
Why The World Doesn't Much Like America
The American Government
constantly says one thing and does another. It imposes standards on the rest of
the world which it refuses to accept itself. It has consistently shown a
disregard for international law and a contempt for human rights.
The
Americans claim to be the fount of goodness but they refuse to do anything to
help poor countries - indeed, over the last couple of decades they have
introduced policies which have directly led to the deaths of millions of
innocent people. America's idea of diplomacy is to carpet bomb countries which
upset America.
The Americans deny basic human rights to whole countries
and then arrogantly claim that they know best. They insist that price stability
within America is more important than the future of the planet; they continue to
destroy our environment (as well as their own) and to wage war against innocents
all around the world.
Virtually every day there are reports of American
hypocrisy. The American president claims that his country leads the world in
justice and yet his is one of the few countries which routinely executes
children. American presidents wage war to distract attention from their sexual
peccadilloes. They insist that developing countries have properly supervised
elections and yet they themselves conduct a presidential election which is
decided when the so-called Supreme Court arbitrarily decides not to recount
votes which would almost certainly have changed the result of the election.
A headline in an American newspaper ran: `All Nations on Earth Sign
Global Warming Agreement. USA Refuses.' And still they wonder why everyone
loathes and despises them.
Americans know little or nothing about other
countries. Even their leading politicians have no idea where other countries are
or who leads them. The Americans expect the rest of the world to worship their
flag, but they seem unable to understand that respect has to be earned and
cannot simply be demanded. The Americans believe that their definitions are the
only ones that count; they believe that if they say that someone is a terrorist
then the rest of the world must regard him as a terrorist. The Americans fund
terrorists in Ireland but think that the English are being unreasonable if they
complain.
The Americans believe that the only form of justice that
matters is American justice - even though to the rest of the world American
justice doesn't look, sound or smell much like justice at all.
The
Americans have a commercial view of human rights. They change their views
according to the combatants. The Americans regard China as an important trading
partner so they put up with human rights violations there. The Americans need
Saudi oil so they turn a blind eye to human rights violations in that country
too. But they will carpet bomb Afghanistan and Iraq to force regime changes in
those countries.
The Americans claim to respect the freedom of the press
and the individual's freedom of speech but they will close down websites which
are critical of America. When Americans closed down my website, the American FBI
refused to cooperate with the British police to arrest the criminal involved.
But when a British citizen interfered with American websites the Americans
insisted that the British authorities deal with him.
In February 2003,
at the same time that they were begging for British support for their latest war
on Iraq, the Americans told the South Africans to arrest an innocent British
pensioner but then left him in prison for ten days before even bothering to go
and interview him.
There is, in American hearts and minds, one rule for
Americans and one rule for the rest of the world. The Americans are widely
loathed. And the loathing will get worse, much worse, before it gets better.
Americans claim to offer freedom on religious matters but insist that
the world convert to Christianity - preferably of the right variety. The
Americans regard themselves as missionaries - chosen by God to lead the world.
And still they wonder why the world dislikes them.
To Americans, history
started just after they stole their nation from the natives. There is no
equality of opportunity in the USA but they pretend there is. The American
revolution started with the battle-cry `No taxation without representation'. But
the Americans now tax the world - and refuse to allow any
representation.
The Americans have handed power to the lobbyists and the
public relations specialists. He who has the biggest bank balance has the most
power. That is the American version of freedom. Frankly, it stinks.
It is
hardly surprising that around the world people distrust America and Americans.
It is hardly surprising that very few non-Americans have much confidence or
faith in America.
The Americans steal, corrupt and pollute without a
thought for the rest of the world. They are contemptuous and condescending,
greedy and uncaring. They refuse to accept international laws on how to deal
with prisoners of war. They demand immunity from the war crimes court for their
own soldiers. They are by far the world's biggest polluter but they refuse to
ratify the Kyoto Treaty because it may damage their own internal economy. They
steal and patent seeds and plants and then sell those seeds and plants back to
starving people in developing countries. They foist genetically engineered
products on a world which doesn't want them. They claim to worship capitalism
and freedom and yet the American government owns nearly 40% of all land in the
USA.
The greed and dishonesty of corporate employees in America has been
a primary factor in helping to push the world economy into recession. And still
they wonder why the rest of the world dislikes them.
The Americans think
they are disliked because they are rich. They are wrong. Very wrong. They are
disliked, in part, because of the way they got rich and because of the way they
now behave.
Taken from `Rogue Nation' by Vernon Coleman,
published by Blue Books and available from the shop on this website.
Copyright Vernon Coleman 2003