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I understand your point and it makes sense. I'm not sure if your understanding mine, or just choosing not too. Mandela said that about Bush, as for arrogance coming with the territory, it was a figure of speech. I did not expect you to take it at it's literal meaning. You cannot tell me that the perception of Americans around the world is that we are altruistic. Go ask anyone you know that was not born (or grew up) here. Everyone I've ever met, that is non-American, thinks we are an arrogant, narcissistic nation that has been dumbed down from watching too much TV.Originally posted by debate_junkie
Quite a few times actually, Billo, but then again, it's much easier to get inflamed when a member of the opposite party does it, all the while glossing over a likeminded person in the political arena.
The generalization I was referring to, was your comment regarding Nelson Mandella thinking George Bush to be an arrogant asshole, and then you said you didn't know how arrogance came with the territory of being American, which IS a sweeping generalization. Arrogance doesn't come with the territory. Arrogance is a character trait that SOME possess.
Anyway, regardless, alot of people use generalizations, and don't even realize they do so. But to say one does it more than the other, or one is more racist because of it than the other is ludicrous, bordering on downright childish. THAT'S my point.
Why do you think we have gone into other countries that have done nothing to us, in violation of our own laws, and expect people to say thank you for bombing them? You don't think that is a national collective arrogance? I certainly hope so. Because if it isn't, then it is far worse. Because then, it means we just don't care.