Sunday, June 01, 2008
Standing up for America
Every now and then, a foreigner writes something so nice about Americans or the United States that we would be remiss not to call it to your attention. Those of us of a certain age remember the famous editorial by Canadian broadcaster Gordon Sinclair, which bolstered American morale at a time when it sorely needed bolstering. Younger Americans know it because it ripped around the country in email chains in the months following September 11. It is worth rereading, both because it is cheering if you believe in America's greatness and because it reminds us that intense anti-Americanism is not a new phenomenon, claims of the anti-Bush left notwithstanding. It comes with the territory.
Now comes a new editorial from Australia's Janet Albrechtsen that ought to receive similar attention, but probably will not. This part echoes Sinclair for a new day and age:
The need to paint Americans as a greedy, selfish, war-mongering superpower cannot be disturbed by facts. It matters not that, in the year before the tsunami, the US provided $2.4 billion in humanitarian relief: 40per cent of all the relief aid given to the world in 2003. Never mind that development and emergency relief rose from $10 billion during the last year of Bill Clinton's administration to $24 billion under George W. Bush in 2003. Or that, according to a German study, Americans contribute to charities nearly seven times as much a head as Germans do. Or that, adjusted for population, American philanthropy is more than two-thirds more than British giving.
There is a teenaged immaturity about the rest of the world's relationship with the US. Whenever a serious crisis erupts somewhere, our dependence on the US becomes obvious, and many hate the US because of it. That the hatred is irrational is beside the point.
We can denounce the Yanks for being Muslim-hating flouters of international law while demanding the US rescue Bosnian Muslims from Serbia without UN authority. We can be disgusted by crass American materialism and ridiculous stockpiling of worldly goods yet also be the first to demand material help from the US when disaster strikes.
The really unfortunate part about this adolescent love-hate relationship with the US is that, unlike most teenagers, many never seem to grow out of it. Within each new generation is a vicious strain of irrational anti-Americanism. But unlike a parent, the US could just get sick of it all and walk away.
The US has had isolationist periods in the past and it must be enormously tempted sometimes to have another one soon. The consequences of that possibility deserve some serious thought. If the neighbours worry about Russian bullying over oil and gas, just imagine a Russia unfettered by a US military presence in Europe. How long would South Korea, Israel or Taiwan last if the US decided it wanted to spend on itself the money it presently devotes to military spending in the Middle East and Asia?
None of this is to say the US does not deserve loud and frequent criticism. No country has as many or as strident critics - internally and externally - as the US. The US actually promotes such debate. But just occasionally we should moderate that criticism when circumstances demand a dose of fairness.
Indeed, why not break into a standing ovation every now and again? As more US C-130s and helicopters stand waiting on Burma's doorstep, desperate to help a shattered populace and stymied only by an appalling anti-US regime, this is one of those times.
Thank you, Ms. Albrechtsen.
CWCID: Dum Spiro Spero.
6 Comments:
By 
, at
Mon Jun 02, 04:29:00 AM:
Interesting read. As an American in South Korea, I see an enormous amount of anti-American behavior (particularly with the anti-FTA trade deal going on now and Mad Cow scare) from a country that has benefited (and still benefits hugely) from US tax dollars and our military presence.
It is definitely frustrating, but when I meet a South Korean who actually appreciates what the Americans have done in the past for their great country (and SK is a great country), it feels pretty awesome.
By , at
Mon Jun 02, 10:51:00 AM:
Ever since Poland entered the EU, Polish students can now attend universities all over Europe.
Some Polish professors told me that they noticed that their returning students were more anti-American. These profs warned that we (the US) could not keep counting on the Poles to be as pro-American as we've always thought they were.
It's always nice to read a pro-US article, especially when one lives abroad.
PS: I was so pleasantly surprised to see you reference Dum Spiro Spero as a source, that you inspired me to write an entry on blogs...
By 
David M, at
Mon Jun 02, 11:29:00 AM:
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the - Web Reconnaissance for 06/02/2008 A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day...so check back often.
By , at
Mon Jun 02, 11:49:00 AM:
Here is one of the more blatant examples of anti-Americanism. What makes it even more annoying is that the award-winning German journalist shows a great deal of ignorance about the topic of his article, all the worse because he was based in the US.
Those who criticize the US should be careful: they may get what they ask for. On irony here is that while American are correctly criticized for not paying attention to what goes beyond our borders, this blissful ignorance is to the benefit of those outside our borders. How many Americans realize that more Europeans see the US as a force for evil than as a force for good? To the degree that Americans become aware of anti-Americanism , the tendency is to become more isolationist. The “more rubble less trouble” point of view also gains support.
By Dawnfire82, at
Mon Jun 02, 01:33:00 PM:
"To the degree that Americans become aware of anti-Americanism , the tendency is to become more isolationist."
And thanks to the magic of modern mass communications and globalization, more of us are exposed to it than ever before.
I can't wait for the next instance of Europeans begging for American help, and we respond with, "Fuck off and do it yourself, you lazy ungrateful wankers."
Paraphrased, of course.
By , at
Mon Jun 02, 09:53:00 PM:
A tip of the old Akubra, Janet. And the pleasant contemplation of a big bowl of revenge, served ice cold with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.
But we'll never eat that bowl of revenge. We're the grownups. Damn.
