[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: ?



On Sep 11, 2001 Marco van de Voort <marcov@toad.stack.nl> wrote
   in <slrn9psvde.26r0.marcov@toad.stack.nl>:

> In article <9nlrm6$bt3$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk>, Andrew Hayes wrote:
> > When this went around the office I just didn't belive it... no one would be
> > stupid enough to do this to the USA...
>
> Hmm, only if you do it in the USA, it has this kind of effect.

There is some truth to that.  But we should also remember that there has
been no single attack targetting civilians outside of hot war that matches
this in scale.

The massacre at Srebenica, if seen as not part of a "hot war" is the
closest thing in recent history.  The slaughter of whole populations in
Rwanda could again be an example.  As horrific as those were, there is
something different Monday's attack, and not just that the victims are
largely American.

Marco,

Look, I understand the kind of anti-Americanism that is found among
Europeans and pseudo-intellectuals in the US.  I used to share that
contempt for McDonalds, American "culture", and the "you play by our
rules" impression of US foreign policy.

But living in Europe for 12 years (well, only six if you don't count the
UK as Europe) has given a rather different view.

First you have a massive double standard.  Prior to Kosovo war, Europeans
were complaining that the US/NATO was standing by doing nothing.  Once the
war started, the same people condemned the US for actually dropping bombs
on people.

During the Gulf war, the "world community" said, don't march on Bagdad; we
will get Iraq to behave using sanctions in which we will back you as long
at it takes.  Well, Iraq hasn't lived up to most of the substantive things
it signed up for at the end of the war, and the world is angry at the US
for imposing sanctions.

The world wanted the US to help protect aid deliveries in the horn of
Africa, and when the US forces there get defeated, the same people say
that the US got what it deserved for thinking that it can play "cops of
the world".

As for the cultural issues, well, there is no accounting for taste.
Europeans need laws to prevent them from seeing too much US content on TV
and film.  Without those laws they would watch even more of it.  As much
as you and I may dislike that "low" culture, it appears to be just as
appealing to the European as to the American.

So, please come off your arrogant and superior attitude and look honestly
at your anti-Americanism not as a sing of who sophisticated you are, but
as merely following the crowd in taking cheap shots.

-j

-- 
Jeffrey Goldberg
 I have recently moved, see http://www.goldmark.org/jeff/contact.html
 Relativism is the triumph of authority over truth, convention over justice
 From line IS valid, but use reply-to.