Understanding American Behavior

Most Americans are saddened when they view negative reactions of various people's attitudes from around the world. All too often Americans are portrayed as greedy, evil, interference mongering people who are disliked by their mere presence. These negative attitudes end up being the most visible due to how media tends to concentrate on sensational behavior.

During the 17th century, Americans first started to populate North America because of the opportunity to escape the controlling atmosphere of the British Empire. They came to be able to practice their own religion and to carve out a living in a wilderness area untouched by corruption of European politics of the time. During this time it was very apparent that it wasn't easy to establish a new manner of civilization in a completely empty land. This condition lead to an attitude by those early Americans that you had to cooperate with your neighbor if you were to get along in this new world. This cooperation extended into everyday situations like helping to build your neighbors house or barn or to educate your neighbor's children with only the compensation that more citizens will grow up educated. Also the reverse of this situation which prevails to this day, an American will come to your rescue without any hesitation if you are perceived to be in some sort of danger. All this behavior evolved due to the need to survive in those early days of the colonies.

By the eighteenth century, Americans had the unprecedented opportunity to establish a completely new and unbiased form of government. This renewed opportunity was exceptional in modern days, as this condition had never happened in modern history. The American Founders knew they were on a great path establishing a new country, therefore great pains were taken in the establishment of the government to focus citizen control over it's own government. This concept hadn't ever been successful since Roman times. It is this behavior that gives the American a unique seemingly arrogant attitude about how his government should operate. But it is not arrogance you see but rather a strongly opinionated attitude that when combined with other like minded Americans, will form a nearly correct opinion about any particular subject. Most all Americans feel strongly that their form of government is the best in the world even with some of the flaws seen today. The prosperity of America today is a testament to this success and we have our ancestors to thank for that prosperity.

During this nearly 300 years of American growth, nobody would have survived if they didn't have weapons. Defense against wild animals was absolutely necessary not only for physical defense of the families, but more importantly for food. It would be centuries before anybody would run down to the local supermarket in order to find dinner. Guns also provided protection against the bad guys. Early America had little to no policing or military entities that would provide protection, therefore the gun was absolutely necessary. Our famous second amendment to the constitution guarantees that an American can defend himself or provide food for his family. Some say that the food issue is rather mute in this modern day and age, but you can't say that about the defense aspect.

During World War II after the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, America was standing rather unprotected due to the loss of most of her military might. Most of the military was fighting in the European wars, and the Navy took a huge hit at Pearl Harbor. Today the Generals from Japan were asked "Why didn't you follow up with an attack on the United States after Pearl Harbor?" The answer they gave was that they knew that most Americans owned weapons, and that they knew how to use them. Therefore invasion was out of the question. We have the American Constitution to thank for that decision.

America's 19th and 20th century existence was quite socially isolated from the rest of the world. Americans were always reluctant to get involved with other world issues. Reluctance to enter WWI and WWII was proof that the country really preferred an isolationist position. Inevitably though world politics would demand the industrial and financial strength to once again help bail out suffering countries. It would seem that other countries could not or would not maintain a healthy political environment.

This isolationist attitude is still maintained today by the average citizen, unfortunately political powers on all sides of the world have "Drafted" American military to act as a world police force. The modern day citizen really does not like having to give up trillions of their tax dollars and son's and daughter's lives just to get rid of yet another third world dictator. Entry into WWII was late and controversial. The Vietnam war spurned the huge civilian rebellion in the 1960's. Are you surprised that Americans are isolationists? Well they are, but the current set of U.S. politicians are drunk with power over having control over world politics. This is where the root of the problem becomes evident. The politicians like world power and control and the citizens are repulsed at yet another world policing action, month in and month out.

The most recent exception to the citizens attitude came on 9/11 when the Americans were attacked directly by outside forces. This senseless attack only cauterized all Americans to fight back for their life.

The worst enemies of any dictator, emperor or military junta is law abiding citizens, prosperous economies, highly skilled military and an educated citizenship. These bad guys continuously try to overthrow the American system by attempting to kill off their values from multiple directions. Whenever a Hitler, Kim Jong-il, Hugo Chavez, Castro attempts to take over their citizens they fear that America will get involved and defeat their intentions. A hate campaign is then developed to attempt to weaken America in the eyes of their citizens. They know that if they can convince their people that Americans are somehow bad for them, then the dictator wins his case. History proves that the people who don't buy into the dictators lies, is evident by all those people who migrate into the U.S. Unfortunately, not all these people are nice guys who want to enter the US and they only want to drain the system of it's benefits without contributing to the success of the county.

We Americans are more than happy to help out those who need our help. But, if you are living in a country that is about to be overthrown by bad guys, then you need to demand that their government take control of the situation, put your own life on the line for your country. Americans are less and less likely to clean up after another world mess caused by lawless societies.