>But you can't blame the
>average American for this.
>Other countries are more aware
>because their media outlets make
>it possible.
>America is very Americentric but much
>of it is not our
>fault. Most people are
>going to watch the TV
>in their living rooms and
>the news that comes on
>the basic network channels.
>The information that gets passed
>to them is very limited.
> The news has maybe
>5 minutes on intl affairs.
> So yes you can
>say that we need to
>a better job of looking
>for information but the media
>needs to do a better
>job of presenting the information.
> Not everyone can read
>a variety of newspapers and
>news websites everyday to keep
>informed. People abroad are
>able to do this because
>the info is placed in
>their lap. They are
>bombarded with American images everyday
>and that is why they
>know more about us than
>we know about them.
>
>I agree that we need to
>step out of our shell
>and learn about other countries
>and the real issues that
>go on. But to
>blame it on Americans and
>our ignorance....it doesn't sit well
>with me. This type
>of miseducation begins when we
>are in elementary school and
>continues. It is hard to
>blame people for this.
>So its not as clear
>cut as other countries are
>less focused on themselves because
>they are more informed citizens.
> The education in their
>country was designed around this.



i see what you're saying(i think so at least), and i tried to touch on it partially in my original post. as a country, we are extremely isolated from europe and asia. also, we are completely self sufficient with our natural resourses. what i was trying to get at though, is that i don't think that the ignorance which comes from factors such as above is acceptable. i'm no poly sci genius, but i really believe that if the american public took the effort(and i agree that we are at a great disadvantage to find out international news than many of the countries on the other continents of the world) then it would make it much more difficult for our government to do so many of the terrible things it does. i know that it's not easy to keep informed, but it's not going to be too long, until all of the ill deeds our government has done are going to come back and affect us(who knows, maybe it has already begun).
you raise a great point when you say that this type of ignorance begins in elementary school. gosh, i remember all thorough school, until college, learning about what a great friendship and bond good 'ol john smith had with pochahantas. those savages sure did get along great with them settlers(that was sarcasm, just in case anyone didn't catch it). furthermore, the british people i've talked with really resent the way the u.s. views ww2. yeah, that's great we came in at the end of the war to save the day, but it was the brittish who held the fight until we got there. we portray ourselves as these world saviors, yet, where the eff were we when hitler was killing millions upon millions of non-aryans? granted, i know that the great depression had a big impact on our decisions, but lets admit our flaws when ww2 is taught, and give credit where it is due.
anyways, i totally agree with you here. i think that education is one of the things that really can make a difference. i'm going to get my teaching credential this upcoming year, which is another point, but i really believe that a teacher can make the biggest difference in the world, in many areas, including this ignorance we're talking about.

there comes a time in every mans life when he's gotta handle shit up on his own Can't depend on friends to help you in a squeeze, please they got problems of their own---slim kid3