Why are Americans so defensive about America?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are not American right OP? So people are not going to react well to you criticizing us. Plenty of people in the US are critical of their own country - but most people don’t like it when someone from another country is criticizing your own.

So when does one get to criticize it? I’m a naturalized citizen who has been here since my early teens. I see faults with both where I came from and the US. I see what OP is saying. Criticizing your country doesn’t mean you don’t love it. Or make it better. And it’s funny hearing an American say you can’t criticize someone else’s country when the US does it all the darn time to others.

You know that Britian literally colonized America right? There was this whole thing about taxation without representation, and a war....Americans don't tolerate a lot of lip from the Brits. I understand that you're naturalized but it's clear from your OP that you see yourself as principally British. If you see yourself as British, that is how others will see you too. I have to assume you aren't new here and DCUM and have noticed that we all lob a lot of friendly fire at our country. I don't think Americans are defensive. I think they are reacting to the energy you're putting out.

[Anonymous]

British are "subjects" of the crown. We are not subjects, although there are some trying to instantiate that (govt first, people second).

[Anonymous]

I'm 2nd generation American and I think it's fine for foreigners to criticize the USA in a debate about government policies, current events, etc. But it is really grating when foreigners make really sweeping (often derogatory) generalizations about all Americans. Grating, and also usually inaccurate. I also think it's offensive when recent immigrants or people here to work are highly critical. Literally no where else in the world would allow them the same opportunities to immigrate or work here. I'm a Democrat but I am hugely patriotic and extremely thankful my parents immigrated here and that I was born here. I would definitely not want to be any other nationality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm from the UK and growing up, when people criticized the UK, it was not a big deal. WE criticized ourselves. Of course there are some stereotypes I disagree with like that ALL the food is terrible. But a lot of them have merit. I feel like we constantly spoke in my family and other families about ways in which other countries were better. France had better access to good quality food and a better attitude to cooking. Japan was healthier. Most places had better weather. Having a royal family was possibly very dumb. English people are often pale and excessively embarrassing in a football abroad context. I could go on. It BAFFLES me that any time you say anything about America is sub par, Americans FREAK OUT. And immediately tell you to 'go back where you came from'. Like - WTF? Americans cannot possibly think that everything about America (obesity, drug prices, health insurance, severe weather + trailer parks, trump etc etc) is amazing. It's just not feasible - that would be lying. So what gives? Doesn't positive change happen when you are able to look inwards, see other possibilities and dream of a better way? Do ppl think they will burst into flames if they admit that Twinkies are... sub optimal?

A better way? If so, why are so many clamoring and breaking the law to get here? This must just be an awful place, huh?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm from the UK and growing up, when people criticized the UK, it was not a big deal. WE criticized ourselves. Of course there are some stereotypes I disagree with like that ALL the food is terrible. But a lot of them have merit. I feel like we constantly spoke in my family and other families about ways in which other countries were better. France had better access to good quality food and a better attitude to cooking. Japan was healthier. Most places had better weather. Having a royal family was possibly very dumb. English people are often pale and excessively embarrassing in a football abroad context. I could go on. It BAFFLES me that any time you say anything about America is sub par, Americans FREAK OUT. And immediately tell you to 'go back where you came from'. Like - WTF? Americans cannot possibly think that everything about America (obesity, drug prices, health insurance, severe weather + trailer parks, trump etc etc) is amazing. It's just not feasible - that would be lying. So what gives? Doesn't positive change happen when you are able to look inwards, see other possibilities and dream of a better way? Do ppl think they will burst into flames if they admit that Twinkies are... sub optimal?

A better way? If so, why are so many clamoring and breaking the law to get here? This must just be an awful place, huh?

Right ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are not American right OP? So people are not going to react well to you criticizing us. Plenty of people in the US are critical of their own country - but most people don’t like it when someone from another country is criticizing your own.

So when does one get to criticize it? I’m a naturalized citizen who has been here since my early teens. I see faults with both where I came from and the US. I see what OP is saying. Criticizing your country doesn’t mean you don’t love it. Or make it better. And it’s funny hearing an American say you can’t criticize someone else’s country when the US does it all the darn time to others.

You know that Britian literally colonized America right? There was this whole thing about taxation without representation, and a war....Americans don't tolerate a lot of lip from the Brits. I understand that you're naturalized but it's clear from your OP that you see yourself as principally British. If you see yourself as British, that is how others will see you too. I have to assume you aren't new here and DCUM and have noticed that we all lob a lot of friendly fire at our country. I don't think Americans are defensive. I think they are reacting to the energy you're putting out.

