Can anyone explain the anti-American sentiment to me?

[thailiketoo]

You're implication that people were anti American because of ignorant answers to poll questions is silly. Ethnocentric stools care far more about old stereotypes than current polls. Look at the long discussion about WWII. Brits have little factual financial information about WWII and its financial aftermath and rely on bar tales for stereotypes instead of reading about actual happenings.

that wasnt my implication at all. and what are those long discussions to me? anti- americanism is a fact, the op asked why. folks gave him reasons why. some americans dont like to hear the reasons given and want to argue about the stereotypes. and the methods they use to argue the point further alienate the folks that are anti-american. quite interesting.

OK what are the reasons? 1. Americans are loud. Is that a fact? I'm quiet. 2. Americans don't know anything about the world. Is that a fact? Far more Americans have passports than Brits. That's a fact. there are over 109 million valid U.S. passports in circulation according to the State Department.

America's most popular overseas countries are: England (9% of all trips), France (7%), Italy (7%), Germany (5%), Dominican Republic (5%), Jamaica (5%), Japan (4%), China (4%), India (4%) and Spain (4%). Other significant countries visited include: Bahamas (3%) and Costa Rica (3%). With just six percent of Americans trips going to the Middle East, and even fewer, just three percent, visiting the whole continent of Africa, and two percent going to Australia/New Zealand.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-d-chalmers/the-great-american-passpo_b_1920287.html

[AYJAYDEE]

You're implication that people were anti American because of ignorant answers to poll questions is silly. Ethnocentric stools care far more about old stereotypes than current polls. Look at the long discussion about WWII. Brits have little factual financial information about WWII and its financial aftermath and rely on bar tales for stereotypes instead of reading about actual happenings.

that wasnt my implication at all. and what are those long discussions to me? anti- americanism is a fact, the op asked why. folks gave him reasons why. some americans dont like to hear the reasons given and want to argue about the stereotypes. and the methods they use to argue the point further alienate the folks that are anti-american. quite interesting.

OK what are the reasons? 1. Americans are loud. Is that a fact? I'm quiet. 2. Americans don't know anything about the world. Is that a fact? Far more Americans have passports than Brits. That's a fact. there are over 109 million valid U.S. passports in circulation according to the State Department.

America's most popular overseas countries are: England (9% of all trips), France (7%), Italy (7%), Germany (5%), Dominican Republic (5%), Jamaica (5%), Japan (4%), China (4%), India (4%) and Spain (4%). Other significant countries visited include: Bahamas (3%) and Costa Rica (3%). With just six percent of Americans trips going to the Middle East, and even fewer, just three percent, visiting the whole continent of Africa, and two percent going to Australia/New Zealand.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-d-chalmers/the-great-american-passpo_b_1920287.html

this thread is full of reasons. whether you agree with them or not is immaterial., they reflect how folks feel about americans and that was what the OP asked.

[thailiketoo]

OK what are the reasons? 1. Americans are loud. Is that a fact? I'm quiet. 2. Americans don't know anything about the world. Is that a fact? Far more Americans have passports than Brits. That's a fact. there are over 109 million valid U.S. passports in circulation according to the State Department.

America's most popular overseas countries are: England (9% of all trips), France (7%), Italy (7%), Germany (5%), Dominican Republic (5%), Jamaica (5%), Japan (4%), China (4%), India (4%) and Spain (4%). Other significant countries visited include: Bahamas (3%) and Costa Rica (3%). With just six percent of Americans trips going to the Middle East, and even fewer, just three percent, visiting the whole continent of Africa, and two percent going to Australia/New Zealand.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-d-chalmers/the-great-american-passpo_b_1920287.html

this thread is full of reasons. whether you agree with them or not is immaterial., they reflect how folks feel about americans and that was what the OP asked.

The thread is full of nastyisms not reasons. It's full of mocking jibes not reasons.

For example, "MILITARY POWER The United States equals the power of ...Russia, China, Japan, Israel, Great Briton, France, Germany, And the next 6 most powerful nations combined.

I can hear an old Vietnamese gentleman laughing somewhere..." Post # 315

Dr no wrote the above and did not want to state a reason for anti Americanism he only wanted to mock America.

If he would have said people don't like America because of the Vietnam war I'd agree and point out that American youth stopped the war by demonstrations in the street and it was one of the last examples of young people actually influencing policy in the West instead of sitting on their butt playing computer games or looting retail stores.

The majority of the American people did not want the war in Vietnam, that's why it stopped without being won. We knew it was wrong and wanted to get out. I know, I was there. I fought and I protested and the war stopped.

If we hadn't gone to Vietnam, Thailand would be communist now and the Russians would feel more at home than they already do but what the heck. Do you appreciate the sacrifice America made to keep Thailand free?

