we are the best country but we got there by being a jackass to everyone else... sad but true

Oh boo hoo. Get off the soap Box.

The reason they bad mouth us is because they're jealous of us.

I wonder that myself. America has done so much for so many. Even the Europeans do not seem to appreciate that they are not under Nazi control. To see so many Americans give to charities that help those less fortunate, to see so many go overseas to work helping people, to have seen so many brave soldiers die in the name of liberty and freedom, and then get bashed by those who choose to ignore these efforts is very hard to understand. If the U.S. were to pull it's military out of every country they currently are active, and the U.S. stopped sending aid to foriegn nations and we just "stayed home and minded our own business" it would not be long before those same haters would be bashing us for this too. The despots and bullies of the world would start doing as they pleased and all those whiners would be begging for us to come to their aid. Maybe we should do just that very thing, give them what they say they want. But we can't, too many who cannot defend themselves against oppression rely on our help, and we will continue to give it, it's what we are all about.

I am very sick of it and the ones bad mouthing it are the ones we are helping : example: illegal immigrants. they get FREE everything and pay nothing for it when we have US citizens who need healthcare, jobs, food, housing, etc. If you sit and listen to them talk, they will say "we hate america and all the Americans and we are taking over and nobody can do anything to us" . they are right. Look at LA..sanctuary city. All the money and resources we send to countries that won't even give us the time of day. I am scared for America. how long will it be before our GREAT FREE COUNTRY is a third world country. We americans are sitting back and letting it happen.

They have just as much right to bitch about us as we have to bitch about them. I mean, where's the harm??? Many factors influence the way countries see us even though it isn't our fault. For instance, anti-American propaganda (infidels, we are called) is spewed into the general population with spliced footage and false accusations. Those same countries are extremely limited in what they are "allowed" to view by thier goverments. What else are they supposed to think? And please believe me when I say that we RARELY go give aid out of the kindness of our hearts. It almost always has strings attached! That doesn't do much to boost our likeability level! Then, consider the general AMerican attitude when travelling abroad. Most countries do not have the finer things that we have every day of our lives, yet what do we expect to receive when we get there? We come across as demanding, inconsiderate fools. And rightly so!

This a country where we have free speech, so I believe they have every right to say what they want.

I'm with you all the way! We're always helping other countries out in their times of crises. But I ask, where the HELL was everybody else after hurricane Katrina??? I'm proud to be an American and I am proud of our country.

(1) Envy (2) legitimate reasons ---such as Iraqis and Nicaraguans. (3) Media exaggeration---America-hating-protests boost ratings. (4) "We don't hate American people, just the government," while they eat McDonald's french fries. (5) depends on the countries. Georgians and Kurds love America.

I am another one who Doesn't think America gets the appreciation we deserve. But we do the good things we do because it's right , not for the applause

Most citizens of a country think theirs is the best in the world. If you simply state your opinion, and don't make a federal case about it, you won't have any problems. All too often I have seen people ready to debate and fight about such a silly topic. Really, is this worth getting all bothered about, especially knowing that people all over the world feel this way about their own countries [note spelling]? There are many nations that appreciate our help and respect us. But I bet their citizens still love their homeland the best. It's all about re-setting your expectations. When we give another country money, we really should never expect that they will say "the USA is the best," but that "the USA has been very good to us, and we are forever grateful."

Much of it is legitimate. There are too many examples of American tourists who fail to demonstrate style or class. We have a government that's treading on its own Constitution and a leader who demands that a large nation cannot simply invade another country...though we've been at war for years now. America is a fine country. It has the potential to be a truly great nation if it would put its resources where they need to be. When you're at the top and a very large target, others are likely to talk badly about you. Just life.

The usa may be the best country out of any other but it still sucks as an american. The history is terrible. I would bad mouth too cause america controls the way the economy runs. We so rich cause of all the free labor from the past.

I haven't heard many people (save for in the context of political critiques of capitalism and the like) badmouth America itself. Most of the considerable complaints I've heard were targeted towards America's government and its actions. For example, look at some of the "Anti-American" sentiments voiced by the Iraqis in this video. Notice how, although many of them badmouth George W. Bush and his cabinet, negative sentiment towards America or Americans as a whole is pretty rare. And as much as so many of the so-called "Patriots" supporting America's government today might like people to believe otherwise, America is a separate concept from its government or its government's actions. And although the ideals upon which America was founded are relatively altruistic and unassailable, and even given all the good things various American governments have done for the world over time, America's current government, -and even its populous- at any given time can still be perfectly vulnerable to critisism for their mistakes. And if you're wondering *Why* so many people continue to have bad opinions of America, it might have something to do with the segments of its population who prefer to completely dismiss that criticism.

Hello! It's me again, my ignorant American adversary (that is to say 'coffe and smokes'), Justicia per Deus quod Britannia. First, I shall answer your question, then give you some rather shocking news. I think that this country is not hurt enough. The bad mouthing must turn into official UN sanctions, and action must be taken. The US is a rabbid animal, rampaging its way through global affairs and politics with no regard to cost, circumstance, or consequence. Secondly, the reason this country tries to 'help' so much is because it is responsible for the problems in the first place! Al Qaeda would not be an issue had we not supplied them with the weapons they currently have (which were intentionally, and initially, used to fight Soviet imperial ambitions, and are still used for much the same purpose, just now against the US). The US is far from the best country in the world, and on the democracy scale (that is, how democratic a nation is), it ranks fairly low. Rather interesting for a nation that is supposed to be the epitome of freedom and democracy in the world, no? The second piece of information is that I am an American, though I disdain the title. I would prefer to be called by my future nation of Britain, ergo "British". For now I must suffice however. You never responded to my final three comments on our previous chat, so I figured I would mention it here. To anybody reading this who does not know what I am talking about, the link is to the right --> http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/3772362 Rule Britannia! God Save the Queen!

I only said those things about my life because you insulted my mother. Family is not an available target, this should be clear now. I have not insulted your wife, which I easily could have (things like Russian whore, mail-order bride, you know). I will not say these things, as it is a gentlemenly fight, between two gentlemen, be it of different cultures, but gentlemen all the same. By the way, you know quite a lot of SMS terms for someone as old as you claim to be. (I put you in late thirties to early fifties, based on what you shared with me about your life on our previous post.)