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Subscribe to RSSLebo Mothae, a teacher from Soweto, South Africa, describes her view of the United States.
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – When Lebo Mothae speaks about the United States of America, she smiles brightly. “If I could go to America that would be my dream – just to be there!”
Mothae’s only contact with American people is when she encounters the crowds of tourists that she must cut through to walk her 4-year-old son from home to a nursery school close to Vilakazi Street in Soweto, the South African township. The area is popular with visitors because it is the street where former President Nelson Mandela once lived and former Archbishop Desmond Tutu still has a home.
To Mothae, a 32-year-old nursery school teacher, the United States represents a beacon of relative racial harmony.
The U.S. and South Africa share a dark racial past, but South Africa’s is much more recent – white minority rule by the apartheid regime ended when Mandela was released from prison in 1990 and became president in 1994 after the country’s first democratic elections.
And although Mothae questioned her belief in the American people during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the election of an African-American president in the U.S. renewed her hopes for racial equality at home and abroad.
“That election made me feel so warm about the American people,” she said.
Her faith in all things American was enhanced when first lady Michelle Obama visited South Africa last year, a trip that included a visit to Soweto.
“She’s a darling,” Mothae said. “I remember the day and the time that she came to this side [South Africa]. She’s a nice lady. She’s quite down-to-earth. I like her.
“I see a mother – a caring person. She’s devoted to what she’s doing. She is an icon for all black women in America, in South Africa and around the world.”
China means big money
But when Mothae talks of the future, and envisages the type of massive investment which might transform Soweto for her child’s generation, she speaks of China, not the United States.
“China is the number one country because they produce so many things. So many things come from China. Even in America they have to go to China. That makes them the number one country.”
Lesego Seitisho, an unemployed IT administrator in Soweto, South Africa, talks about America.
Across Africa, the sudden emergence of massive Chinese investment, much of it in natural resources to satisfy the needs of its rapidly growing economy, has changed entire communities. Bilateral trade between China and Africa has grown exponentially – particularly in just the last few decades.
In 1950 China-Africa bilateral trade was just $12 million, but by 1980, it topped $1 billion, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce. That number jumped over the last 30 years, with China-Africa trade volume reaching $114 billion by 2010, according to the Chinese. Some analysts estimate that figure is likely to reach $300 billion by 2015.
The money has helped to build highways, stadiums and parliament buildings across the continent – while also taking away many of the continent’s natural resources.
Many leaders, including South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma, have been impressed by China’s enthusiasm for Africa as well as its perceived “no strings attached” approach to investment.
Perhaps in response, U.S. President Barack Obama unveiled a new “U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa” earlier in June.
The strategy's most important objectives are “strengthening democratic institutions and promoting economic growth, trade and investment,” according to the White House.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reinforced the idea of Africa as an ideal place for investment in the 21st century on the same day as Obama’s announcement.
“Africa offers the highest rate of return on foreign direct investment of any developing region in the world,” said Clinton. “We in the United States like to talk about ourselves as the country that is the land of opportunity. It’s a point of national pride. Well, in the 21st century, Africa is the continent that is the land of opportunity.”
While the U.S. may have an uphill battle selling itself as an economic powerhouse, in terms of cultural influence, it still tops China.
NBC News speaks with citizens from around the globe, asking the question, 'What Does America Mean to You?'
U.S. will always have Oprah and Beyonce
Close to Vilakazi Street, Ayanda Mchunu, a 26-year-old street-vendor, said his souvenir business has been boosted by a surge in Chinese tourists.
“I keep my eye out for the Americans and the Chinese; we think they have the most money,” he said.
And, despite the ascendancy of China, he said that the “soft power” of the United States would endure through its cultural influence
“Even children – they always talk about the U.S.”
“Most of the children, they watch films…The characters are from the U.S.,” Mchunu said. “That’s why they’re inspired by the U.S.”
Nearby, Lesego Seitisho, a former IT administrator, was stopping passers-by in search of work after completing a contract with a Chinese company. He found his employer’s approach to workplace discipline enlightening and hopes to find a job with another Chinese firm.