Edited July 23, 2014 by thailiketoo

[SoiBiker]

2. Americans don't know anything about the world. Is that a fact? Far more Americans have passports than Brits. That's a fact. there are over 109 million valid U.S. passports in circulation according to the State Department.

So that's about a third of the population, then? As opposed to the around three quarters of the UK population who hold one.

[Wat dee]

In September 2006, an Ipsos-Reid poll found that 22 percent of Canadians believe "the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, had nothing to do with Osama bin Laden and were actually a plot by influential Americans.

A September 2008 Angus Reid poll showed that 39 percent of respondents either disagree or are unsure that al-Qaeda carried out the attacks. About a third of those surveyed believed the U.S. government allowed the attacks to happen and 16 percent believe the U.S. government made the attacks happen.

United Kingdom......

5 percent said the U.S. government were responsible, 1 percent said Israel and 12 percent named another country. 26 percent said they did not know.[

You're implication that people were anti American because of ignorant answers to poll questions is silly. Ethnocentric stools care far more about old stereotypes than current polls. Look at the long discussion about WWII. Brits have little factual financial information about WWII and its financial aftermath and rely on bar tales for stereotypes instead of reading about actual happenings.

You care to comment the documentary about US business in Nazi-Germany? If You haven't seen it, watch it few paces back.

[Wat dee]

OK what are the reasons? 1. Americans are loud. Is that a fact? I'm quiet. 2. Americans don't know anything about the world. Is that a fact? Far more Americans have passports than Brits. That's a fact. there are over 109 million valid U.S. passports in circulation according to the State Department.

America's most popular overseas countries are: England (9% of all trips), France (7%), Italy (7%), Germany (5%), Dominican Republic (5%), Jamaica (5%), Japan (4%), China (4%), India (4%) and Spain (4%). Other significant countries visited include: Bahamas (3%) and Costa Rica (3%). With just six percent of Americans trips going to the Middle East, and even fewer, just three percent, visiting the whole continent of Africa, and two percent going to Australia/New Zealand.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-d-chalmers/the-great-american-passpo_b_1920287.html

this thread is full of reasons. whether you agree with them or not is immaterial., they reflect how folks feel about americans and that was what the OP asked.

The thread is full of nastyisms not reasons. It's full of mocking jibes not reasons.

For example, "MILITARY POWER The United States equals the power of ...Russia, China, Japan, Israel, Great Briton, France, Germany, And the next 6 most powerful nations combined.

I can hear an old Vietnamese gentleman laughing somewhere..." Post # 315

Dr no wrote the above and did not want to state a reason for anti Americanism he only wanted to mock America.

If he would have said people don't like America because of the Vietnam war I'd agree and point out that American youth stopped the war by demonstrations in the street and it was one of the last examples of young people actually influencing policy in the West instead of sitting on their butt playing computer games or looting retail stores.

The majority of the American people did not want the war in Vietnam, that's why it stopped without being won. We knew it was wrong and wanted to get out. I know, I was there. I fought and I protested and the war stopped.

If we hadn't gone to Vietnam, Thailand would be communist now and the Russians would feel more at home than they already do but what the heck. Do you appreciate the sacrifice America made to keep Thailand free?

JEESUS CHRIST!! ARE YOU SERIOUS!??

[thailiketoo]

2. Americans don't know anything about the world. Is that a fact? Far more Americans have passports than Brits. That's a fact. there are over 109 million valid U.S. passports in circulation according to the State Department.

So that's about a third of the population, then? As opposed to the around three quarters of the UK population who hold one.

Do percents of people travel or people? America is a big country. You can stay in America and travel to Cuba, Miami or Mexico, San Antonio. Or Iraq in Detroit or Poland and so on. There are more Thais in California than most cities in Thailand. Get in a car in Europe and drive through 5 countries in a day. Get in a car in America and drive for 5 days and still be in the States. Americans travel but they have four seasons and many oceans and mountains and languages and cultures to choose from right at home.

[thailiketoo]

OK what are the reasons? 1. Americans are loud. Is that a fact? I'm quiet. 2. Americans don't know anything about the world. Is that a fact? Far more Americans have passports than Brits. That's a fact. there are over 109 million valid U.S. passports in circulation according to the State Department.

America's most popular overseas countries are: England (9% of all trips), France (7%), Italy (7%), Germany (5%), Dominican Republic (5%), Jamaica (5%), Japan (4%), China (4%), India (4%) and Spain (4%). Other significant countries visited include: Bahamas (3%) and Costa Rica (3%). With just six percent of Americans trips going to the Middle East, and even fewer, just three percent, visiting the whole continent of Africa, and two percent going to Australia/New Zealand.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-d-chalmers/the-great-american-passpo_b_1920287.html

this thread is full of reasons. whether you agree with them or not is immaterial., they reflect how folks feel about americans and that was what the OP asked.

