AIBU to want Americans to stop using the phrase "leader of the free world"?

[Mittens67]

The term originated during the cold war implying moral and symbolic leadership of democracy.
It has continued in common usage with America viewing itself as the centre of world.
I find this hugely arrogant at the best of times but given the current debacle with an orange megalomaniac in the white house, a person who has no morals at all and is intent on over turning democracy if he possibly can, it is utterly abhorrent.

Last time he was in power I started referring to Merkel as the leader of the free world. It's embarrassing that they use this now given how many freedoms they are taking away.

Shite House… sums it up…

They also are the only country participating in sports with the word 'world' in it.
A continent of prudish, arrogant misfits. The Pilgrim Fathers were a misogynistic and arrogant bunch of religious zealots who left England because it was too religiously tolerant.
Look at what they created

Yes the "can-do" attitude. Let's look back on how it has made the US and the world better in 4 years time shall we. brash and confident people often end up quite lonesome ime.

Go to bed, Donald

And now Trump has helped bring the rapist Tate bros to the USA- of course he has.

They’ve promised they’ll come back to Romania to be prosecuted… 🙄course they have.

Assuming you’re from Britain it’s kind of ironic to comment on a country having an overinflated opinion of themselves.

considering before Zelensky, it was considered by the guardian news to be one of the most corrupt in Europe

Russian corruption is legendary. Pre Zelensky was when Ukraine had pro-Russian puppets as leaders. Does the Guardian still list Ukraine as one of the most corrupt in Europe today?

Eh? Brits complain all the time.

You're not unreasonable but you're wasting your breath. The US is so insular it has no conception that the world sees it as corrupt, aggressive and ignorant.

Yeah and y'all won WWII all by yourself.

YAWN

Oh dear, touchy without reason
Donny, go to bed

Yeah whatevs bro. You won’t find a more self deprecating people than the Brits! At least we’re aware of our faults, unlike the ‘ best country in the World! ‘ Americans

Shame you were 2 years late. Still, thanks for us allowing to get into such massive debt with the USA in Double-u double-u 2 that we only finished paying in 2006.
hey, let’s hope we don’t have to fight you guys in WW3.

You wouldn’t win… no back bone… or sense of humour.

You mean we're realistic about the shortcomings of our country. We don't do blind obedience and swearing to obey (Pledge of Allegiance) on a daily basis.

Hang on @Drylogsonly I'm British. That was an ironic comment towards America! I agree with you.

Yes, and we probably complain a lot more than we should. Those moaning about how European trains are better than British ones have clearly never experienced Deutsche Bahn...

The Aussies call us "whinging poms" for a reason

Yup!!!

I've lived in the US (no experience of Aus). I'd rather be a wingeing pom than a deluded and brainwashed American.

I think British people (or "Brits") in Hollywood films are often very posh and arrogant. Just like French people are super sexy (and arrogant). And Americans are usually the main character and heroic. Its Hollywood. I like those films. But I think some Americans take it very literally - I have definitely heard the "I thought you would be stuck up from your accent" before. And I don't even have a posh accent. And I really don't care about 1776 - banter aside I don't know a singe British person who does.
People are also stereotyping Americans a bit right now. But first - its considerably less than Americans stereotype other countries. And second - its based on what they are seeing right now on the news (not fictional films). Its not fair on the many humble, kind Americans. But Trump is the person elected to represent America on the world stage. So it is to be expected. Complaining that the people making judgements are "stuck up Brits" is just a way of coping with that. Also to be exxpected.

I don't think the Americans care what you want.

I understand your feelings in terms of the moral high ground and the defender of freedom, etc. But I think Trump is showing that America is the leader, maybe of a comfortable and smug world rather than a free one, but certainly a leader. A lot of our dealings with the US have been begrudging in the last few decades. There's been a lot of anti-American sentiment in the UK building up since the 90s, at least. But we have still happily relied on them for defense in a huge way. Both the significant military resources which NATO and other countries who rely on them have failed to come close to matching and foreign aid - which while not directed at us has helped in combating international crime and diseases that our efforts to fight would do a much worse jpb of on their own.

Now Trump is putting barriers in the way of the things we enjoy about American investment and trade and suddenly people are having to jump high to get them back.

I'm not suggesting here that the US is just a force for good in this - lots of the issues they defend against they have a huge hand in creating in the first place (though probably no more than the UK) - I'm simply pointing out that they are the leaders. They have a lot of power and they haven't been playing that card very hard until now. If they want to lead, we will likely say "how high", at least for a while.