Ignorance of European Threads...

[D_Jared Padalicki]

When we talk about an issue that happend in Europe, something bad, it isn't intresting enough for most of the people of the USA, because it isn't about the USA. But why is that.
Last thursday there was an attack on Queensday in the Netherlands, 7 killed, but not important. I notice this a lot with threads that aren't about the USA on here. Pitty. Just mentioning. Not everyone is like that, but a lot are...

 

[carlton10]

That'sthe very reason I turn in to the BBC News or the German news on cable- I want to see and am interested in news from all countries not just the USA. Had a friend from Spain visit recently and she saw how the US news is so only USA oriented. The Queensday event was so tragic.

 

[D_Sir Fitzwilly Wankheimer III]

Sour grapes. Maybe it's because most of the people on this site are from the USA and didn't hear about it. what amazes me is how much American news, sports, entertainment etc. is broadcast on outher countries news sites, then people like you start "American Bashing" like we forced you to cover the stories.

 

[D_Jared Padalicki]

Sour grapes. Maybe it's because most of the people on this site are from the USA and didn't hear about it. what amazes me is how much American news, sports, entertainment etc. is broadcast on outher countries news sites, then people like you start "American Bashing" like we forced you to cover the stories.

Yup, that is what I do, bash on it.
I made a thread about it: http://www.lpsg.org/132058-end-of-festivities-queensday-netherlands.html

Not many people responding. And it isn't because most of the people here are from the USA that you can't be intrested. That is a lame excuse. Very.

 

[2322]

For most people, what happens in Europe doesn't affect their lives. There are many more people dying daily all around the world whether because of injustice or disaster. A few people being run over in a crowd doesn't really register on the radar. That happens here all the time usually because some old geezer mistakes the accelerator for the brake. If there are major issues, we do talk about them, but this isn't that big a deal over here. I'm sure people are sorry it happened.

There are 200 million people in the US and 50 states plus two wars, a new president, a major economic downturn, a changed composition of Congress, a retiring Supreme Court justice, and internal security issues to worry about. There's a lot of news to digest just because of these things alone. On top of all that, Americans don't know much about Europe and don't particularly care. Many still see Europe as a nice place to visit, but ultimately unable to chart a course in the world that doesn't involve relying on the United States to come to the rescue. That means most Americans don't respect Europe very much and so don't care much about what happens there so long as it doesn't involve the US.

 

[D_Jared Padalicki]

For most people, what happens in Europe doesn't affect their lives. There are many more people dying daily all around the world whether because of injustice or disaster. A few people being run over in a crowd doesn't really register on the radar. That happens here all the time usually because some old geezer mistakes the accelerator for the brake. If there are major issues, we do talk about them, but this isn't that big a deal over here. I'm sure people are sorry it happened.

There are 200 million people in the US and 50 states plus two wars, a new president, a major economic downturn, a changed composition of Congress, a retiring Supreme Court justice, and internal security issues to worry about. There's a lot of news to digest just because of these things alone. On top of all that, Americans don't know much about Europe and don't particularly care. Many still see Europe as a nice place to visit, but ultimately unable to chart a course in the world that doesn't involve relying on the United States to come to the rescue. That means most Americans don't respect Europe very much and so don't care much about what happens there so long as it doesn't involve the US.

But isn't that bad, we focus here on the world so we are aware of what is going on. And maybe people crush in too other people there too, but this was on purpose, an attack. That is different, there was a bad intention behind it.

And really, learn things about Europe, not everything is perfect here, really. We have issues too and bad things going on too. To be honest, it's selfish to only focus on things there. Learn history, because the history of Americans is located in Europe.

 

[2322]

Not many people responding. And it isn't because most of the people here are from the USA that you can't be intrested. That is a lame excuse. Very.

Americans also tend to resent the air of superiority that seems to endlessly stream from Europe concerning anything to do with America.

 

[FitLad]

I find the way some people act when horrible news in Euro is on the new, most of them dont care, yet we take an interest in the USA news, we cant get away from it. last month or longer someone/group killed 2 soldiers and a police officer here in Northern Ireland (UK - for those mainlanders that dont understand) and after Obama said it was a horrible act, the news went and nothing more was said, I dont even think that the USA market was even told about the killings, yet in most other countries around the world if there is a shocking killing in the USA aka school killings and our local news is put on the back burner til we are all informed of the killings.

