Anyone who hates the people of a country when they really should be hating the government is an idiot. Period. An American who hates an average Iraqi or Afghani because we are at war with their country is an idiot. A drunken European who gives me a dirty look when I say I’m American is an idiot.
On the other hand, I’ve had very interesting discussions with people who have serious issues with American foreign policy. I’ve talked with Latin Americans about CAFTA, the CIA and the drug war. I met older Vietnamese who, after describing a particularly scary bombing episode, say that they have since met U.S. veterans and that they like my country. Thanks for coming, they say. Not then, but now.
