This question has been asked numerous times, but I really want to clarify.  You see, people around the world have stereotypical views on America.  They think that the people of America are ignorant to the other nations of the world and 'butt' into people's business.  I have to say- that is the GOVERNMENT of our nation.  In fact, most people in America do not agree with the acts of government.  And most people detest our President as much as others in the world do.  So, why is it that whenever I travel, people always treat me coldy when they find out I am American?
137012
Many countries feel that we are contributing to the problem by not protesting it. Yeah, our government is doing all of the action, but what are we doing about it? Where is the international coverage of our uprisings in the streets? We just complain amongst ourselves, and do nothing by way of protest. War in Vietnam, protests in the streets all day every day. War in the Gulf, nothing, War in the Gulf again, nothing. People don't hate us because we are American, people hate us because we are lazy. Too lazy to change a government that is not working for the majority of the people. Next time travelling, tell people you are Canadian.\n\nGonzo: I agree with your statements. There are many liberties that we take for granted. Many that we do not exercise, as well.
351647
The real deal with us British who some over the pond label as "anti-American" is not that we are against the American people as such. What I, as an "anti-American" dislike is the policies of successive USA governments. As individuals, almost all the Americans I have ever come in contact with, have been brilliant - good company and very hospitable. Good people in every way. Its just a pity that such good people never seem to get the kind of government they deserve.
157065
I'm not sure why people think you hate America by your posted question. I Don't like the war. I don't think we should be trying to take care of problems other people have when we have enough of our own. But I don't hate America or the Military. The men and women over seas are doing what they think is best and doing thier job. Just because people disagree with what is going on doesn't mean they hate America. That is the great thing about this Country we can speak our mind and say what we think. People need to remember that is what this country is all about FREEDOM! So what ever it is that you want to say everyone else needs to get over it. If they don't like it don't read it!!
513958
No matter where you go, you will find those who revel in disliking people that are different. It makes them feel superior. Sad really.\n\nFew Americans hold the views you think. That's a caricature promulgated by the ultra conservatives, and maybe a few morons thrown in for good measure. Being more liberal on many things makes you seem to be the enemy, so they demonize you.\n\nMost of us respect your culture, and some of us envy many elements of it.
563250
We can sometimes be spoiled brats.  Rightly or wrongly most of us grow up thinking we live in the greatest country in the world, not because of who we are as individuals but because of our institutions and our history.  We naively expect the entire world to feel the same way and for everyone to "love" us.  I suppose it is kind of an insecurity, possibly because we are this melting pot.  I think most countries with single strong ethnic identities probably don't suffer from this insecurity.  They are who they are and they just don't care what anyone thinks.  Americans get this attitude but in a different reactionary way.  Trying to give an example:  The French say might criticize America for something it's doing in the world...and it feels no embarrassment about doing so...they are perfectly justified in doing so.  However after this "affront" we become insulted...kind of get our "feelings hurt"....then respond with a kind of beligerant screw you attitude.  I suppose we come off kind of whiney at times like that.  On the other hand it seems that other countries aren't quite as "thin skinned".  So I don't think it's an inferiority complex...but I think it's a bit of over concern with image.  I think we should just do what we do and quit worrying about what people think.  Personally though I have to admit that i'm becoming weary of the weight of all the worlds problems and if the world wants us out of them maybe we should just get out of them...and let them deal with it all.  Seems to me like we are only having our entire economy destroyed by dealing with the rest of the world anyway..so shut the borders...bring all the troops home, cut off all foreign aid, no more trade, sit back, and carry a big big stick.  Maybe then the rest of the world will find us acceptable.\n\ntruthseeker...you are seeking anything but the truth or if you are it's to seek it out and destroy it wherever you find it.
