Sure, but you have states which would easily be swayed by protests. Given the slightly irrational fear of political break-up some Americans seem to have, I can imagine that would have effect.
There is a related problem which I sometimes do come across when discussing politics with Amros. It has to do with the system. Americans tend to equate government, political system and nation in a way few others do. Thus the rather odd anti-Americanism chants. Few Europeans are that attached to the particularities of political organization, and that means protesting against the system isn't necessarily a protest against the nation.
But for at least some Americans, that political system the larger-than-life founding heroes jotted down between hurling coins over rivers (I'm being ironical, of course) is a much stronger related to the nation. The system is sacred. Few European nations think like that - we have sacred founders and hero-leaders too, but the grandchildren of them are as incompetent as any and the systems they used aren't by nature sacred. So it is easier to protest against the system without being called a civil war inciter or treacherous non-patriot.
While I suspect this respect for a once amazing and still decent but not nearly as amazing system has had great worth in building the American prosperity, stability, safety, identity and power I also suspect it is slowly approaching a point in time when non-reform will instead be a liability and the conservation strategy instead accelerates the decline. Failing empires always make reforms too late.
Another thing has to do with the perception of protests. If you look at Swedish news, protests are 90% considered good. (And there are a lot of protests from all over the world). The protestors, rebels and rioters are against injustices, their national leaders are to blame for running things incompetently or outright unfairly.
So the media glorify and perpetuate the picture of the noble, desperate, outgunned, bleeding protestors against stupid or uncaring overlords. I certainly think this has a lot to do with European sympathies for almost any stone-thrower, including Palestinians and Iraqis. It is like peasant-rebellions, WW2 resistance people, anti-communist crowds and labour strikes come to life again.
Re: hey Matt
There is a related problem which I sometimes do come across when discussing politics with Amros. It has to do with the system. Americans tend to equate government, political system and nation in a way few others do. Thus the rather odd anti-Americanism chants. Few Europeans are that attached to the particularities of political organization, and that means protesting against the system isn't necessarily a protest against the nation.
But for at least some Americans, that political system the larger-than-life founding heroes jotted down between hurling coins over rivers (I'm being ironical, of course) is a much stronger related to the nation. The system is sacred. Few European nations think like that - we have sacred founders and hero-leaders too, but the grandchildren of them are as incompetent as any and the systems they used aren't by nature sacred. So it is easier to protest against the system without being called a civil war inciter or treacherous non-patriot.
While I suspect this respect for a once amazing and still decent but not nearly as amazing system has had great worth in building the American prosperity, stability, safety, identity and power I also suspect it is slowly approaching a point in time when non-reform will instead be a liability and the conservation strategy instead accelerates the decline. Failing empires always make reforms too late.
Another thing has to do with the perception of protests. If you look at Swedish news, protests are 90% considered good. (And there are a lot of protests from all over the world). The protestors, rebels and rioters are against injustices, their national leaders are to blame for running things incompetently or outright unfairly.
So the media glorify and perpetuate the picture of the noble, desperate, outgunned, bleeding protestors against stupid or uncaring overlords. I certainly think this has a lot to do with European sympathies for almost any stone-thrower, including Palestinians and Iraqis. It is like peasant-rebellions, WW2 resistance people, anti-communist crowds and labour strikes come to life again.