Hating America: The New World Sport

By John Gibson

Book Overview

John Gibson is one of the Fox News Channel's most outspoken personalities. Now, as the aftershocks of the war in Iraq reverberate around the world, Gibson exposes the outrageous tenor of anti-American sentiment filling newsprint and airwaves beyond our borders and how disagreements over policy have mushroomed into poisonous hatred."I loathe America . . . and what it has done to Iraq and the rest of the helpless world." --Margaret Drabble, British novelist From the "Arab street" to the halls of even the most historically friendly foreign governments, extreme anti-Americanism has grown disturbingly pervasive throughout the world since the shell-shocking moment of 9/11. Over the year that followed, Gibson writes, "I began to watch the overseas press with a morbid fascination punctuated by bursts of outrage. The things that were being said about America and Americans were marked by an off-the-charts level of venom, a scandalous parade of mistaken assumptions, an endless font of suspicion, mistrust, and the promulgation of outright, willful lies. The viciousness of commentary on America was breathtaking." "Damn Americans. Hate those bastards." --Carolyn Parrish, Canadian parliament member And, as Gibson traces, the hate speech has gone well beyond the usual suspects in the Middle East, infecting our erstwhile allies in Europe, Asia, and even Canada. British Prime Minister Tony Blair complained that "some of the rhetoric I hear used about America is more savage than some of the rhetoric I hear about Saddam and the Iraqi regime." Presumptuous Belgian officials attempted to bring American officials up on war-crimes charges. And special hatred was reserved for President George W. Bush, whom one Australian newspaper dismissed as "the village idiot." As America defends its security in the ongoing war on terror, Gibson argues, we must be prepared to face this growing tide of resentment abroad, which will only result in serious consequences for the haters themselves. For the anti-Americans, he argues, would "like us to forget that those who hate us may eventually try to kill us -- because they now know that we will never allow that to happen without exacting a price on those who would attempt it."

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060580100
• ISBN13: 9780060580100
• Release Date: April 2004
• Publisher: William Morrow
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.18 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.0" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Read It!

I'm Australian, and like most Aussies I grumble about America from time to time. But, and also like most Aussies, I know it's the best, most successful, most intelligent, most humane, most cultured and most admirable society on Earth, the true beacon of human achievement and the light and inspiration of the world. Yes, for all its faults which I know all about.I am, it is true, half British. Modern British envy of America saddens me, as the envy-and-nihilism-intoxicated ravings of the loathsome, freakish Margaret Drabble and Harold Pinter and their likes fill me with utter disgust and shame.As an Aussie, I, like most people in the developed world, owe my high standard of living directly of America and I know it. Not only because of American inventiveness and marketing. Nott only because America saved our bacon in world War II and ronald Reagan saved us from the threat of nuclear annhilation more recently. The American alliance allows us to keep our defence spending down to 2% of GDP. We loaf at America's expence, let it pay for two-thirds of our security, resent it, and scream for help when we're in trouble. We're not as bad, not as envy and inferiority consumed, not as neurotic and self-hating, as the French and Germans, but we could be a lot better, and yes, more grateful.The Poles and people in Eastern Europe don't hate America. Their liberation by America is close enough in time for them still to remember it.One word of advice to Americans: You are loved, you are admired, by people all over the globe. Don't forget your friends, and perhaps give them a bigger word of praise than you sometimes have in the past. America attracts more resentment because its culture tends not to acknowledge its friends than for perhaps anything else.Read this book to understand one of the most dangerous, sick and disgusting pathologies in the world, and help do something to stop it.God Bless America!

Why do we expect to be loved?

