Sinister: I am the queen of the eyesores (sic)

[Mark Casarotto]

The whole concept of Anti-Americanism worries me
hugely. While countries like France (particularly at
the moment), the UK, Germany, Japan etc. etc. labour
under a certain amount of distrust and dislike from
many people, it seems to me the only other countries
where anti-<country>ism is such an issue are the ones
ruled by paranoid, tyrannical dictator types.
Zimbabwe, maybe. Or Iraq? Certainly the witch-hunts
against un-American Americans are on a different level
to those poor fuckers who get caught in Iraq, but the
psychology behind it is disturbingly similar.

(NB, I completely love America and Americans, and I
hope to live there one day. So maybe I'd better watch
what I put in writing...)

Christine's story about a family being tricked into
thinking they'd lost a son is, I think, central to
problems certain people have. The essence is this. In
your posts, Christine, there is a tone that some
people are picking up on which comes across devious,
reactionary, passive-aggressively critical. This
particular instance suggests to me that the anti-war
movement uses obscene tactics against those who
represent pro-war emotions (though I'd be willing to
bet that family just want their son to come home).
What annoyed me was you choosing this as the view you
want to get across of the peace protesters, rather
than focusing on the good, positive, self-sacrificing
actions of so many.

So Christine's parable could be viewed as a simple
tale of "gosh, society these days, isn't it
terrible?". Or it could be taken as above, intended or
otherwise, which justifies confronting the issue.

This isn't supposed to single out one individual for
criticism. It IS, however, reasonable to respond to
someone who makes controversial views public and is, I
am assuming, keen to stimulate debate. Also, apologies
for the tone of my last post, which I know was too
snarky and personal.

Right, I'm off to invade Paul Arathoon (and I mean
that in a sexual sense). See you at the picnic!

Mark xxx
http://www.joannou.net/biondino





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