Subject:
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Re: Ok, why such anti-American sentiment? (Was Re: the metric system)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Fri, 4 May 2001 16:52:27 GMT
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Viewed:
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248 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, James Simpson writes:
> In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Timothy Culberson writes:
> > Christopher Tracey wrote:
> > >
> > > yay or nay?
> > >
> > > -chris
> >
> > Abosolutely yay. The US should get out of their redneck rut and realize
> > that they are decades behind the rest of the world when it comes to this
> > issue. The US is simply stinking up everybody else with their stupid
> > old system (especially here in Canada where we rely on so many of their
> > products and such).
>
> First, regarding the metric system, use whatever pleases you. Personally, I
> don't care. I like the old system, simply because i grew up with it, and i
> therefore find it more (personally) natural to think in terms of feet and inches
> than meters and centimeters, and i frankly always will Big deal. Anyway, to
> the meat of my issue:
>
> I really tire of all the anti-American comments thrown around in debate.
> Frankly, i'm offended by it, although i hate to let down my guard and admit
> that. I am an American citizen, and have done absolutely no wrong whatsoever to
> Canadians, Germans, British, Dutch, Swazilanders, Mauretanians, Yemenese,
> Sudanese, Bhutanese, etc., etc. I have never personally trampled on any of said
> nations' national senses of identity, and, to the best of my knowledge, i have
> never sent a truckload of cultural detritus/propaganda/rhetoric either north,
> south, east, west of my border. I do not, in a nutshell, consider myself the
> "Ugly American."
>
> Now, I am, however, really trying not to become the "Resentful American," but i
> admit that its sometimes hard. I've been to Europe. My father is from Europe--
> an expatriate of Scotland who still retains his British citizenship. At some
> important level, i consider myself to be "European" because the bones of my
> ancestors (whom i honor) lie in European soil. But the bones of my American
> kindred also lie in European soil. Shall we go there?
>
> I have become something of an isolationist, though. I'm not sure that I'll ever
> return to Europe. I don't particularly care to go to a place in which i am
> (vicariously, at least) scoffed at and villified for being an American. Heck,
> even my English relatives do that. They can't stand America, but they still
> vacation at Disney World.
>
> American citizens make enormous contributions to foreign aid. But most
> countries shake a fist at America, while keeping the other hand open in case
> they need something. Maybe that's wrong, but it feels that way. I relish a
> civilized clash-of-arms; let's debate foreign policy, let's debate history and
> economics, but leave your whining "redneck" crap on your side of the border.
>
> james
I have only one thing to say about this entire thread-to each his own. -Harvey
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