This just blew me away, thought I'd share.


"World's goodwill fades"

The day after Sept. 11, 2001, my daughter, Aurora was born. As an American living overseas in Australia, I was gratified by the support and sympathy given the United States by so many Australians.

In the aftermath of Iraq and Republicans' arrogant disdain for international institutions, it is sad to see how the setiment has changed. George W. Bush is intensely disliked here. And polls have shown similar dislike in almost every other nation.

A popular Australian candidate for prime minister called Bush the most incompetent American president in living memory, and though I work with conservatives, I know of no person who likes him. The standard comment seems to be, "Well, Americans didn't actually elect him did you?"

I hate to think how we will be perceived if we actually do.

Sam Nelson
Joondanna, Western Australia.

The standard comment seems to be, "Well, Americans didn't actually elect him did you?"

Hah, so true.... soooooooo true...

What's pwns mean? I'm a bit behind on the latest net speak.. is it owns but the next letter down or pawns like the chess piece.. :confused:

It is "owns".
Like Ceez totally pwns the rest of Mexico.. cause he's Mexican. And stuff.
(How's that, TOB?)

As I said in IRC...There's no sense in arguing with foreigners about the US Government and our elected officials. I'm sure if Americans gave a rat's ass about Australia's policies we could find all sorts of things to hate about YOUR Prime Minister too.

America must be doing something right (or the right thing) if the world hates us so much. You always dislike the leader. And right now, America is the only country willing to stand up and take a proactive stance in the battle of good vs. evil.

Pfffft. ToB, you take this too personally.

America sucks.
That's the way we see it.
And that ain't changing until a Kangaroo is the Earth's global mascot animal. ;)

If you are a leader and everyone likes you then you aren't doing your job. May I remind you that there were world leaders in the early part of WWII who thought that Churchill was the devil incarnate.

Decades later his foresight and stickitiveness make him one of the key people of the 20th Century.

That blurb by TOB about the world hating America because they are "doing the right thing" is part of why America is so hated. American acts as though they're the only nation that knows what's right and anything different is just wrong. And too bad for anyone who doesn't like it, America's in charge.

As I said in IRC...There's no sense in arguing with foreigners about the US Government and our elected officials. I'm sure if Americans gave a rat's ass about Australia's policies we could find all sorts of things to hate about YOUR Prime Minister too.

America must be doing something right (or the right thing) if the world hates us so much. You always dislike the leader. And right now, America is the only country willing to stand up and take a proactive stance in the battle of good vs. evil.

But what is good and evil anyway? The Islamic extremists think they're doing the "right" thing against the West; aren't they just as correct and justified in doing that as America is? People thought Hitler was doing the "right" thing against the Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals and other people he deemed "undesirable".

There are no absolutes in truth or in morality, and there never will be.

And for the record, I know a few conservatives who think Howard is the biggest security threat to Australia out there today. They're also less than impressed with his "Let's copy the US without thinking for half a second about the ramifications!" attitude either.

If you are a leader and everyone likes you then you aren't doing your job. May I remind you that there were world leaders in the early part of WWII who thought that Churchill was the devil incarnate.

Decades later his foresight and stickitiveness make him one of the key people of the 20th Century.
The day Dubbya and Churchill are compared is the day the world is forever stuck up shit creek without a paddle. C'mon, the man is barely literate and is leading the worlds "superpower" country. I think the editorial quite accurately summed up how most Australians feel about Bush.

ToB, you don't have to care about Australia's political situation. Even if you did, and hated something or all things about our PM, half of our country would be up there with you ;). I guess I just don't understand how you could feel so offended.

That said, this argument is fruitless. These debates just go around in circles over ground that has been covered many times over.

The day Dubbya and Churchill are compared is the day the world is forever stuck up shit creek without a paddle. C'mon, the man is barely literate...

Says who? His Ivy League degree would beg to differ. Call me when you earn one.

Whoa, didn't really intend for this to become a debate thread, just wanted to share an interesting editorial...

o_O


...SHAME ON ME AND MY HORRID INTENTIONS! No really, I'm a bad person. I promise.

Says who? His Ivy League degree would beg to differ. Call me when you earn one.

I had to go hunting to find sufficient info on the whole ivy league deal (ignorant Aussie :) ) and found this which kinda summed up what I was trying to get at:

"Bush may have attended Harvard and Yale, but did they educate him? Did he go to class? We've seen his grades, so I'd have to say 'no."

And re: the quote above. We have no educational class system here so I have no equivalent in regards to that. However the course I'm enrolled in currently is on equal standings mark wise with medicine ;)

If you want to continue this, I'll take it over to ToB's thread. As Michelle said, a debate was not her intention.