But he believed that American culture and the popularity of celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Beyonce in South Africa give the United States influence that China could never match.
“America is on TV all the time and when the TV’s off America is still switched on in your mind.”
“My head says that China is number one, my heart always says America.”
This story is part of a series by msnbc.com and NBC News "What the World Thinks of US". The series aims to check the pulse on current perceptions of America's global stature during the election year and ahead of our annual Independence Day. Share your thoughts about this story and our series on Twitter using #AmericaMeans
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Leave a Comment:
Right now the thing that is making China number one economically is its relative slave labor. People work for peanuts and dwell in spartan living conditions that Americans would not endure. The suicide rate for these Chinese workers is very high.
When China stops producing goods in this way things will start to even out but it may take decades.
China has almost no ingenuity in its products. I know intellectual theft exists within industries, but China takes it to a whole new level. As for everything being made in China, you are correct. It's because
1) The level of human rights they value is downright disgusting
2) They aren't bound by the same environmental concerns as many developed nations. They have access to more resources because they rape the land for it (see their relationship with North Korea).
Chinese wealth distribution is far more concentrated than what I'm guessing more developed nations are seeing (which are already bad).
Americans endured those conditions (Brits too) back in the 1800s during the industrial revolution. Capitalists conspired to draft laws that destroyed The Commons and the self sufficient peasants and forced them into the factories for near-slave labor (while slave labor actually existed in the south). then they started exploiting women and children for cheaper labor. Once labor organized and pushed for living wages and safe conditions, they moved south and west to manufacture cheaper (exploiting the newly freed slaves). But after a boom through the mid 20th century, labor again was too expensive. There was nowhere left in the US to move to, and after Nixon opened up China to US investment, it was only a matter of time until US capitalists found another complicit regime to allow them to operate as they please.
You have as much honest insight as the Muslims in the video.
Please go to France and give their new found socialism a go.
You know Brian you are absolutely right. But as with everything else neither side is willing to give. The owners don't want to give up anything and neither do the workers. America's workers eventually organized and unionized which brought on their demise. You see when the worker receives more the owner has to raise their price, because heaven forbid the rich don't continue to make their profits, but in the end the worker really doesn't make any more because he is paying more and when the cycle reaches every other phase of the market the worker most likely comes out on the short end of the stick. And then eventually the owner says I can't afford to keep increasing your wage and your benefits so I will just lay you off and hire someone at half your wage and offer them no benefits and make them do your job as well as someone Else's job. Or the other alternative is have machines do the work---no sick time, no vacation time, and other than a few breakdowns an evenly measurable amount of output. It is truly sad that greed is non-flexible at either end of the spectrum because truly the worker loses out in this disagreement because the rich will never except anything less than "more money in my pocket no matter what the cost to others."
The USA, could be #1 If they paid the employees .50 cents an hour. I wouldn't go running to China, because unlike the US they don't give out Welfare to millions of illegals, you might wanna head to America, they do give out millions of free aid to illegals. They give out so much they're going bankrupt. Psst, China, is the USA's loan-shark.
Before people start reacting to the demise of the U.S., get your facts straight.
China is not #1 economically! Certainly not by GDP. Look it up. The E.U.is number 1, followed by the U.S.
And surprise, the U.S. outproduces China in manufacturing! Most people are surprised at that since we think everything is produced in China. China does make a lot of things, and may soon pass the U.S. in manufacturing. But the things manufactured in China tend to be low value and often are produced for some other company, such as Apple. So they don't get the marketing value from the products.
Look at the data, not the conventional wisdom.
If you take military items out of the equation, China does out produce the US.
South African comment: "My head says that China is number one, my heart always says America.”
As it has been, is and with some intelligent American thought will always be. When the WORLD needs help, it turns to America. Floods, drought, earthquakes, civil wars or miners stuck underground call America. Why? Because America, unlike China, for better or worse will try to help those that ask. We are not perfect, but we do reach out to try and help. That decency will always make us better than the China's of the world.
