writes:
. It's just that the eternal repetition of how good and
wonderful the US is, regardless of all it's rather numerous bad things is
getting somewhat tiresome and even at points ridiculous. So if that kind of
feeling resulting from rather blunt statements of achievement makes me
arrogant
in the eyes of US citizens like Dan, John, Bob, Gautam or Rob I don't know
what
to do about it. Suggestions?
So let me suggest that for myself (and I think others on the list who have
responded negatively to your posts about the USA) the crux of the issue is
the lack of balance in your opinions. None of us has claimed that the US is
perfect. We all recognize the faults and problems with our country past and
present. So do most thoughtful americans (not an oxymoron and not a
tautology). But we see these things as part of a whole. The statements of
professional politicians and others can be ignored. They are playing a
game. Just as the politicians in other countries. And here is the key. When
compared to most other countries especially other world powers past and
present the US is quite good (or the others are quite bad, take your pick).
Although none of think the US won WWII ourselves we do believe our role was
critical to success. We do believe that had we not been involved that a
totalitarian regime of enormous evil would have won and we believe that
many of the things that lead to the war were the result of cynical, selfish
and foolish leadership of the same pre-war western european democracies. I
do take offense when you grant the Soviet Union moral equivalence to the
US. This was a horrible government guilty of crimes against its own people
and those of the countries it controlled. This is not about political
ideologies for most of us.
