I hope this does not annoy anyone, but as an American I am overjoyed at exposes of European racism. For decades, progressive, and sometimes just preening, Europeans loved to stress that America was a hideously racist country. It's nice to know we are not alone;
Actually, I have a very disturbingly radical idea about race, America and Europe. Although I am very sympathetic to blacks who have been persecuted in my country, I propose that America is infinitely less racist than Europe.
In America, about 350,000 white men died fighting for the Union Army in our civil war. In other words, 350,000 white Americans died fighting on the side of black people.
Compare this with the rest of the world:
a) How many Englishmen fought England to stop the oppression of the Irish;
b) how many Spaniards fought Madrid to stop the persecution of the Basques
c) How many Frenchmen fought Frenchmen to end the oppression of the Hugenauts
d) How many Germans fought other Germans to end the slaughters of the Jews.
e) I have an essay in which I look at about 15 additional countries in which the majority group was blithely oblivious to the murder of oppressed minorities in their nations.
Before I sign off, lets just look at the Levant:
a) How many Turks protested the genocide against the Armenians
b) How many Muslims in Lebanon have protested the displacement of Maronite Christians
c) How many Muslims in Egypt stood up against the slaughters of Christian Copts
d) How many Syrians, Iranians, Iraqis or Turks gave a rat's ass about the murders of the Kurds
e) How many Nigerians tried to stop the slaughter and starvation of Biafran Christians
e) In general , how often have muslims stopped the persecution of Jews, Christians or Hindus. Don't ask silly questions.
Immediate response (to be superceded by more thoughtful reply later) : everybody racist everywhere - it's a worldwide plague; as a writer of fiction, I know that never recorded private acts of defiance matter just as much as public ones; picking on anybody really doesn't get us anywhere - many Muslim societies were congenial to minorities, far more than our Christian, commercial civilization. Context matters. Progressivism assumes there is a single standard that can be applied anywhere, at any time, whereas the reality is that humans try struggle fail succeed and get up the next morning everywhere. The visitor from another planet years hence will be greeted by a single sign jammed in the ground as he she it surveys the wreckage : "We Screwed Up."
And before I log in and tear this argument to pieces, or not, there is a cold bottle of champagne waiting for the first man to leave on one of my pieces here. (Apart from myself, out of sheer tedium.) All yours, David. Hope you'll share.
When I think of my feelings about race, I am reminded of what Dr. Blueler said were one of the signs of schizophrenia: Among other things, he said that schizophrenics often have highly ambivalent feelings about certain things. One minute they adore something; the next minute they hate that very thing.
My severe ambivalence re race often makes itself felt with regard to music: When I hear the searing, soulful melancholy of Otis Redding, singing his masterpiece, "Sitting by the dock of the Bay," I feel as if I love black people. When I suffer the stinging rebuke of ball busting divas who scream and shout and avow that they are the supreme goddess bitch of the universe, I feel as if I hate blacks and women too to boot.
Yes, blacks have suffered a lot of persecution. Very often, persecution leaves wounds that warp one's psyche. I think that some blacks, as a consequence of persecution, etc., harbor so much rage and alienation that they are not able to cope and routinely arouse the hostility of whites.
Also, I think that some of the supposedly liberal, philanthropic stances of "progressive" white people exacerbate the problems.
Phufff! My friend, your line, "...harbor so much rage and alienation that they are not able to cope and routinely arouse the hostility of whites" describes about 90% of the U.S. population. Everyday no matter what, I thank my lucky, if demanding stars, I do not walk down those streets any more. As for our liberal, virtue testifying progrès, better left unsaid. Despite their thanksgiving speeches, they were quite content with Der Drumpf. Their portfolios prospered.
Dear James, I don't want to burden you by telling you that I am having trouble finding your posts, but as I may have related to you, I am technologically quite primitive.
Your last message says:
"James Graham replied to James Graham's comment
Just want to add that I came because I couldn't take living among wolves anymore, not because my portfolio allowed me to diversify."
1) I can't find the comment that you are clarifying, i.e., the comment the above post responds to. If you have a moment, please direct me to the comment.
2) I only now noticed a post you sent me on or around December 5. You asked me to "share." I suppose you mean you asked me to send your comments to others. I would love to do that, but I don't know how to share. I know I seem technologically imbecilic
Hey hey! No worries, David. I get lost here, too. You asked about a month ago how I came to be living in Europe and I gave a short reply then. So I wanted to amplify that I didn't come here for a sweet retirement but because I was fed up with my life as such in the States. That's all. As to sharing, you're doing that. I'm just trying to broaden the base here. I'll be launching a few new series soon.
Not sure I coined it but wasn't Drumpf the family name of the grandfather who got booted out of Germany as a rightwing troublemaker ? Soon we'll be able to forget little details like that...
