(yesterday’s post was deleted. Mainly because it sucked. Did you really want to hear about my cat? Didn’t think so.)
I don’t like Americans. That should be easy to say, there are just so many reasons. But the thing is, most Americans mean well, and I have a hard time holding it against them.
Seems some time back, a navy SEAL on a mission in the Afghan mountains got himself in a spot of bother and was given aid by a local shepherd. This is the first I’ve heard of it, and I don’t have many details, but the point is the navy man was helped by the shepherd. Australian Time published two letters from readers with their praise of the shepherd.
The first letter was pretty straightforward, commenting that it was generally a good thing that had occurred. The second letter was shorter but went a step further:
“It would be a heartwarming gesture if we extended U.S. citizenship to the shepherd and his family for his aid.”, -Brian Gaffney, Glendale, New York. (Time Aug 8, 2005)
This is of course a very thoughtful and kind sentiment on the part of of Mr. Gaffney. That’s the mean-well part.
The very fact people want to reward the shepherd infers that most of his countrymen would not have been so hospitable. Which means this guy probably doesn’t want the neighbors knowing too much about it. If the US offered citizenship the jig would be up and the poor guy would then be forced to take the offer - or face god knows what at home - whether he wanted to or not. Ironically, I think if the US offered money, the Afghans would not find this too insulting. This is not to say all they want from the US is money, but money as a reward is non-political. Hard cash in return for a service is logical and almost expected. But to offer citizenship immediately brands the shepherd in the eyes of his peers as a collaborator. Why would you offer citizenship to a man unless he was "your type of guy"? Then they start wondering how long, exactly, he has been “helping” Americans and suddenly he’s in a world of shit.
Why assume the shepherd even wants US citizenship? Presumably his people have lived there forever – since long before there ever was a United States. What makes anyone think he’d be so keen to up and fly half-way around the world to join a culture completely alien to him? When I lived in Canada, we went to the states for gas and cheap cheese and scooted back across just as soon as we'd reached the duty-free quota.
Why do Americans seem to believe the entire rest of the world is just dying to get in? This is arrogant, however well meaning. And it pisses people off by suggesting their own culture is inferior and lacking.
Americans are immensely proud of their country, don’t they think the shepherd is just as proud of his? Did Americans all run off to France when the civil war hit? They stayed and sorted it out for love of country. Why would they think anyone else would do anything different?
I don’t like Americans. That should be easy to say, there are just so many reasons. But the thing is, most Americans mean well, and I have a hard time holding it against them.
Seems some time back, a navy SEAL on a mission in the Afghan mountains got himself in a spot of bother and was given aid by a local shepherd. This is the first I’ve heard of it, and I don’t have many details, but the point is the navy man was helped by the shepherd. Australian Time published two letters from readers with their praise of the shepherd.
The first letter was pretty straightforward, commenting that it was generally a good thing that had occurred. The second letter was shorter but went a step further:
“It would be a heartwarming gesture if we extended U.S. citizenship to the shepherd and his family for his aid.”, -Brian Gaffney, Glendale, New York. (Time Aug 8, 2005)
This is of course a very thoughtful and kind sentiment on the part of of Mr. Gaffney. That’s the mean-well part.
The very fact people want to reward the shepherd infers that most of his countrymen would not have been so hospitable. Which means this guy probably doesn’t want the neighbors knowing too much about it. If the US offered citizenship the jig would be up and the poor guy would then be forced to take the offer - or face god knows what at home - whether he wanted to or not. Ironically, I think if the US offered money, the Afghans would not find this too insulting. This is not to say all they want from the US is money, but money as a reward is non-political. Hard cash in return for a service is logical and almost expected. But to offer citizenship immediately brands the shepherd in the eyes of his peers as a collaborator. Why would you offer citizenship to a man unless he was "your type of guy"? Then they start wondering how long, exactly, he has been “helping” Americans and suddenly he’s in a world of shit.
Why assume the shepherd even wants US citizenship? Presumably his people have lived there forever – since long before there ever was a United States. What makes anyone think he’d be so keen to up and fly half-way around the world to join a culture completely alien to him? When I lived in Canada, we went to the states for gas and cheap cheese and scooted back across just as soon as we'd reached the duty-free quota.
Why do Americans seem to believe the entire rest of the world is just dying to get in? This is arrogant, however well meaning. And it pisses people off by suggesting their own culture is inferior and lacking.
Americans are immensely proud of their country, don’t they think the shepherd is just as proud of his? Did Americans all run off to France when the civil war hit? They stayed and sorted it out for love of country. Why would they think anyone else would do anything different?
1 comment:
sure, but for my Brokeback Welders cartoon I get nothin'
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