Replies interspersed below. Kenneth Waller
----- Original Message ----- From: "Boris Liberman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: PESO - American Fence > Hello there, Ladies and Gentlemen of this wondrous thread. > > frank theriault wrote: >> On 1/9/07, Kenneth Waller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >>> I don't hate foreigners, but I detest their efforts to bring their >>> country >>> with them. >> >> Don't think "country", think culture. >> >> Everyone who's come to North America has imported their culture with >> them, from the first Asians who came across the Bering Strait to white >> Europeans in the 17th Century to African slaves (who really didn't >> have much choice in coming over) to more recent immigrants. >> >> The vast majority of immigrants to the US (and Canada, for that >> matter) are proud of their heritage, proud of their culture, but have >> no desire to return to their homelands or "bring their countries" >> here. >> >> cheers, >> frank > > Frank, Ken, I am surprised. Not to your advantage I should say in > advance. Especially so by Ken. I shall explain myself immediately. > > Let us make a firm distinction between inner and outer self of a person. > Consider the following. > > Take me for example. I was born and brought up to age of 20 in very old > *Soviet* culture and state. Then I migrated to Israel. Israel is > extremely different from my "pre-historic" mother land. Assume for a > moment that I were to migrate to US. Ken, do you really expect me to > willingly abandon huge wealth of Soviet, Russian, and Jewish (Israeli) > culture and values that I have obtained through the years of my life??? > I bet you don't. Correct. Enjoy your & celebrate your heritage & cultural values, but I don't want (not specifically you Boris) you to impose your cultural values on me. >You do expect me to behave like an American, speak > proper English language, though I bet you would tolerate reasonable > degree of spoken accent. You would expect me to respect the American way > of life. In return, I would expect from to fully tolerate the fact that > I wasn't born in America and that I lived great number of years in other > countries. Did I ever hint that I wouldn't. > > I do apologize profoundly, but I am both Jewish and Russian, and neither > of which I am going to be willing to abandon in any foreseeable future. If you thought that I implied that you're wrong. > For some reason, I am certain that I have much to offer to any country > in the world should a potential eventuality of migration arise. I am > also certain that in any country of the world I will have much to learn > and much space to develop myself. > > Again, don't ask me to speak English at home, it just won't happen. But > then again, should I have to go to a funeral and see a person wrapped in > American flag, I am most certain it would bring a tear to my eye, very > sincere tear I must say. > > Do I make myself clear here? What's clear is that you have miusunderstood me or I haven't made myself clear. > > I should also say that I am very surprised to see how much mutual > intolerance there is among the members of this very friendly community > should it touch the national symbols and citizenship. Is a discussion of viewpoints really intolerance? Have I abused someone on this list? > > Folks, the world is diverse. It is so for the reason. So let us not try > to force the same suit on everyone. Do you really think I was trying to do that. > > Thanks. > > Boris -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
