“What the World Thinks of America,” (Video)
The BBC hosted a unique global television debate about America's place in the world with 10 other national broadcasters. Discussing the views around the world of the US and its policies. You can watch it here (real player required) First broadcast - BBC - 06/17/03 (length is nearly 1.5 hrs)
Well worth the time if you can spare it . I wonder how the numbers would pan out if such a debate was tried in 2006 ?
Well worth the time if you can spare it . I wonder how the numbers would pan out if such a debate was tried in 2006 ?
posted by _H_ at 11:53 pm
3 Comments:
Thanks for sharing this broadcast. You are quite right in saying that it is well worth the time to watch it.
I shudder to think of what the world opinion of America is today, considering the large amount of anti-American sentiment expressed in this June 2003 program.
While I can understand some of the anti-American sentiment discussed in this program, particularly the current leadership & the invasion of Iraq, I was dismayed to hear that people so often equate America with soap operas, movies, Coke, Pepsi, McDonald's, and big corporations controlling much of the wealth of the world and making their own country poorer. Only the South African speaker gave credit to America for helping his country.
It is demoralizing to me to have the good qualities of America, including foreign aid and medical/scientific advancements, so often disregarded. Someone in the program did mention that when other countries want America's help they like us, but when they do not need our help they resent us.
Ginger, unfortunately America has too many people like "jeannie" or "gop-christian" (see the other recent threads)
speaking for them. Some might find it hard not to equate those monsters with the rest of the country.
As for the foreign aid, you can discount half of it as it is military "aid." Helping out folks like Islam Karimov is not aid. Look into the strings attached to the rest of it and it is not so generous. Private aid from the American people, not their government is much more generous and is given with a kind spirit with no strings attached (including demanding gratitude for their government's "aid").
I agree Djeb , the likes og GOP christan etc cloud the view we get ..
And the issues of foreign aid are not as clear cut as many Americans would tell you they are .
Saying that I know that millions of Americans are fighting hard to put things right
The important lesson (in my opinion) from this video is that the America we see is not the America that many US citizens see when they look in the mirror
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