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When I lived in the USA, I found most Americans extremely friendly and welcoming. I would say definitely NOT xenophobic at all. Americans are certainly not unfriendly to you because you come from someplace else. The problems begin (with a SMALL number of people, but large enough to get irritating) if they find out you are deliberately working there for a temporary period and fully intend to go home. I had a good-paying job with a British company in the USA and spent two years there for the crack. This doesn't fit in with some Americans' image of the USA or the world outside. Some of my co-workers, neighbours etc. seemed to expect me to see the light and become resident and emigrate. I had left a generally great life in the UK and wanted to return to it after enjoying America. A minority seemed to take this as a minor insult. I remember saying to my neighbour (following a long lecture about what a terrible mistake I was making) "I'm from Britain, not Burma!" But I don't think he got it.
Has amyone else found this, or has it changed? I'm talking nearly 20 years ago here. The world is more global and there must be far more foreign people in America working for foreign companies temporarily, fully intending to go back to families, property, friends back in Europe, Asia, Australia etc.
It's a small whinge. Americans I got to know during my time there were generally stellar people.
and you didn't figure out basically that they were dispespectful and condescending of where you came from and would only really accept you if they thought you were american. that's still xenophobia.
i don't agree with you that americans are extremely friendly. that almost seems bizarre to me. some are and most are not. they are not even usually polite like in some cultures. most are pretty racist and prejudiced though use regular decorum until having to deal with those they don't like such as giving dirty looks etc or mistreatment. i don't agree with you at all that americans are that friendly. they are not overtly unfriendly though in most cases.
i would say they like to think of themselves as pretty open until the proof in the pudding. it's like their attitude is open for thier ego's sake of thinking themselves friendly until they realize you don't agree. what difference does it matter if someone is superficially friendly if anything past that is just like dealing with anyone else in real relations and finding true friends?
see? americans are not friendlier, they just think they are. they think by acting this way intitially that they are better but they are being unrealistic about who they are when it comes to real issues, viewpoints, beliefs and personal prejudices which some may be ingrained and who they would personally associate with long-term. just because you like to think of yourself as open-minded doesn't mean you actually are and turn around and say to yourself 'oh well, i tried. i'm a friendly american, it must be the other's fault.'
Russians are the most paranoid people on Earth. Seriously if Russia were to vanish tommorw, the world would be a safer place.
You seem to be quite prejudiced against the Russian people.
But remember that it's fortunate the Russians sacrificed (20 million dead) in WWII because otherwise Hitler's scions would maybe rule Europe today...
There are both intolerant and warm, welcoming individuals anywhere you go. I think since the US is constantly in a state of flux regarding immigration, and many of us come from vastly different backgrounds, we're pretty welcoming.
In my industry (IT) we've seen a huge influx of Indian and Chinese staff. Some may view this as a negative trend, but most of the people I work with get along quite well, despite their different beliefs and backgrounds.
Some may view the influx of talented and competent workers from the eastern hemisphere as threatening, but on the whole, they're viewed as just as "American" as our (european amerian) ancestors. We aren't defined by a common background. If half of our population is latino, indian, chinese, bosnian..whatever..what makes you an American is your desire to achieve, and get along with your contrymen, whatever their ethnic background.
Allo...i've read a number of american immigration threads and alot of them seem pretty anti immigrant....i did a double take coz i thought i was reading a british newspaper. seriously though, is there a fairly widespread anti immigrant sentiment or is that reserved to an age or some other demographic?
You seem to be quite prejudiced against the Russian people.
But remember that it's fortunate the Russians sacrificed (20 million dead) in WWII because otherwise Hitler's scions would maybe rule Europe today...
I'm not prejudice, I am just stating the obvious. The russian people are paranoid and xenophic!!! While the rest of Europe joins the modern world, Russia continues to go backwards. Insisting on being the annoying little step child it is.
You are right, the Russian people gave their lives in blood during WWII, but it would have been impossible with out the United States giving countless billions of dollars in aid through the Lend Lease program.