The thread is full of nastyisms not reasons. It's full of mocking jibes not reasons.

For example, "MILITARY POWER The United States equals the power of ...Russia, China, Japan, Israel, Great Briton, France, Germany, And the next 6 most powerful nations combined.

I can hear an old Vietnamese gentleman laughing somewhere..." Post # 315

Dr no wrote the above and did not want to state a reason for anti Americanism he only wanted to mock America.

If he would have said people don't like America because of the Vietnam war I'd agree and point out that American youth stopped the war by demonstrations in the street and it was one of the last examples of young people actually influencing policy in the West instead of sitting on their butt playing computer games or looting retail stores.

The majority of the American people did not want the war in Vietnam, that's why it stopped without being won. We knew it was wrong and wanted to get out. I know, I was there. I fought and I protested and the war stopped.

If we hadn't gone to Vietnam, Thailand would be communist now and the Russians would feel more at home than they already do but what the heck. Do you appreciate the sacrifice America made to keep Thailand free?

JEESUS CHRIST!! ARE YOU SERIOUS!??

You don't know do you? Communists were in Thailand big time. All of Thailand's neighbors were overthrown, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Burma. The Thais asked SEATO for help and America, Australia, and even UK responded with troops and equipment. America had many thousands of men serve in Thailand between 1965 and 1975. I can't remember the name of the Brit operation here but there are some posters who were involved I'm sure.

So don't yell. Be quiet and ask some of the Americans who built the airports and deep water ports and roads and communications capability and schools that brought Thailand out of the middle ages and made it the Tiger of Asia (economically).

Edited July 23, 2014 by thailiketoo

[Wat dee]

The thread is full of nastyisms not reasons. It's full of mocking jibes not reasons.

For example, "MILITARY POWER The United States equals the power of ...Russia, China, Japan, Israel, Great Briton, France, Germany, And the next 6 most powerful nations combined.

I can hear an old Vietnamese gentleman laughing somewhere..." Post # 315

Dr no wrote the above and did not want to state a reason for anti Americanism he only wanted to mock America.

If he would have said people don't like America because of the Vietnam war I'd agree and point out that American youth stopped the war by demonstrations in the street and it was one of the last examples of young people actually influencing policy in the West instead of sitting on their butt playing computer games or looting retail stores.

The majority of the American people did not want the war in Vietnam, that's why it stopped without being won. We knew it was wrong and wanted to get out. I know, I was there. I fought and I protested and the war stopped.

If we hadn't gone to Vietnam, Thailand would be communist now and the Russians would feel more at home than they already do but what the heck. Do you appreciate the sacrifice America made to keep Thailand free?

JEESUS CHRIST!! ARE YOU SERIOUS!??

You don't know do you? Communists were in Thailand big time. All of Thailand's neighbors were overthrown, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Burma. The Thais asked SEATO for help and America, Australia, and even UK responded with troops and equipment. America had many thousands of men serve in Thailand between 1965 and 1975. I can't remember the name of the Brit operation here but there are some posters who were involved I'm sure.

So don't yell. Be quiet and ask some of the Americans who built the airports and deep water ports and roads and communications capability and schools that brought Thailand out of the middle ages and made it the Tiger of Asia (economically).

Who overthrow who?

So what you think, why 3+ million people died in Cambodia? How was Pol Pot/Khmer Rouge able to get into power?

[thailiketoo]

You don't know do you? Communists were in Thailand big time. All of Thailand's neighbors were overthrown, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Burma. The Thais asked SEATO for help and America, Australia, and even UK responded with troops and equipment. America had many thousands of men serve in Thailand between 1965 and 1975. I can't remember the name of the Brit operation here but there are some posters who were involved I'm sure.

So don't yell. Be quiet and ask some of the Americans who built the airports and deep water ports and roads and communications capability and schools that brought Thailand out of the middle ages and made it the Tiger of Asia (economically).

Who overthrow who?

So what you think, why 3+ million people died in Cambodia? How was Pol Pot/Khmer Rouge able to get into power?

I think it is beyond the scope of our discussion here but I would suggest you look into the history of South East Asia and SEATO and explore the Thai request for assistance from SEATO and the response to said request. There are museums devoted to the communist insurgency in the Phetchabun area. The Communist Party of Thailand - CPT was a Marxist-Leninist political party in Thailand active from 1942 until the 1990s.

[thailiketoo]

I bet you are a USA citizen! Yes I m superior to all of you. What s wrong with that? U country suck it s why you came to Thailand.

