I become afraid of my own anti-Americanism

Der PH · March 25, 2003, 11:36

From the very beginning of the discussion about attacking Iraq I have been against it. With the war coming closer, the US foreign policy seemed more and more disgusting to me and I developed an extremely Anti-American attitude, which is quite common in Germany nowadays.

Nothing exciting so far, but when I saw the US soldiers captured by the Iraqis on TV, my first reaction was pleasure and satisfaction.
Reflecting these feelings I started to become very afraid of myself. How could I be happy, that human beings are captured, maybe mistreated and most possibly undergo their personal hell?
I wanted the US to get a bloody nose in Iraq so much, that I actually enjoyed the obvious suffering of those POWs.

At the moment I feel like an as***le, maybe I am one. I don't know. And I don't know what this f***ing war is doing with my mind.

And when I get involved in that topic to such an emotional level, how does it affect the people who are actually and directly concerned with the war, especially the Iraqis themselves?

FrustratedPoet · March 25, 2003, 11:40

Yeah, those feelings you had aren't very attractive, but at least you're man enough to admit you had them - and that they disturbed you. I respect that.

BeBro · March 25, 2003, 11:46

Quote:

Originally posted by Der PH
Nothing exciting so far, but when I saw the US soldiers captured by the Iraqis on TV, my first reaction was pleasure and satisfaction.
Reflecting these feelings I started to become very afraid of myself. How could I be happy, that human beings are captured, maybe mistreated and most possibly undergo their personal hell?
I wanted the US to get a bloody nose in Iraq so much, that I actually enjoyed the obvious suffering of those POWs.

I´d say it is never a good idea to let your emotions completely control you. I often wonder why anti-war people project their thoughts in such a way on the US troops that they wish them casualties. It simply seems completely illogical to me that one says he´s against war, because it will cost lives, but wishes death to those who are there.

It also seems to be a more ideological thing - perhaps you should ask yourself if you´re really anti-war, or if you´re only anti-US...

Not that I´ll take the morale highground here, but since you posted this for discussion... And if you´re able to ask yourself these questions you posted, I think there´s hope for you...

DinoDoc · March 25, 2003, 11:46

Quote:

Originally posted by Der PH
Nothing exciting so far, but when I saw the US soldiers captured by the Iraqis on TV, my first reaction was pleasure and satisfaction.

The pictures of the dead must have at least got a few giggles out of you.

Quote:

At the moment I feel like an as***le, maybe I am one. I don't know. And I don't know what this f***ing war is doing with my mind.

Admiting a problem is the first step to dealing with it. Try not to watch the news so much. I'm pretty sure that they haven't gone into 24/7 mode there ans they have here. That should help with some of your problem. Also, learn to laugh the next time Rummy mentions Germany. Laughter is always the best medicine.

SlowwHand · March 25, 2003, 11:47

If it makes you feel any differently, Coalition troops could have had this done already, if the goal was merely to turn Baghdad into dust.

Spiffor · March 25, 2003, 11:47

Der PH. I suggest you to discuss on 'Poly when American posters are here. It'll help you understand Americans are normal people just like you and me, and not some unknown shadows behind the ugliness and arrogance of their country's foreign policy.

'Poly is slowly curing me of my deeply rooted antiamericanism, you should try it too.

SlowwHand · March 25, 2003, 11:55

Quote:

Originally posted by Spiffor
Der PH. I suggest you to discuss on 'Poly when American posters are here. It'll help you understand Americans are normal people just like you and me, and not some unknown shadows behind the ugliness and arrogance of their country's foreign policy.

'Poly is slowly curing me of my deeply rooted antiamericanism, you should try it too.

Excuse me while I pick my slack jaw up off the floor, and rid my eyes of this dazed and confused look.

FrustratedPoet · March 25, 2003, 11:58

Quote:

Originally posted by Spiffor

'Poly is slowly curing me of my deeply rooted antiamericanism, you should try it too.

That's odd, because it's slowing curing me of my deeply rooted pro-Americanism.

(kidding

)

BeBro · March 25, 2003, 11:58

Quote:

Originally posted by Spiffor
'Poly is slowly curing me of my deeply rooted antiamericanism, you should try it too.

Those evil Americans don´t even allow us to be against them!

Spiffor · March 25, 2003, 12:01

Quote:

Originally posted by FrustratedPoet
That's odd, because it's slowing curing me of my deeply rooted pro-Americanism.

I could understand that. Talking with Americans on a repetitive basis deletes the myths you can have about them, whether positive or negative.

DinoDoc · March 25, 2003, 12:03

Quote:

Originally posted by FrustratedPoet
That's odd, because it's slowing curing me of my deeply rooted pro-Americanism.

I blame Skanky for that.

ThePantaloonDog · March 25, 2003, 12:36

This site has helped me with my stereotype of Germans. You know Bismarck with the pointy helmet. Now my stereotrype of Germans is creepy people into schizer porn and beastility. Thank you Apolyton!

Drake Tungsten · March 25, 2003, 12:49

I still hate the French; maybe I need to go to another message board to get rid of that...

Traianvs · March 25, 2003, 13:20

oddly, my anti American (government) feelings don't go away here on apolyton, on the contrary...

On the other hand, the people that post here do bring up arguments, when I discussed the war on iraq in some SoF forum all they were saying was bomb osamma and kill sadam cos hes a bad guy. It's easy to win a discussion such as that one

DaShi · March 25, 2003, 13:37

Or to think you've won.

