New Bandit

[Red01]

I honestly expected to take some heat from the locals here in France for being an American. US media paints a picture of how the majority of France is very much against current US foriegn policy, so I expected some feedback because of this. I've been pleasantly surprised by not only the friendliness towards me by all (certainly NOT the case when I was in France along the Med. coast in 1978), but the conversations I've had with English-speaking locals is the complete opposite of what I expected. These French people actually support the US and think their gov't is being weak by trying to pacify everything. Maybe it's just this part of France, or maybe it's something more common with the English-speaking French population, I don't know. But I've never felt a need to make any apologies for being an American - or pretend I'm Canadian.

As for the youth of Canada hating Americans... I think they have something in common with the youth of the United States.  

[Desolation Angel]

If any foreigner is asinine enough to hate me because my government is doing stuff they don't like, then go for it.  Just best not get in my face about it.     You know, we elect people to represent us, then they pretty much do what they want and leave us to b!tch about it!  We're not a pure democracy by far, after all.

I certainly have opinions about certain things various governments do, or don't do, including Canada, but would I hate a Canadian average Joe for it?  No.  I'm not that stupid.

I operate the same way with foreigners as I do with my fellow Americans, which means I pretty much avoid conversations about race, religion, and politics.  I teach that to my children, too.  Keep those things to yourself, live your life right, and vote your conscience at election time.

I heard and felt enough cr@p as a child of an Austrian immigrant after WWII (a little to close to being one of the evil Germans) to treat others that way.  

Peace.

[Daytona]

You want Off topic A! Too much info these days and too fast! Media got to keep the ratings up and stir the pot with the juicy stuff. We expect to sit in the lush green we think we see on the other side of the fence. Will some one stand up and say! There is just too many of us where we shouldn't be! Oil will grow wheat in the sand these days! Only no seeds need be sown. Or don't worry the Fema man comin!! When we don't have to work the fields to eat or tend the flock! The many have too much time to proliferate and try to find a reason to exist!