Kit wrote:Snusmumrikken wrote:Kit wrote:
smth about europeans amusedly sensationalizing the breakdown of democracy in the us ..... doesnt sit right w me
to b clear not targeted at anyone specifically in this thread altho if u feel called out u can reflect on that how u will. also @ the irl friends who r rly grabbing their popcorn nd laughing/joking about the very real threats of violence in the us. w hot takes like "lol did u see there was a plot to attack the convention center? omg it's like a movie, the us is heading for a civil war glad im european haha what a mess"
Not to take that discussion with you because honestly based on how you repeatedly shut down Europeans based solely on them not being Americans is not something I particularly find impressive, it doesn't sit right with me that the US have bases in Europe, that they practice warfare on European soil, that they use a treaty that was intended to be a defence treaty as quite the opposite, getting European countries to fight in the Middle East, and for what?
How the US government keeps interfering with international politics, keeps joining in on wars that strictly speaking is none of their goddamn business.
I fail to see why it is appropriate for Americans to have opinions about other countries, but if people dare to speak about what they see, what they gather from the constant influx of American news and America-centric media.. oh well.
In addition to this, I think you forget the role the US has globally. The US is, sadly as I would like to add, the most prominent country in the entire world, all continents are to varying degrees affected by US international politics which tends to be affected by domestic politics.
If the current situation of the US escalates and results in a civil war, the Americans are not the only ones who will be affected. I bet that European military will be involved, and it's likely not the only continent to be directly involved in such an event, after all.. NATO among other alliances hasn't really been used as intended so I'm sure it will result in international involvement.
Also, as already stated. American news. American medias. We are bombarded with news about what is happening in the self-proclaimed best democracy in the world. Hell, we even get news like the [party] senator of [state] has gotten covid, s/he is in isolation for now. I honestly do not think Americans are aware of how much news and info we get about your country, honestly. It is borderline more news about the US than Norway in Norwegian news.
I am sorry, but I think the world has all right to have opinions and, quite frankly, even mock Americans. You reap what you sow.
You'll most likely not agree with me, perhaps not even see my point, after all, I'm nothing but an European.
i don't really disagree with anything you've said tho. like you're correct, and me saying "some europeans r being rly insensitive about what's happening rn" doesn't mean that i think the US / americans never do anything wrong, or that no europeans are allowed to have opinions on america, or that there aren't super valid critiques to be had of america's global position and involvement in other nations. like nowhere am i saying that. i'm also not trying to paint america as somehow a victim internationally. that'd be absolutely insane?
i'm saying it's upsetting to me that some individuals (& the people i'm talking to are mostly dutch, british, and scandinavian) are finding
amusement in the civil unrest currently happening in the US. & as much as you have an incredibly valid point that america is internationally violent on a systemic level, i don't think these western/northern european people are the 'true' victims of american foreign policy anyway. and personally i feel like laughing/making fun of the current state of affairs is disrespectful to the people in the US whose lives are going to be seriously impacted by the outcome of these elections. & i don't think america's shitty foreign policy is an appropriate excuse for that kinda behavior.
i want to just reiterate again that i have not and would not ever justify american foreign policy, overseas wars, or interference. i also don't think that americans are justified in having opinions on other countries when they are meanspirited, mocking, or uninformed. i don't think that europeans (and frankly the entire world) aren't justified in observing this election and being concerned; my main problem is mockery or amusement which to me seems motivated by a desire to feel superior, not genuine concern or engagement. i also don't think that because europeans are disproportionately exposed to news media from and about the US means they're inherently qualified to speak on america and its politics. i disagree with the argument that the american government's shitty foreign policy makes it okay to make light of the very real, life and death consequences that this election will have.
but i do agree with almost all of what you'd said and i would not dismiss your argument just
because you're european. i am also european. i'd dismiss an argument from anyone who is uneducated, unsympathetic, and taking pleasure in the suffering of others because of their nation of origin. it's just the kind of behavior i'm really only seeing from europeans right now because that's what is around me. i'd be equally disgusted with americans who would laugh at the election of far right leaders in europe.
Since I was the one who mentioned the Trump supporter getting arrested, I want you to know that I'm definitely not "amused" by what's happening in the US and that it in no way meant how you interpreted it as "lol did u see there was a plot to attack the convention center? omg it's like a movie, the us is heading for a civil war glad im european haha what a mess" even if I'm European I can still be worried about the election as it affects me too. I might not live in the US but we all know that the US has a great impact on the rest of the world, if not directly then indirectly