'Americans are ignorant'

[bemildred]

Do we really want to re-elect a pResident that leaves us open
to this sort of ridicule?

Kuala Lumpur - Americans are "very ignorant," and will almost certainly re-elect a "liar" as their leader, Malaysia's former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said in a trademark tongue lashing directed at United States President George W Bush.

In an interview with Malaysia's The Star newspaper published on Tuesday, Mahathir - known for his blunt remarks - also didn't spare Bush's rival, Senator John Kerry, saying both politicians were "in total denial" about the root causes of terrorism.

Mahathir, however, wrote an open letter dated October 15 to American Muslims, urging them to vote for Kerry because Bush has been "the cause of the tragedies" across the Muslim world.

Meanwhile, current premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Tuesday distanced himself from Mahathir's statements and refused to comment on whether the Malaysian government wants Bush or Kerry to win.

News24

[Itchinjim]

1. Well duh,

The 45% of them supporting* are anyway.

[Paradise]

2. As to your subject line...

Unfortunately, ABSOLUTELY! "People get the government they deserve!"

[TheDebbieDee]

6. Well, I'm not a moron and I don't deserve another..................

4 years of the Bush Administration.

[Paradise]

16. i agree, and was just repeating a famous *quotation because

i am angry and disgusted with those who blind themselves to the dangers of this misadministration.
sorry, if i upset you.
*don't know the author.

[TheDebbieDee]

21. No problems. There's no upset.

[0007]

23. That's exactly what Plato once said!

Most all third world counties are corrupt with organized crime in control. Here in the U.S. we glorified the mafia in films and TV shows.

The people are indeed ignorant.

[Paradise]

33. that's who it was... 'plato'. thanks 0007! n/t

[0007]

34. I got one right, 'eh?

[Unstuck In Time]

3. Americans have been utterly let down by the press.

After JK is elected, I think that's our next major task: restoring the free and open -- and responsible -- press that has been a cornerstone of our liberty since the very first stirrings of the American Revolution.

[intermixxx]

Maybe true but . . .

I refuse to accept criticism from this tremendous ant-semite.

[drdtroit]

15. This is not a criticism but an observation

WAKE UP PEOPLE

[Ganja Ninja]

4. Hardly late breaking news. n/t

[mmonk]

5. True about many Americans, but

Malaysia and its leaders have little room to speak.

[Canadian_moderate]

7. I agree

Who cares what Malaysia's former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has to say. As much as I hate GWB, many of these people speaking out are not doing John Kerry as favour in the eyes of the American people.

I happen to think that, unlike GWB, John Kerry is very well aware of the root causes of terrorism. I also happen to think that there is never an excuse for killing innocent people. Military targets are fair game, but not innocent people.

[indigobusiness]

10. Ignoring insightful perspectives from foreign leaders

has contributed to our present difficulties.

We would be well served to listen.

[drdtroit]

17. Thank you n/t

[Child_Of_Isis]

11. I think the entire world is underestimating John Kerry.

I believe that he will be not only a good president, but a great president.

[indigobusiness]

14. Me, too, but the campaign rhetoric regarding war

has been marginal, at best.

[bacchant]

8. No, Americans ARE ignorant

Willfully ignorant. Every time I see a presidential poll I say it out loud.

[indigobusiness]

9. It is true "both politicians were "in total denial" about the root causes"

He is right on target about this and our war against "terror" will be as costly and futile as our "wars" on drugs, poverty, etc...until we come to terms with this fact.

[Laughing Mirror]

12. And the terms will be those of our creditors

who now (especially these past few months) no longer seem so willing to bankroll those imaginary wars.

[Heidi]

13. From both sides . . .

Thanks for posting that, bemildred, and thanks, too, to unstuck in time for the comment about the press. As a U.S. citizen and former journalist (20 years in the field) now living abroad, I don't even know where to start telling you all about the way the rest of the world generalizes about all of us Americans simply because our president represents us inaccurately to the rest of the world. People meet me and they're surprised I'm intelligent, articulate and not some religious extremist dead-set on converting them to down-home, "U.S. style" Christianity.

Sad to say, lots of people do think that "Americans are ignorant." A Kerry presidency will change that perception, but it won't change the U.S. media. We have to do that by refusing to buy, read and advertise in news products that do a half-assed job.

End of rant. (Sorry, everyone.)

[drdtroit]

18. Right on Heidi!

I travel extensively to far reaches of the planet and as I'm sure you have seen, if one was to glean an impression of Americans from simply watching American news services, one can only conclude we are a society of MORANS!

[bemildred]

19. My pleasure.

Mahathir Mohamad is subject to criticism, but I can remember
a day when the USA got some respect, when he would have been laughed
out of town for this. Now it gets front page coverage. That's why I
put it up. Thanks for your testimony,

[Canadian_moderate]

20. I agree people tend to stereotype all Americans

My wife has to deal with it on a daily basis here in Toronto.

