Probably like some of you I've been reading much in the press regarding the upcoming election, and all the talk in the media regarding what "The World thinks" or "What Europe thinks" about our candidates for the next president. If I hear one more of my fellow citizens go off about how "the president has made us hated in the world" or how "we need change to mend our relations with our allies", I think I'm going to projectile vomit. Folks, a little reality check here. With the few exceptions in our 200 year history when we were actively saving their asses, open dislike or outright disdain for America or Americans has been pretty darn consistent...especially from our European allies. A written commentary from Walt Whitman titled "Attitude of Foreign Governments toward the U.S. during the War of 1861-'65" is but one picture on this long standing attitude:
"The happening to our America, abroad as well as at home, these years, is indeed most strange. The Democratic Republic has paid her to-day the terrible and resplendent compliment of the united wish of all the nations of the world that her Union should be broken, her future out off, and that she should be compell'd to descend to the level of kingdoms and empires ordinarily great! There is certainly not one government in Europe but is now watching the war in this country, with the ardent prayer that the United States may be effectually split, crippled, and dismember'd by it. There is not one but would help toward that dismemberment, if it dared. I say such is the ardent wish to-day of England and of France, as governments, and of all the nations of Europe, as governments. I think indeed it is to-day the real, heartfelt wish of all the nations of the world, with the single exception of Mexico -- Mexico, the only one to whom we have ever really done wrong, and now the only one who prays for us and for our triumph, with genuine prayer.
Is it not indeed strange? America, made up of all, cheerfully from the beginning opening her arms to all, the result and justifier of all, of Britain, Germany, France and Spain -- all here -- the accepter, the friend, hope, last resource and general house of all -- she who has harm'd none, but been bounteous to so many, to millions, the mother of strangers and exiles, all nations -- should now I say be paid this dread compliment of general governmental fear and hatred?.......Are we indignant? alarm'd? Do we feel wrong'd? jeopardized? No; help'd, braced, concentrated, rather. We are all too prone to wander from ourselves, to affect Europe, and watch her frowns and smiles. We need this hot lesson of general hatred, and henceforth must never forget it. Never again will we trust the moral sense nor abstract friendliness of a single government of the old world."
[Source Link Here]
But at the end of the day...why exactly should we care what the world thinks, what Europe thinks? We're a nation made up of people who left Europe...left other countries of the world because they didn't like they way they did things there, or because they were "asked to leave" because they didn't "fit in". The title of a good article asking a similar question is "John Adams Must Be Smiling". And it's probably true. Based my readings of John Adams, if 'Old Europe' is wailing, moaning and pulling their hair at what their American Cousins are doing then Adams would probably see it as a good indication that we're on the right track.
It was however humorous to see all the American voices that have responded to a piece in the UK Telegraph on how more people in Europe thought that the United States was a force for evil than for good. Italy was apparently the lone exception (viva Italia!). [Link Here]
[Cross Posted to Apathy Curve]
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