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August 9th, 2012

an open letter: to those who dislike america.

An unexpected side effect of living in Korea has been a surge of my American pride.

America is not without it’s flaws (duh, I think we all know that), but it’s a very decent and livable country. So why do people hate it so much?

My experience with people of Asian nationality has been overwhelmingly positive. People in South Korea love America and are generally excited to speak English with us (or maybe that’s because my Korean is still pretty bad). People in China actually knew where Houston, Texas was (thanks Yao Ming!), so I got to discuss my home town briefly. However, when people ask where I am from I say: America, not Texas. That is, after all, what it says on my passport.

However, I recently came across this blog post deeply steeped in a misguided hate of America via Twitter, and I honestly wish I hadn’t.

His chief complaint seems to be that Americans, when asked what country they hail from, simply state “America” rather than tacking on the additional “United States of.”  Which to me, is ridiculous — I am not a United Statesian. Of course, I am aware there are several of “the Americas” (if you are from the 1400′s and actually use the phrase “the Americas”): South America, Central America, and North America. However, within these continents are many countries. For example, in North America there are Canada (Canadians), Mexico (Mexicans), and the United States of America (Americans).

The blogger goes on to say that if we (Americans) were from another country we wouldn’t be “arrogant” enough to assume the name of a continent:

..if you were from those countries you’d be humble, and informed, enough to not give a region or continent as your nationality.

And ends with a plea:

So my AMERICAN friends, be informed, be less ignorant, be less arrogant and when someone asks you where you’re from. Tell them a country, not a f*cking continent.

Not to mention the additonal (unnecessary) stereotypical comments:

How about you – my stars-and-stripes, McDonalds eating, American-football-loving friend…

And my personal favorite:

Can you read guys? Probably not

I guess it might have irritated me less if this particular blogger wasn’t making money by being a “travel writer” or if I hadn’t already experienced some America hate while living abroad. But it does bother me. I’m really tired of this pervasive hate, this misguided arrogance regarding America. I’ve found that a lot of the more hateful sentiment stems from ex-pats (usually European, but not always) who feel the need to constantly complain about America and often other countries they’ve been to for no reason other than their own unhappiness. It makes you wonder why they decided to leave home at all since they seem to dislike everything so much. The logical answer is that they are just unhappy people, carrying their gray cloud of sadness with them wherever they go.

I’ve traveled — not as much as some people, and not nearly as much as I want to, but I’ve seen things. I live in South Korea, and I just returned from a brief trip to China. I’ve learned so much about each of the places I’ve been and the culture of the people who reside there. When I go somewhere, I try to learn a little of the language, I eat the local food, and I make it a point to smile at strangers in an attempt to show that we aren’t all bad. Other travelers constantly encourage us woefully ignorant Yanks to be culturally sensitive to the discrepancies in foreign cultures, but where is our sensitivity?

All I am asking for is a little reciprocity.

Stop stereotyping “typical” Americans as fast-food-addicted, small-minded idiots (I don’t even like McDonald’s!) — I’m not saying there aren’t ridiculous, misguided, ignorant people who do happen to be 1 of the 113 million who live there, I’m just saying we (Americans) aren’t all that way. So, please, the next time you are at a bar in a foreign land and want to start in on how you hate those “typical Americans” with their beer bellies and 5th grade vocabulary, be cognizant of the fact that the ex-pat next to you may be from Texas (a state larger than many countries, coincidentally) — and don’t laugh off their offense when they bring it to your attention.

Thanks.

posted by abby_cake | Category: this is a rant
  • Anonymous

    its funny, I actually found your blog through that disaster of a post.

    I was going back and forth with him (I responded under the name shey, to what was originally Paul’s post), but he just keeps reiterating himself and subtlety weaving insults through his responses (though I admit I was a bit insulting too). No matter what the reasons I explained why I and Americans viewed ourselves that way, In his mind, he was right no matter what the reasons were. And truth fully I don’t think he was wrong, but I (we/Americans ) aren’t either. Different places learn differently. If he learned North and South america were one continent called the Americas/America under the 6 continent model instead of two , then I could see how it can be a bit unusual for us to refer to our country as America too. What really rubbed me the wrong way was the bashing and insults throughout his post and his dogmatic attitude. He didn’t even care to try to understand Americans, he just jumped on the usual bandwagon of ignorant arrogant stupid Americans.

    I unsubscribed from his blog because of it. I have better things to do with my time then read childish ignorant incorrect rants.

    • http://www.ageektragedy.net Abby

      Precisely. It wasn’t necessarily the point being made, but the hateful way it came across. Also, hello!!

    • Anonymous

      What throws me about this is, what term would he like them to use in the form of like…I’m Canadian. Some folks are Mexican. Some are Korean. So folks from the US would be..?

      Reading his blog, I’ve gotta admit this guy seems like a bit of a dbag.

  • http://www.rarg.co.nz elly_rarg

    While I agree that that post was pretty horrid and the premise unfounded (I personally don’t have a problem with people from USA calling themselves Americans), I do find it hard not to stereotype people when I’m travelling around.
    I think stereotyping is just how we deal with people we don’t know anything about, really, our subconscious fills it in for us until other such information is provided.

