Betrayed by Europe: An Expatriate’s Lament

Commentary ^ | March 2004 | Nidra Poller

[americanbychoice2]

sorry, fat fingers, of course you are correct. I repatriated just fine :)

[RKV]

Not clear by what you mean by that. I expect citizens to own the duties of a citizen - vote, defend the country, pay fair taxes, learn and respect our laws and values, serve on juries and so on. It doesn't matter what race or religion, it doesn't matter rich or poor. Character and commitment do matter - immensely. That's what I expect of citizens. Anyone who wants to immigrate here should be held to that standard too.

[americanbychoice2]

Having been all over Europe working with our expatriates, I would say that the majority are well educated, middle to upper management employees who are also mostly very conservative.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

What I mean is because someone is erudite to the point of arrogance, sophisticated to the point of being a snob, and condesending to the point of being French, it doesn't mean that America shouldn't be open to them. I wish those type of people would change their attitudes or "Cross the Pond" and find a nice Chalet to retire to, but I shouldn't tell people that America doesn't want them.

I don't speak for America, neither does Pat Buchanan or Ralph Nader or Bill Clinton or George W. Bush. America, as she said in her article, is so big that everybody can fit here. I just don't like the attitude that liberals have that either you should believe the way they do or you can't be a good citizen, and I don't like the attitude when conservatives start exhibiting it any better.

I honestly hope she realizes that America is the greatest country on earth for some of the reasons she doesn't like it, but I don't want her to feel unwelcome to the land of freedom and liberty by restricting what her attitude and opinions should be.

[cmak9]

She deserves the treatment that she gave, and a country like France would give it to her. But America is a Christian country and can forgive those who wish to rejoin. But, I do hope some of her experiences stay with her, so when she gets back she realizes that the rural and suburban Americans that she thinks poorly of have much better visions of the world than the superior minded zombies that are the French.

Very good points. It would do some people good here to remember the story of the prodigal son. I say we "kill the fatted calf" for her, and "put a ring on her finger"!

[Tribune7]

Jews are being persecuted every day in France. Some are insulted, pelted with stones, spat upon; some are beaten or threatened with knives or guns. Synagogues are torched, schools burned to the ground.

Get out now. Come back to America or go to Israel but don't stay where you are.

[Paleo Conservative]

She can go to Canada for all I care.
They would lover her in Quebec.

But Quebec is also getting heavy immigration from francophone Arabs. I doubt she'd feel comfortable there.

[RKV]

"either you should believe the way they do" - well then, what do we believe in common, or is this place just organized by money?

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Freedom and liberty are what has made us great, not money, and definately not an attitude that says that you have to believe a particular way.

If only those who believe the way you do are welcome here, then how is that different from socialism, the taliban, or even France? The freedom to have differing views of the world is much preferred to having to justify your view in order to remain welcome.