Explains why many in Middle East hate America

[db]

Good interview on Freshaire today with Thomas Friedman (the international affairs columnist for The New York Times, and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner for writing on Middle East), who--among other things--explains why many in the Middle East hate America.

Let the trolling begin......

 

[iamwiz82]

i wont bother listening, as i do not want to install the evilness that is Real player. Can i get a transcript?

 

[glen]

Great interview.
Tom is great, but I still can't figure out why they hate us so much.
I need to listen to it again.
Seems like he said they hate us for supporting some dictatorships that oppress folks.

 

[db]

iamwiz82, I also have no love for RA/RP. I wish they offered alternative formats.

 

[FrontlineWarrior]

i just wanted to say that i also hate RP and don't have it on my comp

 

[glen]

FWIW, I also HATE it.

 

[db]

Um, it's been a couple of hours but this is what I remember:
--many of the governments there are oppressive, which are happy to let their medias focus on America as bad guys rather than themselves;
--they hate Israel and therefore our support of them;
--they have nothing and don't feel they ever will, while we have lots--jealousy;
--some governments with capitalist economies have done a bad job of improving their peoples' lot (per capita incomes not improved since 1950s)
--so things that symbolize America or a 'successful American life' are objects of derision or targets.

 

[glen]

So, is it as simple and base as envy?

Isn't envy a sin to true muslems?

 

[glen]

Seriously, no one has explained this to me yet:
Why or how can can so many in the middle east be anything but horrified?
It is hard to imagine why America is hated so much.

 

[Akaz1976]

<< Why or how can can so many in the middle east be anything but horrified? >>



They live with such horrors every day. Not at such scale but bombing and terrorist acts are a norm. I doubt there are many people in middle east, pakistan, Iran etc that havnt lost loved ones to such violence. (i am not say that the act was not horrifying just taht people who live with such violence are harder to shock)



<< It is hard to imagine why America is hated so much. >>



There are tons of threads on this already so i wont add to it but such animosity certainly contributes to more muted reaction among people in general. (another reason for people being less than horrified)

Akaz

 

[tcsenter]

<< Seems like he said they hate us for supporting some dictatorships that oppress folks. >>

This accounted for about 1/20th of the interview. Yeah, you definitely need to listen to it again, maybe three times.

 

[glen]

<< This accounted for about 1/20th of the interview. Yeah, you definitely need to listen to it again, maybe three times. >>



We support Isreal.
We have more money.
They are used to dead from terrorist activities.

 

[shifrbv]

I wonder how much of it now is just propaganda. They have whole generations being brought up to hate America for no other reason than that we're capitalist and American. Same as what happened here in the US with the Soviets. It's all ignorance on both sides.

 

[glen]

How is the US ignorant?

I recall us fearing the Soviet govt., but not hating the people.
Certainly no one in the US celebrated the deaths at Chernoble.

Or are yoiu saying the soviets citizens hated the US becasue of propaganda?

 

[TheOmegaCode]

so does this mean that we can hate them?

 

[glen]

<< so does this mean that we can hate them? >>


No.
Hate is obiously never an option.

I want understanding. But, I don't understand it right now.
Terrorists are a just a few people, but why are there many many middle easterners who HATE the US so much there rejoice in innocent deaths?

 

[tcsenter]

Just finished listening to the whole interview twice. Its definitely worth more than one listen, because Friedman touches upon several very important points, which you'll only get piece-meal from other sources. I'll also try to respond to Glen's mysteriously selective hearing.

 

[PG]

Did anyone watch the show this past weekend with the news anchor and the kids?
They got kids to talk about what was on their minds. They did have a few adults there. Naturally, they threw in Carson Daly from MTV.

Anyway, one girl said, "Do any of you think that the US is just getting a taste of it's own medicine?"

Another little boy said that he was glad the girl said something. He also said that the US plants mines outside the homes of children in foreign contries so that when they come out to play in the morning they step on the mines and get killed.

"A taste of our own medicine" ??? Haven't we given Afghanistan money this year? And how many times has the US helped other countries in need either directly through government money or through US based charities?

Isn't that sickening? Where do they get this crap? My guess is from their parents. In a way I feel sorry for them because they really don't know any better. All they seem to get is lies from their family members and friends.

I had to turn the channel after those 2 comments because the news anchor never said a thing. He just let it go. :|

 

[glen]

<< I'll also try to respond to Glen's mysteriously selective hearing. >>


Cool.
BTW, you could:
try not being a smart ass.
try posting under your real name.
post longer than 2 weeks before being acting liek a jerk.