[lit-ideas] Re: speaking of libraries in the United States of Earth
- From: "Mike Geary" <atlas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 8 Aug 2005 14:55:29 -0500
Ha! I get annoyed with Andy when he Eeyores the human race, never occurred to
me that people probably get annoyed with me when I berate America. Sorry,
gang, it's not any of you I'm responding to. It's the Lynne Cheney's and Ann
Coulters and Newt Gingriches of the world I'm shouting back at. Those who
would tout our virtures to excuse our vices.
Mike Geary
----- Original Message -----
From: Andy Amago
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, August 08, 2005 8:08 AM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: speaking of libraries in the United States of Earth
Mike, this is all true. People are people and Europeans have distinguished
themselves as such. But, no one is cracking down on illegals. In fact, by
being illegal they are lining the pockets of the rich and also meeting the
twisted agenda of Fox. Instead of doing something to make his country better
for his people so they don't emigrate, such as it is, by the millions to the
U.S., he encourages them to leave and send money home. His economy is
significantly improved with the added income, and he is not spending on social
programs like education and healthcare for his people. Imagine what would
happen to Mexico if that money stopped flowing and those people demanded from
him what they get here. And in the meantime corporate here thinks they're
getting a real deal, when it's you and I who foot the bills for the Medicaid
and the schools. There's no free lunch, Mike. Somebody pays, and it isn't
corporate America. BT W, I don't begrudge the kids getting an education. On
the other hand, education isn't highly valued by Hispanics as they have the
highest drop out rate of any group in this country.
---- Original Message -----
From: Mike Geary
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: 8/8/2005 7:17:06 AM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: speaking of libraries in the United States of Earth
MB:
>>Why is MY culture evil and someone able to state that its only values
greed and power?? I grew up with parents who valued family, giving, sharing,
caring.<<
So did I. And realize that I use the word "evil" as the boogeyman to scare
people. Evil has no more meaning than Holy does. But where your relations
worked the Underground Railroad, mine owned slaves. My great grandfather did.
And he lost his right arm fighting to protect his God given right to own human
beings. Which side of the coin do you want to look at? Andy and Eric are
carping about very, very poor people working illegally in the United States,
working in appalling conditions for the most part, as if they were causing
great hardships for this loving and benevolent country.
>> Please, though! Please recognize that a good part of who I am, of much
of the 'good' from those from my backgounds and worlds--all of the caring and
sharing and the healthy world citizen type comes from those who had Befores who
came from Europe... <<
Which Europe? The one in the 12th Century that went off to the Holy Lands
to kill Muslims? Or the one in the 15th through the 20th Century that sought
to colonize anyone who didn't own a gun, or burn unbelievers at the stake? Or
the Europe of Nazism and Fascism and totalitarianism and the Holocaust? That
loving, caring Europe? The Europe that starved six million Ukrainians by
exporting their grain for the cash to build the USSR? The Europe that founded
a new nation conceived in genocide, sustained in slavery and brought to
fruition through apartheid, that loving, caring American Europe? That
European-America that spends more on its military machine than the rest of the
world combined, the America that has been at war somewhere in the world for the
last 60 years -- that America? The America that sloughed off it's poor into
wretched slum citi es and now is going about abandoning the old and sick so it
can line the pockets of billionaires with subsidies -- that America?
Of course there's the other Europe, the Europe of astonishing art and
literature and intellectual achievement. A Europe of great cities, of great
culture and civilized conduct, of dedication to human liberty and justice and
dignity. There's that America too. But when folks start whining about the
very poorest among us and wanting to crack down on them, all I see is that
other Europe and America -- that hideous death machine ever there, ever waiting
for someone to push the button.
Mike Geary
Memphis
----- Original Message -----
From: eternitytime1@xxxxxxx
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, August 07, 2005 8:03 PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: speaking of libraries in the United States of
Earth
Hi,
Hey!! <g> I have Befores who have talked at length on such
matters--I keep thinking I need to write my grandmother's tale of travels in
the Middle East during the early 1920s...and her Befores were in Pennsylvania
and Ohio for a long long time...and worked on the Underground Railroad (we used
to go to the basement when we visited to look at where they used to hide
Runaways...) There is a strength and a goodness in much of the European
Cultures--not just the 'greed and power' aspects! Please--these sweeping
generalizations towards MY Befores are pretty much as mean as the sweeping
generalizations of the Befores who came from Latin America, countries in Asia,
etc.
Perhaps we need to do some cultural education of those of us who had folk
who came from afar--from the European world and not just the cultural festivals
of Everyone Else!
I don't mind fingerpointing--I deal lots of times with critical folk
towards myself, my beliefs, my worldview. I examine all the criticism and if
there is even one piece of information which I can use to become a better
person, then the conversation was not completely stupid or in vain.
Please, though! Please recognize that a good part of who I am, of much
of the 'good' from those from my backgounds and worlds--all of the caring and
sharing and the healthy world citizen type comes from those who had Befores who
came from Europe...
Is it truly that all other cultures are 'okay' and wonderful and have no
problems with people in them dealing with greed and power? All other cultures
are sweet and dear and caring?
I wonder, if diversity is so great, than why is it that MY befores are so
hated and looked at so horribly that only the 'bad' is looked at and none of
the 'good'?
Thinking of the multicultural fest planning committee that I'm on, the
American Cultures merit badge workshop that I'm planning, and feeling rather
wounded within my cultural soul,
Marlena (trying to be a world citizen but sad if that means having to
hate her own Befores...)
RE:
this evil white European English speaking culture, it's bloody murder,
its only values are greed and power. Etc., etc., etc.
-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Geary <atlas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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