Website lets Americans see what the world's non-English publications say

[ElsewheresDaughter]

http://www.watchingamerica.com/

http://search.csmonitor.com/search_content/0714/p11s01-stin.html


The headline reads, "Columbus' Discovery of America: History's 'Biggest Mistake.' " That might sound harsh to an American audience, but it's less likely to ruffle Iraqis reading it in Arabic. Another zinger, this one from Tunisia, bluntly states, "The United States: a Country Beyond the Law." A Mexican headline declares: "Time Near for Bush to Pay the Piper."
The stories offer a glimpse of how foreigners feel about the only superpower. And they were all available recently on www.WatchingAmerica.com, a website launched earlier this year that simply culls, without comment, the foreign online press for commentary about America.

Each article, posted within a day, has an English translation and a link to the original, for those fluent in foreign tongues.

Robin Koerner, cofounder of the site, sees its value as one of opening minds.

"If I want to conduct any kind of relationship, even a personal relationship, I need to know how what I say and do affects the person on the receiving end," he explains. To emphasize the point, he quotes the English philosopher and economist John Stuart Mill: "He who knows only his own side of the case, knows little of that."

Extend the relationship analogy to international affairs, Mr. Koerner says, and you find that knowing how the people you interact with feel about the things you do to them enables you to make better choices. "I think what we're doing is giving Americans a bit of the road map ahead."

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[GreenPartyVoter]

1. *&%&%$$#^* ** for ruining our already iffy reputation

[zanne]

2. The "translations" are funny.

I looked up the English translation from the French magazine "L'Humanite". The translation is electronic. I understood more of the French version.

[liberal N proud]

3. World Controlled By 'Zionized American Right-Wing Fanatics'

The author believes that a 'Zionist hatred of Muslims, which is rooted in the Western political subconscious' is responsible for the hijacking of American foreign policy, which, ironically, has made Washington, 'the primary purveyor of terrorism.'
http://www.watchingamerica.com/alraya000002.html

[welshTerrier2]

4. the one reason they hate us is for our freedoms ...

well, and our global imperialism ... two, then ...

the two reasons they hate us are for our freedoms, global imperialism and selling our death weapons to dictators ... well, three reasons ...

the three reasons they hate us are for our freedoms, global imperialism, selling our death weapons to dictators and the primary responsibility we have for creating global warming ... ummm, well, four reasons ...

the four reasons they hate us are for our freedoms, global imperialism, selling our death weapons to dictators, the primary responsibility we have for creating global warming and killing or toppling leaders of other sovereign nations ... oh, five reasons ...

ok, the five reasons they hate us are for our freedoms, global imperialism, selling our death weapons to dictators, the primary responsibility we have for creating global warming, killing or toppling leaders of other sovereign nations and having no respect for or understanding of other cultures ... well, then, six reasons ...

i'll leave the rest of the list to you ...

[liberalfriend]

5. jesus such bullshit

I can cull through all the papers in america and pick and choose the articles that I want to put up and make it look like the whole country totally supports Bush and his policies. While it is interesting to see all these papers, it is just retarded to worry about these guys in terms of their "stories". Columbus discovery a big mistake?! Come on that is only horrifying in its scope of ignorance. What we are experiencing now is a classic example of hegemonic power and the response by non-powers. We need to not look at these articles and be worried about them, we need to figure out a way for us to co-exist with the rest of the world.

[quaoar]

6. Thanks

That's a great site.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

7. please keep this kicked so that others get it...thank you