I think alot of Americans misunderstand the roots of the criticism.

I am not American, but I believe in the idea and ideals that lie behind America as a nation expressed through the Bill of rights, the Constitution and in the countless writings of the founding fathers who have tried to address almost every possible problem that might befall the nation, if only all their words were taught more thoroughly in schools rather in universities.

It's the fusion of many ideas of liberty and democracy, starting with perhaps with Rome, the Magna Carta in Britain right up to the French revolution and so on.

I criticize the US not from a blind hatred towards its foreign policy or corporate hegemony but because it is perhaps the strongest beacon of individualism and democracy that remains in our world, almost every nation regardless of its personal views strives to achieve what America allows for it's people, the idea that any man or woman can achieve progress through hard work, that they can influence the course of government, that they essentially have a voice. A fundamental idea that still has to take stronger roots elsewhere in the world, especially now with a rise of a new neo-despotic capitalism taking place in Russia and China.

This is not to say that America has perfected the idea or it's execution, no not at all but is has come close, but it has hit obstacles, corporate control has replaced population control and the vote of the people only because the people have slowly forgotten their civil liberties over the liberties of the dollar and the corporate sector.

In this way America sets the standard for the rest of the world, this is why seeing the War on terror, Iraq and Afghanistan was so heart breaking because the thinking goes if America can do it... so can any one else, the moral high ground of being against torture has been lost. That's why the criticism is so harsh, the world wants America to be better, in fact it wants it to be the best. I think its like that perhaps to the wide spread of it's culture, the fact that its in reality the representation of many populations of the world coming together.

This is my personal belief. I think developed from reading these words for the first time when I was younger.

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Emma Lazarus, 1883

"The New Colossus" is a sonnet by Emma Lazarus (1849-1887), written in 1883 and, in 1903, engraved on a bronze plaque and mounted inside the Statue of Liberty.

These words, that essential idea is something all Americans need to remember. There is such richness of ideas in American political and constitutional history with regards to liberity, that really makes me happy inside. Like reading about liberty for someone who has known only the shackles of jail all their life.

For variouse reasons im to tiered to go into i think the article was well put. Maybe i'll add more when i'm not having a headache.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

I think there's hypocracy all around. I'm huge consumer of American culture - and yet I never miss a chance to lambast my country for its shortcomings.

At the same time I do get a bit shirty when I hear Australians go off on the father land. Like the culture here is that much different. Australians are just as ugly abroad as Americans. Beer swilling provincial louts in many cases.

I agree almost 100% with farhad, and dag, and i thought the article linked was just whiny. If you don't like encountering different people's views, hey, how about DON'T TRAVEL AND DON'T TALK TO PEOPLE IN BARS.

And shitloads of people refuse to eat McDonalds AND have a dim view of american foreign policy, AND have a dim view of their own countries' politics. If one of these people tells you America has wasted the best chance in history to create world peace, do you listen then? Or make some other excuse why you don't have to listen? Maybe if i like The Doors and Jefferson Airplane I am not allowed to criticise America? Right? That's logical?

When you travel abroad you represent your entire nation, like it or not.

At least people don't assume you are a football hooligan who wears a bowler hat and drinks tea all day from a golden cup, sitting on a chair made of money.

Or they think you are a terrorist because of your religion and where you happen to be born.

wow, MINK, you really got a hate-on for the USA.

i love many things that have happened in the location known as america, but fuck yeah, i hate the actions of recent administrations of the political entity known as the USA. kthxbye

Direct your hate then, where it's righteous, all you Administration bashers, Atheists, Obama-sevicers, cause-lovers.....at yourselves for putting up wit someone else's bullshit agenda...

I have nothing against the individual American as such, but I have something against what America (the country and idea) has become of late. As a consequence, I'm disappointed that the American people allow it to happen.

I'm am also angry at the religions of America, but again that's more the clergy and churches fault than the peoples; they were suckered and can't get out. I don't think the average religious person is a bad person at all, I think they've not looked close enough at their faith. I do think that ministers and preachers are spreading lies and evil, even if they know it or not.