Sadly, anti-Americanism has always existed in Germany and Europe, and although right after the terrible 9/11 attacks there was a lot of solidarity with the U.S., this solidarity soon vanished. The moment I decided to do more than just being anti-anti-American, but also making it public, came when our then Justice Minister allegedly compared President Bush to Hitler in September 2002. I wrote an email to President Bush, that I later posted on my website.
But back in 2002 I did not yet know how to call my website. Searching for a name I have been inspired by two articles. The first one is an article by Daniel Henninger “Will the U.S. tell the world to take this job and shove it?”, Opinion Journal, March 7, 2003. In this article he suggests: “Let`s create a movement of our own: anti-anti-Americanism.” I thought that was a great idea, and I definitely wanted to be part of that movement. I also thought that the Americans who have done so much for Germany and Europe should not have to fight anti-Americanism themselves.
The second article that inspired me is by Mike Krause of the Independence Institute. In his article “Anti-Anti-Americanism” he describes his personal experiences with anti-Americans. It has been great fun reading it three years ago and it still is today:
“Anti-Anti-Americanism” by Mike Krause of the Independence Institute, March 26, 2003
Treading water just off the tourist laden shore of Mexicos Caribbean coast, the Canadian woman we were chatting with explained, “I usually go a little further down the beachwhere there arent as many of you”. The “you” she was referring to was us, or to be more specific, us Americans. “No offense” she quickly added. But of course, that was exactly what she intended.
“None taken” my buddy told her with a gracious smile, “we feel the same way about Canadians.” Actually, neither of us feels that way, but the look on her face as she furiously paddled away was much like the tagline of those MasterCard commercials Priceless.
Living in a part of Mexico where Americans are heavily outnumbered by European and Latin expats and tourists necessarily means getting the occasional earful of opinions about the United States, which run from admiration to good natured ribbing which of course, cuts both ways and from snide derision to outright contempt.
Of course, being the dominant power in the world is an open invitation to criticism. And I myself have never found any shortage of criticisms towards the decidedly anti-liberty tendencies of far too many people with their hands on the levers of power.
None the less, I remain eternally grateful to my ancestors who immigrated to the U.S. and allowed me the privilege of being an American.
So its a curious thing not the knee jerk anti-American sentiment described above, which is a common enough occurrence that USA Today recently ran a story on how not to be obviously “American” while traveling abroad, but rather how utterly bewildered some people are (including other Americans) when you refuse to appease them by being sufficiently apologetic for being an American.
Here are just a few examples of what I mean. Actual conversations, from the last couple of months, but prior to the current war in Iraq.
The first words from an Australian woman upon introduction, “Do you own a gun like the rest of America”?
“Yes, I do, but not everybody in America has one”.
“Did you know that America has more gun violence than any other country in the world”? She continued, “In Australia, nobody has guns its much better that way”.
“So what do you do if a criminal breaks into your house in the middle of the night, throw violence statistics at him”?
We havent really spoken much since.
From an American woman who lives in one of the most exclusive communities in the Northeastern United States and (shock) works for an Ivy League college there.
“The U.S. doesnt do its share to help the rest of the world, Cuba does more than the U.S. (I kid you not) they send doctors to poor nations all over the world to help with AIDS”.
“Doesnt Castro imprison Cubans who have AIDS?”
“Thats just to control the health of the Island”.
Ohokay.
From a Mexican woman and practicing Muslim,” it is dangerous to be a Muslim in the U.S.; your government is rounding all of them up. Id rather go to Iran, where Muslims are welcome.”
And who told her that the U.S. was rounding up all the Muslims?
“My spiritual advisor, she lives in New York”.
“Shouldnt your spiritual advisor be living in Iran then, where Muslims are welcome”?
Silence.
“Can women be spiritual advisors in Iran”?
More silence.
From a German expat, “I dont like your President Bush, he only wants war”.
“Thats okay, I dont much care for your Schroeder, he only wants to appease dictators”.
“We Germans dont want war”.
“Al Qaeda is as big a threat to Germany as to America”.
“Yes, but Iraq isnt”.
“Then it would be okay if the U.S. pulled its 100,000 troops out of Europe and you can provide for your own defense”?
“Well, its not as though we dont appreciate what you have done for us”.
From an American physician, “Its a crime for the U.S. to act unilaterally; we have to abide by the United Nations”.
“You mean the U.N. that stood by for the massacre at Srebrenica, or the U.N. that stood by for the genocide in Rwanda?”
“Where was the U.S. during genocide in Rwanda?”
“You just said it was a crime to act unilaterally”.
“The U.S. refuses to sign the U.N. human rights accord”.
“Doesnt Sudan sit on the U.N. Human Rights commission?”
“What are you, some kind of John Bircher?”
Finally, from a lovely Italian woman, lamenting the failure of her last two relationships, “Im so tired of Italian men; Im almost ready to date an American”.
Of course, sometimes a little diplomacy is called for, so I squared my shoulders and looked her in the eye, “Really, tell me more”.
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Copyright 2003
The Independence Institute
INDEPENDENCE INSTITUTE is a non-profit, non-partisan Colorado think tank. It is governed by a statewide board of trustees and holds a 501(c)(3) tax exemption from the IRS. Its public policy research focuses on economic growth, education reform, local government effectiveness, and Constitutional rights.
JON CALDARA is President of the Institute.
MIKE KRAUSE is a Senior Fellow at the Independence Institute.
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