BTW, you can not use the excuse that you didn't want the war. I Let you remember u live in a democracy and when the USA go to war, you are all responsible. So please cut the crap of "oh I didnt want to go to war, not me"

all of you are responsible what the USA do. Nobody care if it s the citizen or the Congress or the president... It s All of you who go to war constantly. It s your fault if the world suffers. It s you who drop bombs from drones on the head of the people . Because you pay tax to USA.... So you are responsible of murders! Because you pay your f.... Tax to a bunch of mafia.

No excuses! Murders! Baby killers!

I would be ashamed to be a USA citizen... Now they go after the one who hide money (fatca), so USA can drop more bombs....

How can you look yourself in a mirror? Are you happy to kill people and be part of illegal activities (nsa, Iraq....) ? Answer to me!

You wrote, "No excuses! Murders! Baby killers!" I think you want to make a nasty comment about Americans which is typical of much of this thread as opposed to discussion of the topic.

You don't really think a person would engage in reasonable conversation after you call him a murderer or baby killer do you? It speaks more to your level maturity.

[1BADDAT]

If you meet a USA guy, ask him where he is from, and tell him "USA? Where is that? Never heard about it"

And look at his face....!

And if you want ad more sauce on his ego say "gosh, I would prefer to live in Mexico"

One day I made believe a usa guy I was living in the eiffel tower . I bet he believe me, he told me it was howsome!

In USA I love to make fun of them. They are so clueless. You can say whatever you want, they believe anything ! No wonder they like the Church of Scientology.

This has got to be one of the most bizarre things I have heard someone be proud of.

You really think that because you pretend that you don't know where the US is that this will hurt his ego?

So you would rather live in Mexico over a place that you have "never heard about it"? Makes even less sense than your first statement.

And the fact that you like to travel to a place and and are amused by showing your moral superiority is less arrogant than the average American you come across?

I bet you are a USA citizen! Yes I m superior to all of you. What s wrong with that? U country suck it s why you came to Thailand.

BTW, you can not use the excuse that you didn't want the war. I Let you remember u live in a democracy and when the USA go to war, you are all responsible. So please cut the crap of "oh I didnt want to go to war, not me"

all of you are responsible what the USA do. Nobody care if it s the citizen or the Congress or the president... It s All of you who go to war constantly. It s your fault if the world suffers. It s you who drop bombs from drones on the head of the people . Because you pay tax to USA.... So you are responsible of murders! Because you pay your f.... Tax to a bunch of mafia.

No excuses! Murders! Baby killers!

I would be ashamed to be a USA citizen... Now they go after the one who hide money (fatca), so USA can drop more bombs....

How can you look yourself in a mirror? Are you happy to kill people and be part of illegal activities (nsa, Iraq....) ? Answer to me!

I honestly have no idea what kind of point you are trying to make here. Obviously you hold a lot of anger towards the US so I am not sure why you would want to visit.

Regardless I will answer your questions.

How can you look yourself in a mirror? - I look at myself in the mirror just fine because I am not responsible for anything you have listed above because I am a US citizen.

Are you happy to kill people and be part of illegal activities? - No. That is why I do not do such things.

[Jingthing]

I already knew about the anti-Americanism of people from Europe, to a lesser extent the U.K. Interestingly I haven't perceived much open anti-Americanism from Russians. But I am curious about how widespread this is.

For example, of 100 random Belgians I might meet in Thailand, what percentage do you reckon harbor strong anti-American prejudices ... whether they display it or not?

[In Search of Space]

I love you

[SDM0712]

.............. With the huge British empire leaving a legacy of British English especially in India's huge population and almost every African country speaking British English.......

What is " British English" ?

Britain is made up up of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland , Wales, the Channel Islands and a few other islands of the coast of Scotland. The versions of each are about as different as comparing what they speak in Canada to Austrialia.

There is no such thing as British English ! A more accurate term would be English English, or really just plain old simple English since it is the mother and original tongue that has been distorted by the so called English speaking countries into something else. We speak the original version, often called the Queen's English, or in the past the King's English. What ho.

SDM

Edited July 23, 2014 by SDM0712

[duanebigsby]

I have a question.

As I've said I've personally experienced explicit and irrational anti-American feelings expressed to my face from people who don't know me.

Some of the reasons have been expressed here.

Some of it is about foreign policy and also objections to internal things in the U.S. like gun mania.

Some of it is about behavior judged to be unpleasant.

So here's my question.

Right now there's a lot negative in the news about RUSSIAN foreign policy (and also internal policy).

Specifically their land grab in Crimea and propping up the airplane shooters in rebel areas of Ukraine.

Their dictator Putin enjoys 85 percent support so chances are if you meet a random Russian, they do like Putin and his hyper-nationalist policies.

Their disgustingly repressive anti-gay laws also enjoy overwhelming popularity so if you meet a random Russian, most likely they support these horrible laws.

