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I'm from the US and I just wanted to say that you got a lot wrong in your "why people hate the USA" section. Some of what you said is just factually incorrect and misinformed, but what glares out at me is your arrogance in thinking you know so much more about the US government than its own citizens, or that the majority of us stand behind what they do. Clearly you haven't talked to many US citizens, and judging by other things you said, you have probably never even visited the country. For the record, the vast majority of American citizens are completely disillusioned with the government.
We know it's the most corrupt in the world and we wish we could change it, but as you seem to be an expert on, our voting system is very corrupt. People do organize protests, people do spread rebellious messages, but it hasn't gotten us anywhere. I really think you should consult with some people who know what they're talking about instead of just posting the results of your research, which is clearly not from very reliable sources. If you want more information on what you didn't quite get right, I'd be happy to tell you. And if you don't have time to edit your site properly, then you should just take it down instead of propagating inaccurate information that puts American citizens in a bad light. Say what you want about our government, but don't generalize me.
KryssTal Reply: Thank you for your comments - I have placed them in the feedback area.
I don't recall ever atacking US citizens as opposed to the USA government-industrial-military complex.
I didn't think you would reply... I know you didn't "attack" us, but you make it seem like we are controlled by our government like puppets or something. In reality, they don't control us any more than other governments control their people. We can just as easily look up what goes on as you can (in books, on the internet, etc.), believe it or not. I was referring specifically to this: "The American people are generally a friendly, kindly and compassionate people. If they knew one tenth of what their governments get up to around the world and in their dealings with foreign governments and people, there would be an enormous outcry." The first sentence is kind of true. (I mean, the problem is we are not "one people" like other countries are. Some of us are friendly, some of us are selfish, greedy assholes.) But then you make the assumption that we know nothing about what our government does, and also that there is no outcry. Americans trying to make our government better and change our foreign policy have such a huge online presence that I'm surprised you haven't seen any of it. (I'm not surprised that most people from foreign countries don't look for it, but I would think someone that interested in it might have.)
Also, saying things like all cultures are completely assimilated into America is just ridiculous. First of all, we do have very diverse restaurants because people who come from other countries generally bring their culture with them. We also have several different languages. There are people who can't speak English here, and most schools have special classes that cater to them. Most products are labeled with two, three, or more different languages. That's why it's called a melting pot, not because cultures "melt away" or however you take it. Also, you can't compare one country to an entire continent, even if our government makes it seem like we are a continent. So to say that the whole of Asia or Europe has more diverse foods than we do is unfair. Of course there is more diversity because it is several countries with different governments and languages. They are bound to be different. And while many Americans travel to other countries just to get away from their hard work and have no interest in learning about other cultures, many of them also travel for more noble reasons and tend not to stay in Americanized places. Actually, almost everything on your "outsider's view" page is either completely false, or a huge understatement or overstatement. You should really look deeper into each of those topics and edit your take on them accordingly. Actually, I'm really curious to know your sources. Was it just people you know who visited the US and told you, or did you read reliable books and websites? (If so, I really want to see them.)
I'm not going to argue with you about it or anything, but I think it's wrong for you to put up your personal opinions based on inaccurate information like that and pretend they're all true facts. I'm fine if people hate us because they simply know nothing and can't formulate their own opinions, but it really makes me angry that people might begin to hate us because they read some stupid "facts" on someone's personal website that they think must be true. But if you have no integrity and your European pride can't handle admitting you're wrong, oh well. I don't expect your website to make much of a dent in the amount of anti-American sentiment in the world anyway.
KryssTal Reply: The page you discuss is under the heading "Viewpoint" as it is my personal view of admittedly a limited part
of the USA.
I am fully aware of people from the USA who know what is going on and not supporting the government's foreign policy having travelled through
Central Asia with three of them this summer [2008]. As for the factual pages - they warn the reader to be sceptical and check all facts.
