When was the last time a president called his own country arrogant and derisive?
By Taskr36
@Taskr36 (13963)
United States
April 6, 2009 4:28pm CST
I wonder if anyone can answer this. Now I'm no expert historian, but As best I can remember, we've typically elected presidents who were patriotic. Sure, some were misguided, and not all were pillars of virtue, but NEVER have I heard of a president travelling overseas to tell other countries how arrogant, divisive, and derisive we are. Obama decided to break new ground on degrading his own country. Here are his remarks made in Stasbourg, France.
"In America, there's a failure to appreciate Europe's leading role in the world. Instead of celebrating your dynamic union and seeking to partner with you to meet common challenges, there have been times where America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive."
Can anyone truly justify this behavior? It's one thing when we here this kind of anti-American sentiment from liberals here at home, and it's to be expected from the anti-American types overseas, but this is OUR PRESIDENT. This is the man we elected to LEAD us now calling us arrogant and derisive.
Some believe this was a cheap shot at Bush, but not me. This is an insult to our entire nation and every citizen of our country. Can anyone here imagine John McCain saying those words? What about Former Presidents Bush, Clinton, Bush Sr, Reagan, Carter, etc.? Do you really think ANY of them would have ever spoken this way about our country and our citizens? By the way, since when are we supposed to follow "Europe's leading role"? I thought we fought a war so we WOULDN'T follow their leadership.
Is it so important for him to be Mr. Popularity in Europe that we should accept his insulting remarks about US as citizens?
4 people like this
7 responses
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
6 Apr 09
I'm not patriotic but I still love my country and would never say anything against it. If it became necessary, I'd defend it. America is my house and that's what you do for your home.
I have my issues with the country, not going to lie about that. We do a lot of things that I don't consider right because we are, after all, only human.
When does the day come that everyone stops falling for the nonsense of Obama? What will it take to wake people up?
2 people like this
@MthaFuknGreen (14)
• United States
7 Apr 09
To answer that simply, a lot.
People don't want him to fail, the black race wouldn't be able to handle that. Not to mention it would prove wrong everyone that voted for him, the majority of which voted for him because he's black, whether they be black or not. The only real reason I could see someone voting for him is because he said he'd bring home the troops and cut taxes for the less wealthy people. I don't think the troops should come back and I'm a student, so I don't have many taxes, but I can understand why some people may be concerned about those enough to become desperate and vote for his promises.
1 person likes this
@kimandjoe (352)
• United States
7 Apr 09
speak the truth!!! wooooo!!!!! Finally a young person like me who realizes what's goin on!
PEople need to open up thier eyes! I knew this from the start!!!!
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
6 Apr 09
Let us remember when Obama was campaigning over in Germany he criticized America then. Obama is the first truly trans-national President. Clinton at lest understood that he must protect America's interest abroad. Obama has turned this up-side-down. Instead of protecting the world's interest at home. Obama loves his ego being stroked by European for what ever reason. If that means criticizing America when ever he has the chance to do so. We will have some major problems in the near future. Think about this Harold Koh, President Obama's pick to become one of the State Department's top lawyers believes that international law out classes the U.S Constitution. With Obama's anti-American attitude as it is and his appointment to various appointments to the State department, not a lot of good can come from this.
2 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
6 Apr 09
So he not only considers us beneath the king of Saudi Arabia, he considers us beneath Europe too?
This country needs a healthy dose of Pyrentel to cure us of Obamaosis!
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
7 Apr 09
I hope you don't mind if I answer your title question with another question:
When was the last time our preceding has, by his actions, made us appear to be "arrogant and derisive"? What exactly is wrong in acknowledging "Europe's leading role in the world"? ARE we so arrogant that we have to be considered the only nation in the entire world with any say over anything, with any "leadership position" whatsoever?
As for imagining the other men you mentioned saying those words, I'm not sure if John McCain would have said anything similar or not but the former Presidents you mentioned had no reason to, they weren't following an Administration that had a "My way or the highway" attitude and mentality. By the way, I'm one liberal who is tired of being called "anti-American".
Annie
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
7 Apr 09
If you're tired of being called "anti American" quit hating America!
I guess next time Europe has a natural disaster, we'll just keep our arrogance and divisiveness to ourselves and not help out.
Of course we won't though, because we aren't that way.
It's too bad you choose to not see that.
2 people like this
@shewolf52002 (1214)
• United States
7 Apr 09
"I am very fond of many americans but anyone who does not live in the US knows that you as a nation are "so arrogant that we have to be considered the only nation in the entire world with any say over anything". Just think: you are always talking of freedom but are always medling in other nations´ business."
People who do not live in the US probably do think we are arrogant, that is to be expected. What we are talking about here is a leader who bad mouthed the country he is leading! We could sit and argue the bad charecter of many nations but I will bet you anything that even the worst dictatorship on the planet never talked down about his own country! People need to have national pride, right, wrong or otherwise you should be proud of your country. Yes we can admit when we are wrong but the president had no business cowtowing to a set of European leaders by putting us down.
2 people like this
@ClassyCat (1214)
• United States
7 Apr 09
Count down to Nov. 2012 and then what?
If we last that long.
1 person likes this
@us2owls (1681)
• United States
7 Apr 09
Well you have to be American to fully support America and him being American is highly questionable. I am in the UK and while the papers made a big fuss about him they obviously didn't talk to the man on the street because I have yet to talk to anyone who is British that likes the man. In fact most of those I have talked to about him ask me what will happen when he is assassinated because they all think that is what it will come down to. I hope not for the sake of his wife and children but I seriously think every time he opens his mouth he is heading closer to it. Yes impeaching him would be the best solution. The sooner the better.
1 person likes this
@Sgurleyd (68)
• United States
7 Apr 09
I totally agree!! Makes me wonder what would John Wayne think? I have several deceased relatives who fought in WWII and I can pretty much imagine what they would have to say!
@AngryKittyMSV (4317)
• United States
7 Apr 09
I can see jimmy (the Dhimmi) Carter doing such a thing, but I doubt even HE would not have gone so far as to trash talk the American people while on foreign soil. If 0bama holds us in such low regard, he should NOT be representing us. Anyone who goes and PUBLICLY talks bad about their employer, should lose their damned job. We are 0bama's employer and he has trash talked the American people to the rest of the world. It should NOT be tolerated. He should be fired (from a cannon).
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
7 Apr 09
I'm glad you said that. Too many people seem to think it is our job to serve the president. The opposite is true. We hired him, we pay his salary, and he is our employee. If a Microsoft employee held a televised conference at Macintosh and badmouthed Microsoft, he would be fired. That kind of behavior is unacceptable, plain and simple.
1 person likes this
@AngryKittyMSV (4317)
• United States
7 Apr 09
Here is my discussion attempting to explain WHY this is a problem:
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1969210.aspx
@AngryKittyMSV (4317)
• United States
7 Apr 09
Be sure to see the brilliant response form a non-american who of course doesn't get why this is a problem...