I would not invest heavily in China right now.
The reason?
Robotics are reaching a whole new level and cheap chinese labor will soon be replaced with even cheaper and more reliable US plants using virutally 100% robotics to build the cr@p we buy at Walmart etc.
What we do with all the unneeded people I don't know but there you have it. Low skill labor is going away and fast!
China #1 economically? There was the same perception about Japan in the 80s. Oh, how the quasi-mighty fall.
If we are going to be a bigger and better influence now is the time. Swandered it from Clinton to now for no reason other than alligance to the middle east and it's oil who also has slave labor and low wages.
No you need ant colony power and reliable labor. The last thing you need in your manufacturing plant is everyone stopping work 5 times a day and facing east!
Okay, let's assume a muslim guy is about 100 yards east of Mecca. Does he then face west, or still east, having to look the whole way around the globe. Wouldn't it be more effective looking west? After all, the whatever is just 100 yards away. Just saying. LOL :-p
and like SA & China we have a communist who is leading us to economic destruction. He gets elected we are dead.
Stewart, WTF are you babbling about?
Hey Stu: Yep, WTF?
I wouldnt call Mitt a communist. But you are right about if he gets elected.
Your not cute and your not smart. We understand the issues here: you love the state and it's tyranny, we love the freedom and count it precious, as did the Colonists in the 18th century.
Herald9, if you're going to tell people about a perceived lack of intelligence, may want to start by learning the difference between "your" and "you're".
herald, you confuse tyranny and socialism with losing an election and not having YOUR views represented.
hiraldo, This isn't the @!$%#ing 18 th century.
Herald9, Regardless of what the 18th century colonists in general believed...those who founded this country during that time, specified that "no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." In fact, the words "Jesus Christ, Christianity, Bible, Creator, Divine, and God" are never mentioned in the Constitution-- not even once. Furthermore, the 1796 Treaty with Tripoli states that the United States was "not in any sense founded on the Christian religion"...
...Sorry to burst your christian revisionist bubble.
Interesting perspectives. It's always nice to see these ground-level opinions of America's standings in the world.
I live here and would characterize America as TWO countries layered on each other. One a first world country with wealth, technology and education. The other a third world country with none of the previous attributes, separated only in many cases by razor thin zip codes...
I don't think cheap labor is the only reason why China is economically competitive compared to many developed countries, say the US or Japan. Many developing countries have cheaper labor than China does, yet they don't compete as well as China. China is moving gradually higher and higher in terms of value-added commodities, which require more sophisticated manufacturing process. Some other countries are picking up the gap China is leaving, say Vietnam or Indonesia. China's competitiveness is its state-of-the-art infrastructure and skilled workforce with good work ethics. Also, China's strong central government,which is also very business friendly, is the ideal the partner for corporations. In fact, China has been run like a very successful corporate. Another edge that China has is its ambition and desire to grow and compete at whatever the cost. The by products of this model is bad, but that's what it takes to be economically competitive. If you can't think like that, you already lose the competition. China is what the US used to be during the early 1900s. China today, is attracting opportunitists, investors and people who love to risk to make tons of money. The US however, is a place where people who just want to live a slow and comfortable family life. Just like what Western Europe has become today. The US once laughed at Europe for their slow-paced and inefficient model, the US is becoming more and more like that, while China is becoming more and more like the US, or what it used to be,
pretty true
Thats pretty astute Lei Chen. I would also like to add that China doesn't waste money trying to control the planet with their military.
Well, actually I gotta say China has a very smart foreign policy...it only spends money where it can get things back...I mean really things, like natural resources or money...not just some high-profile ideological propaganda rhetorics.
China gets a huge boost having Most Favored Trade status with the US. Its manufacturing has an open door to the consumers with the deepest pockets. Its an unparallelled edge.
@ James Of course China enjoys great benefits as a major trading partner of the US...in fact China has replaced the US as the biggest trading partners of many important economic powers. Korea, Japan, Brazil, Argentina...etc. It may be unparalleled, but the American corporations have benefited a lot from such business model.
