Excellent post, Sally.

Excellent post, Sally.

Oh thankyou! I was worried about this one....I didn't want it to be seen in a bad light!

I just discovered your blog site today. I love it!! I wanted to thank you for what you said in "Brits...". It is nice to know. It is a very strange time here in America. People warn not to travel because everyone hates us, they also say that if you must travel you should say you are canadian. It is so silly. I totally agree with you on everything you said about Bush. I wish more people saw things the way you did.

I think this is insightful honey, and I agree with most of your points. I don't know what the truth of the whole situation is- I don't think anyone does, and besides, truth is an ill defined concept. But I do know I, and almost all of the people I know, did not, and will not be voting for him. Personally, the day he leaves the white house will be the happiest day of my life.

No offence to your prime minister, but Bush should really be charging him rent for letting him live in his ass. I think Britain and America have always had an excellent relationship, an equal relationship, but Bush screwed that up. America isn't the bully- Bush is, or rather, the shadowy government figures behind him.

This time round, I hope democracy wins out.

Dyl xx

His inflated claims of weapons of Mass destruction. Where does it all stop.

Well actually it is the British secret service that provided that little number and incidentally, the British government continues to stand by that one.

He still despises Blair, though

Yes, many Brits feel that Blair wants to be American too badly and it wounds their pride. I think, however, that Blair does NOT want to be American, he is simply seeing eye to eye with Bush.

Now if Kerry could come to terms with the fact that the Viet Nam war were over, he might be able to make up his mind about...umm.. anything, and earn some respect from me and likeminded Americans.

"Knowing what you know now, Senator Kerry, would you still have voted for the Resolution to use force in Iraq?" "Yes..."
But then when it comes time to buy flak jackets for the troops, he votes no (Well he actually voted for it before he voted against it).

He presents no viable alternative to the Republicans except that he does not subscribe to their party.
I'll be voting with the majority in '04. The President stays for 4 more years.

But leftists should be glad. The door is then wide open for the smartest woman in the world: Hillary in '08 !!!

At the moment I agree. If America re-elects Bush however, I will be anti American.

Reply #7 By: heyhey (Anonymous) - 9/11/2004 8:08:18 PM At the moment I agree. If America re-elects Bush however, I will be anti American.

Then I'd get "ready" if I were you! Latest polls say Bush is pulling away and Kerry is falling behind! Oh Yeah baby!!!!!

No problem. I am estimating at spending around $5,000 on a skiing trip this northern winter. I ruled out the US purely based on the approval ratings of Bush. Bush has treated the rest of the world with contempt, the opinion polls largely show that the majority of Americans approve of this approach. That's fine, I'll take my $5k and invest it in France instead. I don't lose out, the US ecconomy does.

Thats all right we don't need your money anyway!

Im curious as to what the British anti-Bush percentages were? Its a tight race here in america, as we all know, almost 50-50, so remember, for every voter that hates Bush, theres one that loves him.

Countries that traditionally support America, almost to a person, don't like Bush. In Britain, it's three to one against. Refer to the opinion poll located here Link that shows that he's very unpopular with most of the citizens of the 35 countries surveyed.

Interestingly, outside of the US, those with higher education and incomes are more likely to support Kerry.

JW

Excellent post Sally - the sentiment is pretty much mirrored in Australia... except where British want to be like the US, us here in Aus know we are better than you both

It's a subject that will come up time and time again whilst the world gets smaller and the US insist on it's interventionalist policies... If the whole world were able to vote, Kerry would win in a landslide.

America is the only country in the whole world where someone like Bush could get into power, I still shocks me to this day that the American public could possibly re-elect him. I guess they have their reasons... which I dont understand, but it's up to them - Of course we dont hate the American general public, but we cant help questioning the publics intentions when they vote for him again - hence compromising our opinion of them as well... Essentially, I guess George W. Bush does what is right by Americans, for Americans - and it is certainly apparent to me Americans have different values and priorities than any other nation in the Western world. So whilst we are affected, we can only sit and watch the story unfold...

