Hi Joanna:
Since you mention my name and something I posted, I feel that I should clarify some things. The first thing I want to say is that I am an natural-born American; I was born in the U.S.A. I have been living in Southeast Asia for the past twelve years where I work as a university professor. I, by no means, hate the U.S.A. In fact, I love the U.S. with all my heart. However, what I do not accept - what I will never accept - is the viewpoint of many of my beloved fellow Americans which states that, in order to be "patriotic," a person cannot criticize current foreign policy. I do not accpet the notion that speaking out against the war in Iraq makes a person less loving of country, or, and even worse, a traitor. This idea I reject totally. One of my life's central tenets is to question ALL AUTHORITY. I know; it's an old hippie idea, but what can I say, I'm a forty-five-year-old OLD FART (Someone attacked me for being a bigot for using that term. Maybe what I didn't express clearly enough originally was that I was including myself in that very same category. And, besides, I was only saying it humorously). Anyway, I am constantly, constantly telling my students to question all authority, all beliefs, all "scripture" of any kind. I tell them to think for themselves and to never, ever let anyone think for them. In my classroom, academic freedom rules. Any student can express any idea or belief without fear of humiliation or punishment - even if it diametrically opposed o what I think.
I believe that it my patriotic duty to question the policy of my government. A true lover of one's country will always be the first to do so; this is what I believe. To briefly restate what I have said before, I truly believe that the U.S. aggression towards Iraq is completely illegal and immoral. In short, it is total evil. As member of the United Nations, the U.S. is legally and morally bound to respect the authority of the U.N. The U.N. has given no mandate for military action in Iraq. Moreover, the U.N. has declared the Kuwaiti border with Iraq a demilitarized zone. As a consequence, the Bush administration is violating every legal and moral injunction conceivable. But, after all, MIGHT MAKES RIGHT, does it not? It's a Darwinian world out there. Screw international law! Screw international mandate and world opinion! Tooth and fang rule; and the U.S. currently has the biggest teeth and fangs.
Oh! There I go again! Getting all pissed off. T'is truly the curse of being an Irish-American (And I sure as hell put the emphasis on AMERICAN!). Another thing that I try to teach my students is balance. So, I will now attempt to give some balance in regards my feelings toward the U.S. The truth is people all over the world would still give their right arm and/or leg for a chance to come and live in the U.S. I know for a fact that, of the hundreds of thousands of Chinese who have come to the U.S. over the years for graduate study, less than one third have returned; that means that more than two thirds have opted to stay in the U.S. It can't be denied that the U.S. continues to be -as it always has been - the prime choice for refugees and immigrants. So, I guess that the U.S. must be doing something right. And, I'm sure it is not only because the U.S. is such a rich nation. I remember reading years ago how Japan so "graciously" agreed to take in a small amount of refugees (from Vietnam of Cambodia, I can't remember). Anyway, each and everyone of those people refused to go to Japan! They wanted the U.S.
Well, this post is too long already. I'll finish, Joanna, by saying that I am not a monster (but, it's your right to still hate me, if that's what you want). I have a lot of faults; but I'm not evil. I'm no better or worse than anyone posting here, but if you believe me to be worse, go ahead. I hope that you can understand my feelings and ideas a little better now. Yeah, I know that I have an uncanny ability to piss people off. It's one of my natural abilities. But, you know, that might not be a totally bad thing. When people get pissed, they sometimes think. I like to stir things up - you know, rattle people's cages...bust balls...crush cojones...you get the picture. Like Socrates, I'm the little gadfly that bugs the shit out of people. Oh my God! I just realized that Socrates ended up dead! Oooooohhhh Nooooo Mr. Bill! (Anybody remember Mr. Bill from the 80's Saturday Night Live?)