Sunday, May 23, 2004
What They Think of U.S.- Anti-American rhetoric in the classroom
First a little background. I have a bachelor's degree in Political Science from Washington University in the U.S.A. . I am currently studying for a master's degree in International Business at University of Sydney. I am also taking some political science classes as part of a Government and Business second major.
The course I am taking this semester is called "International Security," which deals with security issues from 1990 into the future. Pretty relevant topic to the world today. So what are people saying about Security issues, the War in Iraq, and the U.S. in general?
There is a general consensus against the actions of the United States' actions in Iraq, specifically based around the U.S. not finding the WMD and, to a much lesser extent, the actions in Abu Gharib prison. The WMD issue rings louder because it undermines the legitimacy of the war, especially because Australia sent troops to assist the U.S.-led coaltion using WMD as its primary justification.
I of course, sit in the back of the classroom, and don't participate in conversation as often as I should. Anti-U.S. comments usually start flying pretty quickly. Most of the comments made I agree with; that the current administration misled the public about the need to remove Sadaam, and that shutting out the United Nations, was a critical error that could have long-term rammifications for the structure of International Relations (why? I'll tell you later.)
What pisses me off, is that Australians use the word "America" and "American," where I would use "Bush" and "The Bush Administration." Part of this is no doubt to Australian ignorance about the intricacies of American Politics, and a failure to understand that Americans are not gun-toting cowboys following their yee-haw President into whatever war he authorizes. Right?
Therin lies the rub. I know the extent of the liberal-conservatism schism within the United States, and the huge envelope nature of the Democratic and Republican parties. But the rest of the world doesn't care about liberal opposition, or the fact that Gore got more votes than Bush. I am American, and thus I have to answer to the actions of my President and Government, regardless of whether I agree with them or not. And I am still an American, when pressed I feel the need to defend the country I come from, even if I disagree with some of its actions. I love America. I just hate the President.
The course I am taking this semester is called "International Security," which deals with security issues from 1990 into the future. Pretty relevant topic to the world today. So what are people saying about Security issues, the War in Iraq, and the U.S. in general?
There is a general consensus against the actions of the United States' actions in Iraq, specifically based around the U.S. not finding the WMD and, to a much lesser extent, the actions in Abu Gharib prison. The WMD issue rings louder because it undermines the legitimacy of the war, especially because Australia sent troops to assist the U.S.-led coaltion using WMD as its primary justification.
I of course, sit in the back of the classroom, and don't participate in conversation as often as I should. Anti-U.S. comments usually start flying pretty quickly. Most of the comments made I agree with; that the current administration misled the public about the need to remove Sadaam, and that shutting out the United Nations, was a critical error that could have long-term rammifications for the structure of International Relations (why? I'll tell you later.)
What pisses me off, is that Australians use the word "America" and "American," where I would use "Bush" and "The Bush Administration." Part of this is no doubt to Australian ignorance about the intricacies of American Politics, and a failure to understand that Americans are not gun-toting cowboys following their yee-haw President into whatever war he authorizes. Right?
Therin lies the rub. I know the extent of the liberal-conservatism schism within the United States, and the huge envelope nature of the Democratic and Republican parties. But the rest of the world doesn't care about liberal opposition, or the fact that Gore got more votes than Bush. I am American, and thus I have to answer to the actions of my President and Government, regardless of whether I agree with them or not. And I am still an American, when pressed I feel the need to defend the country I come from, even if I disagree with some of its actions. I love America. I just hate the President.
# posted by Marmaniac @ 4:02 AM 