China is not very smart.They use the people for the American corporations to make big dollars and pollute their country . If they take all the regulations off her in America, then our country will be just like yours. We will all be wearing mask and working for cheap wages . The rich will be buying big homes in places overseas to escape all the foulness they have created. If Romney gets in then this is what we will face. No regulations,no labor laws, no EPA and no Unions to back the people. So watch out America what you vote for you might get what you do not want.
Could it be that the reason that China opened up its markets was to provide employment for its own people?
Could it also be that the reason that China invests in the various 3rd world countries is to also provide job opportunities for its own people as well as corner/control the market on certain needed and necessary minerals/industries etc? You know the old control the resources you control the game thingy?
China is also facing the same sort of capitalistic greed and resulting inequity that plagues the USA, as they are also facing the same sort of intrenched chronyism and nepotism that is prevalent in the USA if reports are true. They too have a very large portion of their population that are poor or in the middle and a small portion of their population that are extremely wealth too, just like in the USA. The wealthy and connected can afford to send their offsprings to other counties eg the USA to ivy leage colleges, either by being able to afford to pay for said education or through scholarships opportunities -that are not or may not be readily available to the folks in the middle and the poor sectors due to cost. Nothing unusual here, it is the same the world over.
With so many of their youngsters attending and graduating from their universities, as a means of upward mobility, there is a need for more profession inspired jobs/opportunities as opposed to the same poor paying factory jobs that may be readily available. Hence the branching out abroad/overseas. Many of these folks work in the USA on H1 visas for example.
Even although it may appear that China is open to foreign investment/businesses it is more than likely through some form of 'partnering' or access to info, with said foreign business and so exert a certain amount of control over these businesses too, from the look of things, i.e follow our rules or bye bye.
In regards to their being business friendly....they do not seem to have a problem in locking up their own business owners, the wealthy and higherups in govt, if they overstep their mark into fraudulent or unseemly behaviour from the look of things. LOL E.g. that issue with the milk of few years ago, or continuing to produce products that may contain toxic materials, and things like not paying workers etc, weren't those business people punished, if I am not mistaken? Wasn't a mall owner sent to prison when the airconditioning units that were housed on the roof fell through on to the shoppers below killing and injuring people? Or was that in Japan?
Anyway in the USA it is hardly likely that the mall/business owner or builder would have been punished in any way shape or form,--(see the gusher in the Gulf- is anyone locked up yet although many workers died etc?)-- rather the shoppers would have been blamed for their own injuries and death as the mall/business owners lawyers would find a way to show that the impacted people somehow caused these units to come down or pulled them down upon themselves in order to be compensated or to get rid of unwanted troublesome friends and family members. LOL
You know like that old spin job that was used here in 2007-2008 and on, of the housing (and thus our financial implosion) meltdown was caused by po' people buying more house than they could afford thus that is why the housing bubble occurred and then burst causing them to lose their lifesavings and their homes to forclosure...so it is the po folks fault that they are now jobless cause they do/did not want to work, and homeless because they did not or would not pay their mortgage payment after buying more house than they could afford thingy. LOL
Wonder what would have happened to the folks in the financial sector that tanked our economy if this had occurred in China? Would they still be free to continue to repeat the same behaviour that tanked our economy...see Chase (?) and the 2 billion dollar plus loss recently. It is more than likely those folks would be in prison doing hard time for ever, for destroying their economy and dishonoring their country no doubt.LOL
Plus with their limited land space and expanding population - hence the continuation of the 1 child policy- they do have to branch out and invest in other countries, where they buy up lands etc and build factories, mines etc. The thing is though that they do employ their own people to do the work, supplemented by some local labour. Perhaps they are following the old British Empire building model it would seem of colonization, but in a more low key manner in that they are not or do not seem to be putting their own people into position of power/control like was done by the Brits etc, in those countries, rather working behind the scenes so to speak.
