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July 24, 2004 The tension between Europe and America grows greater each day. I’ve given this a great deal of thought. I’ve had any number of e-mail discussions with some in Europe. It usually ends in the same way. Americans are stupid and arrogant, Europeans are ungrateful, pig-headed and boorish. That’s the milder version. After all we are kissing cousins. There is scarcely a European who doesn’t have at least one American relative. For the most part we speak a common language. American English is composed of words from nearly all languages. We reconstruct the words to fit our circumstance. No one likes to see their language altered, butchered as it were. That isn’t a reason to dismiss an entire nation as being uncivilized. America takes regional cuisine and makes it international fare. Again Americans are chastised for lack of purity. Americans are in a hurry; they’ve taken traditional foods meant to be created much as one would an art object. They’ve turned them into instant drive-though snacks. Americans never seem to understand dinning is a form of entertainment and relaxation. In Europe when one dresses for dinner it means downing a jacket and tie. In America it means a shirt and shoes. To Americans food is a means of survival not much more. Yet it seems it’s always the American version of fast food that survives, even prospers. I’ve had the pleasure of traveling much of the world. I understand Europeans wanting to preserve what they have. Americans have no Lords, Ladies, Earls or Knights. We’ve never seen the need. How then can we understand the Europeans need to honor traditions dating back centuries? Europeans don’t understand America’s wide-open spaces. Europe has very little room for adventure and even less desire. Europe is like the senior citizen who reached an age when they’re willing to accept life as is, hoping for no more disruptions. America is like the unruly teenager who can never be satisfied, always seeking new adventure. These are cultures at odds. It’s no wonder they clash. Europaens seem to forget the days they were adventurous. Times they sailed the widths and lengths of the Oceans discovering new lands. Altering old cultures. Converting indigenous peoples to their brand of religion, killing those who resisted. The Europeans of old insisted they received their mandate from God to go forth and civilize the heathen by any means necessary. This is a fact lost in re-configured European history books The names have been changed, the mission has changed, the results are the same. Go forth and civilize the heathen. America believes it has a mandate from God to protect and free the oppressed of the world, [Not to rule the World]. America has become very concerned with human rights. It’s willing to invest more than rhetoric in its demise. Unlike the Europeans of old America doesn’t seek treasure, land or slaves. America seeks for its reward friendship, freedom and a more prosperous society for those we liberate. The plus benefit would be fewer illegal immigrants coming to America. I’ve been told there are immigrants in Europe as well as America. I wasn’t sure if they were illegal or documented guest workers. For some reason I can't see a boat load of Cubans heading for Holland or a group of Mexicans by-passing America for Canada. I don’t think America or Europe is pure enough in sole to criticize the other. When challenged we are prone to defend ourselves at times with regrettable responses. Admittedly Americans are slow to accept advice. Unlike Europeans who give advice but never take it. There’s a threat to world order. They’re called terrorists [Al Qaida]. If left unchallenged it will grow and grow until it enslaves the world. For a picture of what the world would be under Al Qaida rule one need not go far to see the results. Go back to pre-9/11 and look at Afghanistan. Look at twenty plus years of Iran, nearly thirty years of Iraq. You tell me Europe is this a world you want to pass on to your future generations? My advice to Europe is “Lead, follow, or get out of the way”. America has been entrusted with a mission, come hell or high water, we will prevail. ------------ About the Author: Ken Hughes is a retired businessman. A political junkie who's passion is the re-education of Liberals and Term Limits for Congress. He has had very little sucess at either. Email Ken Hughes: uncleken@sbcglobal.net Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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