Certainly many Russians also display unpleasant behavior while abroad that might be equally or more objectionable to the complaints about Americans.

Such as pushing, shoving, not smiling, not mixing with non-Russians, territorial piggishness at buffets transport and beaches, etc.

YET, I have never observed a Russian person being confronted with rude expressions of anti-Russian feeling as I have experienced as an American.

WHY IS THAT?

Are people afraid of Russians?

If it's OK to be so rude to Americans based on perceived negative stereotypes, why not to Russians?

I don't know so unless someone can explain it me, my theory is people are afraid of Russians in a way they just aren't afraid of Americans.

We smile!

I don't confront Americans either. I don't confront anybody! but I would feel just as strongly about a group of loud Russians

being arrogant. For some reason, there are some Americans who believe feverishly in "we're the greatest nation on earth" and then loudly shove it down others throats. It happens more than some Americans realize.

[duanebigsby]

.............. With the huge British empire leaving a legacy of British English especially in India's huge population and almost every African country speaking British English.......

What is " British English" ?

Britain is made up up of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland , Wales, the Channel Islands and a few other islands of the coast of Scotland. The versions of each are about as different as comparing what they speak in Canada to Austrialia.

There is no such thing as British English ! A more accurate term would be English English, or really just plain old simple English since it is the mother and original tongue that has been distorted by the so called English speaking countries into something else. We speak the original version, often called the Queen's English, or in the past the King's English. What ho.

SDM

Sorry about my misuse of British English. There is an English dictionary different for each country specifically and I should have said English English. I was trying to distance it from American English. If you just say just English, people ask which one? I know it probably bothers you that people less familiar with the UK lump all the separate countries together.

[SDM0712]

.............. With the huge British empire leaving a legacy of British English especially in India's huge population and almost every African country speaking British English.......

What is " British English" ?

Britain is made up up of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland , Wales, the Channel Islands and a few other islands of the coast of Scotland. The versions of each are about as different as comparing what they speak in Canada to Austrialia.

There is no such thing as British English ! A more accurate term would be English English, or really just plain old simple English since it is the mother and original tongue that has been distorted by the so called English speaking countries into something else. We speak the original version, often called the Queen's English, or in the past the King's English. What ho.

SDM

Sorry about my misuse of British English. There is an English dictionary different for each country specifically and I should have said English English. I was trying to distance it from American English. If you just say just English, people ask which one?

I know it probably bothers you that people less familiar with the UK lump all the separate countries together.

Actually it doesn't bother me at all, I was just being facetious. I find it really annoys our American, Australian cousins to say something like, using Samual L Jacksons words after pretending not to understand them, " English, do you speak it ?!" But I'm only kidding, one thing as Brits we have that does tend to separate us from everyone else is our sense of humour. So what, the parrots dead, why is that even funny.

I'm pleased to say that I am fairly well travelled and believe that every country has good and bad. I've travelled all over the States and although I do believe that countries such as the UK are dragged I to things that we would rather not be by the US, this is nothing to do with Americans in general or America which is a wonderful country, but most developed countries are.

SDM

[Shurup]

2. Americans don't know anything about the world. Is that a fact? Far more Americans have passports than Brits. That's a fact. there are over 109 million valid U.S. passports in circulation according to the State Department.

So that's about a third of the population, then? As opposed to the around three quarters of the UK population who hold one.

Do percents of people travel or people? America is a big country. You can stay in America and travel to Cuba, Miami or Mexico, San Antonio. Or Iraq in Detroit or Poland and so on. There are more Thais in California than most cities in Thailand. Get in a car in Europe and drive through 5 countries in a day. Get in a car in America and drive for 5 days and still be in the States. Americans travel but they have four seasons and many oceans and mountains and languages and cultures to choose from right at home.

Yes US is a big country, what's your point? One smart kid in a family doesn't make a whole family look smart. SO yes, the percent counts. 1/3 of "traveling" US population doesn't equate to a whole country when speaking of a whole country in general.

[duanebigsby]

All I am saying, is that it was an Allied effort of many countries, and that some Americans claiming solo credit

for "bailing the entire world out" are arrogant and wrong.

A red herring, really.

Of course you can find an uneducated idiot in any country to claim anything. If you're too thin-skinned to accept the fact, then I suppose suicide is your only answer.

Now if a Brit remarks, "We won the war," he's speaking casually; if asked, he'd include the other Allies. Similarly any American w/ the slightest knowledge of history, who's even seen any of the classic movies, will acknowledge the critical roles of the other Allies and certainly will NOT claim that the USA alone won the war. And I've never in my life heard anyone not acknowledge the critical role of the Russians, even if that's followed with observations about the Iron Curtain.

