Alan, not at all. Heck, some of my best friends are Americans and even some relatives, so you can see how broad-minded I am.
<You seem to have a dislike of Americans and things American.
If that is the case, why do you spend time posting here?>
It seems a peculiar duality in the USA these days. One is either a fanatical RRR or a LLL and any slight acknowledgement that the other side might even have a hint of humanity let alone reasonable argument is heresy and worthy of excommunication if not the firing squad.
Perhaps Republicans could try listing the top 10 defects of the King George II reign and the Democrats could do the same for the main drawbacks of a King John I reign.
Are families split asunder with grounds for divorce now being "supports the enemy"?
The USA has got myriad defects. So does American culture [not that it's a homogenous thing - each individual has their own culture and even that changes with the weather and as their life moves on].
Americans tend to think that's a hideous thing to say and that unless all is considered perfect, one should simply shut up, go away or something. Which is much the same with most people and countries and groups. Human groups have a great social bashing mechanism to force all their members into line and compliance and obeisance to the alpha male.
As a wild generalisation, the USA has more to offer the world in general and me in particular than other places. I've invested most of our life's savings in the USA because the economic processes and political system supporting those processes are better than other options I can think of.
As a place to live, I prefer New Zealand [the warm part of it anyway]. Though winter would be better spent in the northern hemisphere - perhaps the south of France [but for the crowds], or the coast of what was Yugoslavia [I'm not sure what name the area I like is now called].
Posting here is interesting and I like to have my say about things. I've been an SI denizen now for 8.7 years, so it's a kind of home away from home for me here. It's my place!
The USA has a big effect on the world. I even hope that my comments might sway somebody towards thinking that a revamped United Nations would be not only in my interests, but their interests and the USA's interests and most other people's too [other than dictatorial types who don't want to be answerable to anyone and want to run the world on a dog eat dog basis like Saddam did].
Plus, it's usually fun.
Why Mqurice? I've explained before, but the SI search function isn't good enough to find it now. It's to do with AZERTY keyboards, Belgium, computers not doing what I want, BP Oil memos, log-in options, personal identity and my [limited] support for Ted Kaczynski. It's a longish story.
Mqurice |