 

[D_Jared Padalicki]

Americans also tend to resent the air of superiority that seems to endlessly stream from Europe concerning anything to do with America.

Vice versa :wink:

For example, why should Obama tell us to accept Turkey in our union... We aren't happy with that. I appreciate Obama, but sometimes it bothers me.

 

[HellsKitchenmanNYC]

Even tho it didn't happen in the USA I was quite upset by what happened the other day with that mad driver. It even made the front page of the papers here. I don't think that things that happen in Europe have no interest to Americns. The main problem is that for the last almost 10 years there is sooooooooooo much craziness happening here that it's hard to focus on other countries tho we do care.
It's like if someone died in your family you'd have a hard time worrying about what's happenening outside of that. In terms of the USA imagine that that happens every week and you can start to see why we're soooooo focused on ourselves as a country right now. No offense but what happens in yr own backyard is a hair more important right now than what's happening in the next state over where you don't even know the people. If that makes sense.....

 

[2322]

But isn't that bad, we focus here on the world so we are aware of what is going on. And maybe people crush in too other people there too, but this was on purpose, an attack. That is different, there was a bad intention behind it.

And really, learn things about Europe, not everything is perfect here, really. We have issues too and bad things going on too. To be honest, it's selfish to only focus on things there. Learn history, because the history of Americans is located in Europe.

Much of that is because if you drive 50 miles in any direction you're in another country. Of course Europe is more interested in international events. Here we live largely in isolation. Mexico is south, Canada is north and Canadians are like Americans with an odd accent and colorful money. Not much happens internationally here because we don't interact with people from different nations on a daily basis. The US has a strong history of isolationism. How can we care about some Dutch thing when most people never see the Dutch, haven't been there, barely know where it is, and have no interaction with anyone from The Netherlands. You may as well report this happening in Tonga or Gabon. Nothing about it makes it immediately relevant to us or our lives.

The majority of Americans are not from Europe. That used to be true, but no longer. Now most are from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. European whites are a minority.

 

[D_Jared Padalicki]

Much of that is because if you drive 50 miles in any direction you're in another country. Of course Europe is more interested in international events. Here we live largely in isolation. Mexico is south, Canada is north and Canadians are like Americans with an odd accent and colorful money. Not much happens internationally here because we don't interact with people from different nations on a daily basis. The US has a strong history of isolationism. How can we care about some Dutch thing when most people never see the Dutch, haven't been there, barely know where it is, and have no interaction with anyone from The Netherlands. You may as well report this happening in Tonga or Gabon. Nothing about it makes it immediately relevant to us or our lives.

THAT IS THE THING, a lot of us haven't visit the US either, but still we are intrested. It's bothering that you can't be intrested in other cultures. I don't see the things in Irak either, but still I'm interested in what's going on there. Same with Asia. Don't do like it doesn't affect you and it is just a far-from-my-bed-show

 

[D_Jared Padalicki]

Even tho it didn't happen in the USA I was quite upset by what happened the other day with that mad driver. It even made the front page of the papers here. I don't think that things that happen in Europe have no interest to Americns. The main problem is that for the last almost 10 years there is sooooooooooo much craziness happening here that it's hard to focus on other countries tho we do care.
It's like if someone died in your family you'd have a hard time worrying about what's happenening outside of that. In terms of the USA imagine that that happens every week and you can start to see why we're soooooo focused on ourselves as a country right now. No offense but what happens in yr own backyard is a hair more important right now than what's happening in the next state over where you don't even know the people. If that makes sense.....

A part makes sense, but I honestly believe it is selfish. We are confronted with facts from the whole world, I can see BBC, CNN, in our newspapers we see what's going in in other parts of the world. All of it is important.

 

[2322]

Vice versa :wink:

For example, why should Obama tell us to accept Turkey in our union... We aren't happy with that. I appreciate Obama, but sometimes it bothers me.

Because the sooner Turkey is admitted, the more secure it is from Islamic fundamentalism. We cannot have an Islamic state controlling the Dardanelles and NATO commanders recognize this. Turkey must remain in the European sphere of influence for the security of NATO.