The roles of the Allies are clearly acknowledged in all the classic WW II movies, e.g., The Longest Day, whose focus, after all, is on the American role, just as a Brit movie would focus on the Brit role. And the Allies' roles are in all the history books. So there's never been any American conspiracy to claim that 'Mercans single-handedly won WW II. Never. Get over it.

So I don't see this as a serious reason for anti-Americanism. If you hear such a nonsensical and usually casual statement, and if offends your thin skin, you may simply offer a reminder, have it acknowledged, and that's the end of it.

OTOH, and with typical hypocrisy, what you hear on this forum (re: WW II) as part of the anti-American drumbeat is the opposite arrogant nonsense: that Americans were pretty useless, Russians would have won anyway, Americans cheated the other Allies, blah, blah. Member thailiketoo has taken all the wind out of that sail.

I'm not so thin skinned that I would consider killing myself over some obnoxious, loud mouth, in your face yank blathers on about "the greatest country on earth. what the hell has your country contributed? <deleted>"

And it happens a lot. I simply tell them to <deleted> off and move tables.

Many of your countrymen are loud and obnoxious, telling us how great you are. Why aren't you like that when I travel through the States, only overseas?

Even worse than blathering on with a red herring, which you've now had to abandon, is resorting to mere lying. Such desperation.

Next time () maybe you can think of something your country has contributed and inform the inquiring minds?

Next!

your statement suggesting Most well informed Americans who know it was a group effort by allies, I absolutely agree with.

Point out my lies. I haven't lied.

What red herring?

All I'm saying, is that far too often one meets a very opinionated, loud American who knows everything, and puts other peoples' countries down. As a non-American, I can tell you it happens quite often.

I've never disliked an American simply for foreign policy, but for how in your face they can be.

The OP asked why the anti-American sentiment? Many of you are that stereotype.

[Shurup]

I already knew about the anti-Americanism of people from Europe, to a lesser extent the U.K. Interestingly I haven't perceived much open anti-Americanism from Russians. But I am curious about how widespread this is.

For example, of 100 random Belgians I might meet in Thailand, what percentage do you reckon harbor strong anti-American prejudices ... whether they display it or not?

Why don't you then talk to some of them while riding your lovely baht buses in Pattaya? Tell them you're working on a survey and ask their opinion. You may find many of them are actually decent people.

May or may not work though. There was as much anti-US propaganda during the Soviet time as there was anti-Russian propaganda in US.

[thailiketoo]

your statement suggesting Most well informed Americans who know it was a group effort by allies, I absolutely agree with.

Point out my lies. I haven't lied.

What red herring?

All I'm saying, is that far too often one meets a very opinionated, loud American who knows everything, and puts other peoples' countries down. As a non-American, I can tell you it happens quite often.

I've never disliked an American simply for foreign policy, but for how in your face they can be.

The OP asked why the anti-American sentiment? Many of you are that stereotype.

Where do you meet these Americans? Online?

[Johnsy]

OK what are the reasons? 1. Americans are loud. Is that a fact? I'm quiet. 2. Americans don't know anything about the world. Is that a fact? Far more Americans have passports than Brits. That's a fact. there are over 109 million valid U.S. passports in circulation according to the State Department.

America's most popular overseas countries are: England (9% of all trips), France (7%), Italy (7%), Germany (5%), Dominican Republic (5%), Jamaica (5%), Japan (4%), China (4%), India (4%) and Spain (4%). Other significant countries visited include: Bahamas (3%) and Costa Rica (3%). With just six percent of Americans trips going to the Middle East, and even fewer, just three percent, visiting the whole continent of Africa, and two percent going to Australia/New Zealand.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-d-chalmers/the-great-american-passpo_b_1920287.html

this thread is full of reasons. whether you agree with them or not is immaterial., they reflect how folks feel about americans and that was what the OP asked.

The thread is full of nastyisms not reasons. It's full of mocking jibes not reasons.

For example, "MILITARY POWER The United States equals the power of ...Russia, China, Japan, Israel, Great Briton, France, Germany, And the next 6 most powerful nations combined.

I can hear an old Vietnamese gentleman laughing somewhere..." Post # 315

Dr no wrote the above and did not want to state a reason for anti Americanism he only wanted to mock America.

If he would have said people don't like America because of the Vietnam war I'd agree and point out that American youth stopped the war by demonstrations in the street and it was one of the last examples of young people actually influencing policy in the West instead of sitting on their butt playing computer games or looting retail stores.

The majority of the American people did not want the war in Vietnam, that's why it stopped without being won. We knew it was wrong and wanted to get out. I know, I was there. I fought and I protested and the war stopped.

If we hadn't gone to Vietnam, Thailand would be communist now and the Russians would feel more at home than they already do but what the heck. Do you appreciate the sacrifice America made to keep Thailand free?

You just don't get it do you!

