If you are a parent of small children, chances are you have heard this phrase more than once in your household. This phrase also reminds me of the belief out there that the United States–through the content of the films and music we produce–have inadvertantly caused the world to hate us.
Cry me a river!!
China:
China Piracy Crackdown Results in Closure of 205 Websites
Beijing - Chinese officials have shuttered 205 websites in a crackdown on Internet piracy that came partly at the behest of U.S. entertainment interests, Reuters reported. (source)
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US may approach WTO unless China tackles piracy
Washington: The United States might file a case at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) unless China takes more action soon to reduce piracy and counterfeiting of US goods, the top US trade official said.
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However, many US lawmakers are frustrated that China’s piracy rates remain among the highest in the world.
Earlier this month, the International Intellectual Property Alliance - a coalition of US movie, software, music and book industry groups - estimated they lost $2.2 billion in the China market in 2006 because of piracy. (source)
Russia
The (International Intellectual Property Alliance) IIPA wants Russia to be named a “Priority Foreign Country”, a designation reserved for states that are judged to “have the most onerous and egregious acts, policies, and practices that have the greatest adverse impact on U.S. products”. “Russia’s copyright piracy problem remains one of the world’s most serious,” the IIPA said in its submission. The group claims software piracy is at 85%, music piracy is at 67%, movie piracy is at 81% and entertainment software piracy is at 82%. (source)
Other countries
“The countries where movie piracy is occurring most prominently are the UK, China, Russia, France, Spain, Brazil, Italy, Poland and Mexico.” (source)
So here is my basic question here: If the American entertainment media is one of the major factors behind the anger of those who hate this country, why are many of these same internationals engaged in the theft and distribution of OUR media while stealing profits from such an “evil” enterprise?
“Think” people, “Think”!
Because ‘American entertainment media’ isn’t the driving influence behind foreign antipathy toward the U.S.; neither is it our culture.
It’s our government’s foreign policy.
Agreed. I don’t think anyone hates us because we make good Batman movies. I think the real stickler is how we invade countries to further our own imperialist agenda (Iraq). Or support ruthless dictators who are pro-USA (South America, Saddam Huseein). Or extort foreign leaders to enact favorable legislation (Panama). Or how we disregard agreed-upon international courts when they rule against us (Canada Lumber Dispute).
Put simply, they hate us because of Fox News.