by Elise (Feb 21, 2006)

Anyway, there are some stereotypes: an American is imagined quite fat, in a fast-food restaurant, with a big burger, potatoes, and a coloured ice-cream for dessert! It can be true, but it is not a positive image!!!!

But look at yourself: you wear jeans, sweaters, and your clothes have American slogans like «Nike» or «Levis». So you’re exactly similar to an American. Even your music and your hobbies are the same. So why do you think they’re so stupid?

If you say «America» in politics, you may think of Bush. The French usually hate him, because of all that’s happened since he’s a president. Bush as a president accentuates the fact that Americans are disliked: they may be stupid to have elected him for a second mandate!? Yes, maybe, but, if you chat with an American, he can tell you that they didn’t have the choice : Kerry was not powerful enough, and most of them announce they hate their president. So they assume the responsibility.

They’re not open-minded. It can be true if you generalize. But the American population is different in cities like Chicago and New-York, and the countryside in Texas. Mentalities are different in the different states. So we have to consider it and not generalize! But I’m not sure we can judge them for that. If they seem superior, maybe it is because they are! Indeed, the United States of America is one of the richest and the most easily influenced country in the world. They’re culturally, politically, economically present, and we can make a longer list! In most of the countries in the world, we notice somewhere big American stores. So this civilisation is everywhere now! Indeed, in that case, it can be possible that Americans are not cultured and open-minded: they don’t need to! And we also have to consider that censure and propaganda are important there. So they don’t know everything that happens in the world.

At the same time, they speak English, which is the most learnt and used language in the world. English is spoken in the world trade, which is dominated by the Americans. So we can think they don’t need to learn other languages or to be as open to the world as us. In this way, it can be understood that they feel superior! Anyway this drawback can be understood!!

The United States of America is part of this world. So they have to protect it as we do. But usually it shows that we don’t like them because they are the first power in the world. They rule the world for their own sake. They may do things for the whole world, but only if it serves their own interest. Indeed, while lots of nations try to reduce pollution, the Americans are driving big polluting cars, and have big CO2 emissions, much more than in the rest of the world. Is it acceptable? Their way of running the world is completely selfish, or if it is not, it seems to be.

Some people criticize the fact that they’re puritan, religious and patriotic. Indeed, we’re not used to singing the national anthem, with our hand on our heart, there aren’t flags everywhere, and even religious Europeans don’t recite a prayer before each meal. Lots of people are against those values. But it shows that if you dislike those people for that reason, you hate them only because of the fact they are Americans, but not because of the things they do!

So, as we can see, today the American civilisation is everywhere, but we don’t like them. They’re criticised for their values, their politics, their habits, their way of life, they’re denounced for everything they do and they are!

Why is that so? Why do you hate them while you’re similar in some principles? There are so many arguments against them that we really don’t know why we hate them…

What is your opinion?

If you wish to react to this article, write to the editor.

Feb 27, 2006

In my eyes, French people dislike the USA because it's a common idea : the media and well-known people often spread anti-american messages.
If you say that you like the USA, everyboby thinks that you agree with Bush's governement, even if it's wrong! Besides, Americans don't hate French people. Maybe we don't understand each other. We don't understand why they refuse to sign the Kyoto protocol, and they don't know how we are one of the first powers in the world with a 5-week paid holiday! Americans are the most numerous tourists in France, and many French students wish they were admitted to Harvard! 
However, that's true: they can be annoying. They are rather close-minded (don't want to learn other languages, see only American movies,...), and they have no ecological sensibility, they waste a lot as if natural ressources were inexhaustible! 
Congratulations for your article!

Justine (YGTP, Blois)

March 5, 2006

First I would like to congratulate Elise for this article!
Secondly let me give you my opinion on this nation. This is the richest country of the world, but only one per cent of its population has half of its riches. This is the most powerful country but it doesn't fight against the real ennemy in most cases. It is not considered as one of the 40 states where the press is the most free whereas they think they are the most democratic state. It is also the most corrupted democracy (Cheney and Halliburton for example). This is the country of all contrasts.
In my opinion, it is the country of free trade where everyone can succeed but over other people who know only misery.
A powerful country where everyone is equal, but where some are more equal than others.

Florian (Blois)

April 29, 2006

First I wanted to say that I partly agree with the article, except for a few points. I don't agree that Americans aren't open-minded because they don't need to, because the fact that they have all 
they need in their country doesn't mean they should ignore other ways of life.
I agree that many Americans only watch American films or Hollywood super productions, and maybe they don't open themselves to independent cinema... But that would be generalizing. There are those who care about it (the minority).
To conclude I think that many people hate them because they envy them, others because they don't like their way of thinking,and there are those (the majority) that hate them because they show no interest in other countries situation.

Pamela (Buenos Aires,Argentina)