BAM!!!

To Sally jacobs:

I'm LWs Husband. I came to America from Britain just over a year ago, my head full of the kinds of suspicions you talk about. Let me tell you something I've learned since then. America can't be comprehended from the other side of an ocean.

My wife, before she knew me, thought that Americans and British were essentially similar. We are not. We are divided by more than a common language. We are divided by wealth you literally cannot imagine, and technology you won't encounter for another ten or fifteen years. We are divided by a political system that, for all its faults, is infinitely more flexible, infinitely more adaptable, and infinitely more responsive, than the antiquated and class-bound nonsense that transpires in Britain.

We are divided by a sense of patriotism that is endemic, genuine, and thriving as opposed to cynical and opportunistic. We are divided by the fact that America is a true and actual power in the world, while Britain is a hanger-on still lost in dreams of faded glories and victories which are no longer relevant to the world.

And Britain is divided from America by the fact that it serves, and America rules.

I hate to tell you this but your suspicions and doubts are irrelevant, just as Britain (though not Europe) is irrelevant. Why do you think I left that wretched, parochial, theme-park of an island? Because I'd rather live in the original than in the copy.

Britain has a claim on some small portion of the past. But all of the future belongs to America.

As to Bush, as a man and a President: I'm not convinced that some of his economic policies are wise. What I am convinced of is that he is a man who will do anything he deems necessary to protect his country and its citizens. Despite my history as a left-leaning 'liberal' if I could vote this year I'd vote for Bush. Why?

Because Kerry is as incapable of doing anything without having it rubber-stamped by a poll as I am of getting to the moon by flapping my arms up and down. And because he will be as much a servant of 'big business' as any Republican - without having the moral courage to be honest about it, or the intelligence to make his captivity serve the public good.

As soon as it serves his interest, Kerry will dump the British.

As to Bush the man: I attended a rally at which he spoke, recently. He's a hard-working joe whose job suits him, and who suits his job. He looks like a guy you could meet in a bar and have an intelligent, impassioned conversation with. He looked, spoke, and acted, like a decent man - the caricatures available in the British press - with which I remain familiar through the online editions of both the Guardian and the Independent - do him no kind of justice.

If you want to know what America is - and by extension, what Bush is - do as I have done. Come live in a provincial American town, live among ordinary Americans, see their honesty, fairness, and generosity. And experience for yourself how truly irrelevant to America, and therefore the world, are your puny suspicions.

What you don't know you can't understand. And unless you live here, you don't know America.

Because Kerry is as incapable of doing anything without having it rubber-stamped by a poll as I am of getting to the moon by flapping my arms up and down. And because he will be as much a servant of 'big business' as any Republican - without having the moral courage to be honest about it, or the intelligence to make his captivity serve the public good.

emp...excellent analogy. This is why I won't support Kerry (as one who had already committed not to support Bush, but who always votes, I am a vote kerry lost.