You speak very eloquently and with intelligence of your country's diversity and apologise for any offence caused. The problem we "outsiders" have is
that even after the "stolen" USA election of 2000, after the lies (weapons of mass desctruction in Iraq) and beligerence (threats to Iran), the same
regime was voted in again in 2004.
Take care and continue to be sceptical.
I did see the warning to check facts. It's just that I know most people don't do that, and for some reason assume everything they read online is true.
I'm fully aware that a lot of people in this country are ignorant and continually vote in the wrong candidates and even the wrong issues when given the opportunity, and that does have to do with the media cover-ups that you speak of. It's just that those people are simply not the majority. (Remember that many people disillusioned with the government don't even bother voting, and many youth whom I see as the political hope of the country aren't even permitted to vote at all; so the popular vote does not necessarily define the population.)
Also, I must admit that I haven't seen the entire country and I can't speak for them. I live in New Jersey, very close to New York City, which is probably much better than the rest of the country. So I guess I can't really disprove everything you said, negatively or positively, about us.
I'm sorry I judged you. Thanks.
First of all, thanks for the wonderful site. Second, there might be a small imprecision. You write
"The following are examples of countries that are (or were) not democracies because voting is not allowed or is restricted.
* Switzerland before 1971: women were not allowed to vote."
Actually women were granted the right to vote in the first Swiss cantons in 1959, at the federal level in 1971, and after resistance, in the last canton Appenzell Innerrhoden in 1990.
Below you write:
USA: the Communist party is banned.
Also in Switzerland the communist party is banned (of course I know that these information in your website are not supposed to be complete). I would like to know if I can copy-paste most of your site Why The USA? on a different internet site. Of course I would acknowledge you as the original source. My concern is that your site will taken off the internet sooner or later and all this valuable information will be lost.
Thanks, and keep up the good work!
Cheers.
KryssTal Reply: Hello John and thank you for your kind and interesting notes.
I have no problems with you mirroring the Why The USA ? sote as long as a link to the original is provided. I agree that the information is
important enough to be freely available.
Hello -- I really liked your prior Palestine / Israel timeline. Loved it, in fact.
May I please use your timeline at my own website? Yes, my website is a "racist" [anti-Jewish and pro-White] website. That, to my way of thinking, is not important, per se. What is important is that we all tell the truth about Israel. Yes, I can credit that page to you, or not. Whichever you might want.
KryssTal Reply: I do not mind you using the information.
I want to point out that my pages are not anti-Jewish even if they heavily criticise the Israeli government. Many Jews in Israel oppose their government's policies towards the Palestinians. If the Palestinians were occupying the Israelis I would be highlighting the violations of the occupiers.
Thank you for writing.
Dear KryssTal
I have read your web-site with great interest. An excellent piece of work. However, there are some glaring ommissions. The widespread and recurring acts of repression, subjugation and subjugation of the Indian state, post 1947, are only mentioned briefly in respect of Kashmir. The 1984 genocide of 100,000 Sikhs is not mentioned. The political subjuation and colonisation of small nations like Panjaab, Nagaland, Assam, etc, are not mentioned. Please find below some information on 1984: India's Hidden Genocide. Please refer to the web-sites below, for a taste of the vast extent of India's gruesome oppression on peoples subjugated within this political cage they call the 'world's largest democracy'. Please endeavour to incorporate this information into your web site. Well done with the web-site. A fabulous resource for all. Hope its expands and grows with more information.
"the mob used 'chemical powder' to burn the Sikhs after beating them 'mercilessly'. "
Victims of 1984 riots narrate gruesome killings, Press Trust of India
I write on behalf of the 1984 Genocide Coalition (London). Our work is directed at highlighting the tragic and horrific state directed genocide of 100,000 Sikh civilians over the course of 1984, to the world audience. 1984 is a massively concealed genocide by the Indian state, against the Sikh population. It represents a major stage in India's 50 year long strained relations with the Sikhs of Panjaab, who have been seeking self-determination and home-rule.
