LETTER: Many nations oppose USA
Editor,
I am writing in response to a letter appearing in the opinion section of last Friday’s paper entitled “Let’s not forget 9/11.”
The statement I would like to address is as follows: “Many nations have rallied to our side in this fight, and they look to us for direction.”
This seemed to me so ironic, because I had just read an article last week giving results to opinion polls taken around the world in regards to our popularity.
A BBC poll revealed that the vast majority of Jordanians and Indonesians consider the United States more dangerous than al Qaeda. A majority in India, Russia, South Korea and Brazil view us as more dangerous than Iran. An international poll by the Pew Research Center found that more than 70 percent of citizens in such generally friendly countries as Spain, France, Russia and South Korea think the United States doesn’t take into account the interests of others.
According to the Pew survey, two years ago, three-quarters of Indonesians had a positive view of America; now, more than four-fifths have a negative view. In the summer of 2002, two-thirds of French and Germans viewed America favorably; now that number is less than half.
Our foreign policies have, of late, endangered our reputation around the world and almost negated our American ideals which were previously upheld and admired by so many.
I completely agree that we must remember those innocent lives lost on that tragic day. However, I do not think we can leave out those lives lost in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere. We’re not the only ones stuck in this mess; it isn’t unpatriotic to care about people who don’t bleed red, white, and blue, and to include them in our hearts. There are many mixed feelings and views about our present condition but a difference of opinion does not imply an “anti-American” sentiment.
Our freedom is all about a difference of opinions and the respect of these differences. Being involved, asking questions, reading up on both sides of the debate, and forming your own opinion is very important, especially today. Keep up the discussion, make people think.
James Mouritsen