Freedom is what all wants: The right to be who we are and to feel the way we want.
I am a student of history. I learn about history of other countries in my studies in college.

I hear you say all Americans want to know how people think of them. Most people will lissen but just like you make their own oppinions.

Oppinions is all this subject is about because all feelings can change when things happen.

We all need to be open and learn about countries and not make wrong oppinions with out learning the subject.

Example would you tell I child that 1 times 1 is 2
no you would say 1 times 1 is 1 we learned this in school as a fact.

We need to have oppinions on fact and not just talk about things like who likes who, we need to find fact or you are just saying 1 times 1 is 2

America is a nice place to live but I would love to travel and see other countries but I am not rich and can hardly make anough for my own family.

I am interested in all countries because all have something to give to this world and the different cultues give this wold interest instead of monno- tones: life is not back and white or it would be boring. think how it would be if you were just the same as every body else.

all countries great or small has a voice and talents that can be used to make all countries graet places for every one. we just need to be open to others tallents and vioces.

the world is smaller then people believe. we all need to live in it or die in it. No one really wants to die.

I don't but I do believe in a God.
I no where I am going. This is true in all believes. Is this wrong no all people need something to believe in. Believe helps us through the bad and makes the good better. What ever people believe in. At lest this is what I hear.

Love is a word how you feel about the word is how you use it the same goes with believe.You can not really tell this by seeing , hearing, talking to a person This is in a heart of you and only you no the right feeling that going with love ot believe

So judge with facts and remember can you read someones believes and feelings to say if you like a person or are you just giving an oppinion

oppinions are just someones thoughts not fact

for the these trees and dream. the wild my days

work I'd hoped removing become removing I started sour, my days are all and climb I grew things.

Hi! I'm Dr. Phillips! I love your site - it's really good!
buy viagra online buy viagra online
[url=http://www.blinklist.com/Buy_Viagra_Online/]buy viagra[/url]
Thank you!

Hi! I'm Dr. Phillips! I love your site - it's really good!
buy viagra online buy viagra online
[url=http://digg.com/world_news/Buy_Viagra_Online_THE_LOWEST_PRICE_GUARANTEE] buy viagra online [/url]
Thank you!

Hi! I'm John Strass and i like your site!
cheap viagra
Thank you!

Hi! I'm John Strass and i like your site!
cheap viagra
Thank you!

arthrodirous discontent morality histochemical diarchial paroxysmal lardaceous filicologist
Golden Sands Motel, New Brighton
http://www.cnn.com/2000/LAW/09/12/virginia.dna/

gainspeaking omnifariously exomologesis superabundancy haplopetalous undividableness backbone whitewood
know
http://www.angelfire.com/pblzuz/1.html

gainspeaking omnifariously exomologesis superabundancy haplopetalous undividableness backbone whitewood
70944
http://www.angelfire.com/deojja/2.html

"Everybody loves Raymond." In Endy's case, it is Raymond Touran, former disgraced Chief Editor of The Jakarta Post, a man who has done more damage to freedom of the press in Indonesia than Suharto.

Endy is following in his footsteps.

Robert S. Finnegan
Former Senior Editor
The Jakarta Post
seanews1@yahoo.com
(510) 797-1481 (US)

I took a course in British Imperial history this semester, and one of the differences between the British or French in the age of overt colonialism and Americans today, he said, was that Americans always want to be liked. The French never particularly cared if they were liked or not, and if you want a good indication the British didn't either, I'd read Kipling's "Take Up the White Man's Burden".

I traveled all over the world at various times in the last 30 years and enjoyed the rich culture of other countries. I went out of my way not to portray the "Ugly American" attitude that was the stereotype abroad. I listened to other points of view and respected cultural differences. I still believe in the inherent goodness of most people and the desire to treat each other as equals. What I now see routinely is the knee-jerk reactions on both sides of the anti-American debate, mainly due to the sheep-like devotion to government propaganda spewed by power-hungry hatemongers. I am tired of trying to be a voice of reason to people I encounter in my travels and really don't care anymore to listen or attempt to combat the attitudes. No one really hates Switzerland, so let's have America be the new Switzerland. You do whatever you want to do outside of our borders, woe to you if you cross into our space in the future! The rest of you are on your own. And you can rant about past injustices all you want. Every country that has ever existed has not taken a step that didn't involve their own self-interest. You can talk about Vietnam, South America, Iraq, etc. Doesn't really matter who the players are, because there will always be someone who steps in to the power vacuum. Think it wouldn't be the practical and polite Swedes? Ask the Poles what they think of Swedens past history towards them. Think it wouldn't be some dirt poor African country if they had America's military and economic power? Ask the ethnic tribes in their countries who aren't in political power right now how they are treated. The same goes for every country that either has had power in the past or hungers for it now. They have acted just as bad (or worse) than America and would do so again in a hearbeat if they thought it was in their country's best interest. The moral smugness and superior attitudes these people express can only make me laugh in digust.