Please see the following web-sites for further information:
The 1984 Genocide Coalition is asking for support from prominent activists and campaigners, like yourself.
KryssTal Reply: Sasrikhal,
Thank you for your information.
To whom it may concern,
I am from the USA and I think it is absurd for you and your website to tell people to boycott American made products just because you do not like the political foreign policy of my country.
The United States has an open and fair foreign trade policy with many countries. As a matter of fact most of the clothing that us Americans buy is made in countries like Canada, China, England, India, Indonesia, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan just to name a few. We usually import more good from other countries than we export to them. If you look at it my way and do the research it seems that the USA buys most of its products from foreign countries.
When you ask people that come to your website to boycott American made goods It makes me as an American to stand up and fight for what I believe in which is to help Americans maintain there jobs.
Well, Guess What my days of globalization are over. I am gonna do my best not to buy crappie goods from all those foreign countries who violate human rights laws just to mass produce goods at cheap costs.
KryssTal Reply: Thank you for writing.
About the open and fair trade policy of the USA, please read
The USA has imposed more sanctions on other countries goods than any other nation. Generally speaking, European media give a very accurate account of the world. The UK media (where I am) give somewhat less information, The USA media tend to keep its citizens in the dark about USA activities. Check out
There are good arguments for including many UK companies in this boycott since our government is basically a USA poodle.
Please continue to question everything you read and delve more into the world of world affairs.
And it's not personal. The USA is the powerhouse of the world both economically and militarilly. Had this web page been set up in 1850, the UK would be in the spotlight. In 50AD we'd be attacking the policies of Rome.
I've been through a large portion of your site and most of it is very interesting and informative.
The only problem is that you obviously have a big beef against western governments and thier religions. In your religious and government pages I saw links to discoving eastern religions, lots of material degrading the bible without links to sites that attempt a rebuff, and plenty more information detailing the horrible acts of democratic governments. I didnt see any information detailing the discrepancies in the Quuran or other religious texts. I also didnt see any pages detailing the acts of non democratic governments.
If it was there it is in such small amount comparatively it leads one to believe you may be biased and therefore question the information and its purpose. It left me feeling like the other material on your site is used as a draw to get people to your page. Once there you'll get a chance to introduce them to what appears to be an anti western mentality. I'll be watching to see if you balance your information or if you'll maintain an anti western biased site.
KryssTal Reply: Thank you for writing and your comments. The site you are referring to is The Acts of the Democracies.
The Western democracies use the media to demonise the rest of the world when it suits them and at the same time, play down their own acts around the world. I have tried to redress this existing imbalance a little.
Many people in the West are familiar with the human rights violations perpetrated by (say) Communist Russia or Iraq after 1989. Fewer know about Western backed states like (say) Central America in the 1980s or Iraq before 1989 when it was being backed by the West.
As for the acts of non-democratic governments, people who live in a non-democracy are not responsible for their governments' actions unlike you and I who live in democracies. We bare a responsibility for our governments that the people of Afghanistan under the unelected Taliban cannot. If there was a site that covered this area I would not be averse to putting a link to it for completeness.
About the religions, The site is in English so assumes that the readers will know more about Western religions than they do about the East. I have more knowledge of the Bible than I have of the Quran, hence the detail about one and not the other. If there was a site about Koranic contradictions, I would link to it. This is not a deliberate omission, just a gap in my knowledge.
As for rebuffs. Theism is taught in schools and broadcast on the radio and television. Atheism is less often discussed - again I am redressing an existing imbalance.
The web site has grown over the last 7 or 8 years as I have added bits and pieces. There is no overall plan, as such. The Acts of the Democracies arose when a lot of people were asking "why" after 11 September 2001. I felt that we in the West were not angels and saints and that much was kept from us by a compliant media. In a way, it is an attempt to see the world from "the
other side", if you like.