    I know that sounds horrible. However, I don’t use the ‘typical’ stereotype about Mickey Dee’s + bad vocab, but one that I’ve kind of built up myself through my experience with Americans. Having lived in VT for a while, having travelled with Americans, and having American friends have all contributed to that stereotype. I find you all pretty smart, with excellent vocab. More often than not I find Americans are more likely to get out there and do fun stuff, and so if I’m travelling and meet Americans at the hostel I’m more likely to befriend them than ignore them.

    I do know that not everyone will fit my stereotype (seriously, one american guy, when I told him I was from NZ asked if that was in Canada. When corrected, his friend asked if I had my own sheep herd. I may have responded with (unnoticed, on their part) sarcasm that mocked their intelligence), but generally I recognise that a stereotype is more of a guideline that we use until we have more information to go on.

    And not all stereotypes are bad ones, hey :)

    • http://www.ageektragedy.net Abby

      Newfoundland and New Zealand are pretty close :)

  • http://twitter.com/agraciado Jackie

    That little article was kind of horrible. I’ve never really heard anyone from Central America or the continent of South America say they’re American. Probably because the word *America* is not in their country’s name.

  • http://www.shoesneverworn.com/ K. E. Argonza

    I was born in the philippines, grew up in switzerland, and naturalized AMERICAN citizen.

    I lived near the border to France… in my travel experience, arrogance is a wee bit of a global issue. I find that it’s trendy to be anti-USA at the moment, even from fellow Americans though. People want to disassociate from America and how it represents the West because it is, apparently, wildly unpopular in certain parts of the world.

  • http://twitter.com/TigerUnie PokemonMaster Hannah

    It’s also a language issue. I know in the Spanish language, especially Spain, if you say you’re from America, then that means you’re from either North or South America. If you want to say you’re. From the US, you’d have to say. “Soy de los Estados Unidos.” I’m from the United States. And you’re American, it’d be estadounidense. That’s where he got the whole we’re stupid for naming our selves after a continent. It’s more of a Latin-based language issue. And sorry for the messed up grammar, my phone won’t cooperate with me.

  • LoveMcDBKWendysChkFJitB

    What’s wrong with liking fast food lol

  • http://twitter.com/NomadCeleste Cici Fuhring

    I think it’s more American tourists they dislike. The polite and well educated ones tend to be quieter where as in general the idiots make as much noise as possible. I see this a LOT in Amsterdam, as much as I am aware that there are perfectly respectable American, British, German, Czech (etc.) people that visit this country the drunk/stoned idiots are SO MUCH more visible! Most people I know will say “I hate (insert country here) tourists” rather then insulting the entire country. My ex was from PA and even he would get annoyed with noisy American tourists.

    • http://twitter.com/NomadCeleste Cici Fuhring

      By the way, reading that guys post…I think he just hates everything.

  • http://terra-bear.com terra

    I think that guy hates everything. He’s rude and won’t even for a minute consider that there are other opinion on the matter.

  • Guest

    Other’s hatred of America goes much deeper than the superficiality of it. Can’t we start mentioning that the entirety of our government is useless in getting anything constructive. Their sole interest is how many corporate pockets they can fill, how many crooked jobs they can hire people for, and how much we can rape the land? America’s government currently mines all of our data by monitoring us in public and sells it to companies for profit by using our federal tax dollars. (Trapwire.) They set up prisons to entrap illegal immigrants and children then sell them for profit and turn away while they are raped, beaten, and murdered. (GEO Group.) We have summits that determine who we are going to pick a fight with next because of our overwhelming so-called Christian roots. (Brookings Institute.) I fucking hate my country. My most respected ancestors feel the same way and they’ve fought for wars and worked the entirety of their lifetimes only to see their children sold out.

  • twmcgee

    Other’s hatred of America goes much deeper than the superficiality of it. Can’t we start mentioning that the entirety of our government is useless for anything constructive. Their sole interest is how many corporate pockets they can fill, how many crooked jobs they can hire people for, and how much we can rape every good quality about us? America’s government currently mines all of our data by monitoring us in public and sells it to companies for profit by using our federal tax dollars. (Trapwire.) They set up prisons to entrap illegal immigrants and children then sell them for profit and turn away while they are raped, beaten, and murdered. (GEO Group.) We have summits that determine who we are going to pick a fight with next because of our overwhelming so-called Christian roots. (Brookings Institute.) I fucking hate my country. My most respected ancestors feel the same way and they’ve fought for wars and worked the entirety of their lifetimes only to see their children sold out.

  • twmcgee

    It’s hard to find many things to like when you start looking at what elected officials do. Our government spies on us as much as Britain’s but doesn’t tell us. (Trapwire) We imprison EVERYONE that doesn’t need to be in prison and let criminals go free to run the place and hurt others. (GEO Group) We also hire corporate moguls to make decisions as to who is a “threat” to us like we’re a flock of paranoid schizophrenics. (Brookings Institute). All while using ALOT of tax dollars to do so.

    • http://www.ageektragedy.net Abby

      No offense, but you sound a little angry at the world. People that are filled with hate need somewhere to direct it. If you want to hate America, cool dude. I don’t. And I don’t really care for people who talk poorly about other nations based solely on what they’ve seen on TV.

  • http://www.kacijohanna.com/ Kaci Johanna

    I think it’s funny there is even an issue with calling us “Americans.” Because NOBODY has ever referred to people as “European?”