Gee isn't it funny how everyone likes to knock America until the poo hits the fan and then its, "Oh please come save our bacon!" "We are under attack, please liberate our nation" Bla bla bla.
How many Dictatorships has your nation turned into Democracies? America takes the gold in that department. Why is it wrong to appreciate that?
I think Leftist Hollywood has a disproportionate effect on peoples brains - seemingly moreso outsid ethe US. Otherwise I just can't figure it out. It couldn't possibly be jelousy. I mean, just because these dumb headed Americans have figured out how to grant its citizens a high quality of life and leads the world in innovations and all those who can afford and are allowed to, to flock here when they need medical help... Or the greatest fighting force on earth to intervene every time the poo hits the fan. Serbia anyone?
And $$ As if the American economy wasn't the backbone of the world? Yeah - them Americans - they must be SO stupid!
As for liberal foreign tourism. The less of that around here, the better. Go ahead, help that rift grow.
If Americans did not spend tourism $ in your country and your nationals did not visit the US, who gets the better end of that deal? One guess.
Gee - you think you would want to be in the good graces of a friend like that?
Then people say OH they are SO arrogant! Well gee - if you go and criticize them after they have been NOTHING BUT GOOD TO YOU and they defend themselves verbally, then that makes them arrogant. Well I guess when you have something to be proud of, you should pretend that you don't? Is that the way it works?
Where are all the sensible people? Can we please hear from a non-American who actually appreciates and supports America?
Why don't these people worry about the SUDANESE holding the Chairmanship of the Human Rights Committe at the UN OVER US Objections?
Or Chinesse expansion quietly growing or the North Koreans starving so that Kim Jong Il can test nukes over Japan or whatever he is doing over there.
It just cracks me up that when the US was conquering North Africa, Southern and Western Europe and the whole of the Pacific, all these Euro whiners were waving the red, white and blue, but then when its OUR bacon on the fire and that of countries that don't interest them - Oooh Americans stink and their leaders order their military to fight.
Come on!!
I guess it is too much to ask because being too supportive of the US is akin to not being patriotic about your own country. Or something like that. 'meddling in everyone elses affairs' BAH! What affairs would those be? ATTROCITIES! Darn right! Please do meddle with attrocities!

Reply #13 By: EmperorofIceCream - 9/12/2004 2:11:14 AM To Sally jacobs: I'm LWs Husband. I came to America from Britain just over a year ago, my head full of the kinds of suspicions you talk about. Let me tell you something I've learned since then. America can't be comprehended from the other side of an ocean. My wife, before she knew me, thought that Americans and British were essentially similar. We are not. We are divided by more than a common language. We are divided by wealth you literally cannot imagine, and technology you won't encounter for another ten or fifteen years. We are divided by a political system that, for all its faults, is infinitely more flexible, infinitely more adaptable, and infinitely more responsive, than the antiquated and class-bound nonsense that transpires in Britain. We are divided by a sense of patriotism that is endemic, genuine, and thriving as opposed to cynical and opportunistic. We are divided by the fact that America is a true and actual power in the world, while Britain is a hanger-on still lost in dreams of faded glories and victories which are no longer relevant to the world. And Britain is divided from America by the fact that it serves, and America rules. I hate to tell you this but your suspicions and doubts are irrelevant, just as Britain (though not Europe) is irrelevant. Why do you think I left that wretched, parochial, theme-park of an island? Because I'd rather live in the original than in the copy. Britain has a claim on some small portion of the past. But all of the future belongs to America. As to Bush, as a man and a President: I'm not convinced that some of his economic policies are wise. What I am convinced of is that he is a man who will do anything he deems necessary to protect his country and its citizens. Despite my history as a left-leaning 'liberal' if I could vote this year I'd vote for Bush. Why? Because Kerry is as incapable of doing anything without having it rubber-stamped by a poll as I am of getting to the moon by flapping my arms up and down. And because he will be as much a servant of 'big business' as any Republican - without having the moral courage to be honest about it, or the intelligence to make his captivity serve the public good. As soon as it serves his interest, Kerry will dump the British. As to Bush the man: I attended a rally at which he spoke, recently. He's a hard-working joe whose job suits him, and who suits his job. He looks like a guy you could meet in a bar and have an intelligent, impassioned conversation with. He looked, spoke, and acted, like a decent man - the caricatures available in the British press - with which I remain familiar through the online editions of both the Guardian and the Independent - do him no kind of justice. If you want to know what America is - and by extension, what Bush is - do as I have done. Come live in a provincial American town, live among ordinary Americans, see their honesty, fairness, and generosity. And experience for yourself how truly irrelevant to America, and therefore the world, are your puny suspicions. What you don't know you can't understand. And unless you live here, you don't know America.

Wow- I was just posting that I wanted to hear from someone like that and had not. and POW! There it is. Thank you Ice cream man. You made my day. Well said.