Leaving for the day/evening, but i'm printing that out to read in the car. It looks interesting.
Some mere anecdotes.
Last night I went to a party and talked to some friends who had just gotten back from Sweden, and one of whose brother had just returned from France, and, before that, Australia.
My friend said he was struck at how hostile most of the Swedes he met were to the U.S. The under-message was the You Had It Coming one. No one was rude, or overt, but he felt it there. (He speaks Swedish, and lived there for many years, has many connections there.) In a week, one person, seeing the flag pin he had bought for the trip, extended sympathy.
His brother was in Australia at a meeting of "topdog capitalists," whatever that entity is, and reports that the most virulent anti-U.S sentiment he's come across was in Australia, at that meeting.
But here's a surprise: This brother and his wife were in France, in Provence, on Sept 11.
They got, and wore, American flag pins.
Strangers on the street, in Paris and in Provence, came up to them and extended their sympathy. Some who couldn't speak English, silently embraced them.
A few evenings later, they attended what was described as a "soiree" in Provence.
When they entered the room, wearing their pins, everyone stood up and applauded.
I know this all means nothing.
Thanks for the link. |
