Fightback against anti-Americanism
A group has been formed by some Londoners to fight anti-Americanism, and they have launched a website.
They have a useful myths page, including:
- Myth: America is not a truly free and open society
- Myth: Black Americans are held back in a country plagued by racism
- Myth: America refused any involvement in World War II, when the freedom of Europe was at stake, until the December 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbour forced her to participate
- Myth: America is exceptionally ungenerous in its aid to developing nations
- Myth: America is a violent, high-crime society
They also expose how ill-informed many people in the UK are on the US:
- 80% think the US sold Saddam Hussein more than a quarter of his weapons. In fact it was 0.46%
- 58% think polygamy is legal in some parts of the US
- 52% think the US more often sides with non-Muslims and non-Arabs in wars, when in reality “during the last half-century, in 11 of 12 major conflicts between Muslims and non-Muslims, Muslims and secular forces, or Arabs and non-Arabs, the United States has sided with the former group”
They also have a huge range of briefing papers on what the US has done for the world.
This is not a site saying America is perfect or that US Governments have not done some bad things. It is about adding some balance to the anti-Americanism out there, reflected in the poll results.