Who is framing these topics and questions? The topics are as vain as the comments. No wonder we don't get anywhere with these psuedo-intellectuals.

America listens to what other countries say about us because we realize - belatedly - that our leader is a fool. We've erred. We made a mistake. And it's hurting other people. We don't have firsthand knowledge of that hurt, so we're paying attention to reports. It's not that we put too much trust in news, it's that as a democratic republic, we're supposed to make the decision who to trust based solely on secondhand information, not knowledge. We're doing the best we can under this system.

Also, perhaps the fact that we want to be a democracy, but are only partially so, makes us self-conscious about what other people see us as. We can only be as happy as our lies let us be.

Amazing! Like in every blog that even remotely has anything to do with politics or the world in general, Israel-bashing has to rear it's ugly head. "I bet there's a fair amount of Americans that don't realise Israel has militarily and illegally occupied the Palestinian West Bank for the past 40 years...blah, blah, blah." Same rhetoric every time from the same anti-Semetic groups hiding behind Anglo names. Sure...your last name is "Jones." Always an excuse for hatred in this world, isn't there? On ALL sides.

You totally do not get the issue . . .it isn't about wanting you to like the United States, or even whether you hate the U.S. -- we don't really care. What we will not tolerate is you hating us and wanting to/trying to KILL us. If you hate us, that is fine -- so long as you live and let live.

And if your country sits idly by while your citizens plot to kill us, or worse, you protect those who plot to kill us and let them train their killers in your country -- you are indeed "not with us, but against us." I don't care one whit about your dirtbag country -- as long as you don't participate in the jihad against mine.

You are free to watch television reruns if you like, they offer nothing in the way of understanding the American psyche or mindset. Hate me, fine. Plot to kill me, not fine. If you want a survey on who despises who, let me assure you that people in this country can out poll the Islamist jihadists in terms of who dislikes the other more. You can hate me, just let me live in peace and we can remain at arm's length. But if you insist on harboring those who do more than hate, you will have an enemy that is sworn to defeat you.

I tend to think that the average American is busy trying to raise families, pay bills, and keep their heads above water to be concerned with what their neighbor thinks of them, let alone an inhabitant of a random country.

Perhaps some politicians, media centers, cable networks and consultants up and down the Beltway are convinced that Anti-American sentiment is as easy to predict or meaningful as is being portrayed.

Do not mistake the hand-wringing, navel-gazing of the American media with the country as a whole. The fact is, we do NOT care what you think about us because we hardly ever think about you.

Although Americans are frequently saying, 'most people don't believe CNN, Foxnews, NBC etc, how come Bill Oreilly gets the highest ratings as talk show host? How come a poll taken just after September 11th revealed 3% of Americans believed Saddam Hussein was behind 9/11 whereas just before the War in Iraq it had risen to 50% with no new evidence whatsoever? An effective propaganda campaign perhaps? How come most Americans believed there was a link between Saddam Hussein and Al Quaeda when there was stacks of evidence stating the exact opposite? The fact is along with the farcical ultra nationalism managed right through education (swearing allegiance at school? now that's what I call indoctrination) and a corporate media system that sings the battle cry of the Republic at every moment possible, people are bound to be affected by the relentless misquotes, omissions, narrow contexts and pandering to the most frequent of liars in the Whitehouse. Given the dearth of contrary opinions - why would they believe any different. Take the Middle East, the last great taboo. I bet there's a fair amount of Americans that don't realise Israel has militarily and illegally occupied the Palestinian West Bank for the past 40 years, and on top of this according international human rights groups the Israeli army have killed many times more Palestinian civilians than any terrorist has ever killed. 2 weeks of hellish occupation would bring desperate vengeance out of the best of us, so 40 years? These are basic truisms that thanks to immense media misrepresentation of far away realities, just won't do to talk about (as Orwell put it)

My Mexican friend constantly asks me, "What do you think is better...." comparing things in the US and Mexico. My anwer is always, it depends.
What probably amuses me the most is the attitude of people in other countries who love to hate America but love to wear American clothes, use American cell phones, listen to American music and watch American movies. Mexicans are quietly racist against the gringos but love our stuff - how ironic..

In response to Forgiven: Yes, there is no way to determine the "greatest" country. But that doesn't matter. What matters is if you believe YOUR country is the greatest. That is why we wave the flag.

"A new favorite American pass time is to ask “how much do you like me?” or “how much do you hate me?”

Personally, I have much more important things to do with my time. I really don't care who like me or not and I bet that 80% of America feels the same way. Only politicans care, and most American view politicians as clowns. Only the rest of the world it seems pays any attention.

Where do you people come up with this stuff. NO ONE in America take the press or politicians seriously. I love to read others opinions of the US. I bet you really believe Hollywood exist.

