@ShikibuZ I don't think you are apologising to the terrorists, though I see how that came across to you that way.
I'm more wondering who you are apologising for?
As you have done nothing wrong as far as I can tell. (I did mention that, but I see how it could have gotten lost in the rest of my post.)
What you say about all of us needing to come together in peace to make the world better. That I 100% agree with. I can't fault that in any way.
But please forgive me, but apologising for being an American is I don't feel, going to help. If anything I feel it is counterproductive.
I would feel exactly the same were a lowly Pashtun farmer who spent their whole lives living in a tiny settlement in the Afghan mountains, never seeing a British soldier, let alone a civilian, apologising for any of my country's dead.
It would be meaningless as they had nothing to do with it. Frankly, it would be a bit patronising as that individual had no way of preventing it either. Were he to tell me "Sorry I'm from Afghanistan, the country which some of these killers have come from." I'd be saddened at such a sentiment, as I don't believe that the actions of a few wicked individuals to be representative of the majority.
Just as it has been my experience, that most Americans are good people who want to work hard and raise happy families. Not make trouble for anyone else, let alone drop bombs on foreign soil. So why apologise for the actions of others who are committing acts contrary to the ethics which most of your countrymen hold dear, but you have no individual power to prevent?
Maybe you meant it in a sense of feeling sorry for the victims?
Which is fine, but that's not how it read to me. It read as you apologising for the actions of some people, namely your government, which were out of your control. Or that they have irreversibly tainted the land which you reside. Which I don't think they have.
I like the US. Everytime I've been there I have had the pleasure of meeting lots of people who are friendly and welcoming. I've always been met with hospitality, not hostility. I have seen good people and taken away a positive impression of the people and culture. Sure, I've met the odd jerk here and there. But they're clearly the exception not the rule. Jerks can be found everywhere. It's not an American thing, but a worldwide phenomenon.
That's how I see America. It's the land of freedom and opportunity. A union of peaceful states working together for a common good, while respecting individual liberty.
Why apologise for that?
Is it perfect? No. But nothing is perfect. But taking pride in such ideals is not a bad thing.
I grew up not far from Manchester, in a city called Leeds. This bombing hits a little close to home for me.
It only heaps more sadness onto the tragedy to read one of those nice, honest, good hearted Americans seemingly holding a level of misplaced guilt. When the only person who holds the guilt is the persons responsible for the bombing, and those indoctrinating impressionable people into believing that murder and violence is okay.
Those are the only people who need be apologising.
Not you.
Not America.
Not the United Kingdom.
Not Canada.
Not even Australia.
Finding blame and fault with a government is not going to prevent a homicidal asshole from strapping on a bomb and killing people.
Nor will it prevent it.
Homicidal asshole is going to use whatever convenient excuse is available for their crimes.
Removing the excuses will only change the target of blame. There will still be a murder.
It will simply be for a different reason, equally as meaningless.
Now that Manchester has been attacked should we now bomb <insert middle eastern city>?
No.
Why not?
Because more death, will do no good.
Why don't I blame <insert western government> for the deaths of these people?
Because they aren't the person who had the bomb. Some homicidal assholes did, or played large part in helping. I blame them. No one forced them to kill innocent children. That's on them.
So I apologise to you,
@ShikibuZ if I came off as calling you an apologist for the terrorists. Because that would be inaccurate and unfair.
Hopefully this has cleared up the misunderstanding.