47265
Im not american, and i dont hate americans. I have very good american friends, relatives too.\n\nBut I agree with theoryst. Your law is as good as ours. The problem is that, with all the money you have ( as a country not as people - something to think about -) you voted a cowboy for president, and now he thinks he is the lone ranger.\n\nHe thinks, not the people, he is the world police and guess what: Who is the most hated kind of people? Police
628198
Americans from the USA tend to think that they are to be served by everyone else in the world. They have been taught from birth they are the best and only country in the world that is worth living in. Most of them, not all, talk down to others from other countries. They are very ignorant when it comes to knowledge of other countries because they do not want to learn about them.\n\nHow do I know this? I am an American and have lived in and visited in and have seen first hand what most of them do. I currently live in Canada, a great country and in many ways better than the USA especially when it comes to being friendly.\n\nDoes the answer above give you a clue? That shows you how ignorant many of them are...the answers below show you the same...I am sorry that Americans think they are the only ones who do anything for others around the world they aren't and those from other countries soon learn that Americans are giving up their freedoms more and more every day...I am sorry all of you but it is the truth...travel outside of the USA sometimes and observe!
202440
America is the most beautiful country i think, in the world. Good government, good land, good structure. But unfortunately most of the people i don't like. No-one friendly, bush-haters, Jesus-haters, and a million more. Nobody will say "hi" or wave any more. They make fun of people they don't like and envy. People get so offended, no more holidays on calenders, "my holiday is not on there." etc. i have seen so many smart-Alick answers on here. nobody will be NICE anymore. It bothers me. and not to mention the cussing. I am equally disappointed.
54011
Dissent is not un American, it is very much part of what makes America strong. \n\nBut don't be fooled when people say their dissent is American, when they bring internal American disagreements outside of our country. These people are seeking the approval of outsiders who cannot respect America with the loyalty of an American. Outsiders have jealousies and other reasons not to be honest with their disagreement with America. \n\nIt is like inviting a next-door neighbor to side with you against you husband or wife in a family spat. Maybe your neighbor doesn't like your dog, or your son's noisy Harley, or maybe likes your daughter, all that figures into what they will say or think.. His or her input or opinion is likely to be skewed in a way that has no place in solving your argument. In fact in may inflame the situation. Politicians know this but don’t care or even worse…they want the negative result. And they figure that we voters are dumb enough not to see it for what it is. \n\nAmerican leadership taking American issues (whether the issues have an international affect or not) is deliberately Anti-American. They do it because they respect only their own greed and power lust and because they genuinely disrespect Americans like you and I who have to live with the damage they cause.
362383
Actually, not all the rest of the world assume that all Americans are narrow minded and ignorant.\n   I don't deny that many many Americans are narrow minded and ignorant and that's not a result of anything but refusing to listen or to understand people's way of thinking, and I always say that there are many Americans who still think themselves living in the center of universe and refuse do dialog with other nations. That's a fact BUT>>>>>>>\n  I know many Americans here in Palestine, some of them are friends of mine, they are so nice and so open-minded because they saw they truth by their naked eyes and believed it. And even in USA itself I know there are millions of good Americans (such as you, and I really wish all people around this world have your ideology, we would never have problems!).\n   Even here, some people think all Americans are narrow-minded, and please don't blame them, because they're being killed by US arms used by Israelis, their homes are demolished by that Caterpillar. But believe me - in Palestine- a big majority sees many Americans as nice people.\n  Yazan, Palestine, 16 years old, school student.\n                                                                                 Regards.
319635
Maybe because it's America?\nSometimes I watch BBC news or read foreign news online to see what others think of us.
638475
Americans are willing to look the other way from their government's crimes because they benefit from them.  The US public had cheap oil for decades because of their government's willingness to support brutal regimes.\n\nEditorial columnist and cartoonist Ted Rall had a good idea a few years ago: instead of spending billions of dollars to send American soldier to kill other people, the US government should give thousands of 20-something Americans a plane ticket, a phrase book and a few thousand dollars and make them live overseas for a year.  \n\nWhen Americans see the effects of their policies and their country's reputation in tatters, they'll come home and try to change it.  Americans I have met who lived in various countries for at least a few months (except for the military and the godbots proselytizing their hate literature), all changed their tune and realize how fcuked up their country's policies are.