With that many young people coming of age, graduating from school and uni and needing gainful employment, the govt have to move to provide such before there is rampant internal discontent leading to unrest. E.g. When some factories closed down suddenly a year or 2 or so ago, without paying their employees the workers started to protest loudly etc and the govt stepped in to pay the workers what they were owed to quell the unrest.
The young people in China want more than their parents had and from the look of things do aspire to wealth and engage in consumerism too just like in the USA and else where. They also want higher wages and do go from 1 employer to the other in search of better pay, benefits and conditions too from the look of things/reports.
They do have national pride and it is doubtful that the Chinese citizens would publicly disrespect their President/leaders in the manner that President Obama, the First Lady and their children are disrespected here by some folks including polititians in Congress and elsewhere, like by some wealthy business people, media personalities etc who should know better and demonstrate better manners if only to set a better example. It is more than likely those doing the dissing would be in prison where they could research/dwell on their birtherism theories, and excercise their penchant for questionable (racist) e-mails/jokes etc to their hearts content, along with those religiousity folks who would try to impose their particular brand of religiousity on the govt. LOL
In more enlightened countries and amoung more enlightened people, people seem to practice the old saying....'one can disagree without being disagreeable and nasty' truism, unlike what seem to be happening here even at the highest levels of society these days with their lies, untruths and ingnorant nastiness as ameans of getting their own way.
Anyhoo.. China is going to do what is best for China and its people period, even if it is from supposedly manipulating their currency, subsidizing businesses, investing in the infrastructure of and buying /setting up businesses, factories, mining etc concerns abroad, to not wasting money by increasing their defense spending and not engaging in profitless wars/conflicts around the globe.... or being unpaid and uncompensated world protector/policeman, even for countries that can afford to protect themselves.
Perhaps it is time that we do the same, including spending our money on our own people and country and investing in other countries for profit and to provide employment for our citizens for a change?..... Just saying...
Ps... it was once noted that the next war if or when it should come, will not be the old boots on the ground thing, rather it will be an economic war.... Perhaps it has already started and folks/leaders here are not paying attention... Hmmm
Still think that corporations are people, money is speech thus corporations can speak as loudly and long as they wish or can afford is a good idea , or that it is ok that superpacs don't have to reveal where their donations are coming from, whether from overseas etc? Wonder if foreign corporation here are people too and have freedom of speech/spending in our politics? Just asking....
So get news info from a variety of sources......think for yourself..... question everything and pray that whatev untoward might not happen.... yet....LOL
Remember that other folks elsewhere still think we are worthy of admiration....even if we are a bit fractious. lol
Anyhoo.... peace.....love ...happiness.... stay informed..
Geez, BZ....really? AND, in BOLD! Caffeine, or cocaine?
This poll is important to the president's campaign committee.
They are trying desperately to carry all African countries and France in November.
Why does anyone GIVE A FLYING SH*T what the world thinks of us? Why isn't New Zealand or South Africa going around asking what people think of them?
Awwwright!!!! Spoken like a true Amurrkin!!
Baldman - Why? (are you toying with us?)... Because Americans do not and cannot exist alone on their own little planet (as much as many other citizens of the world might wish we did). The rest of the world is already impacting your life, and will do so increasingly. You and your descendents have a stake in all of this (even if you have no TV, are illiterate, and have never traveled beyond your home town). The US not only acts. It is acted upon. People's perceptions and opinions matter; they shape their decisions. We can influence the present and the future to our benefit by being a responsible and equitable global citizen. Or we can continue to run amok with our testosterone fueled beligerance like some Toby Keith country song pledging to put our boot in everyone else's backside. How's that working out for us? Instead of fixing social security, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and production capacity, we've peed it away on senseless wars. So yes, I do care what others think of America, and you should too.
(my perspective may differ from yours in part because I have lived in 7 countries and traveled to more than 100)
Others' perception of America is proportional to how well they feel we've served their own self-interest. Some will like us and others will not. Yes we live in a globalized society and we should pursue sound foreign policy, but this business of trying to get everyone to like us is an amateurish move and an egregious waste of energy and resources. If we act responsibly and competently, people will at least respect us. Whether or not they like us is their own problem.
