The Bad Guys are Us

Accustomed to seeing Bond movies and Russians with bad accents as arch villains, or Arab terrorists on Fox's 24 as the updated version of evil, it's alarming to note how pop culture in other countries increasingly portrays Americans as the bad guys.

During any clash between countries and cultures, each sees reality through their nationalistic rose-colored glasses; and true to form, the Washington Post writes this morning about the unfavorable light of our government is depicted in plays, movies and television in the Middle East.

In "The Night Baghdad Fell," a new popular film in Egypt, America comes across as the Ugly American. In the movie, loomings of a US invasion prompt a teacher to recruit his former student to save the nation by building a weapon to stop the intrusion; but alas, the weapon fails as the hash smoking would-be soldier dreams about wild sex with Condoleezza Rice on his wedding night.

Can you think of anything so gross?!? Even Egyptians feel the sentiment goes too far.

It seems during the last couple of years, Americans have started to be depicted as "bullies, rapists and mindless killers." And that's on the light side. In story after story thread, "yanks emerge as [the] bad guys," with one play using ushers dressed as "wild-eyed" Marines, and another one blowing up the Statue of Liberty.

Yes, "We're the heavies," the Post admonishes.

Guess we can't complain too much in light of Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, CIA secret renditions, and Lord only knows what else.