If this site had been written in 50 AD it would probably be concentrating on the acts of the Roman Empire as this was powerful and civilised at the time. The Roman propaganda would be covering the Vandals and other nomads so I wouldn't have to repeat the coverage. In 1850 the UK's actions in its colonies would be spotlighted. In 2003, the West controls much - hence my
writings about them.
Again, thank you for taking the time to read and for writing.
It is easy to criticize the greatest country in the world, the good old USA, when you come from a third world country.
The USA is the greatest country in the history of human existence. It is more powerful than most can even imagine in their small uneducated minds. With that power, comes responsibility. Whether you like it or not, the USA has the responsibility to make the world a better place. The USA always acts for the good and peace of the world. Just because you and your ancient beliefs are threatened by America, it does not mean that America's actions are wrong.
Unlike your country, that only acts for the good of itself, not contemplating long-term world events that may come from those actions, the USA and its educated citizens and leaders, act in the interest of the human race. I am betting that you are probably a religious person, if not a religious fanatic.
KryssTal Reply: Thank you for writing.
I'm afraid that you are wrong on two counts. I am an atheist and I live in England (not a third world country). My country has not been treated badly by the USA. After all, whatever your government decides we go along with it. We even get some special treatment occasionally.
Most parts of the world however are at the receiving end of USA foreign policy.
USA foreign policies maintain the fact that although the USA makes up 6% of the world's population it uses up 48% of the world's resources. This is the basis of USA action abroad not the good of others. But don't just take my word for it.
William Blum an ex-CIA operative writes in his book, "Rogue State":
"From 1945 to the end of the [20th] century, the USA attempted to overthrow more than 40 foreign governments, and to crush more than 30 populist-nationalist movements struggling against intolerable regimes. In the process, the USA caused the end of life for several million people, and condemned many millions more to a life of agony and despair".
Amnesty International (a human rights group), wrote in a 1996 paper called "Human Rights and USA Security Assistance":
"Throughout the world, on any given day, a man, woman or child is likely to be displaced, tortured, killed or 'disappeared', at the hands of governments or armed political groups. More often than not, the United States shares the blame."
In May 1990, the Marine Corps Gazette, a USA military magazine wrote:
"The underdeveloped world's growing dissatisfaction over the gap between rich and poor nations will create a fertile breeding ground for insurgencies. These insurgencies have the potential to jeopardize regional stability and our access to vital economic and military resources."
Finally, George Kennan, a Cold War Planner for the USA wrote in 1948:
"We have 50% of the world's wealth, but only 6.3% of its population. In this situation, our real job in the coming period is to devise a pattern of relationships which permit us to maintain this position of disparity. To do so, we have to dispense with all sentimentality...we should cease thinking about human rights, the raising of living standards and democratisation."
These are not Arabs saying this but commentators, policy makers and human rights groups from the USA and Europe. There are enough references there for you to check them for yourself.
My country did the same sort of things in the 1700s and 1800s. We were then told then that Britain was "civilising" the world but like the USA now we were actually interested in resources. You are now told that the USA's actions are "humanitarian" or some such.
My web site warns all readers to be sceptical and check things for yourself. Your media does not tell you the complete truth about events. You need to find out more. The difference between most Europeans and Americans I meet is this: We tend not to believe our rulers and our media. Americans tend to trust and believe their leaders and their media.
The reason the USA is criticised now is because it is the MOST POWERFUL country in the world.
You are correct about my beliefs being ancient. I am referring to a 2500 year old Greek word: DEMOCRACY.
Again thank you for taking the time to write.
Hello, friends:
My name is Francisco and Iīm from Spain. I want to contact with you because I have some ideas about the project of a list of USAīs products. I think USA is a country that leads great abuses and injustices in the world. Itīs a country built with the radical utilization of its economy and with no limited profit as an unquestionable law. The consequence of that is a country that only uses fear and violence to solve its problems and that can broke all environmental agreements and can kill thousands of people, if itīs necessary, to save its own interest. "Collateral Damages" donīt matter to them. So, if we attack economy of USA and they know why we do it, we will be able to stop that barbarity.
