Estoy Harta

I've never been a die-hard fan of the Estados Unidos. That is why I moved to Spain. But lately I've been tired of people pointing the finger at the United States for all the economic problems that have been occuring lately. And I am tired of the world propagating the stereotypes of Americans being ignorant people of excesses and bawdy culture. I hear people say in class during a movie in which the wife opens a can of Spaghetti-Os: "Typical American dinner." Please. That is a stereotype. Just like the one that we all eat hamburgers all the time. True, I enjoy a good McDonalds hamburger from time to time (but usually only about 4 times a year) but typically I cook, just like you. And I hate that everyone thinks the typical American is downing in debt and spends what they don't have. True, we have national debt coming out the wazoo. But I'm sure I can find someone from any culture that lives beyond his means. And please don't blame the budget deficit on every American person. If I were President, I would never have aknowledged that. And I did NOT ever vote for Bush. I do agree that we need to keep it down, but I do not appreciate being scorned for overspending and collapsing the economy. The only debt me or my family has ever had were school loans. "American Excess." Witty, but Ouch.

Everyone seems to be pointing and laughing at the dollar perpetually dropping, and our economy going down the toilet. It is like all the other economies don't want to play with us anymore. I think it was because we were the big bully in the playground for so long. I do admit that a lot of Americans are ignorant to the world around them, but that is only because we don't put ourselves out there. Some of us don't move to other countries, or want to experience different cultures. But a lot of Americans are good-natured, humble people with a lot to offer the world.

In conclusion, we are not the arrogant, loud, ignorant, overspending people who eat hamburgers and fries like you think. (Do not look upon our president as an example.) Every person is different. I really hate it when I hear people in my classes and in my school badmouth America in the ways I described. They simply don't know. And, passing certain limits, it's disrespectful.

I have many Colombian friends who always tell me that they are sick of people thinking of their country as the land of wars, kidnappings and cocaine. Sure, there are those things, but it is only a small part of the country's greatness. I personally hate it when someone makes a cocaine joke regarding Colombia. There are great authors, singers, TV stars, and Formula One drivers that come from Colombia. Nobel Prize winners. An exquiste flower industry. Colombia exports 75% of the flowers we buy in the US. Great coffee. There is nothing more satisfying to me in the morning than 100% Colombian coffee with milk.

So I rest my case. The United States has a unique place in history. Every country does. We are all growing and developing together. Yes, we make some mistakes. But so do you. I don't appreciate it when people from other countries attack us when we are down, as if they are vultures waiting for our demise. It helps no one. What we need is to accept our differences and move on. Americans need to with respect to the rest of the world as well.

Hard times are ahead. Prejudice and malice are counterproductive, on both sides.