129154
The mind set that you're criticizing actually has a historical term called American Exceptionalism.  It roots all the way back to the beginning of the USA and it is the belief that America is truly unique and special in the world.  Americans operate off this assumption that is ingrained in them from birth that says America is superior.  It's naturally for someone to have pride in their country, but unfortunately, most of us Americans take it to a an extreme level.  This is why the Bush administration thinks that it's O.K. for America to ignore the Kyoto Protocols and that the Geneva Conventions don't apply to them.  And thus your problem, Americans on Yahoo are so ignorant that they just assume that well of course everyone on yahoo is an American.  It's an American company in English!  And they would be surprised to know that people from around the world use Yahoo.  I think you are right to take offense at Americans who do believe that the USA is everything and I agree that they are wrong.  One of the answers to the problem and what allowed me to see it in myself was to travel abroad.  And I don't mean go be a Ugly American tourist, but I went to Brasil and actually staying in someones house for two weeks and experienced what life is like for them and it forced me to realize that the American way of doing things is not the best and that the USA is really only a small part of the world.
442669
America is an amazing country and the rest of the world hates us for it. We have more guns than people, every race, religion and language spoken in the world right here in one spot and we don't have the problems these other countries have (think about that). We have the capability to completely destroy each other and we don't. Somehow Americans get along much better with each other then the rest of the world. Sure we have racism and disagreements but no civil war/massive riots(France). Why? Other countries speak the same language and have the same religion yet they are blowing up markets, burning each other and cutting of heads (notice no guns are used in those crimes). I'm not sure why we are different but we are and I wish the rest of the world would give us some credit for how we (the citizens-not our government) conduct ourselves.
527548
I like and respect most Americans.\n\nBut here's some of the reasons that I think some of your fellow countrymen occasionally do your great country no good whatsoever:-\n"Who cares what a foreigner thinks" (see above). If you cared a little bit more "what a foreigner thinks" you might be having slightly less trouble in Iraq right now. The cowboy attitude of thundering into Dodge City and sorting out all the bad guys at gunpoint might work in the movies but in the Real World things are slightly more complex.\n\nArrogance, particularly when dealing with non-Americans and even more particularly when that arrogance is displayed by Americans who seem to know very little about the World outside of the USA. I have seen a question on here asking if we have air conditioning in London - like we still live in the Middle Ages over here in the UK. NEWSFLASH: Americans are not always right about everything; you don't always have the biggest and best, cleverest or quickest - and even if you do, please try to keep your patriotism in check so that everyone else doesn't mistake it for bragging.\n\nYour ridiculous image of "Britishers" all having big ears and bad teeth (about as accurate as our image of Americans as red-necked trailer-trash who marry their sisters and who are too stupid to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time).\n\nThe fact that you say "England" when you mean "United Kingdom" or "Great Britain".\n\nThe rest of the World doesn't like breathing your pollution.\n\nHalf your country seems to be ultra right wing fire-eating bible thumpers and the other half seems to drown in drugs, porn and gun crime... both worry me and I'm not sure which is worse.
268286
yeah, America is often viewed as the country filled with people who are uneducated and have no clue what is going on around them. \nI heard a comment from a comedian, he said,\n"As a whole the U.S. is a country filled with idiots, but as a whole they are genius; Russians on the other hand are all Einsteins, but as a whole you can't find a dumber group of people." \nIt's sad, but somehow true, for example, try asking an Average American what the capital of Italy is, or even France. Americans don't care about what is going n in Dafur, in fact 95% probably didn't even hear about the country. Or ask an American to place Iraq on the map... and we are at war with this country!\nThere is nothing that anyone can do about that. But the fact that we are the most individualistic country in the world has something to do with that. People just don't care, they would rather watch American Idol, then worry about what is going on in Congress. Arrogance... \n\nOne day the political arrogance and ignorance of the general population will get us into trouble...
657814
i have no problem with americans, im english by the way, we are all the same, i dont care much for the bush administration especially on foreign policy but hey blair aint no better thats just politics, i judge people on who they are not where they come from, the world is only a small place and we are the same. i like the way you mention how we think americans are disrespectful i dont know about all americans but john s seems to be, not just disrespectful but ignorant also, we fought in those wars aswell john, and you were only our allies, allies that played a small part only in the war against hitler, we dont blame america for our misfortunes, we blame ourselves and colonialism where we exhausted ourselves giving the world "freedom" the same sort of "freedom" mr bush and mz rice are handing out now to the middle east, and we did that round about the same time that your ancestors john moved over to america from one of our (probably britain) nations, but anyway back to the question i dont dislike americans at all, i find myself disliking john s but thats just one american