Blaming America and misunderstanding us at the same time

I have to preface my remarks because I love my European brothers and sisters and I do not want to sound condescending or demeaning, but here goes.

First off, quit blaming the following on the United States:

1.  Communism and the fight against totalitarianism – We believe in personal freedom if you think otherwise ask Karl Marx for his take on freedom.

2.  Global Warming – Have you ever heard of Chicken Little?  You might want to read the book or watch the DVD http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/chickenlittle/main.html .  It explains a lot!  I am so tired of this, get a life and move on.  I am not going to feel guilty because I drive a pick-up truck to haul cow shit around my property!  Please spare me the “Americans are energy hogs,” do you really think you are getting maximum fuel economy at 200 KPH on an autobahn?  Yes, we do use a lot of energy, however our country is bigger than Europe and I am not going to apologize for being free to make my choice in a free market economy!  By the way, we are also the 3^rd largest producer of oil in the world!

3.  Imperialism – Ah, we have never had a King or Kaiser.  That is a totally European thing!  That does not mean America has made mistakes, we have, plenty of them, and I hope we have learned form them!

4.  Global War on Terror – Ever hear of the Christian Byzantine Empire?  Read the history and get back to me on who has been invading whom?  Also read about the Turkish invasion of Europe and the Moorish invasion of Spain, and spare me the “they brought civilization.”  So I am now to believe that a bunch of Bedouin Butchers had time for advanced medicine and mathematics?  The GWOT has been going on for a long time, however we aren’t a naive decaying civilization, and if you want to survive you better stop the self loathing and self denigration.  Enjoy what your civilization has given you and share it with others!

Okay, so I named 4 things that America is blamed for, but why the misunderstanding?Part of it is religious.  Americans have always been more religious than most Europeans.  To me that is neither good nor bad, it is just the way we are.  Anyone being intellectually honest knows that the majority of people who came to the new world did so because of the religious persecution they faced at home.  Those are the facts like it or not.  We believe in freedom of religion, there are no religious police here; you have America confused with Muslim countries!

I also think that our culture has grown significantly different.  I personally do not agree with all of the taxes and the Nanny welfare state Europe has created.  It is a land where the people work for the Government and not the other way around.  Europeans seem to like the Nanny State; but it has sapped them of their dynamism and adventuresome spirit.  I find it rather sad, especially since the language of science was German before WWII.

Then there is the value of children.  I think that a civilization that does not value its children does not value its future!  Now I am not saying that everyone needs to have 6 children.  Many people should be the last of their line (in my opinion of course) and shouldn’t have children, but if it is a choice between having children and allowing immigrants that have no desire to integrate, then I pick children!

I think one of the biggest reasons for misunderstanding is personal freedom.  Yes America has crime, it has homelessness, and it has poor people, and it is not Shangri-La!  If one wants to change their lot in life it is possible and the only one that can keep you from attaining your dream is you!

Lastly we have also some of the most caring and generous people in the world.  We also are the most forgiving people as well.  I am sure most German people do not know that the U.S. gave more money to Germany after WWI that we did to all of Europe in the post WWII Marshall Plan.  The reasons were two fold: One we felt Germany was treated most unfairly as being labeled an Aggressor Nation and was saddled with massive war reparations.  Two, 25% of us can trace our Heritage back to Germany and we wanted to help.  In fact the US tried to get the reparations removed, however other “European” countries would not agree to it.

 Oh, one final thing, to call an American a Cowboy is so 20th century, it is not an insult, better yet, why don’t I take you to a cowboy bar in Montana and you try to insult them?  No, I didn’t think so!