I often call people up on it when they make ignorant statements labelling all Americans as idiots. The people making these generalisations are just as stupid as the Americans (conservatives) who give all Americans a bad rep.

[Heidi]

24. Yes, but . . .

the people making these statements to me on a regular basis do not have the power to declare war on another nation based on generalizations and religious dogma as our president has done. Look, I'm one woman and I'm diplomatic enough that I can easily change an individual's perceptions about "ignorant Americans" in the course of a conversation. But I'm only one person. I don't think Europeans' (or whoever is the critic of the moment) criticism of America really means they think we as individual Americans are morons; I get a real sense that they think America, as personified by our president, has let them down.

Too, I will admit my own ignorance. Here's an example. I was a journalist and newsroom manager for more than 20 years in the U.S., and yet I still thought of the U.S. as "the" super-power, "the" seat of democracy, "the" rescuer of the world. It took some time for me to explore geography and world history, and view the U.S. in a global context. Compared to other "free" nations worldwide, our U.S. culture (especially as represented by our president) is a spoiled, rich teenage boy with a huge sense of entitlement, complete with all bullying tendencies and too much privilege.

If I were an advice-giving woman, I'd say a year in Europe might be good for our president's perspective; but, like most spoiled teenagers, he'd probably just spend his time hitting the bars.

[indigobusiness]

22. Heidi, thanks. I would love to hear more from your perspective.

You could help us out by elaborating on your experienced opinion.

Wish there were more like you here at home.

Welcome to DU!

[info being]

25. Most ignorant and fattest people in the world IMO

[Heidi]

26. Have we met?

Are you the nice German who approached me at my last exhibit, with news of the confounding disparity between America's fixation on McDonald's and rampant bulimia among our young female population? (Just teasing. I obviously have been affected by the neurotoxins in my art supplies.)

[info being]

27. Nah

I just find it funny that Americans think they are somehow the "preferred people" when they got nothing to back it up.

[Heidi]

28. I'm with you on that one in some respects, but . . .

I can't think of a culture on earth that has nothing to teach and nothing to learn.

[info being]

31. The problem is...

This one doesn't want to teach and certainly doesn't even WANT to learn.

[Heidi]

32. Why do we need learnin' . . .

when we got God on our side? Doesn't that seem to be the all-encompassing thread that runs through the current regime?

[MadHound]

29. Well, if Bush is re-selected, be prepared for more of this

And we will deserve every bit of it, for we will allowed him to continue in power.

I've been abroad the past few years, and have had a number of foreign visitors as house guests, and the general concensus amongst most foreigners is that America was hijacked by Bushco, and while they absolutely hate him and his disastorous policies, they, in general, like Americans, and are willing to cut us some slack for buying this pig in a poke. However, if we allow the man to continue in power, whether through an honest election, or through him stealing it again, most foreigners are going to hold the American public responsible, and their hatred of Bushco in specific will spread to being a hatred of Americans in general.

[Heidi]

30. Further . . .

If we don't have the presence of mind as an electorate, and the authority of able international election monitors, to elect John Kerry, I shudder to think of the uphill battle we'll have as individual, progressive Americans, trying to change their minds one at a time, after "spoiled, rich, bullying teenage boy" has had four years to convince them otherwise. (I believe that may be the longest and most convoluted sentence I've ever written. Apologies.)

[Monte Carlo]

35. It's too bad former PM Mahathir Mohamad is no friend of ours...

... as he has made some bold anti-Semitic statements in recent years. Whether they were just for political gain or he really is bigoted, I don't think anyone here should want to be part of his chorus.

[Canadian_moderate]

36. Damn right

Siding with people like former PM Mahathir Mohamad would play right into the hands of GWB & co.

[Gregorian]

37. I blame Socrates and television.

Wow, and that's coming from Malaysia. Ouch.

JUST DO IT! I can't believe I ate the whole thing. Penis enlargement. If only I paid attention to commercials, I might have some good quotes. Show us your LARK!

Look, let's drop the Socratic method, and spoon feed students the information. Why does learning have to be like going to the dentist? It was, for me. I learn by taking things apart. Not guessing what might be inside of them, while under duress of academic probation. I really wanted to learn about engineering, but by the time I graduated, I wanted to kill someone.

Schools are not for learning- they are for preparing people to work in the corporate world. Everything in this country is geared for the corporation. When schools are actually for learning, and not weeding out the poor learners (who just might be the smartest people there), then we will have a well educated population. It's no different than the mindset behind the judicial system. If people are threatened, they won't behave a certain way. If we spoonfeed students, they won't be good learners. Bullshit.