i am always surprised by this question that seems to haunt americans.
why do americans think that the rest of the world hates them? it seems
to me the more appropriate question is 'why do americans hate the rest
of the world so much?'. after all, the worst the rest of the world has
done to america, it seems to me (and please correct me if i am wrong),
is pearl harbour and 9/11 (if one were to count bin laden as a
representative of the rest of the world). on the other hand, the
american govt (which actually does represent the people of america)
seems to have had a hand in numerous atrocities committed all over the
world. when i used to live in india, i do not remember meeting a single
person (and perhaps i led a sheltered life) who "hated america" (or
americans). but the majority of americans seem happy to support bush in
his proposed attack on the people of iraq. just as they were with the
attack on afghanistan. or the attacks of the israeli govt on the people
of palastine...
--ravi
ps: the reference to the people of india does not the fact that the same
people in india, even those living in the south, shower fervent support
on the indian govt's atrocities in kashmir. a kashmiri muslim could
quite legitimately wonder why the people in india hate them so much!