200% tax on all slave labor manufacturing
So the Chinese are horrible munsters with their labor and human rights violations but our Govt and Corporations gladly encourages and use their people to produce our phones and toys. Arent we to blame just the same as they are?
The US government "criticized" China for internal political purposes. They have to cater to the voters...they must create an atmosphere where Americans can "feel good" about themselves. You don't really think that the US government really cares about Chinese human rights..right? If they really do care, then giving citizenship to all Chinese citizens and invite them to live in America will solve the problem over night...
On one side, they criticized China, one the other side, they probably tell the Chinese "don't believe what we just said, we don't really mean it anyway...we just gotta say so that American won't get mad at us"...
Everyone knows that boycott is an option when you disagree with a company's practices/policies. If they really feel that getting the company to stop what it's doing is more important than purchasing something that company makes, they won't purchase from that company.
If someone working in a Foxconn plant in China asked me not to buy an iPhone because it's hurting them more than it's helping them, I probably wouldn't have bought one last week.
Question - the wages in China. Are they much different than they were in the US during our industrial revolution?
"MUNSTERS"? Stop blaming Herman, Eddie, Grandpa, and the rest of that fun-loving family.
Also, their car was real cool, and build in America!
Poor woman is absolutely blind if she thinks America has racial equality . This country is more divided since President Obama's election than any other time, but I know, it's not because of his race. Yea, right.
OBAMA/BIDEN....2012!!
Explain why 95% of black people voted for a black President? It has nothing to do with race does it? If white people had their own "white only" organizations, championed a "white" President because he was white and 95% of whites voted for a white President because he was "white", black people would be screaming racism but when it's the other way around, you are somehow a racist if you don't support Obama. We will never be a color blind society because the black community and people like Al Shaprton or Jesse Jackson won't allow it.
You know moshuluu you are absolutely right. America doesn't have racial equality. The whites are treated terribly in this country and would do far better in maybe Australia or even in South Africa. I hate this racial issue coming all the time. Blacks are given every opportunity as anyone in this country and even favoritism in many instances and because they choose not to exceed because they think it is too much work is not anyone's fault but their own. Many races and nationalities from other countries come to the United States and truly do outpace their America counterparts but that is because they are grateful to have been given the opportunity. Many of the poor in America try to blame all of their woes on their race or nationality or where they were born or whatever because the socialistic, liberal government is really the thing that has pushed you down because they hand out money to the lazy malingering masses rather than giving the incentives to go out and get an education and a good job. Slavery ended almost 150 years ago. Most black Americans can't even place their ancestors in slavery anymore so get over it and quit thinking someone owes you a living just because a long time ago black people were slaves. You don't see any of the white people going to the Queen of England and demanding that England give them money because their ancestors were slaves to the Kings and Queens of past. Work hard to achieve the goals you want to reach because they are there, just quit wasting your energy and mind power trying to make us think how badly the United States is treating you. Maybe you should spend a year or so in South Africa or in Egypt or some other foreign country and then tell us how bad your life is here.
You must be either young or completely ignorant Moshi. I can say as early as the 80's it was worse than now, 90's too. Grow up or go back to the sandbox to play.
Your statement is racist in itself. You stereo type a whole group of people as if we are all one collective. Contrary to your belief, we don't all think alike, act alike. And the majority of us are not lazy and work very hard just like most white people do. As long as there are people out there who think like you there will always be racial problems in this country.
@lukewarm 95% of Black people voted for Obama because we knew that the other guy was against us. Besides, it was a nice change from all of the previous elections where 98% of Black people VOTED FOR A WHITE GUY. If we were about voting Black only, we would not vote. But you and your ilk would just love that.
@lukewarm: One last thing you are correct in that we Black people will never allow the U.S. to be a color blind society. When we see a white person, we see a mortal enemy. We hate you; we always have; we always will; get used to it.
I hope that is sarcasm SonnyLee. Even though I don't agree with Lukewarm or Bobm-346250, I don't hate white people. And yes, I really am black.