Resent it all you want, but the fact of the matter is that when it comes to the security of Europe, the United States is a major factor and if you're expecting the US to assist in that security, then you have to accept that the US will voice opinions as it sees fit. If you don't like it then boot the US from NATO and go it alone.

Also don't think that this is all one-way. Europe constantly comments on US actions all over the world. We've heard plenty of condemnation about our actions in Iraq and the treatment of prisoners in Cuba. I think that criticism is fair in this case, but we also hear a lot of other criticisms about US policies in everything from agriculture to sea treaties to our (supposed) lack of culture.

 

[HellsKitchenmanNYC]

A part makes sense, but I honestly believe it is selfish. We are confronted with facts from the whole world, I can see BBC, CNN, in our newspapers we see what's going in in other parts of the world. All of it is important.

Yes it is all important but when SO much is going on right in your own front yard day after day, year after year, it's hard to focus on other things. Sorry but it's true. Don't get offended. We really care over here but for alot of years now we have to be focused on ourselves just to survive. When someone flies planes into a building in your city and kills over 3000 people from around the world in about an hour, you'll know why it's importnt to focus on what's going on in your front yard. When you have that smell of the attack in the air for weeks so bad you have to close your windows and even that doesn't keep it out.

 

[2322]

A part makes sense, but I honestly believe it is selfish. We are confronted with facts from the whole world, I can see BBC, CNN, in our newspapers we see what's going in in other parts of the world. All of it is important.

If you have cable, you get BBC World News. Most people don't watch it because it's an obscure channel and it's pretty dull. We don't have any other European news services on our cable channels except for once-a-week short shows about specific countries and those are rarely in English. If it isn't in English or Spanish, most Americans won't be able to even understand it.

 

[D_Jared Padalicki]

Because the sooner Turkey is admitted, the more secure it is from Islamic fundamentalism. We cannot have an Islamic state controlling the Dardanelles and NATO commanders recognize this. Turkey must remain in the European sphere of influence for the security of NATO.

Resent it all you want, but the fact of the matter is that when it comes to the security of Europe, the United States is a major factor and if you're expecting the US to assist in that security, then you have to accept that the US will voice opinions as it sees fit. If you don't like it then boot the US from NATO and go it alone.

Also don't think that this is all one-way. Europe constantly comments on US actions all over the world. We've heard plenty of condemnation about our actions in Iraq and the treatment of prisoners in Cuba. I think that criticism is fair in this case, but we also hear a lot of other criticisms about US policies in everything from agriculture to sea treaties to our (supposed) lack of culture.

The lack of culture you can't help. But you can learn about culture from elsewhere.
Of course we give comments and vice versa, quite logical. We also thought about Turkey for years now, but there is a reason why it takes years.

 

[D_Jared Padalicki]

Yes it is all important but when SO much is going on right in your own front yard day after day, year after year, it's hard to focus on other things. Sorry but it's true. Don't get offended. We really care over here but for alot of years now we have to be focused on ourselves just to survive. When someone flies planes into a building in your city and kills over 3000 people from around the world in about an hour, you'll know why it's importnt to focus on what's going on in your front yard. When you have that smell of the attack in the air for weeks so bad you have to close your windows and even that doesn't keep it out.

Yes, but those things happen here too, 9/11 was just a huge attack, but you can compare it with all the things that happend over here in WWII.
Just face it that showing intrest helps. And most of it I'm talking about the board here. So many people visit here, and no intrest. If you are on the board, is the effort that huge to show intrest? Because then you aren't busy with the things going on in your backyard either.

 

[turnstall]

Peiter sorry to hear about the people that were taken from conflict. Even one person's life is important let alone seven.
In support with you in your thread. As a suggestion to open dialoge, starting with a request will invite others to respond in thought more than to attack you in defence. As an example...
I would appreciate any amercican peoples views on the event that happened in the netherlands?
This way, invites the possibilty that there is interest as aposed to concluding that there isn't. If no one responds then you can draw an opinion based on that.
Once again my heart goes out to those who have lost a loved one a nation facing the question of terrorism.
Good luck with your post, I hope you find the answer that joins in shared understanding.

 

[Jake90]

Yeah no offence but I meet lots of US students who are so naive about the rest of the world.