April 10, 2005

Does Europe Hate Us?

A documentary bearing this name by Thomas L. Friedman is set to air Monday night (April 11 at 9pm ET) on the Discovery Times Channel (it aired last Thursday on the regular version of the Discovery Channel). While I haven't seen the program, I did see a snippet on the New York Times website.

I might watch the program, I might not. It all depends on how my evening goes (I have to get ready for a business trip the next day). But reading the capsule review by David Kronke of the Los Angeles Daily News doesn't give me a lot of hope as to the outcome:

Think: The New York Times' Pulitzer Prize-winning foreign-affairs columnist speaks to ordinary citizens in France, Germany and England about their attitudes toward America or, more specifically, President Bush. He discovers Americans abroad are shocked at the current level of animosity; one even goes to Iran to get a temporary respite from European anti-Americanism.

Don't think: Love the B-roll footage of Friedman play-acting at rolling his luggage through Parisian streets or nodding thoughtfully during interviews.

In a nutshell: "We miss the America that made us dream," opines a young French woman. "We have to wait four years for someone else to give us back the country we knew and liked," says a German man. Sobering portrait of a world that four short years ago rallied around America and now largely has fear and loathing for us.

"In a nutshell" says it all. A German man wants the America he "knew and liked" back? Why? He doesn't live here. How many Americans does he know? Does he know the average American's hopes and dreams?

Why is there all of this focus on whether Europe hates us or not? Bill Clinton cared more for world opinion than what was right for America and look what happened. His "do nothing" approach to the first bombing of the World Trade Center, the attack on the USS Cole in Yemen and the like only emboldened the Islamofascist terrorists, making 9/11 possible. I don't "blame" Clinton in the true sense of the word. I truly believe he didn't know what was coming. But his attitude of being a pal first and leader second made all of the difference in the events of that horrendous day, and all of the days afterward.

You know, I'm not a big fan of Jacques Chirac. I think he's a pompous ass who is ignoring a huge firestorm that's been brewing in France for years (the tension between Muslim immigrants and "traditional" French citizens). But I don't think he's evil; simply misguided. Stupid too. But not evil.

In fact, why is America considered to be "evil" by many simply for doing what is right for us? Do they stop to think of us when making big decisions? Maybe, if only to think how much they can thumb their noses at us. Otherwise, they do what they think is right for them at the time. And, that is exactly what they should be doing.

They say they hate George W. Bush. Fine, great, just dandy. But until Europeans are allowed to vote in our elections, they can just suck it up. As I stated earlier, I don't think Chirac is all that great a leader. But then, I don't have to live with his so-called leadership. Let France wake up and smell the coffee on their own.

The press is a big factor, of course. And not just the European press, but the American press as well. When all you hear about us is jaded and critical, what else are you supposed to believe? I'm sure there's a bit of jealousy there as well. Those upstart Americans, former colonists, how dare they become so successful? We've been here for thousands of years; we're much more sophisticated and nuanced. They're still wet behind the ears. They should be coming to us for guidance, not making such rash decisions on their own.

It also doesn't help that our very own celebrities, the Hollywood elitists who are the least typical of any American you will ever meet, have nothing good to say abroad about the country that gives them their glamorous careers and high-flying lifestyles. The Dixie Chicks saying they're "embarrassed" that W is from Texas. Jessica Lange stating she's "embarrassed to be an American." Alec Baldwin and Robert Redford claiming they'll leave America if Bush is re-elected (statements vociferously denied later). I could go on and on...the examples are endless. I understand that they have to keep their European audiences happy. But at our expense? It's galling to say the least. These idjits, most of whom have not gone much further than high school, who got lucky in La La Land doing something that many other people are capable of doing, have more nerve than a cat in a dog pound to be criticizing America, when the perceptions held by other nations have so much to do with the filth that emanates from Hollywood on a daily basis.

In short, I don't care about what Europe thinks of us. I really don't. Most people here don't. If we did, John Kerry would be president today. If I had the time and the money, I'd travel across America to do a documentary called "Do Americans Hate Europeans?"

Maybe I will, when I win the lottery.

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