Britons see US as vulgar empire builder. Well, I don't blame them, judging by the stories that come to my attention.
Some are good, of course. Like this one: Finale the Americans are doing a really good deed: they are sending rice to the Middle East. At least: that's what I heard on the radio today.
One of the other stories I hear is that several people are staying in American prisons while being innocent and more than once evidence that can prove their innocence "disappears".
Speaking of innocencen: don't you just love the innocence of young children? Take mine for example. Today they joined me in a visit of my daycarecentre-nanny (if that't the word...). I hadn't seen her in over thirty years but it seemed less than a decade...;-)
Tomorrw is the introduction-day of this years summercamp for the volunteers and since I'll be one of them and I can't leave Eva en Ferdinandn home alone we'll spend best of the day in the dunes near Haarlem. Should be fun.
2 comments:
I'm a British person and I certainly don't see the US as an empire builder. I'm also NOT a fan of George Bush or any of his party but I DO get annoyed with the growing anti-americanism in the world that in my opinion is often unfounded.
According to the Index on Global Philanthropy, $71 billion in aid was given in international donations by U.S. private charities, religious organizations, universities, corporations, foundations, and immigrants sending money home for the year of 2004 (the latest year available).
The US government gave in that same year $20 billion in foreign aid. You ever hear anyone complaining about that? I don't.
Futhermore, the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) ranks the United States as the biggest donor of government foreign aid among developed countries in terms of total dollars given.
You can dislike a politian, a government or a policy, but disliking an entire nation just because it's headed by someone you don't agree with is in my mind just plain silly. GO USA!!
Same kind of thing when Britsh newspapers say:"The Dutch are sending troops to Afghanistan." Not true either but you know what they mean...;-)
When i speak for myself I say that when I use "The Americans" I'm talking about George W. Bush and his followers. When I want to speak about "The American people" I speak of "The American people".
It's that easy. To me anyway.
But your point is well taken. Thanks for your input.
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