The Roots of anti-American Resentment

In my last post Who would have thought so: Obama is incompetent! about the "Obama phenomenon", I briefly discussed its aspects from a European view. The following discussion deserves not to disappear in the depths of the blog bilges.

Obama is incompetent because he is incompetent. Or, for those who find "incompetent" too difficult to understand: S-T-U-P-I-D. Was, is, always will be. His Harvard degree a conspiracy? But yes! It's called "Affirmative Action". Rumours about illness, medication, a grand conspiracy, are just a smokescreen to conceal the fact that the American people elected him. A stab-in-the-back legend American style. Elected him by choice, I'd like to add, and for the oh-so extracerebral valid reason that it must be wonderful to have a "black" president. Now they have what they wanted. They have an incompetent president and the world STILL doesn't like them any better for their pains to appear "non-racist".

Alligator said...

"Rumours about illness, medication, a grand conspiracy, are just a smokescreen to conceal the fact that the American people elected him."

Yep. Well said Nora. Many Americans were asleep and when Mr. O was preaching "hope and change" a majority did not ask "what are you hoping for and HOW are you going to change things?"

I was extremely concerned by Mr. O's extreme leftist bent as well as the fact that he was the most junior (inexperienced) member of the US Senate. That meant he would ram his ideology through no matter what the populace said. Still I gave him the benefit of the doubt after he was sworn in, but within two months knew my assessment of him was right.

I hate being right in these matters, because our nation is now in a very precarious and dangerous situation. I can tell you that in the last few months, I've seen many former Obama supporters become totally disillusioned with him. A couple I have told "I warned you" without gloating about it.

Sure, there was a political machine backing Obama and helping him along the way, but at the end of the day, it was how Americans pulled the voting levers that put him in office.

29 October, 2010 16:58

Universal Realist said...

Editrix said
“This is the most singularly stupid bit of writing, with comments to match, I have read in a long time:”

I have to agree with you. I’ve never heard anyone make these claims about those from within the administration or Democratic Party wanting to remove Obama. Now during this mid-term election time there are some Democrats who are running or up for election who maybe gently distancing themselves from or at most disagreeing with Obama and mostly with Rep. Pelosi. Those on the left are still supportive of Obama but it’s the far left that is upset with him, but not on the basis of his competence but that he is not being leftist enough. I think Obama is going to have a problem winning a second term in 2012. But that really depends on who’s running against him. As in most elections in America the winner is the one who can pull the most independent voters.

I tend to agree with you on why Obama was elected. Whether people want to admit it or not I think it was because of his skin color. Many whites in America wanted to get the race issues and White guilt behind them and they though electing a Black for President would do that. Democrats thought it so much that they felt it was more important to nominate an inexperience 1st term junior Senator who was Black over a woman who was an experience 2nd term Senator and was also a former 1st Lady and dedicated life long Democrat. It was more important to for Democrats have the first Black as President than it was to have the first woman as President. And more young Americans voters really wanted to prove that racism is dead and most are brainwashed into thinking that conservative are old, out of touch and evil white people. But now I think many young people have become disillusioned with their choice because they are now seeing the reality of the politics, government and the world. I didn’t vote for Obama but it had nothing to do with his skin color, I just wasn’t buying what he was selling. He gave great speeches but really said nothing. But a lot of people thought he did. One woman even believed that once he became President she would get free gas. Truth is people heard what they wanted to hear.

Now what I find strange is the idea that American liberals and many young people have that Europe would respect us if we elected a Black as President. Was it really important in Europe for America to have a Black President? If so, why? How many countries in Europe have ever had a Black leader?

Why are Americans hated in Europe? Is it our government? Is it our way of life? Or is it us as a people? Do we come off as arrogant or ignorant or both?

29 October, 2010 20:33

The_Editrix said...

'gator: To be honest, I can relate to the gut feeling of watching AT LAST the perceived justice of a black American president. But it is just that: a (passing) GUT feeling. Then all my cerebral alarm bells rang. But I am sure the inner strength of the American people will eventually be able to cope with the situation the election of this "post racial" president has brought about.

UR: "Now what I find strange is the idea that American liberals and many young people have that Europe would respect us if we elected a Black as President. Was it really important in Europe for America to have a Black President? If so, why? How many countries in Europe have ever had a Black leader?"

No European country ever had a black leader, but then, none had slavery and if it had once had close-to-slavery conditions, like Tsarist Russia, the victims were of their own kind, i.e. white. So "white guilt" is a stranger to the European subconscious. I don't think the Obama-hype in my country had anything to do with an increased respect of America. In fact, the opposite was the case. I am sure people sensed Obama's inherent anti-Americanism and responded positively to THAT.

"Why are Americans hated in Europe? Is it our government? Is it our way of life? Or is it us as a people? Do we come off as arrogant or ignorant or both?"

There isn't a simple "yes" or "no" answer to that. I think French anti-Americanism is due to the fact that you saved their sorry arses twice during the last century. German anti-Americanism is a bit more involved. I said before that Germans are no more racist (in fact, less, or so I think) than other European peoples. Always remember that our main identity-creating state, Prussia, was a political, not a tribal entity. Racial conflicts were, different from the British isles, largely unknown within the German countries. The lack of any notable colonies added to that because it kept Germany largely white. The Poles who came to work in the West German mines in the 19th century have been thoroughly absorbed, the "Gastarbeiter" one century later as well, and towards the un-absorbable Turks we are hatching an attitude of proactive obedience and dhimmitude.

No, our problem isn't racism, it's antisemitism, and here we come (I think) to the core of anti-Americanism. The American people are serving as a projection screen for German antisemitism. Not uncommon points like, say, the "Jewified East Coast" (verjudete Ostküste) are proof of that. Of course, this is not JUST antisemitic, but issue of German anti-modernism as well, but the borders between those phenomena are blurred. There are shadows of envy of a (really or perceived) more successful, better functioning and more happy society as well, and, again, here we come back to (dare I say it?) antisemitic elements.

Like with antisemitism, there is nothing Americans can DO about it, because anti-Americanism is, like antisemitism, not a prejudice (prejudices can be rectified), but a resentment.

I think we all have to come back to a common ground of Western solidarity and to acknowledge what is different and why and to stress the mutual interests. And one day, maybe, perhaps, we will see hat we can actually learn from each other.

31 October, 2010 14:56

I'll post any further discussion here.