Even Ireland Hates Us Now - E-mail from an Irish Friend -

[smirkymonkey]

I am just posting the e-mail he sent me, but it's pretty bad considering how highly they thought of us when Clinton was president.

"Lansdowne Road - This is the stadium where the national rugby team
plays host to it's opponents. It boasts of having one of the best behaved audiences, however, yesterday in a game against the USA the crowd persisted in booing and hissing the American players once they got possession of the ball.

When the USA were kicking at the goal posts the noise was unrelenting. Usually, in a situation like this the stadium stays reasonably quietto let the kicker concentrate.

Eventually, game officials asked the crowd to stop the protest. It was all because of the recent reelection of the president. Usually, this sort of audience behavior would get a bitter reaction from people and the media. However, it would seem, from the people I
spoke with that feeing was that it was good enough for them!!!!!!"

Now I know how Red State DU'ers feel - being blamed for the votes of the slim majority of idiots in our midst. It really sucks.

[H2O Man]

1. Read the Irish Echo

the largest Irish-American newspaper in our country. The Irish do not hate "us." But they sure as heck recognize Bush, his administration, and their policies for exactly what they are.

[smirkymonkey]

4. Yes, but I think I would trust reports from the actual field over

an Irish American Newspaper that relies partially on American advertisers for revenue.

I think they have always hated Bush, but from what I am hearing from friends in Europe and those who have traveled since the election, the tone toward all Americans is becoming increasingly hostile.

[H2O Man]

7. The Irish Echo

is not restricted to people from the United States. There is, I can assure you, a significant number of people who travel back and forth. I am in frequent contact with many, many people in Ireland, from a wide variety of backgrounds. The Irish have the capacity to distinguish between President Bush, his supporters, and the rest of America.

[Protagoras]

12. Just got back from Ireland and the wonderful people there

repeatedly told me the same thing.

For 4 years they had distinguished between Bush and Americans...but if we were dumb enough to allow him 4 more years to trash the world, then they'd probably stop seeing such a strong distinction...

Now we do share responsibility. Enough people did support him that this nation can't walk away from it.

[bunny planet]

18. send them to wearesorry.com or whatever that site is where Americans

are apologizing for the 51% who (supposedly) voted for His Fraudulency. Then send them to apologiesaccepted.com which is also a great site where the rest of the world gets to tell us they forgive us (the 49% who voted for Kerry).

[mogster]

14. I agree on this

Europe is not hostile towards Americans in general.

The election campaign made it very clear that there's two sides to America today, and the internal struggle in the US is visible all the way over the Atlantic.

Let me repeat that.
Europe is not hostile towards Americans in general.

On the contrary, there is much sympathy and debate over the extraordinary WEIRD thing that's happening to the US, and how it reflects back on you people with an international mindset.

Unreflected, America-bashing, tripe exists, but is not the prevailing mood among Europeans. FOX, NRO and other rightwing pndits have a field day when they happen upon some, though, trying to brand Europe as 'enemy territory'.

I wonder why.

Even Repubs are welcome in Europe, contrary to what the neoCon/evangelical regime is trying to tell them, day after day.

You Americans must see yourself as the Europeans (and the world at large) see you:
As out of our stock, as our descendants. We all built America, because of large parts of our population has immigrated to the US in the previous century, and the century before that.

Four years ago, the world considered the US 'our finest product', the peak of what mankind could achieve. The Beacon of Democracy.

Now you're having a fascist outbreak, because all the glory naturally go to the head of the right wing oriented.
So what?

Remember who you're talking to. We're the Europeans. We've mowed over each other, invaded each other's countries and tried to exterminate each other for decades.

Don't be ashamed of your country. These things happens to every society.

Just fight it.

[smirkymonkey]

15. Thanks for your input. This particular friend tends to be

rather negative and likes to provoke. I am sure he is not lying about the incident, but I think he really likes to stir things up.

He really wants to live here (NYC) but can't get a job here and I think he's frustrated. I have heard of other incidents of American bashing from abroad though, and I would like to hear more from Europeans and expats about the veracity of these reports.

[mhr]

2. I Am A Red State DUer And KNow Exactly How Stupid The Freepers

are in my Red State.

I don't blame anyone for making snide remarks.

I make them in my Red State all the time.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. Gee, I can't imagine why the Irish would hate Bush?

Our country is better armed and better armied than the country that it's occupying. And the reason for the occupation has been debunked. Now why would the Irish find this morally objectionable?

I'm perplexed.

[Ardee]

6. hee hee

or the French or the Germans, or any number of nations, including former "coalition" members.....but lets remember ,as has been stated above, its not US they hate its our leadership........like we do.

[xultar]

5. Good, so all of those Rich Rethugs who try to hide their lil precious

Rethug Jrs from the Draft will have a tough time.

[spooky3]

8. I'd feel worse about this if so many athletes weren't Rethugs.

[glarius]

9. Many of us non-Americans are frustrated to see you elect Bush again

I believe the reaction is actually aimed at Bush, but some frustration at the idiocy of his being re-elected spills over against Americans in general....Believe me, in our country (and I believe others [Ireland} as well) we do NOT hate Americans....:)

[Ducks In A Row]

10. Don't blame "us Americans", blame the cheaters who used...

these diebold (es&s, etc) machines. Blame the assholes pols that voted to allow the machines. Blame the assholes media who won't report the fraud.

[opihimoimoi]

11. What is their MESSAGE??? They don like our First Fraud and they

are showing their feelings. Thats it.

Are we going to nuke Ireland?? Matagi, Sina, Bel? Iran? NKorea?

[Padraig18]

13. The Irish do NOT hate America.

They hate Bush.

[smirkymonkey]

16. Just reporting what my Irish friend wrote. I hope it's not true,

but it worries me.

[DuaneBidoux]

17. It was Bush, now it's US

The world generally sees the election of Bush as transferring the guilt from an individual to a country. The intelligence community knew this would happen. This is one reason they tried (and believe me they did try) to bring down this president so badly.

[Swede]

19. Sad but true. There is no good will left for America.

Bush has destroyed the good reputation of an entire nation.

[anakie]

20. you can hardly blame them

when around 70% of the voting age population didn't vote to remove him. That is 2 out of 3 Americans either directly or implicitly supports Bush.

[ispeculate]

21. whats amazing to me is its only been 4 years since possibly the best times

this country has ever seen.

Remember the low unemployment?

Remember all of those interet companies popping up and all of those opportunities?

Seeing those stocks double in a week?

Remember Furby?

Remember the huge surplus when Clinton paid down the deficit and how it felt when you opened up the help wanted section of your newspaper and it was pages and pages long?

And I can even remember Clinton visiting south africa and having to fight off the crowd like he was some kind of rock star. Do you remember?

What a difference a few short tears make...I mean years...

http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/bc42.html