OK, the title necessitates a disclaimer. I don't hate America. Nor do I think any CITIZEN of the United States should hate America unless they are working towards emigrating elsewhere. Hating certain POLICIES is another story, but that's a different blog entirely.
No, what I am talking about is the world's attitude towards America.
A reference to Time magazine's recent article on Islam suggests that something like 48% of Saudis hate America (or something like that...I haven't read the article, just using this statement made by another blogger as a reference point), and that got me to thinking: Is it hating America that's the problem?
We are a country that, theoretically at least, cherishes the individual and the individual freedom of speech, thought, etc. That speech has to include dissent, or we're not sincere in our beliefs. There are many countries around the globe that dissent with what, they feel at least, is the popular sentiment among Americans (at times they have been right in their assumptions, at times wrong). And while "hate" is a strong word, there are many people to whom the word doesn't necessarily mean a violent opposition, just an intense dislike.
I have no problem with a person intensely disliking me. As long as they let me live in peace, I'm cool with it.
So much of our culture is geared around building a cooperative understanding based on our values, our likes and dislikes without a concerted effort to understand those of others. It is precisely this lack of understanding where hatred takes root, and violence too often results.
What gets me is, of those millions of Saudis who reportedly hate America, very few of those are actually willing to turn that into an active aggression against Americans, which is cool with me. I would like to teach them what I feel is a better way, but that's pretentious, and, frankly, a good part of what they feel is wrong with our culture. So I will defer to them their right to hatred.
As long as they don't act on it.