The economy of a country works because companies fight for maximum profit, but if they want to obtain maximum profit, they have to produce goods and, necessarily, they have to be sold. If we donīt buy the products from USA, its economy will stop and the motor of its atrocities too. Iīm a believer in all this and I want to act. I have searched information about this worry and I have found your web page and your list of USAīs products. I admit itīs a very good list and Iīm satisfied because I found it. But I would like to help you to improve the list. If we want people not to consume this products, we have to make it easy, the list has to be easy to be used by everyone. For a while, I have been trying to make this list, but it is a hard work for only one person, so, I want to share my ideas with you.
-Classification: A useful list is a tidy list. I think each list have to be ordereded by three ways:
o By categories of products (SEC 95 for example)
o In alphabetical order of the makes
o In alphabetical order of kinds of products
-Making: We can make a good list of products, but can exist some products we havenīt taken into account. So, the list can be open to the contribution of the users of the web, but theyīll have to specify de name of the make, the company that make it and its nationality. Beside, no USA companies can be interested in sending us their makes to add them to the list of no USA products.
-Registration: I think it can useful a section where users of the web could register what USAīs product/s they donīt consume now and what no USA products they consume to replace them. It will allow everybody to know how mach people is boycotting USAīs economy and how they are doing it.
I know itīs a hard work, but I encourage you to take into account this ideas, because I think theyīll help to make a very good instrument to boycott USAīs economy. With it and a good coordinated movement we can stop the criminal actions of this country. In addition to this, I want to communicate you my disposition to help directly in the elaboration of the list. Finally, I wait your opinion about my proposals. Good bye, friends.
P.D.: Excuse my english.
Nice site. Now, just who the Hell do you think makes the operating software for your alternatives to the American brand PC?
Idiot, could it be Microsoft?
KryssTal Reply: You are correct: software is totally dominated by USA companies. There's
also no alternative to my favourite musician, Frank Zappa.
What surprised me when I began to research this was how much USA stuff I actually buy (without knowing it). No wonder our industries (here in the UK) have gone to the wall. At least now, we can make an informed choice.
Thank you for writing.
When I've come across with those quotes regarding media bias, then the world indeed is out of balance. Miscommunication can poison minds and as a rule, the west would "act as a yardstick of information." Getting the news is business and having it brought to newspapers and television is having the job done. In my own point of view, the west did a great job of smearing the real story behind every event, since they have the money, the equipment and the power to do so. First world countries belong to the west and the west has everything what it takes to produce information. Reporting has been their business for a long time and I think it will take a long time for non-western countries to counter these problems.
As a citizen from a Third World country, we too have our own share of media bias from the west. For starters, Anthony Spaeth called the People Power Revolution a mob rule although it is known that those who came are students, professionals and those who belong to the middle-class who organized this protests from the business district of Makati where majority of intellects are based. Anthony Spaeth calls this as something that is turning out to be a bad habit without knowing and understanding further the Filipino culture. Second, each time CNN makes a roster of reports on terrorism, my country is always presented like Afghanistan or Palestine where war is non-stop and the people are getting hungry by the day although it is clear that the conflict lies in the south, in Mindanao where there has been an age-old conflict of separatism, since the Muslims feel that they are not prioritized by the government which is the real issue. But all in all, CNN did one hell of a job in turning out that the Philippines is a very dangerous place to live.
In the context of the west, a person who is civilized is westernized and those who are not needs a lesson.
KryssTal Reply: Thank you for your comments.
You are correct about the use of words to demonise: "mob" instead of "protest". Good luck.
I have been to your country including Mindanao. See
www.krysstal.com/ec1988.html