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<DIV><FONT size=4>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Tony,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>As one who goes abroad at least once every year, I can assure
you that there are <STRONG><FONT size=6>some</FONT></STRONG> people from the
United States who are loud, arrogant, and extremely embarrassing to be thought
of as being connected to. One can find some people from other countries
that come off the same way. In my tiny small nowadays and from the distant
past when I lived overseas, I think it quite possible that our country produces
the highest percentage of obnoxious travelers although France and Russia are not
far behind.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>W.</FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=tonytime@clearwire.net href="mailto:tonytime@clearwire.net">Tony
Simpson</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=tonytime@clearwire.net
href="mailto:tonytime@clearwire.net">Tony Simpson</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Cc:</B> <A title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, July 09, 2006 11:52 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020] This Isn't Hate Speech, Either</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Joan blurts that Americans abroad act " beligerent,
fat-assed and rude." Yet she cites no specifics. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Such behavior has characterized her approach to
conservatives on this list.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Transference perhaps?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Only her therapist knows for sure.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>--T :)</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=tonytime@clearwire.net href="mailto:tonytime@clearwire.net">Tony
Simpson</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=joanopyr@moscow.com
href="mailto:joanopyr@moscow.com">Joan Opyr</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, July 09, 2006 11:47
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020] This Isn't Hate
Speech, Either</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Joan blurts that Americans abroad act
"belligerent, fat-assed and rude." Yet she cites no
specifics.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Such behavior has characterized her approach to
conservatives on this list.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Transference perhaps?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Only her therapist knows for
sure.....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>--T :)</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=joanopyr@moscow.com href="mailto:joanopyr@moscow.com">Joan Opyr</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">Vision2020 Moscow</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, July 09, 2006 10:55
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020] This Isn't
Hate Speech, Either</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><BR>On Jul 9, 2006, at 9:54 PM, Matt Decker wrote:<BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Ellen,<BR><BR>I think the point is obvious. Sure there are
different Americas, usually when one refers to America most people know
what that is or what was intended. Im sure no harm is meant towards others
by saying this. I believe this not to be pompous or intentional harm
towards our neighbors. Really how many times have you been overseas
talking to someone else asking where they are from, them saying they are
from America and you thinking they meant Chile?<BR><BR>I don't recall in
my travels including Australia (which by the way love us for saving their
asses in WW2) people hating or not being neighborlly to AMERICANS of
united states decent. Just my travels
though.<BR><BR>Matt<BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Once upon a time, Americans spoke
softly and carried a big stick. Somewhere along the line, we began to shout
at everyone and hit them with the stick. I've never been to Australia, but I
do correspond with Australians of all political stripes -- writers, readers,
and radio listeners. WWII doesn't come up much in our conversations. The
Aussies I know are all under 80, and they seem a bit more interested in the
soldiers today, those assisting us in our "Coalition of the
Willing."<BR><BR>We are the world's one and only superpower. Our economy
dominates the globe. American culture is everywhere; you cannot escape
Friends or Elvis, Tom Cruise or Madonna. I've traveled widely and often, and
I've found that speaking softly, stopping to listen, and doing my best to
respect local customs and local peoples has served me well. Like it or not,
our Canadian neighbors enjoy a better reputation for their behavior abroad
than we do; they're perceived to be more pleasant, more polite, and more
courteous. I've never heard a Canadian declare "we saved your asses back in
1945 -- you owe us" when the chips are down and the pub fight is brewing.
And yet the Canadians were at the front in WWI and WWII; they've never
shirked.<BR><BR>One of the few smart things George W. Bush has said --
something with which I absolutely agree -- is this statement from his
October 12, 2000 debate with Al Gore:<BR><BR>"<?color><?param 2222,2222,2222>If we're an arrogant nation,
they'll resent us; if we're a humble nation, but strong, they'll welcome us.
And our nation stands alone right now in the world in terms of power, and
that's why we've got to be humble, and yet project strength in a way that
promotes freedom."<BR><BR>What image do we project when we're abroad,
arrogance or humility? How do we represent our country? Too often, we're all
mouth and no trousers. Too often we're belligerent, fat-assed, and rude. Not
always. It's been my experience that most people are wide open to Americans;
they're not lying in wait for us to make asses of ourselves. They're quick
to point out that they like us as individuals, even when they disagree with
our global behavior. I'm not an ambassador for the Bush Administration when
I travel; I'm just another American tourist. But I count. My behavior is
noted, and at the end of the day, it's totted up. I can choose to be the
ugly American and confirm everyone's worst fears, or I can be what I think
most Americans are -- curious, independent, open-minded and
decent.<BR><BR>Joan <?/color><BR><BR>Joan Opyr/Auntie
Establishment<BR>www.joanopyr.com<?fontfamily><?param Helvetica><?smaller><BR><?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR>
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