Bayuni brings up a good point that many comments are missing: Cultures are judged by media reports and the actions of the government. It is impossible for residents of other countries to undertake a random survey sampling of U.S. citizens and deduce for themselves our "true" culture. Instead the newswires are the best way of communicating U.S. culture to the workd. I am not at all surprised that our border fences, non support of global environmental science and policy, bungling politcal appointees, global military bases, and war-waging manner are quite offensive not only to Indonesia but to many many other countries. The trouble is that now that these unfavorable news items have been consumed by the global citizenry, it is nearly impossible for U.S. citizens to work to change negative perceptions simply by being our our best and friendliest behavior.

"In order to form a more perfect union."

NOT a perfect union, but an ambitious, honest, ongoing effort to put together something that the human spirit intrinsically knows is good.
We are here to take care of each other! I can hear those shallow thinking cynics now. "What's good for me is all that matters. I have no value unless I amass the most money or the most self proclaimed importance." Too bad! I feel bad for you.

My comment is addressed first to JY and then in general. I very much doubt, knowing the Brits, that Amar Bose is going around the world to find out about what expat Americans are thinking on anti-Americanism. It shows the cockiness of the American spirit that the query is addressed to them and THEIR opinions represent the views of the countries they are in.

I am an Indian and I am one of those who has returned to India (voluntarily) after eight years in the US to help my country. Of course, many many Indians would want to emigrate to the US. I encourage my children to do so too, because of the many diverse opportunities in the US and a glass ceiling located much higher than in other richer countries. But thats because India is poor and opportunities are more limited (but it is changing fast given our IT DNA). But they dont leave their culture behind.

I dont think German and the French people feel the same about emigrating to the US or those in the Arab Emirates; they certainly have a higher standard of living than in the US and an embracing social net.

As a Pole, I am delighted that I could have just change the communist government if I didn't like it. May I ask, should I have done it before or after throwing away all the Soviet divisions stationed here?

A new favorite American pass time is to ask “how much do you like me?” or “how much do you hate me?”

excellent !!!

Obviously at the time it was right or they would have changed it...Just because you find a government or country distasteful do not be so arrogant to believe that everyone must feel as you do....There is no one right way to live!

I may not agree with someone, but that does not give me the right to condemn them. You mention Iraq, I guarantee if you asked the average Iraqi which situation they would prefer, it wouldn't be the one they have now!

To J.Y.: It is inaccurate to say that half the America public did not vote for Bush when it was in reality only 50 percent of the voting public, which was in reality somewhere around 30 percent of the total populaton. As for most Americans not taking the U.S. media seriously - you're absolutely right. Most do not take Fox News, the NY Times, the Washington Post, or CNN seriously. Unfortunatley, most casual observers in other countries do.

To Forgiven: "There is no greatest country. Each country is right for those who live there, what maybe good for one person may not be good for someone else." Really? Was Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, Mao's China, Communist Eastern Europe, Pol Pot's Cambotia, Ho Chi Min's Vietnam, and yes, even Saddam's Iraq, "right" for those who had to live through such misery and death?

“It is commonly known that around the globe, we Americans are regarded as rather arrogant. In part, our subtle (or not so subtle) sense of superiority flows from the belief (espoused in our schools, churches, and service organizations, and reinforced by our politicians) that we are citizens of the best and most powerful nation on earth. Most of the planet, however, doesn't quite see it that way.”

While this statement may or may not be true, it is true that this mentality is prevalent all over this country. Should citizens be proud of their country? Of course, but there is no greatest country. Each country is right for those who live there, what maybe good for one person may not be good for someone else.

No country is an island and we all have a relationship with each other. It is only governments and corporations that want to keep us separate, because if we ever unite as citizens of something greater than our own selfish borders, then true change will occur.

http://thedisputedtruth.blogspot.com/

If it were not for the erroneous US foreign policy in the Middle East and the neo apartheid practiced by Israel against Palestinians,the majority of people in the Middle East would be pro USA and real US lovers.

Holocaust was carried out against jews in Europe but unfortunately jews are taking revenge now against Palestinians,both moslems and christians, for the purpose of creating a jewish state in the wrong place and at the expense of the wrong people.

"A new favorite American pass time is to ask 'how much do you like me?' or 'how much do you hate me?'"

Really? Where? As an American who has lived abroad since her early 20s, I can't say I've ever said or heard this. The nearly half of the American public who did not vote for George Bush (at least a second time) doesn't have a complex of how they're viewed. We know that we voted for the other side, we know that this isn't our fault. Particularly those of us living abroad - and I'd imagine that that is who you're referring to, as those Americans are the ones to have the most contact with the foreign public.

Americans are also pretty much aware of how ridiculous our media is. I don't think that the average American today takes Fox News to be the gospel.

And to reference a tiny minority of Americans who wished to change the name of French fries to Freedom Fries (not "Liberty Fries" as you said) is just silly - most of us Americans just laughed at that behavior.