I hope that is sarcasm SonnyLee, but I fear it is not. I don't agree with Lukewarm or Bobm- 346250 in regards to some of the things they have to say about black people, but I don't hate white people. And yes, I am black.
Lukewarm, McCain wasn't the first white man to ever have a chance at being president.
Sorry about SonnyLee, but I'm sure he's wrong and doesn't represent very many people.
Wow!!! Really nice Sonny. That is the mindset that will always divide this country. A bunch of whiny a$$ babies like you trying to blame all of your problems on someone else because you are too stupid or lazy to get out and work and make something of yourself. Nice representation of Blacks in America.
bobm-346250
I don't agree with SonyLee, but you keep making generalizations about black people as if you know every single one of us. The majority of black people are hard working Americans just like you. I don't hate white people, but it sure makes me angry every time I read bigoted statement like yours. And yes, I am black.
SonnyLee
You really are not helping the situation by making ignorant, racist statements like that.
Sorry John1 didn't mean to make generalizations about Black people in fact I think I said many of the poor because I don't for one minute believe it is only Blacks in fact I am much more upset with whites that have allowed themselves to succumb to the control of the government and have given up and stopped trying. There is absolutely no reason for this. They have forgotten how their parents and grandparents would just have soon gone hungry as admit or apply for any welfare or relief as it was called. And during the depression these individuals went out and worked even though they were government programs they earned their money rather that sit on their fat fannies and just expect the government to give them money. My whole point to Blacks is don't use past injustices make you believe you are owed a living. All of us at one point in time have had the oppressors who wanted to continue to keep the poor and undereducated down. Be proud and rise above that, get an education and make something of yourself and your color will not matter.
Yes it's Obama's fault for being Black and upsetting racists. He should just get on with it and become blonde haired and blue eyed and stop dividing the country. /s
Btw, Blacks always vote for the Democrat, they've voted in large numbers for White Democrats before that! I don't get why the detractors can't get that simple fact. Of course it's racists being dumb as usual.
KKK, country clubs, and, with exception of a few "tokens", the GOP.
This is probably one of the dumbest articles I have ever read on MSDNC. First of all, who cares what people in Africa think about our country much less our President. Of course, Africans are going to fall in love with Obama, he's black and they're black, much like black people in our country love this guy even though they can't find a job.
Being black, white or any other color has nothing to do with being a good leader. Obama has failed his country and his foreign policy record is horrible but I have to hand it to NBC, they smell dissent on Obama's foreign policy and they quickly find people around the world who "love" our country and our President. It's a pathetic attempt to influence people's opinion of our leftist President and nothing else.
So lukewarm, how much do you get paid to troll the web and paste the same comments all over the place?
(lukewarm. humm. What his "gal" tells her pals at the office regarding his . . .prowess.)
sorry foreigners, but many many americans hate you and dont want you here. To them your life is worth nothing. If you come here you will only find the opposite of what you love about it
That being said, i've always wondered what makes someone a "real american"
The article needs the correct title: How Obama made America Irrelevant with Ignorance, Incompetence, and Assassinations.
Yes. Vote Romney, and self-deport . . .yourself.
Don't give a rats butt what they think. When they stop taking their welfare checks ( foreign aid) from us then they can have a say about us. Until then, don't give a rats butt what they think.
Say rats butt again. Please?
Who talks like that?
Hard to imagine the world without the kindness of the US - I shudder at what would be if China or Russia were the dominate power - people around the globe should be thankful to the US - when was the last time China or Russia could be counted on to help at a major catastrophe - famine, earthquake, flooding. Here's a great idea - next humanitarian crisis call China - (cracking up, laughing hysterically) forced abortion, forced labor - oh, yeah
Your ignorance is truly laughable. USA cares only about USA. Every foreign aid comes with strings attached. You just don't know about it. Why do you think usa tollerated Syria and Libya for so long? They were doing all the torture work for CIA.
