Why Is The US A Bunch Of Uncaring Bastards?
After September 11th the rest of the world expressed their condolences for the people of the United States in very public ways. There were flags dipped and moments of silence around the world and US Embassies were packed with people expressing their private sorrow at our loss.
Why can’t or won’t the US reciprocate?
Where was the US response to the Madrid bombing? Spain was an ally and we did almost nothing to recognize its pain.
Where was the US response to the tsunami? Days later there were mumbled responses and inadequate aid offers.
Laura Rosen at War and Piece wonders where the US apology is for the death of an senior Italian agent and wounding of a recently released hostage at an American checkpoint in Iraq.
Tom Watson wonders why there never seems to be any public mourning in the US. He looks at what Italy is doing, and is amazed that the closest the US has come to this is the death of Ronald Reagan, which realistically was not universal, not like JFK or FDR.
A woman lost her job for taking pictures of “transfer tubes” and Nightline was accused of partisan politics for reading the names and showing picture of the American service members who had died in the service of their country.
What is wrong with the people in charge? Are they so disconnected from humanity that they no longer understand the minimum standards of society? How long would it take for someone to whip up a statement for the President to read from the White House and broadcast? No one is asking him to actually care about another human being, but the world expects such statements.
All such lapses do is confirm for the rest of the world that Americans are a bunch of callous, self-centered thugs, devoid of civility.
[Update: Well, John Bolton as ambassador to the UN ought to solidify our position as arrogant jerks.]
