If Anime and Cartoons are the same thing, there would not be two different words to describe them.
If you truly believe that Animes are Cartoons are the same just because both are animated, then you are an ignorant primative fool who can only grasp the most basic of concepts.
First off, it seems that you all are confused on what a Cartoon really is. A Cartoon is what you read in the newpaper. Thoses little Comic Strips.. those are Cartoons. When the idea of taking those drawings and animating them came about, the name "Cartoons" stuck because the first "Cartoons" presented the same material and ideas as those in the Comic Strips. (You know, like those really early Micky Mouse Cartoons that Disney made)
If you wanna be all technical about it, then Anime and Cartoons truly are two different things. Anime means "Animation" in Japan..... but in America, Anime means "Japanese Animation". And besides, Anime also refers to a certain art style of animation. Which is very different from the Cartoon style of animation.
Also, alot of the shows on TV nowadays kinda escape the idea of being a Cartoon. While most of the material on Cartoon Network can be considered a Cartoon, (or else they couldn't call theirselves Cartoon Network) it's really hard to consider most shows on Nickelodeon and even Disney to be Cartoons. I might say that something like Sponge Bob Square Pants is a Cartoon, but something like Hey Arnold! doesn't seem like a Cartoon. It's animated, but that doesn't make it a Cartoon. Stop thinking on such basic and primative levels. I wouldn't call something like Kim Possible a Cartoon either.... Or X-Men or X-Men: Evolution....... Or whatever saga the animated Batman is up to now..... But stuff like Cow & Chicken and Ed, Edd, & Eddy and even Dexter's Laboratory could definetly be called a Cartoon.
I don't think that even people in Japan refer to something like Batman as an Anime either. They probably did import the word "Cartoon" for them. And if not, it's probably because some ignorant primative translator is teaching them that "Cartoon" is the American word for "Anime". But those who study this alittle farther than basic similarities will realize that Anime and Cartoons truly are two different things.
Cartoons are only Kiddie in connotation. Cartoons were really meant for EVERYONE! Or rather, ALL AGES! Cartoons are fun, and I'm not embarassed to watch one or say that I do. But Anime and Cartoons are not the same.
Both Anime and Cartoons are cool! It's just not cool to say that they are the same. Obviosuly though, we all like Anime more.... ALOT MORE!!! The style of Anime is more preferable and cooler because it's alot more mature, has more feeling and thought, and has so much more moral. But still, I'm OK with Cartoons.... I just really like Anime alot more!!! Also, I like watching Disney animated features like The Emporers New Groove cause that's really funny and somehow it's not aimed at only kids, but for all ages.
Notice I didn't say Disney Cartoon.... cause Disney Movies are not Cartoons at all..... not even the older ones like Beauty and the Beast. Mickey Mouse was a Cartoon.. and the rest of the Disnet animal chars... but now they're Animated Features! There IS a very BIG difference there. You could call something like Princess Mononoke an Animated Feature, but DEFINITELY NOT a Cartoon... But Anime Movie is a lot more accurate!!
But I suppose some of you believe that Football and Basketball are the same just because they both have balls and goals.
Or that Skateboarding and In-Line Skating are the same just because you skate on wheels.
Or that a Pen and Pencil are the same just because they both can be used to write.
And what? Now you're going to try to tell us that Coloring Books and Manga are the same?! Or Comics and Manga?!!
(if there are any Typos... Sorry..

.. this message is too big to look over again....)