How+does+the+rest+of+the+world+see+us?

How does the rest of the world see us?

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[|America]  While many people believe that America is a place of prosperity and hope, many people think the opposite. This clip from West Side Story is a perfect example of these two opinions, along with why they view America in either a positive or negative way.   Many people today portray America as an evil and destructive nation, due to the fact that American troops are the only kinds of Americans they see. 

"The political associations which exist in the United States are only a single feature in the midst of the immense assemblage of associations in that country." (de Tocqueville 629)    Many people see Barack Obama as a national American figure, and believe that America is a place of change and prosperity.



 And many see America as a cheap, materialistic country. 

REFLECTION: I put these pictures together, because I liked the way they contrast each other. The YouTube clip of West Side Story's, "America", shows how one group of people has two very different opinions on America. While it is an older song, it's timeless in the sense that these feelings are still prevalent today in foreigners. The picture of the Iraqi soldiers symbolizes the belief that Americans are very destructive, and are willing to protect their country first. They're not afraid of battle, and will invade any country to protect America from the threats of terrorism. Barack Obama is on this "wall", because he is a national symbol and is a "vision" to many foreigners. His signature "yes we can" phrase has not only inspired the minds of Americans but the minds of foreigners too. The last picture is very different from the other three, but it is one of the most prevalent images of the American to foreigners. While America may seem like the land of liberty, it is still run by corporations and materialistic things. Most of the consumer goods we buy are made around the world, and almost none come from America.

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