I hope this does not annoy anyone, but as an American I am overjoyed at exposes of European racism. For decades, progressive, and sometimes just preening, Europeans loved to stress that America was a hideously racist country. It's nice to know we are not alone;
Actually, I have a very disturbingly radical idea about race, America and Europe. Although I am very sympathetic to blacks who have been persecuted in my country, I propose that America is infinitely less racist than Europe.
In America, about 350,000 white men died fighting for the Union Army in our civil war. In other words, 350,000 white Americans died fighting on the side of black people.
Compare this with the rest of the world:
a) How many Englishmen fought England to stop the oppression of the Irish;
b) how many Spaniards fought Madrid to stop the persecution of the Basques
c) How many Frenchmen fought Frenchmen to end the oppression of the Hugenauts
d) How many Germans fought other Germans to end the slaughters of the Jews.
e) I have an essay in which I look at about 15 additional countries in which the majority group was blithely oblivious to the murder of oppressed minorities in their nations.
Before I sign off, lets just look at the Levant:
a) How many Turks protested the genocide against the Armenians
b) How many Muslims in Lebanon have protested the displacement of Maronite Christians
c) How many Muslims in Egypt stood up against the slaughters of Christian Copts
d) How many Syrians, Iranians, Iraqis or Turks gave a rat's ass about the murders of the Kurds
e) How many Nigerians tried to stop the slaughter and starvation of Biafran Christians
e) In general , how often have muslims stopped the persecution of Jews, Christians or Hindus. Don't ask silly questions.
Immediate response (to be superceded by more thoughtful reply later) : everybody racist everywhere - it's a worldwide plague; as a writer of fiction, I know that never recorded private acts of defiance matter just as much as public ones; picking on anybody really doesn't get us anywhere - many Muslim societies were congenial to minorities, far more than our Christian, commercial civilization. Context matters. Progressivism assumes there is a single standard that can be applied anywhere, at any time, whereas the reality is that humans try struggle fail succeed and get up the next morning everywhere. The visitor from another planet years hence will be greeted by a single sign jammed in the ground as he she it surveys the wreckage : "We Screwed Up."
And before I log in and tear this argument to pieces, or not, there is a cold bottle of champagne waiting for the first man to leave on one of my pieces here. (Apart from myself, out of sheer tedium.) All yours, David. Hope you'll share.
To leave a comment on...
When I think of my feelings about race, I am reminded of what Dr. Blueler said were one of the signs of schizophrenia: Among other things, he said that schizophrenics often have highly ambivalent feelings about certain things. One minute they adore something; the next minute they hate that very thing.
My severe ambivalence re race often makes itself felt with regard to music: When I hear the searing, soulful melancholy of Otis Redding, singing his masterpiece, "Sitting by the dock of the Bay," I feel as if I love black people. When I suffer the stinging rebuke of ball busting divas who scream and shout and avow that they are the supreme goddess bitch of the universe, I feel as if I hate blacks and women too to boot.
Yes, blacks have suffered a lot of persecution. Very often, persecution leaves wounds that warp one's psyche. I think that some blacks, as a consequence of persecution, etc., harbor so much rage and alienation that they are not able to cope and routinely arouse the hostility of whites.
Also, I think that some of the supposedly liberal, philanthropic stances of "progressive" white people exacerbate the problems.
By the way, I would love some champagne.
Phufff! My friend, your line, "...harbor so much rage and alienation that they are not able to cope and routinely arouse the hostility of whites" describes about 90% of the U.S. population. Everyday no matter what, I thank my lucky, if demanding stars, I do not walk down those streets any more. As for our liberal, virtue testifying progrès, better left unsaid. Despite their thanksgiving speeches, they were quite content with Der Drumpf. Their portfolios prospered.
Just want to add that I came because I couldn't take living among wolves anymore, not because my portfolio allowed me to diversify.
Dear James, I don't want to burden you by telling you that I am having trouble finding your posts, but as I may have related to you, I am technologically quite primitive.
Your last message says:
"James Graham replied to James Graham's comment
Just want to add that I came because I couldn't take living among wolves anymore, not because my portfolio allowed me to diversify."
1) I can't find the comment that you are clarifying, i.e., the comment the above post responds to. If you have a moment, please direct me to the comment.
2) I only now noticed a post you sent me on or around December 5. You asked me to "share." I suppose you mean you asked me to send your comments to others. I would love to do that, but I don't know how to share. I know I seem technologically imbecilic
Hey hey! No worries, David. I get lost here, too. You asked about a month ago how I came to be living in Europe and I gave a short reply then. So I wanted to amplify that I didn't come here for a sweet retirement but because I was fed up with my life as such in the States. That's all. As to sharing, you're doing that. I'm just trying to broaden the base here. I'll be launching a few new series soon.
I love the term you coined, Der Drumpf
So did you grow up in America? When did you leave? Why did you leave?
Not sure I coined it but wasn't Drumpf the family name of the grandfather who got booted out of Germany as a rightwing troublemaker ? Soon we'll be able to forget little details like that...
Regretfully, Euro Desk does not as yet deliver champagne. You must search the fancy label with Veuve (widow)-something on it yourself.