I’m not the OP or a Brit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 2nd generation American and I think it's fine for foreigners to criticize the USA in a debate about government policies, current events, etc. But it is really grating when foreigners make really sweeping (often derogatory) generalizations about all Americans. Grating, and also usually inaccurate. I also think it's offensive when recent immigrants or people here to work are highly critical. Literally no where else in the world would allow them the same opportunities to immigrate or work here. I'm a Democrat but I am hugely patriotic and extremely thankful my parents immigrated here and that I was born here. I would definitely not want to be any other nationality.

I think making sweeping generalizations about any country or nationality is wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are not American right OP? So people are not going to react well to you criticizing us. Plenty of people in the US are critical of their own country - but most people don’t like it when someone from another country is criticizing your own.

So when does one get to criticize it? I’m a naturalized citizen who has been here since my early teens. I see faults with both where I came from and the US. I see what OP is saying. Criticizing your country doesn’t mean you don’t love it. Or make it better. And it’s funny hearing an American say you can’t criticize someone else’s country when the US does it all the darn time to others.

You know that Britian literally colonized America right? There was this whole thing about taxation without representation, and a war....Americans don't tolerate a lot of lip from the Brits. I understand that you're naturalized but it's clear from your OP that you see yourself as principally British. If you see yourself as British, that is how others will see you too. I have to assume you aren't new here and DCUM and have noticed that we all lob a lot of friendly fire at our country. I don't think Americans are defensive. I think they are reacting to the energy you're putting out.

LOL well said. It really is about the energy you put out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are not American right OP? So people are not going to react well to you criticizing us. Plenty of people in the US are critical of their own country - but most people don’t like it when someone from another country is criticizing your own.

This. Like…. Duh.

+1

My friend used to do this a lot. Her country wasn’t any better and had a government that arrested or killed people with her background yet she wanted to harp on how bad America is.

Another fiend of mine also harped on America, but she sure got her citizenship as soon as she could…

I don’t have friends who spend time denigrating the US anymore. If I did, that would get really old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am glad to see that one citizen from the UK can speak for the whole UK and all of America. Your anecdata has been a valuable contribution to world enlightenment.

Turns out they are an American who grew up in the UK.

That does explain why they write like an American.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are not American right OP? So people are not going to react well to you criticizing us. Plenty of people in the US are critical of their own country - but most people don’t like it when someone from another country is criticizing your own.

So when does one get to criticize it? I’m a naturalized citizen who has been here since my early teens. I see faults with both where I came from and the US. I see what OP is saying. Criticizing your country doesn’t mean you don’t love it. Or make it better. And it’s funny hearing an American say you can’t criticize someone else’s country when the US does it all the darn time to others.

What is America not doing for your country back home that it is not doing? I am sure that is the source of your complaints.

Your question makes no sense. Can you re-phrase it? Btw-Last time America (which is a continent not the US by the way) interfered with our country we ended up with a dictatorship. So the US can stay put. I do love the US but that doesn’t mean I don’t have criticisms. But my question stands…who does get to criticize the US? Born citizens? What about those born to undocumented immigrants? Or just people whose families have been here for generations? The fact that so many people are getting defensive in this thread proves OP’s point.

The country is the United States of America. Sometimes people refer to the country as “America” and the people as “Americans.”

Why are you so focused on who “gets” to criticize a country? If you aren’t going to do anything about the issues you don’t like, people won’t want to sit around and hear your constant complaining.

Do you think people want to listen to you griping all the time…about anything?

[Anonymous]

You are speaking of Republicans. They take everything personally. We Dems criticize ourselves all the time.

[Anonymous]

Because we are tired of hearing the 3rd world whine all the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 2nd generation American and I think it's fine for foreigners to criticize the USA in a debate about government policies, current events, etc. But it is really grating when foreigners make really sweeping (often derogatory) generalizations about all Americans. Grating, and also usually inaccurate. I also think it's offensive when recent immigrants or people here to work are highly critical. Literally no where else in the world would allow them the same opportunities to immigrate or work here. I'm a Democrat but I am hugely patriotic and extremely thankful my parents immigrated here and that I was born here. I would definitely not want to be any other nationality.

+1 to this. If someone wants to tell me how they think a Parliamentary system does a better job of addressing xyz, I'm all ears. But tone matters, and people are rarely as funny as they think they are, especially people who didn't grow up learning the various nuances and cultural cues that make things humorous.

Listening to someone who's trying to be funny and doing a bad job is annoying regardless of the source. Listening to someone who's trying to roast you and doing a bad job is just obnoxious.

[Anonymous]

Every American I know of all political stripes criticizes their country, but many don't feel it's something to share with "outsiders". Many people get offended when immigrants bash America because they chose to come here!
I have multiple coworkers who were not born here and go on about how America is the worst place in the world. Once i gently said to one "Would you rather live in X, then?" and she sniffed that there was too much pollution there but other than that it was the greatest country in the world. Ok then...