evan10 commented : [quote:qpmky39z]zydeco wrote: evan10, what are you talking about? America is not even "America" anymore. Twenty percent of the country is mexican. A full third is either a post 1965 immigrant or descendant of a post 1965 immigrant. Who exactly is responsible for what?[/quote:qpmky39z] Zydeco, most of the responsibility for that lies with the top levels of government involved in planning the war and with the ruling class in America, for whom the war was fought. I would say that some responsibility rests with the American population for going along with war, but a lot of these atrocities were carried out even after 1968, when public opinion had turned against the war. Before you start talking about politics, you should delineate between the people who have real power in America and those who don't. Here's a good website to get you up to speed: http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesameri ... ation.html Although the ruling class in the US is mostly WASPy and male, race and sex are becoming less important factors to get into the "club". However, even new members of the American elite who are either women or part of a minority group (i.e. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton) support roughly the same policies as white males of the past. I don't think Americans are more "good" or "bad" than people from any other country. However, the actions of our military and government, which are directed by the rich, have been quite abominable. If you are in another country looking in and you don't understand how our corporate-dominated system works, then yea, your rage will probably just be directed at the country in general, which is probably why this T-shirt was made. Guava, good points. [quote:qpmky39z]chitown wrote: Americans are not perfect, but we really get a bad shake. If you notice, when there's a crisis, the world expects us to act. Either through humanitarian aid or speaking out on an injustice. Instead of picking on us all the time, have a good look at your own countries, I'm sure your people are just as flawed as Americans! America is blamed for every problem in the world and expected to clean up the world's messes. Don't base your perceptions about Americans on Bush, we're not all like him![/quote:qpmky39z] chitown, you should really learn more about how the media acts as a propaganda machine for the government and business community. Yea, if you just watch the news in the US, then we are totally awesome, the most benign nation ever, land of the free, home of the brave. As I've shown before, the reality is very different. When there is a crisis, every country in the world is expected to act, not just us. Look at the aid offered by various countries to the US after Hurricane Katrina: http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/dis_h ... d-response. The governments of many countries speak out against injustice. There were large campaigns in many countries against the South African apartheid government in the 1980s. The US doesn't even take the lead role in denouncing human rights violations, unless doing so does not conflict with our interests. For example, our government still hasn't recognized the Armenian genocide because we need Turkey's support in Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/ma ... n-genocide. However, I agree with you that other countries have done horrible things in the past and are doing horrible things currently. Look at the history of the British or French colonial empires, the Soviet Union, China, Germany, Japan or a multitude of other countries. Thailand has a lot of problems as well, including rampant prostitution, abuse of refugees from Myanmar, terrorism in the southern provinces, a separatist movement and military aggression against Cambodia over a temple. Every country should be more humane, less exploitative and less violent. However, the US is a special case in that it is the most powerful country in the world both economically and militarily, so our government's actions have the power to do the most harm. Additionally, you should take the advice that you are giving to others and apply it to yourself. if you are an American, you should look at America with more scrutiny than you do with other countries.

Gavelind commented : Hi, I understand your problem and I think it is sad and wrong for you to come with such a remark. Your case is not about race or nationality, it is about having a bad-mannered neighbor, not a Thai, or a Chinese or a Kenyan, a person who has barking dogs next to your door. That is the problem. Well, if you don't like the neighborhood, the only thing left for you to do is to move out. I went through the same ordeal in Canada, mind you, between Canadians, coming from the same city, sharing the same language, the same laws, the same faith, the same color: their dogs made us crazy, there was nothing we could do. Calling the police a couple of times because the dogs were lose and frightened little kids playing in the street, a few tickets, took them to court... to no avail. Peace came back to us after we moved out. That's all and that's it. You are very lucky to live in Thailand where foreigners and above all women have some sorts of rights anyway. What would you do in Saudi Arabia or Turkey where women are sold on the open market and are worth less than a camel? Wake up! Why live in another country and want to impose your values on them? See where the US has gone and see how far that took them! Hundreds of thousands have died, cities are in ruins... what for? Stay home, believe me, let the others live the way they are used to. You will never change them and will only be an outcast, an outsider, miserable and frustrated. At home, you are not a foreigner, and you have rights. It is much safer too, as now that you have enemies, they will retaliate.