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Analysis: “Why Europe Hates America” Video

The video, “Why Europe Hates America,” is a documentary video created by Bruce

Bawer which offers an insightful examination on the nature of anti-Americanism in European

nations. Considering I live in America I find this video hard to accept but welcome the criticism

because it highlights the efforts the U.S government in order to showcase America as a nation

without malice and assess its flaws. This will enable America to understand why it is perceived

negatively by the world and improve themselves in the eyes of the world. Despite the remarkable

contribution by America in varied fields such as politics, economics, science and culture, Bruce

Bawer’s video claims that a new breed of anti-Americanism has evolved in contemporary times

among the new generation. Could this hatred be fueled by a steady feed distortion and

manipulation by the media or could this be about real facts?

In this video analysis, I try to examine the accusations put against America and establish

the views of most Americans on U.S government policies. In addition, this paper presents the

background of the video and analyze it by comparing the prevailing attitudes in Europe with

those in North Korea. An argument will weave that much of what Europeans believe about the

US is borne out of sheer ingratitude.

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Background

Produced in 2009 in Phoenix news, “Why Europe Hates America” is a supplement of

Bawer’s literary critique “Hating America” which was published by Hudson in 2004. Bawer,

who has lived both in the Netherlands and Norway believed that Europeans were more superior

intellectually when compared to Americans who are ignorant and lacked culture. However, after

spending five years in Europe, Bawer changed this perception after he discovered this churlish

and seemingly unreasonable hatred of America by Europeans.

Video Analysis

The Video is basically a narrated documentary film which features supplementary clips

and videos from different news agencies which act as a visual support for its story. Additionally,

the film makes use of texts and subtitles to emphasize certain statements and show the magnitude

of the situation across Europe. However, in my opinion, the use of interviews made the video’s

argument more convincing.

The narrator claims that the prevalence and intensity of hatred against Americans among

the Europeans has reached an all time high but he also notes that this may be a result of

European media distortion of certain information. According to the video, Anti-Americanism has

become a public issue in the United Kingdom and further acknowledged the efforts of right-wing

political leaders . In the video a journalist named Margaret Drabble was quoted saying, “my anti

Americanism has become almost uncontrollable. It rises in my body like acid reflux”. This view

is also shared by the many media networks among which the video claims that the British

Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the biggest basher of America a fact which was admitted by

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the then British Prime Minister Tony Blair in a statement, “the BBC is full of hatred for

America.” But what is most shocking is that European media circles have promoted and

stimulated anti-Americanism by purposely framing information about America.

Luckily, most European citizens have noted this and expressed their concern by forming

Anti Anti-Americanism websites to enlighten the European publish about certain issues. In the

interviews carried out in the video, some of the interviewees were shocked of the fabrications

made up by the European media houses about pressing issues. This led the European citizens to

believe that Americans are inhumane by allowing their government to abuse human rights

particularly to detainees in Guantanamo Bay. Other skewed thoughts about America depicted in

this video include; Americans carry M16s, fast food, death penalty, and American children are

all fat.

What the European media failed to mention to their citizens is that the majority of the

American citizens disagrees with some of their government policies. Issues such as the death

penalty and gun policies are just bitter pills the American citizens have had to swallow.

However, most still are against the much debated detaining of POW in Guantanamo Bay where

alleged human rights violations is being propagated.

Anti-Americanism Attitude in Europe

In my view, the Anti-Americanism attitude in Europe exists and as greatly discussed in

the video I am greatly convinced it does. The description of American soldiers by the Germans

in the video shows that the European media networks have succeeded in changing the mentality

of their public and have generated a market for anti-American news. The video claim that the

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Germans believe that American’s military is filled with dangerous armed criminals who pose a

greater threat to the entire world greater than the Afghans or Iraqis. But in their defense, the

American military has fueled its own persecution by the actions of certain soldiers in its ranks.

The video of American soldiers torturing POW at Guantanamo bay portrayed Americans as

enemies of mankind leading the rest of Europe to believe the U.S and its people care less about

humanity.

Anti-Americanism in Europe is further enhanced when the video shows European

demonstrators burning the American flag. This video provides the impression that Europeans

indeed have a compelling and substantial hatred against Americans.

However, part of these allegations are only mere fabrications by the European media

networks and do not have legitimate grievances against the U.S. The impression portrayed by

these media companies such as Americans are ignorant and deserve criticism due to their vulgar

personalities are mere fabrications collected from few media personalities who in their defense

are exercising their media freedom. The European Media have taken the Larry King’s and the

Diane Saywer’s personalities to sway their European citizens how Americans are narrow minded

and lack culture (Bawer).

These views are, however, are not spread out across Europe. Some of the European

citizens can be seen arguing against the anti-American sentiments. The BritainAndAmerica.com,

operated by British conservatives launched a commercial that highlights the significant

contributions of America to the world with the message that the world needs America. Even

some of the comments on the YouTube video also claim that the European media had gone too

far. A comment by Alpha Vox state that even the British are imperialists and the attitude

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portrayed by the media networks is just absurd. These sentiments are further aired by hudson485

who states that the whole video shows stereotyping Europeans and its just that plainly that

stereotyping.

The resistance discussed above should be viewed in conjunction with the prevailing

attitudes towards America in South Korea. It is reported that “eight-in-ten South Koreans (78%)

have a favorable opinion of the U.S.” (Poushter, para 4). Positive feeling for the US among

Koreans have spilled over to the current president Obama who “enjoys high ratings … 77%

express confidence in the American President’s ability handle world affairs,” (Poushter, para 6).

It is imperative to mention here that South Koreans, like Europeans, owe much their post-World

War II survival in the face of the imminent communist takeover of the US (Poushter, para 6).

Conclusion

It has been shown that the media networks have succeeded in plucking anti-Americanism

from the margins of European society and bringing it to the center. Of all those who have

decided to go against the grain in Europe, the most thoughtful path has been taken by the British

conservatives. By aiming to remind Europeans of the noble things the US has done, they will in

the fullness of time spur a continent-wide return to gratitude. Once Europeans wake up from

their media-lulled sleep, they will most probably align themselves with the South Koreans in

appreciating America’s avuncular internationalism which has brought them more good than evil.

Therefore, this video could play an important role in exposing US policy makers to the reality on

the European ground to which they must respond accordingly.

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Works Cited

Bawer, Bruce. Why Europe Hates America. Accessed on 17th June from:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hWJ5cI-uQ8

Pousthter, Jacob . South Koreans Remain Strongly pro-American. (2013-May 13th) Accessed on

17th June 2013 from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/05/06/south-koreans-

remain-strongly-pro-american/