I just received a piece written by a dear friend who shall remain nameless. Basically, he was regaling me on how he was affronted that people in other countries had the audacity to comment on US politics and ‘who the hell are they to tell us what to do, and why do they care anyway. After all, I don’t give a damn about their politics. Sure they are nice people and all, but they should be grateful that we are here and fought to save them during numerous wars.” It went on like this for numerous paragraphs.
Here is my response:
Wow – Talk about American Arrogance. Yes, friend, you are full of it.
My Canadian Mother in Law used to say that living in Canada was like sleeping next to an elephant. If it rolled over, you were crushed. If America coughs, someone in Bangladesh says “bless you.” We are the third most populace country on earth. We have more power than any other. If we want to, we can wipe anyone off the planet. The rest of the world feel like they have a vested interest in our foreign policy. If the wrong person is elected, who knows how it will affect them. If we change a tariff someone somewhere loses their job. If we decide to remove troops from Germany, Italy, Korea, Spain suddenly they have to try to protect themselves, not to mention the money spent by the troops in country.
We are the economic engine that makes the world work. If we decide not to buy cars from Japan or Germany, or wine from Italy, or whisky from Scotland, entire economies crater.
America is important to the world. And the world knows it. They track every word our president says, every utterance of Nancy Pelosi, every position taken by the CDC, every release by the Federal Reserve. When the dollar (the world’s reserve currency) hiccups, so do the currencies of 50 other countries.
Your piece may have been fun to write, but I’m certain that your family in the UK would find it hurtful.
I am an American and damn proud of it. But I also realize that Brits are proud of being Brits, French being French, and so forth. You know what the Brits say about Americans, “Over Paid, Over Sexed, Over Here.”
Yes, we did save the world from Hitler and Tojo, not to mention the Russians. But a lot of Brits, French, Canadians, Chinese, Indians, and the rest fought and died side by side. Some of the great scientific discoveries were made by the French, Germans, Poles, Brits. Yes we have the most Nobel Laureates but we can also look to Germany for technology, France for fine food and wine (and the Airbus), Italy for history and art, India for pharmaceuticals, Israel for software and tech, and there are many more.
Many Americans seem to like to rub the noses of our allies and friends in our superiority. No one likes to be reminded that someone else is richer, more beautiful, smarter, stronger. How often do you need to hear “in America we do it this way” before you simply shake your head and wonder at the small mindedness of the person? You will note, that in virtually every country most speak English. But few Americans speak any foreign language. Even wonder why that is?
I travel a lot. I have been to most European Countries, Israel, UAE, Japan, Hong Kong, China proper, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, and of course Canada and the UK. I have friends in most of them. When I go I make it a point to try to keep a low profile. Its their country, let them lead. Most have so much to be proud of. Let them keep their pride. They deserve it, They earned it.
JVH