How other peoples think about this country have nothing to help the US from solve the problems we face. USA in their heart means they believe in the America movies that is a dream. China in their head means that helps them to bring food for their dinner table that is real.
The world would think a lot better of the USA if the Media wasn’t so negative about America. They portray the USA at its worst. Are they just being honest writers or are they just pushing their own objectives by disgracing the USA in print ?
The media has been lying about usa. They have been too kind. usa is much worst than the media is telling you.
Freedom in the United States is an illusion. There are no walls to show but we are not by any means free.
Once upon a time we were. Think for minute.
Why don't you hop a flight over to the desert and then come back and give us that comparison of 1 illusion to another. You don't know crap All-that-is
Many of you were not paying attention to this piece. It gave a random sampling of opinions. Some positive, some negative. Notice how, even in Afghanistan, the gentleman didn't blame the American people for the attrocities suffered there at the hands of our government-controlled military. He pointed out that, although he disagrees with our use of drones and such, he thought the people he met from America were good people. People in this country think we should all just blindly follow what is fed to us (unless of course, the president is from the opposing party), and for any of us to seek ways to improve our status in the world, they dismiss as anti-American? No, to the contrary, because we love America, we want to do the right thing and find ways to keep improving. If it ain't broke, don't fix it...but it is broken in some ways...we can fix it.
How many of you cry babies that whine and moan about the USA and how bad it is to live here want to immigrate to China??? :et's take a vote on that one!!
Not to mention, the US still has the longest line into our country.
That's actually a bad sign for America...because those line to come to America cannot really contribute too much to the American economy, because most of them do not have sufficient money to invest here...they simply want to come here to enjoy a comfortable life...
A good number of Americans have relocated to Asia and Africa, and that trend is accelerating, to pursue "opportunity". They're not cry babies whining and moaning. They just recognize the changes that are creating new horizons in other places.
call me a hippie or whatever but who cares who's #1, lets make a better world for future.and leave it at that.!
The untold story is that the USA used to export our culture in the form of music and this allowed us as a nation of individuals to tell our stories to the rest of the world. As the Multi-National Corporations MNC that control the industry don't export USMADEMUSIC. This actually hurts the US in more than the loss of the American voice abroad it means we're lossing the billions of dollars in trade opportunities that we used to enjoy. To make it worse we're on track to be a net importer of music into American. This is a Lose Lose and the MNC are laughing all the way to their off shore banks.
All the world 's money problems stem from when the labor unions started. Labor unions were started to protect the workers from unsafe working conditions. Then some one asked the question, Why not use the power of the union to get more money in the paycheck. Hence the cost of living went up. It is a never ending spiral of increased cost of living. Every time an increase in pay is giving the cost of the product goes up. Yes the union is good for protecting the workers safety but they should keep their noses out of paycheck talks. Let the employee earn any increase in the paycheck.
What are you, the scion of a robber baron?
USA sucks! GO CHINA! china will always be #1 in my head, heart, & body! my homeland the motherland.
And congratulations on your graduation from an American state university, Lev. I am sure that all of your fellow students and professors will have fond memories of you, when you go back to your Motherland.
kev z lee
china will never be number 1 as long as the people are treated like sheep. you more than most should now history where 85% of the population lives subsistence for the benefit of the 15%. in the USA when things don't change we use the term ssdd same @!$%# different day. in china for most people its nncc or nothing new crappy century.
also in many parts china the the mortality rate has dropped under 60 years while in the USA its 75 china is like your high speed trains. great technology, most can't afford the ride and now thru corruption, parts need to be rebuilt after 3 years of use and it never will be profitable. your in the upper class as you were sent here but ask yourself why a country less than 300 years old the leader of the world in so many ways. and a country with 4 times the population and 20 times the history can't cut it in many ways.
Good for you, Kev. Oh, and why did you ever leave your beloved motherland in the first place? Didn't you just say it's #1 and always will be?
why dont you leave this great country and go to China you dik wad...
Kev,
You have the perfect right to voice your opinion here without being tossed in prison. Must be something new to you. Enjoy it. No secret police will come after you here either.