Style.com is the internet portal for Vogue and W magazines, which is why its message boards mostly concern favorite models and how Allegra Versace is actually very healthy. But when active poster CaroChouette decided to log in earlier this week with the weight of American hegemony hanging on her shoulders, she opened the proverbial can of worms. Thus began the marathon thread Utterly Sick And Tired Of America Bashing, which will surely be remembered as one of the most thought-provoking, intelligent message board debates of our time, distilled for your viewing pleasure into helpful point-counterpoint soundbites.
- Counterpoint:Your (sic) doing it yourself, the police officer of the world, I am not fond of the expression they are the new Hitlers, but If I think about the USA I have to admit that a lot of people are right.... Superpower USA it is only laughable, the only superpower I know is Anna Wintour..
OPENING REMARKS:
- Point I am Canadian, but live in NYC. I love the US it gave me opportunities of a lifetime, and since I live here I respect it. I would not dare go onto an Italian forum or any forum in another country and insult that country! Where is the sophistication, the class????
- Counterpoint Secondly, this war is like no other: all those in the past have not been so messed up as this. If there was a clearer and more in-depth study of this war you will see that the word crime is written all over it.
COCKY? OR JUST CONFIDENT..
- Point I am glad this subject came up. I am an American. I will tell you this: Most Americans are aware of how others feel about us. Truthfully.... none of us care. I will tell you why: We believe others are jealous of our rights and freedoms. Yes, we at times are cocky, arrogant, and self- righteous. However we are also compassionateand loyal , and will be there in a second to help any country who doesn't respect the freedom we are all entitled to Our country is the place where all people want to live, want to dream..... why you ask ? Beacuse anything is possible here.
- Counterpoint: Yah......I'm not the only one. I've actually taken the next step and am MOVING out of this country......This country is over flowing with ignorance, corruption, bulling, and arrogance. And yes the most of the world does NOT like us.
AND NOW COME THE TEARS..
- Point I went to bed and couldn't sleep at all. I've to solve some personal things. I guess they kept me awake. So I'd logged in again. I'm a bit amazed how this thread ended up......anyway, my grandfather and mother who fought underground during WWII in the Netherlands with danger for their own lifes have always been very grateful to the American, Canadian and English troops who'd came to their rescue. Maybe it's because I can't sleep but I'm really teary..
- Counterpoint: I'm a sensative individual about War - I'll tell you that I cry myself to sleep when I image the difficulty that they are living in. I honestly cry for these people, and I'm sure they cry too, but their cries are more silent and unheard to the world.
- Point As we say here in America, F*CK the HATERS! ;)
BLAH BLAH BLAH MISCELLANEOUS
- Counterpoint I still can't forget what a very arrogant men in the immigration office said to me on my return from Morocco when I showed him my brazilian passport, "Why are you still traveling with your Brazilian passport when you're an American? Make sure you put this one away and use the right passport next time". Excuuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me??????????????? I wanted yo slap that bastard on the face! I have dual citizenship and I'm damn proud of being brazilian too! I use whichever passport I feel like at the moment thank you very much!
- Point My 5 year-year old daughter is so patriotic that she herself respects the flag of America but expects the same from me & her dad. She is beautiful, inside and out, intelligent beyond her years and the most caring human being I've ever known (and I am not being biased).
AND NOW COMES THE PART WHERE THE AUTHOR MOVES WITH US TO CANADA..
- Counterpoint I agree with you to a large extent...many Americans (cough, the Hiltons...hah) have it all and more...I sometimes take for granted the opportunities I have here... I certainly didn't mean to sound whiny with this original thread...I go to a Christian college, and part of that is mission and aid to the poor...we just held a benefit concert for Darfur... I am afraid that the rest of the world's view of the U.S. and it's people has been skewed by the media...channels like MTV, with shows such as "My Super Sweet Sixteen" may be fun to watch, but they are sickening...can you imagine spending thousands of dollars on a birthday party?!
WELL ISN'T THAT WHY YOU READ 'VOGUE' IN THE FIRST PLACE?
Exactly! In conclusion, CaroChouette deleted her original post and replaced it with a probing question of similar intellectual rigor:
Wow, I am amazed in regard to the responses this thread was getting....I think we can all agree that it would be a good idea to move on?! I actually have a fashion question this time! yay! So, what is more important to you personally...wearing what's trendy and in style, wearing whatever you want because you like it, or having a classic look that will be always be "in style?" I feel like I tend to have a more "classic" style, but I recently have been buying some more trendy pieces just because I feel kind of insecure in my white polo and khakis (which I guess is my version of "classic") surrounded by people wearing skinny jeans, and such...It's kind of hard to find a balance between the two, especially when you have a budget...yikes...