"Tariq Ali, a young writer gained fame in the early 1970s decrying American policy in Vietnam. By 2003, he had lost none of his youthful anti-Americanism. 'Some of the Bush idealogues in the media compare Washington to ancient Rome. It is a permissable fantasy, but they should remember that (a) the Romans never expected to be loved and (b) that Rome, too, fell.'" (page 70)There is truth in that statement, as Gibson points out, much as we hate to hear it. Americans want to be loved. When the Brits ruled the world, they never expected to be admired--only obeyed and, perhaps, feared. We, on the other hand, want desperately to be liked. But the hand that holds out the food, and rules, is usually hated, and often bitten. That is just a fact of life that one must expect.John Gibson has written an awesome compilation of facts here supporting his thesis that we, the most powerful nation on earth, are vastly despised, despite all of the sacrifices we have made in blood and money in the last century to make the world better. Are we surprised then, that France, whom we have saved from the despotism and horror of two world wars, is among our most ardent foes? Or the Palestinians, whom we have striven to achieve justice for during a couple of generations, holds an abiding hatred for us? Or the Germans, Belgians, South Koreans, Spanish, Italians--all of Europe (for whom we have bled copiously), in fact, hold us in contempt or, at least distrust us?Even the Brits, our most trusted allies, look down on us as springing from an inferior civilization.As they said in the Second World War, while we were bleeding for their sake, it was said that the greatest fault of the Yanks were that we were, "Overfed, overpaid, oversexed and over here." No gratitude, even then in the midst of battle.But, when all is said and done, at least for the moment (which is about as long as any political system lasts in the overall scheme of things), as Gibson points out we are the most powerfful nation on earth, militarily and economically. We have, at least for now, achieved that status while France, Spain, Italy and Russia have declined until they are no longer the masters of their own fate: the victims of socialism. Even the proud British Empire, upon which it was once said that "the sun never sets," is now a mere shadow of its former glory.The United States of America may not be far behind, as the ugly head of socialism rears its head, replacing our constitutional freedoms to a greater and greater extent. But for now, at least, we are the force with which to be reckoned--the one of which to be jealous--we are the source of power.It is not, therefore, ours to be loved. Rather, it is ours to be respected, if for no other reason than our strength. That must be enough, for now. They will, no doubt, gloat when we fall, and perhaps when and if we are as weak as they, then they will love us. Doubtful? Who knows?This is a fine book, psychoanalyzing our avowed enemies. and e

Seen the Movie.....

A few of these reviews have credibility problems to say the least. I love the liberal's excruciating denial of reality. This book is a MUST read for anyone wanting a glimpse into the visceral hatred many in the world have of America. More to the point...CONSERVATIVE AMERICA! I spent 22 years in the military and over half of that time was outside the U.S. I vividly remember living in England when Reagan was president and watched the daily lambasting of America by the "elite" European media. Yes...nothing like watching America being bashed every single day in the news. Can ANYONE here imagine watching Good Morning America or reading their local paper and seeing only a constant drum beat of hate towards Canada or France? We may dislike some of their policies, but we are not enamored with an obsessive hatred towards them. It would get a little old hearing or reading this day-in and day-out. Not to mention a waste of brain cells. So WHY does the rest of the world spend SO much time dedicated to bashing America? Rather childish, but obviously very sporting for them. What Gibson describes is not some dreamed up right-wing delusion. I witnessed first hand this hatred throughout the 80's and 90's. I remember how happy I was when I moved from a local village in England onto the Military Base and was able for the first time in 3 years to get CNN news. Compared to the BBC, CNN was the epitome of conservatism. The only ones who deny Gibson's findings are those living in their elite world. I would challenge any American to pay close attention to European or Canadian news media during a visit or better, live in Europe or Canada for 1 year and then read Gibson's book. Try then to dispute Mr. Gibson. This is a MUST read!

I call 'em like I see 'em...

Excellent reading (unless you're a flaming liberal). You might also like Anti-Americanism by Jean Fracois Revel.

Please do not judge this book based on your beliefs

Please do not judge this book based on your political ideology. Several of the poor ratings contrast the book with their own ploitcal beliefs. The book's subject can certainly be assumed by the title, and if you think France and Saudi Arabia are great countries; then you should write a book about it. Although I do not agree 100% with the text, I do think it is concise, well-written, and a fair analysis.