"American youth stopped the Vietnam war" you say.

There you go again, bl@#dy yanks

Your congress and virtually the entire American population didn't even know that your government and the CIA were also bombing the &lt;deleted&gt; out of Laos and some of Cambodia, killing tens of thousands of civilians indiscriminately with unconventional weapons. Again, you think you were the only ones fighting in Vietnam don't you? The only ones protesting to stop the war? The only ones doing something to stop the senseless killing of both sides? The whole World had had enough of Vietnam, everyone was protesting about that war. At the least it was every country that was again dragged into another pointless war declared by America using the same untruths that they still use today which still result in the same outcomes. Your government stopped the Vietnam war because America couldn't win that war, do you understand that? Furthermore, staying in that war was far more damaging and costly for the American global image and your economy as well as the brutal divisive impact on your society.

As for your statement about saving Thailand from Communism, well I just can't find words to respond to that, other than, you wonder why you see anti-American sentiments in these posts.....OMG!

[duanebigsby]

.............. With the huge British empire leaving a legacy of British English especially in India's huge population and almost every African country speaking British English.......

What is " British English" ?

Britain is made up up of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland , Wales, the Channel Islands and a few other islands of the coast of Scotland. The versions of each are about as different as comparing what they speak in Canada to Austrialia.

There is no such thing as British English ! A more accurate term would be English English, or really just plain old simple English since it is the mother and original tongue that has been distorted by the so called English speaking countries into something else. We speak the original version, often called the Queen's English, or in the past the King's English. What ho.

SDM

Sorry about my misuse of British English. There is an English dictionary different for each country specifically and I should have said English English. I was trying to distance it from American English. If you just say just English, people ask which one?

I know it probably bothers you that people less familiar with the UK lump all the separate countries together.

Actually it doesn't bother me at all, I was just being facetious. I find it really annoys our American, Australian cousins to say something like, using Samual L Jacksons words after pretending not to understand them, " English, do you speak it ?!" But I'm only kidding, one thing as Brits we have that does tend to separate us from everyone else is our sense of humour. So what, the parrots dead, why is that even funny.

I'm pleased to say that I am fairly well travelled and believe that every country has good and bad. I've travelled all over the States and although I do believe that countries such as the UK are dragged I to things that we would rather not be by the US, this is nothing to do with Americans in general or America which is a wonderful country, but most developed countries are.

SDM

"There's a penguin on the telly"

Yes I love British humour. I never come across strongly upon first meeting. I only object to the occasional Yank who fits the stereotype, of which, not the majority does.

I've driven all over the USA and have found people generous and kind and welcoming.

[duanebigsby]

your statement suggesting Most well informed Americans who know it was a group effort by allies, I absolutely agree with.

Point out my lies. I haven't lied.

What red herring?

All I'm saying, is that far too often one meets a very opinionated, loud American who knows everything, and puts other peoples' countries down. As a non-American, I can tell you it happens quite often.

I've never disliked an American simply for foreign policy, but for how in your face they can be.

The OP asked why the anti-American sentiment? Many of you are that stereotype.

Where do you meet these Americans? Online?

Coworkers at the school I teach, in bars, on line, airports, restaurants, anywhere really. Small percentage I've ever met come across as the worst case scenarios which I've described. But more than a lot of other countries and difficult to ignore.

[Wat dee]

You don't know do you? Communists were in Thailand big time. All of Thailand's neighbors were overthrown, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Burma. The Thais asked SEATO for help and America, Australia, and even UK responded with troops and equipment. America had many thousands of men serve in Thailand between 1965 and 1975. I can't remember the name of the Brit operation here but there are some posters who were involved I'm sure.

So don't yell. Be quiet and ask some of the Americans who built the airports and deep water ports and roads and communications capability and schools that brought Thailand out of the middle ages and made it the Tiger of Asia (economically).

Who overthrow who?

So what you think, why 3+ million people died in Cambodia? How was Pol Pot/Khmer Rouge able to get into power?

I think it is beyond the scope of our discussion here but I would suggest you look into the history of South East Asia and SEATO and explore the Thai request for assistance from SEATO and the response to said request. There are museums devoted to the communist insurgency in the Phetchabun area. The Communist Party of Thailand - CPT was a Marxist-Leninist political party in Thailand active from 1942 until the 1990s.

In every civilized democratic country has multiple political parties, including communist. That is called FREEDOM!

[squarethecircle]

"Again, you think you were the only ones fighting in Vietnam don't you? The only ones protesting to stop the war? The only ones doing something to stop the senseless killing of both sides? The whole World had had enough of Vietnam, everyone was protesting about that war."

