Compassion? Love?

This world will soon be powered by fear rather than oil (because the oil will run out).

Nick