OFF TOPIC - The IOC sucks.

Suicide Junkie · #1 July 19th, 2001, 01:47 AM

They're powering up their incinerator beams!

Raise shields! Full power to the engines! We'll not be caught in this potential flame war!

Alpha Kodiak · #2 July 19th, 2001, 03:35 AM

Phoenix-D: If I guess correctly, looks like we've got Arizonans, back-to-back.

The world doesn't stand a chance!

CW · #3 July 19th, 2001, 04:00 AM

quote:
It's funny how people love to criticize the U.S. as a "barbaric, lowlife nation", right up until they want our money....

As an outsider (not living in the US), I can tell you the rest of the world doesn't think money is everything.

Alpha Kodiak · #4 July 19th, 2001, 04:45 AM

quote:
Originally posted by CW:
As an outsider (not living in the US), I can tell you the rest of the world doesn't think money is everything.

Nor do I. I merely find it frustrating that people/nations criticize the U.S. quite harshly, then come to us begging for money.

Your complaint was that people from the west look at people from the east as second class people. I do not feel that way at all. Please do not assume that because I live in the United States that I think money is everything.

Remember too, that not that long ago in the grand scheme of things, American blood mingled with Chinese blood stopping the Japanese from from taking all of China. Perhaps we are not so evil as people would make us out to be....

Baron Munchausen · #5 July 19th, 2001, 05:53 AM

The heat of this thread is certainly unexpected. I guess lots of people who watch the news and fume about high-handed US behavior are taking out their frustrations here.

I think US defenders need to understand that US 'bashers' are quite familiar with the fact that we lead the world in many areas. But, we do NOT lead the world in ALL areas. You would never guess that from watching/listening to US media, though. Especially political news and advertising. The constant 'patriotic' bragging and preening got so nauseating during the Reagan years that you could hardly stand to turn on the TV. It's subsided a bit since then, yet it's still far too prevalent. The attitude problem that our government displays in international contexts, crashing around like the proverbial bull in the china shop, doesn't help either. So, large numbers of Europeans who've been seeing this stuff for years run across this thread in the Shrapnel GAMES forums and vent at it. Hmm, maybe they should write letters to the editors at CNN.com, ABC/CBS/NBC.com, FOXNEWS.com, etc. They might actually attract some attention and get a feature story about the perceived arrogance of the US abroad.

CW · #6 July 19th, 2001, 07:12 AM

quote:
Perhaps we are not so evil as people would make us out to be....

Not at all. You guys are not evil. I'm merely suggesting that some of your country's policies can be counter-productive, and some of the common views in your country are not entirely the fact.

[This message has been edited by CW (edited 19 July 2001).]

Alpha Kodiak · #7 July 19th, 2001, 08:49 AM

quote:
Originally posted by CW:
Not at all. You guys are not evil. I'm merely suggesting that some of your country's policies can be counter-productive, and some of the common views in your country are not entirely the fact.

Some would imply that we're pretty bad. (Or perhaps the term "barbarian" was used in its original meaning, "foreigner", which would be accurate for anyone not from the U.S.

)

My response was specifically related to your statement that implied that for us, money is everything. While that may be true for some, as it is in other countries as well, it is definitely not true for all.

As for the rest, I agree with you that not all commonly held views in this country are accurate. I would also state that not all commonly held views ABOUT this country are accurate.