See here's some more hypocrisy. Everyone went out on a limb to protest against the US in Vietnam, but 4 years later when Red China did the exact same thing, invaded Vietnam - except for IMO far more nefarious reasons, to punish Vietnam for interfering with China's dirty allies in the Khmer Rouge - no one said a word, and probably very few know about it. This is hypocrisy and one reason I don't buy the "US foreign policy" is the reason for the anti-American sentiment, since plenty of other countries are doing similar just maybe without the same broad reach; I conclude the reason for the anti-American sentiment it's deeper than that.

[squarethecircle]

"Again, you think you were the only ones fighting in Vietnam don't you? The only ones protesting to stop the war? The only ones doing something to stop the senseless killing of both sides? The whole World had had enough of Vietnam, everyone was protesting about that war."

See here's some more hypocrisy. Everyone went out on a limb to protest against the US in Vietnam, but 4 years later when Red China did the exact same thing, invaded Vietnam - except for IMO far more nefarious reasons, to punish Vietnam for interfering with China's dirty allies in the Khmer Rouge - no one said a word, and probably very few know about it. This is hypocrisy and one reason I don't buy the "US foreign policy" is the reason for the anti-American sentiment, since plenty of other countries are doing similar just maybe without the same broad reach; I conclude the reason for the anti-American sentiment is deeper than that.

[rijb]

Why are you some of you haters still here? You made your point. Are you waiting for a visa?

Most posters have done the seagull thing... Swoop in, drop shit, swoop out.

Time to piss off. Go start a thread about your own sorry country.

[thailiketoo]

The thread is full of nastyisms not reasons. It's full of mocking jibes not reasons.

For example, "MILITARY POWER The United States equals the power of ...Russia, China, Japan, Israel, Great Briton, France, Germany, And the next 6 most powerful nations combined.

I can hear an old Vietnamese gentleman laughing somewhere..." Post # 315

Dr no wrote the above and did not want to state a reason for anti Americanism he only wanted to mock America.

If he would have said people don't like America because of the Vietnam war I'd agree and point out that American youth stopped the war by demonstrations in the street and it was one of the last examples of young people actually influencing policy in the West instead of sitting on their butt playing computer games or looting retail stores.

The majority of the American people did not want the war in Vietnam, that's why it stopped without being won. We knew it was wrong and wanted to get out. I know, I was there. I fought and I protested and the war stopped.

If we hadn't gone to Vietnam, Thailand would be communist now and the Russians would feel more at home than they already do but what the heck. Do you appreciate the sacrifice America made to keep Thailand free?

You just don't get it do you!

"American youth stopped the Vietnam war" you say.

There you go again, bl@#dy yanks

Your congress and virtually the entire American population didn't even know that your government and the CIA were also bombing the <deleted> out of Laos and some of Cambodia, killing tens of thousands of civilians indiscriminately with unconventional weapons. Again, you think you were the only ones fighting in Vietnam don't you? The only ones protesting to stop the war? The only ones doing something to stop the senseless killing of both sides? The whole World had had enough of Vietnam, everyone was protesting about that war. At the least it was every country that was again dragged into another pointless war declared by America using the same untruths that they still use today which still result in the same outcomes. Your government stopped the Vietnam war because America couldn't win that war, do you understand that? Furthermore, staying in that war was far more damaging and costly for the American global image and your economy as well as the brutal divisive impact on your society.

As for your statement about saving Thailand from Communism, well I just can't find words to respond to that, other than, you wonder why you see anti-American sentiments in these posts.....OMG!

The Kent State shootings (also known as the May 4 massacre or the Kent State massacre) occurred at Kent State University in the US city of Kent, Ohio, and involved the shooting of unarmed college students by the Ohio National Guard on Monday, May 4, 1970. The guardsmen fired 67 rounds over a period of 13 seconds, killing four students and wounding nine others, one of whom suffered permanent paralysis. Some of the students who were shot had been protesting against the Cambodian Campaign, There was a significant national response to the shootings: hundreds of universities, colleges, and high schools closed throughout the United States due to a student strike of four million students. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_State_shootings

I was at the protests in the 1970's. My future wife went to Kent State, Before that I was in the Army in Vietnam and Thailand and Laos.

I can answer any questions you may have about those things from a first hand perspective. No rumors. No media bias. I was there.

In 1962 Thailand, a member of the South East Asia Treaty Organization requested the SEATO nations for military assistance to help defend Thailand in case of any attack from North Vietnam troop movements along its northern borders.

In 1960 Thailand and Laos and Vietnam and Cambodia were not under the communist sphere of influence. In the 1970's Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia were under the communist sphere of influence. Thailand was the domino that did not fall because of the US military presence in Thailand from 1965 to 1975.

You don't get an opportunity very often to speak to one of the people who were involved in the history you have only learned about from books. Myself and many others posting on Thai Visa could give you a unique and accurate perspective on that time period if you only would ask.