not entirely thanks to the Republicans.

But what can you expect when non-violence is so elevated that no one is willing to countenance getting their hands dirty?

Most Canadians shake their heads at the rediculous things republicans say and do. There is a benefit for us because we can compare our progressive Conservative party to american republicans. It is very unlikely the PCs will win a majority in the next election.

or anywhere else for that matter.

Then ask them about our *cough, cough* "news" and they'll shake their head and roll their eyes.

Then tell them you heard that we had an election or 2 stolen. They'll thank you for finally catching on.

The only thing the majority of posts in this thread 'prove' is that many of you are pessimists.

there are plenty of examples of Europeans doing stupid shit..I believe it is somehow a combination of 'the grass is always greener...', and a bit of self loathing which we find among our ranks..

we had standing. we don't now.

I travel abroad every winter, and have many good friends from all over the world who hang out at the same tropical beach (not a tourist trap) that I do most winters. These folks are generally well educated, multilingual, very liberal/progressive, and wonderful conversationalists.

I have often had long political/social discussions with these folks, individually and collectively, about US politics/society "well into the night" . Many of these folks have a clearer big picture of the US than many US conservatives, and often even have a better grasp of the English language than many conservative Americans.

These folks are almost universally wary of Americans, and the US government, and in particular the US media.

The US is indeed a general joke to many people the world, and Americans are often viewed as provincial and ignorant. Part of the reason for this is the "Ugly American" traveling abroad. Conservatives with money who are rude and ignorant, and intrinsically believe they are superior to everyone else in the world because they are Americans.

American conservatives often refer to their "specialness" as American Exceptionalism.

They definitely help to further the image that Americans are exceptional ~ exceptionally rude, ignorant, and provincial. (I am often tempted to claim that I am Canadian, because I can speak Canadian so well, eh?)

My darker skin color often shields me from preconceived prejudice while traveling, and I totally look like an indigenous American, so I am a "novelty item" for many folks from other countries at first, and being a musician helps also, music is a universal language. But still, when I (usually grudgingly) confess to being from the US, and say "no, I'm not not Canadian, I'm American", I can sense/see the immediate disappointment, contempt, and disdain. However, because I am a reasonably well educated liberal, and have the certain aforementioned intrinsic pluses in my favor, once people get to know me, they often tell me this:

"Wow, you're really alright, for an American!"

The sad truth is, the OP is definitely spot on; conservatives, and their media, and their American exceptionalism/imperialism, have made the US an enculturated joke throughout the world, and the target of much anger.

I've experienced the same conversations and the same look and agreement - "you're alright for an American." Thanks for sharing.

...know more about the workings of America than actual Americans.

I'm optimistic that reason will overtake the American indocracy in the next hundred years.

not.

have destroyed the world. I have little hope for us or anyone else. Just climate change is enough to fuck the world into non existence, but they have done so much more.

The rich have destroyed everything for the mighty profit. ANd we are the fools for believing that we were the good guys. We are the reason. America and it's need to feed the rich an ever increasing supply of cash and resources have doomed this whole fucking planet.

Our news is the propaganda we used to laugh at. We are the country with the Baghdad Bob reporters. We are the country that is unfair to it's poor.

And while the dems have helped, it's the insane policies of the republicans that are killing us all. It's treason.

Fuck all republicans. Fuck all rich who influence politics. Fuck them all.

But I'm not bitter. I will sit and watch as my family one by one get sick from the toxins in our air, water, food, clothes, etc and die without a hope with no insurance. And why are the toxins there? Because some mother fucking corporation has bought enough congressmen and laws to allow it. So they could make yet another billion. ANd then, hey let's subsidize the mother fuckers with our piddly income. Because we all have come to understand from the propaganda media that the rich need a little bit more.

Fuck them all.

Social security? I don't think my children and grandchildren will live long enough to collect it.


Well, I guess I am a bit bitter.

the magic word "Jesus" and dumb shits will believe anything they tell them.

the rest was easy.

as the United States. We have anti-intellectual, anti-science, fundamentalists like no other western, democratic country in the world. They wear their disregard and contempt for rational thought as a perverse badge of honor. They revel in it.

This being DU, there will be posters who will say, "Meh, they're all the same". They will be wrong.

in the world not look at the U.S. and shake their heads in pitiful disbelief at our stupidity?

Face it.. when people say we suck... they are right if you look at it in terms of Republicans and their undue influence over policy.

The one redeeming factor may be that a recent study revealed that the people in the US are far less conservative than the politicians. Now if we can only get some politicians to believe that and act accordingly, perhaps we can turn this around and start acting like a mature, rationally grounded country.

The utterly amazing thing in all this is that next time, it won't surprise me when Americans return Republicans to control of the House and the joke continues.

as an objective observer (to the extent that's even possible), maybe as an anthropologist observing a previously-undiscovered culture. And I wonder, WTF? How can these people be fucking up their society so thoroughly without even noticing that's what they're doing? I'm just gobsmacked sometimes that it's devolved so far in only a few decades.

And The USA has gone from being viewed with much respect and admiration to being seen as bigoted and foolish.

Thanks republicans!

I am disgusted with this country, thanks to the Republicans.