i remember now
jake's comment on my last post reminded me what i'd been trying to remember to add when i wrote it: he said that i should recognise that americans won't be happy to hear me say their country is for shit. and he's right.
i don't expect americans to be happy about it, but as a member of the rest of the world, i wanted to point out that it usually seems like america and americans are saying other people's countries are for shit. almost constantly, actually. and not just saying it, but taking violent action against it (or non-violent, in the case of all those americans who cancelled travel plans to france and made damn sure the whole world knew it)...
walk good.
posted by sweet trini @ 3:17 pm
4 comments
4 Comments:
I didn't start any wars. I didn't cancel any travel plans to France. I didn't disrespect anyone else's country. I wish you would understand that people who you like and (hopefully) respect and who share your views are still Americans, that's all.
of course i do realise that, but my point is that i hope you also realise i never said a single negative thing about any of those people. i was speaking about a country and it's policies and social acceptances. which is exactly what america and americans diss about other countries all the time. so i'm saying that i like and respect some people and they're wonderful, but that as a country, america is always too willing to dish it out, but can't take it back. and the fact that you seem to be taking it so personally when i said nothing personal makes me feel like you want me to respect your love for your country (which i do) but are unwilling to accept the truth of how your country's lack of respect for our countries and how that makes us feel (by "our/us" i mean us from anywhere else in the world).
so of course i respect your love for your country- i'd be a little concerned if you didn't- but i'm taking a broader view and not delivering a commentary on individuals, except in response to your making it personal.
think of anyone you know from a country with policies you despise- does it make you like them less, or consider the failings of their country their failings? do you deny their right to love their country as being theirs?
You say I'm taking this personally, but I say again: if I went on a rant making stereotypical blanket statements about Trinis and Trinidad, how would you react? I guarantee you you wouldn't still be speaking to me.
This is not that a big deal to me, I'm not losing sleep over it, I can't wait to see you (and hopefully Eric) tomorrow night for booze and good times at the housewarming party--if we've gotta agree to disagree, then that's fine. But I'm not backing down on this point--I refuse to be blamed for the actions of a guy that I (and half of America) voted against twice.
dude! of course i'll be there tomorrow- i can't wait to see you guys- and eric will be whenever he gets off work. i've actually been enjoying this dialogue, cuz it's the kind of thing that prob'ly wouldn't come up in conversation, so it's nice to discuss outside of our usual realm.
as for taking it personally or not personally, what i was trying to say is that i kept my comments specifically about the admin and social crap, because i wasn;t holding individuals responsible for the moron- i know his majority was slim, and you weren't in it.
so, till tomorrow night's drunken debacle...
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