I'm not prejudice, I am just stating the obvious. The russian people are paranoid and xenophic!!! While the rest of Europe joins the modern world, Russia continues to go backwards. Insisting on being the annoying little step child it is.
I'm sorry to say this,-it's not a personal attack- but you're not issuing any facts there that could warrant such a prejudiced and overly racist statement.
For me at least, Russians are very cultured and gifted with high potential (Nobel prizes, scientific, art, architecture,literary community 1st class, read Soljenitsyn).
My great regret is that USA and Russia don't form an alliance, there are many commonalities between both countries, such an alliance would be a blessing for the future of our Western Christian Civilization in front of numerous threats (Moslem fanaticism, Chinese economic dumping)...
When I lived in the USA, I found most Americans extremely friendly and welcoming. I would say definitely NOT xenophobic at all. Americans are certainly not unfriendly to you because you come from someplace else. The problems begin (with a SMALL number of people, but large enough to get irritating) if they find out you are deliberately working there for a temporary period and fully intend to go home. I had a good-paying job with a British company in the USA and spent two years there for the crack. This doesn't fit in with some Americans' image of the USA or the world outside. Some of my co-workers, neighbours etc. seemed to expect me to see the light and become resident and emigrate. I had left a generally great life in the UK and wanted to return to it after enjoying America. A minority seemed to take this as a minor insult. I remember saying to my neighbour (following a long lecture about what a terrible mistake I was making) "I'm from Britain, not Burma!" But I don't think he got it.
Has amyone else found this, or has it changed? I'm talking nearly 20 years ago here. The world is more global and there must be far more foreign people in America working for foreign companies temporarily, fully intending to go back to families, property, friends back in Europe, Asia, Australia etc.
It's a small whinge. Americans I got to know during my time there were generally stellar people.
As an American, alot of us have a deep insecurity. We're force fed the idea that America is god's gift and everyone else is living in some prison-like ghetto or third-world slum. It's hard for us to step back and realize that there is a difference between loving your country and having the maturity to realize that there really is good living beyond our shores. Admitting that another country may have got it right, no matter how small, doesn't sit well.
But you'll mostly find that in the rural/suburban areas where they're pretty much bigoted towards anyone not like themselves anyway. I'm sure if you were of color/gay/"different" they would have told you to go home. Sometimes my countrymen are quite embarressing.
I'm not prejudice, I am just stating the obvious. The russian people are paranoid and xenophic!!! While the rest of Europe joins the modern world, Russia continues to go backwards. Insisting on being the annoying little step child it is.
I'm sorry to say this,-it's not a personal attack- but you're not issuing any facts there that could warrant such a prejudiced and overly racist statement.
For me at least, Russians are very cultured and gifted with high potential (Nobel prizes, scientific, art, architecture,literary community 1st class, read Soljenitsyn).
My great regret is that USA and Russia don't form an alliance, there are many commonalities between both countries, such an alliance would be a blessing for the future of our Western Christian Civilization in front of numerous threats (Moslem fanaticism, Chinese economic dumping)...
actually, that isn't good either. this is seeing things in black and white and thinking in rote terms and perpetuating the same ideals. it's not a conceptual idea actually. it's taking the best the world has to offer and combining it to make something better than it's parts married to other negative aspects traditionally.
christendom has a lot of negatives attached to it like a lot of other things because it's hidden roots is not truly humane. it's like opening up a package to find a virus. if you take true democratic government and combine it with a humane philosophy similar to buddhism along with technological advancement and social and environmental responsibility (not just capitalistic greed), then the world can step up to a more advanced and better platform.
Allo...i've read a number of american immigration threads and alot of them seem pretty anti immigrant....i did a double take coz i thought i was reading a british newspaper. seriously though, is there a fairly widespread anti immigrant sentiment or is that reserved to an age or some other demographic?
Hmmm...are the sentiments anti immigrant or anti illegal immigrant?
The latter definitely riles Americans up...the former, not so much.
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Explain please why ?
