That was question on lips of all Americans when Uncle Sam's country saw "hell fire" on September 11, 2001. Uncle Sam was surprised beyond measure because he thinks that his country has done so much for world. He counts American's contribution on his fingers: champion of free speech, and fundamental human rights, exporter of democracy, giver of food and financial aids, and this new role—fighter of terrorists—to make world a safe place to live. So, why do they hate us? Asks Uncle Sam.

And in order to find out answer to this troubling question, he goes to sample people's opinion on America. And answers he gets surprise him.

In Africa, he was told that he has not even started. The Africans told him that food grains he was shipping to them were poisonous. They even said that help is politically motivated, for food was sent to countries of dictators who are chasing white farmers all over place. So they said Uncle Sam was only trying to demonize these heads of state, while playing Santa Claus. When he reminded them about money that America has invested in fighting diseases in Africa, he was booed. For they say that it was like a drop in ocean, saying that continent is used for experimenting dangerous AIDS vaccines. Even economic package, called African Growth and Opportunity Act, was dubbed a selfish initiative that would benefit only Americans.

So, Uncle Sam left African continent. Not that he was annoyed. But he felt that these "uneducated" Africans didn't understand things. Or they were ungrateful.

His next stop was South East Asia. But he was similarly surprised to learn that these Asians were saying that Uncle Sam was not paying close attention to political development of these lands. The Philipians didn't even like his full control of war against fundamentalists in their country. He couldn't understand these Asians. Perhaps, they didn't want another Vietnam.

Strange things never cease to happen. These things themselves make world go round. Consider this: Many years ago, a solar eclipse happened in one primitive part of earth. You know what it means—day changed to night. And ignorant villagers, who didn't know what had just happened, thought that world has come to an end. See farmers racing down to their village huts! Behold mothers frantically searching for their weeping babies in village playground! Watch birds and domestic animals hastily making to their hiding places! Chaos!!

But I am not going to talk of those who committed suicide either by drinking poison or drowning in village river before end comes. Neither am I going to say of village priest who immediately made a sacrifice to appease gods, who he thought had gone mad. No, I am not going to talk of those.

My concern is richest man in village who made a feast for villagers. He had all his livestock slaughtered, tore his yam barns and invited all villagers for last supper. But as they were eating under moonlight, watching stars and waiting for world to end, night changed to day. And surprised villagers turned last supper to a happy celebration, eating up all rich man's possessions. The man could not stop them because he had asked them to feast. So he became known as most foolish man of year. But that's a different matter.