Posted on 11/20/2010 10:20:27 AM PST by Daveinyork
If you travel to France, as I did last week, a French dinner companion will eventually tell you: "We were all so proud of America when you elected Barack Obama president." It's a condescending thing to say, but the sentiment springs from an affectionate place, and I myself am proud that my native land two years ago affirmed its vigorously multicultural character, repudiating, if only by proxy, its racist past, something no one is likely to do in France, Italy, Germany or England anytime soon.
What I don't like is when American expatriates tell me that Mr. Obama's election made them proud to be Americans again. This not only implies that Mr. Obama's predecessors were wicked or incompetent, but that patriotism is an exclusively partisan activity. It's like only loving baseball the year your team wins the World Series.
My love of country has nothing to do with who's running the government at any particular time; the Americans who make me most proud are Louis Armstrong and Willie Mays and Elvis Presley and Mae West. This is the country that gave the world Katharine Hepburn, "Surrealistic Pillow" and freedom from Germans.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
I was an “expat” for 15 years, and met many such condescending wankers.
They actually are the reason I am now a Conservative.
What right do THEY have to be proud of us? Did they have a black leader I’m unaware of?
I had to deal with expats when we lived in Germany- they were usually at the head of protest marches after 9-11. I told one that he was the reason that euros hated Americans, but it was ok- I wanted him to stay in Germany. We had enough anti-Americans running around at home....made him mad.
It doesn’t surprise me that these awful people are “proud” of an incompetent boob.
Walter Williams made a brilliant point.
If God said you had to live your life as a poor person, but you got to pick which country live in, where would you decide to go?
Joe, Joe, Joe - they’re expats. They’ve self-selected to live somewhere other than the USA. And that somewhere is France. Why waste your breath?
I hadn't heard that one before. Love it!
Didn't Thomas Sowell make an around-the-world tour several years ago studying the life-style of Blacks and confirmed his belief that they have it better here in the good old USA than anywhere else in the world.
I’m all for non-whites being President, if they’re qualified, believe in the nation’s principles, and have the nation’s best interest at heart.
Although I’m dismayed at my inability to find it, I am certain that Mr. Mark Twain once said, “France is where insignificant Americans go to die.”
http://twainquotes.com/French.html
Trivial Americans go to Paris when they die.
- Mark Twain, Notebook #18, Feb.- Sept. 1879
Mae West? Really? Out of all the Americans that ever lived, there aren't any others to round out the top 4?
Actually, I wish I could take that comment back. The comment should have been that we all appreciate the remarks in support of America.
I grew up in Canada and we were taught, believe it or not, to be anti-American since grade school, and to thumb our noses at Americans.
It was early in HS that I figured out the infamous and taboo “canadian inferiority complex” that lingers in most Canadians. It was later confirmed by my best buddy from Montreal who later said “because Americans always get their way”. It’s tough living beside a superpower..
“It was later confirmed by my best buddy from Montreal who later said “because Americans always get their way”.”
As a former frequent visitor to Ontario & Quebec, I’d think the forts along the border, and the various sites of battles in our Revolutionary War and 1812, would give sufficient reason for Canadiens to at least not be fans of the US. Up through our Civil War they were concerned about being annexed by the US. That being said, I would think there are many reasons (WWII, Cold War) for Canadiens to appreciate us. Great movie on this subject: Canadian Bacon (though it may have been a Michael Moore movie).
Actually Mae West is probably in top two!!!!!
For those annoying western Europeans:
If America was so bad...your first language would be English...(crickets)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.