SlowwHand · March 25, 2003, 13:49

Exactly, DaShi.

Jack_www · March 25, 2003, 14:03

I dont know about anyone else but there is a lot of anti americanism arround here on apolyton, and it has been hear long before the Iraq War that is going on now. I can understand if you dissagree with US foreign poilcy, but why must you then take that as a reason to hate all Americans, as if we are the scum of the earth? This anti americanism i dont like one bit. If you want to change peoples minds and such, hating them and making those feelling know will only anger them against you and will not result in anything good.

Also even if you think War in Iraq is wrong, the world will be a better place with out Saddam in Iraq.

orange · March 25, 2003, 14:04

I'm just upset when people are happy at Iraqi deaths. I've heard so many awful rotten comments about Iraqis, not even just on this board, but in general, since the war has begun. "**** Iraq" "Bring home the head of an Iraqi, civilian or military doesn't matter" "Kill as many of those ****ers as you can" etc. etc. It's so sad, because what have innocent Iraqis, or even the Iraqi military, ever done to us? Nothing...

Jack_www · March 25, 2003, 14:07

well some Iraqi millitary are pretending to surrender and then attacking allied troops, that you have to admit wont make allied troops to like the Iraqi millitary. I do not hate Iraqi's, but Saddam's millitary and all who support him willingly are not people you are suppost to be friendly with.

Adagio · March 25, 2003, 14:52

Quote:

Originally posted by Jack_www
I dont know about anyone else but there is a lot of anti americanism arround here on apolyton, and it has been hear long before the Iraq War that is going on now. I can understand if you dissagree with US foreign poilcy, but why must you then take that as a reason to hate all Americans, as if we are the scum of the earth? This anti americanism i dont like one bit. If you want to change peoples minds and such, hating them and making those feelling know will only anger them against you and will not result in anything good.

I agree...

I don't like Bush, but that doesn't mean that all Americans are like Bush (I certainly don't hope so

)

Quote:

Originally posted by Jack_www
well some Iraqi millitary are pretending to surrender and then attacking allied troops, that you have to admit wont make allied troops to like the Iraqi millitary. I do not hate Iraqi's, but Saddam's millitary and all who support him willingly are not people you are suppost to be friendly with.

I wouldn't trust Iraqi military, but I can't see how people can be happy about having Iraqi civilians killed... not all Iraqi's likes Saddam

red_jon · March 25, 2003, 15:39

I've never thought myself as being anti-American. Yeah, I hate the US government (and I don't think too much of my own to be honest) but that's not that same.

Do I hate US culture? Considering the US programmes and products I use I'd be a hypocrite if I said I did. Do I hate American people in general? Well considering I have American friends both on and offline I'd have to say no.

Nubclear · March 25, 2003, 15:42

Quote:

Originally posted by Der PH
From the very beginning of the discussion about attacking Iraq I have been against it. With the war coming closer, the US foreign policy seemed more and more disgusting to me and I developed an extremely Anti-American attitude, which is quite common in Germany nowadays.

Nothing exciting so far, but when I saw the US soldiers captured by the Iraqis on TV, my first reaction was pleasure and satisfaction.
Reflecting these feelings I started to become very afraid of myself. How could I be happy, that human beings are captured, maybe mistreated and most possibly undergo their personal hell?
I wanted the US to get a bloody nose in Iraq so much, that I actually enjoyed the obvious suffering of those POWs.

At the moment I feel like an as***le, maybe I am one. I don't know. And I don't know what this f***ing war is doing with my mind.

And when I get involved in that topic to such an emotional level, how does it affect the people who are actually and directly concerned with the war, especially the Iraqis themselves?

This simply means you are feeling so much anger towards the US government that it has begun to mutate. It doesn't mean your a bad person or an evil person, it simply means you haven't properly dealt with the anger.

I suggest tearing up a phone book while yelling crazy and psychotic things and a 20 day ban on the news and news forums.

SlowwHand · March 25, 2003, 15:45

Tassadar's cat. Home, safe and sound.

red_jon · March 25, 2003, 15:46

That's sickening Sloww.

Nubclear · March 25, 2003, 15:47

Quote:

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Tassadar's cat. Home, safe and sond.

red_jon · March 25, 2003, 15:48

Too much love ... need hate ... turning pro-war ... GAAAAAAAH!

Nubclear · March 25, 2003, 15:50

Quote:

Originally posted by red_jon
Too much love ... need hate ... turning pro-war ... GAAAAAAAH!

SlowwHand · March 25, 2003, 15:51

Finally, you post a picture of your cat, that looks like an actual cat.

See what turning off the news for 10 minutes allows you to accomplish?

BTW, nice cat you have there.

Nubclear · March 25, 2003, 15:54

Quote:

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Finally, you post a picture of your cat, that looks like an actual cat.

See what turning off the news for 10 minutes allows you to accomplish?

Quote:

BTW, nice cat you have there.

Shes the best cat the world has ever seen, isn't she?

Shes very sleepy....a bout a week ago she had surgery. Her uterus was filling with pus and she would've been dead within a week

But now shes ok, just tired

Willem · March 25, 2003, 15:58

Quote:

Originally posted by ADG

I wouldn't trust Iraqi military, but I can't see how people can be happy about having Iraqi civilians killed... not all Iraqi's likes Saddam

There's enough of them that some us feel squeamish. And they seem to be the most vocal about their views unfortunately; the moderates tend to get drowned out.