Just a few more days
So I've been feeling better but yesterday and today were not so good. It could be worse, I'm trying to stay positive.
I had a few inspirations the last few days to write but never managed to, so it will all be shortened because ... well because I'm tired and sick and not capable of strong feelings.
First of all there was a great incident in Illinois this month:
"But is that the purpose of capital punishment?" Ryan asked. "Is it to soothe the families?"
Unfortunately many think so. Actually many think they have a right to have someone killed as retribution for their own family member's death. I'm so flabbergasted by this I don't know even where to start. So I won't. I don't feel fully in control of my mind.
Another thing I've been wanting to quote for a while is the following excerpt from Bill Bryson's "The Lost Continent - Travels in Small Town America":
"He said: Well, Greta, which do you like better, the United States or Sweden?" The girl blushed. She obviously had not been in the country long enough to expect this question. With an embarrassed flutter of hands she said, "Oh, I sink Sweden," and pall fell over the table. Everyone looked uncomfortable. "Oh," said the man in a flat, disappointed tone, and the conversation turned to potato prices.
People in America always ask that question. When you grow up in America you are inculcated from the earliest age with the belief - no, the understanding - that America is the richest and most powerful nation on earth because God likes us best. It has the most perfect form of government, the most exciting sporting events, the tastiest food and amplest portions, the largest cars, the cheapest gasoline, the most abundant natural resources, the most productive farms, the most devastating nuclear arsenal and the friendliest, most decent and most patriotic folks on earth. Countries just don't come any better. So why anyone would want to live anywhere else is practically incomprehensible. In a foreigner it is puzzling, in a native it is seditious. I used to feel this way myself.
Oh this is so true. If anyone wants to convince me of the opposite, you have a LOT of work to do because I just have too many examples. I really like living here but don't get me started about the complete invisibility of any other country around here. They do exist some where far... but they are not really relevant. That's where you go on vacation to... or send your money to poor orphans or where they eat a lot of Chinese food, but it's not reaaaallly a place.
I know I know I'm exaggerating. But that's how you get out of frustration.
And no, we do NOT all swim naked, Europeans wear bathing suits too.
Dinka,
I agree with you here. I grew up here, but I get so offended by this attitude. Often I ahve tried to explain it to some people, but I get blank stares.
One example would be, many people here spend lots of money on weddings and honeymoons. A favourite honeymoon spot is Jamaica. I'll ask if they thought anything about the country, and it is usually the food at the resort was too spicy or something.
Now I understand that they may not have left the resort, but there is no recognition of Jamaica being more than a resort, a country with people and customs and so on. sigh.