Racism in a problem in Europe, I never claimed otherwise. I'm saying you can walk down many, many, many European streets without experiencing racism. I think it's not as blatant or prevalent as you say.
I don't have a problem with people having pride in their country. You said it wasn't a pissing match but chose to compare the US to other countries. That was not necessary, even in context. How would you react if someone said 'I like my country because you can grow your own weed and you can't in the US.' It's pointless and useless to mention the US, just like it was pointless and useless to mention other countries. That's my opinion. Again, I don't care if you're proud of your freedoms. But if someone should imply that the US is the only country with said freedoms, I will correct him.
No, you didn't say the US is the freest and best country in the world. I've talked to many, many Americans who have said that and I've seen plenty examples of this ethnocentrism in the US.
The US obviously isn't a team player, eh? Even as a member of an international organisation the need to stress the US importance cannot be surpressed.
As for all the assumptions you made about me, they're all wrong.
And as for your last point, "people should be reasonable and criticize all countries for their failings, not just their own." I agree, just let me know when criticising the US is a pissing match and when it's ok.
Well, I haven't walked down a whole lot of streets in Europe compared to the average European, so fine. I do know when I was there I heard an awful lot of casual racism and prejudice towards foreigners and immigrants, and truth be told, I really don't think it had anything to do with me being a jerk. It was pretty prevalent what I saw, and the articles I cut and pasted show that more people have seen it than me, that it is on the rise.
No, it was not a pissing match...it was being thankful that in my country I can experience freedoms that may be lacking in many other countries in the world. And how can I take someone who's arguing with me seriously if you don't include half the quote I wrote, just so you would be able to make your point? Nice try, there. And once again, you say people saying that the U.S. is the only place in the world with these freedoms, well where did that occur in this thread? You can't just change my argument so your argument can be stronger, it doesn't work like that. Your explanation for why you brought up something I clearly didn't say doesn't make any sense to me.
Ethnocentrism? Well, then talk to them about it. This would mean something to my argument if I had said there was not ethnocentrism in the United States. I'm fully willing to have the U.S. be criticized, but I will not be lectured to in the most arrogrant manner possibly by people with country's histories and current states that are also extremely problematic. I will equally call out somebody from abroad, who in their rush to say something bad about the U.S., says something that is untrue or distorts my argument.
Call me dense, but I have no idea what you're even talking about. If you're talking about the U.S.' role in the U.N. in response to genocide, I come with facts, you come with a snotty aside about how I'm once again arrogant. Why don't you actually try to debate if you don't believe me instead of just making some dumb comment about how "even now, I have to push U.S. above all else." I haven't been doing that once this thread, saying the U.S. is faultless; maybe you just haven't been reading.
Well your post before and this post now gives me no reason to think those assumptions are wrong, that you think that because I criticize European nations I must love everything about America. You did it in this post, talking about how since I compared American influence in Darfur favorably to other nations, then I loved everything about America, praise the red-white-and blue and go kick some ass. You shouldn't make those stereotypes, because it looks bad when someone that "dumb" like me comes up with facts and you just have those asides.
As for your final point, fine, I suppose nothing is a pissing match. Just let's make it clear that I really don't require someone like you or dunkman lecturing me about the Civil Rights movement that happened in my country...I'm well aware of the particulars myself. So once again, I wrote a post and you just failed to address most of what was in it. So when those assumptions I have get proven wrong by one of your posts, that'd be great. But it hasn't happened yet.
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Well, I haven't walked down a whole lot of streets in Europe compared to the average European, so fine. I do know when I was there I heard an awful lot of casual racism and prejudice towards foreigners and immigrants, and truth be told, I really don't think it had anything to do with me being a jerk. It was pretty prevalent what I saw, and the articles I cut and pasted show that more people have seen it than me, that it is on the rise.
No, it was not a pissing match...it was being thankful that in my country I can experience freedoms that may be lacking in many other countries in the world. And how can I take someone who's arguing with me seriously if you don't include half the quote I wrote, just so you would be able to make your point? Nice try, there. And once again, you say people saying that the U.S. is the only place in the world with these freedoms, well where did that occur in this thread? You can't just change my argument so your argument can be stronger, it doesn't work like that. Your explanation for why you brought up something I clearly didn't say doesn't make any sense to me.
Ethnocentrism? Well, then talk to them about it. This would mean something to my argument if I had said there was not ethnocentrism in the United States. I'm fully willing to have the U.S. be criticized, but I will not be lectured to in the most arrogrant manner possibly by people with country's histories and current states that are also extremely problematic. I will equally call out somebody from abroad, who in their rush to say something bad about the U.S., says something that is untrue or distorts my argument.
Call me dense, but I have no idea what you're even talking about. If you're talking about the U.S.' role in the U.N. in response to genocide, I come with facts, you come with a snotty aside about how I'm once again arrogant. Why don't you actually try to debate if you don't believe me instead of just making some dumb comment about how "even now, I have to push U.S. above all else." I haven't been doing that once this thread, saying the U.S. is faultless; maybe you just haven't been reading.
Well your post before and this post now gives me no reason to think those assumptions are wrong, that you think that because I criticize European nations I must love everything about America. You did it in this post, talking about how since I compared American influence in Darfur favorably to other nations, then I loved everything about America, praise the red-white-and blue and go kick some ass. You shouldn't make those stereotypes, because it looks bad when someone that "dumb" like me comes up with facts and you just have those asides.
As for your final point, fine, I suppose nothing is a pissing match. Just let's make it clear that I really don't require someone like you or dunkman lecturing me about the Civil Rights movement that happened in my country...I'm well aware of the particulars myself. So once again, I wrote a post and you just failed to address most of what was in it. So when those assumptions I have get proven wrong by one of your posts, that'd be great. But it hasn't happened yet.