after all that typing I'd be tired too. Sleep well!

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There can be no bystanders in the battle for survival. Anyone who will not fight by your side is an enemy you must crush.

We are at war with forces too terrible to comprehend. We cannot afford mercy for any of its victims too weak to take the correct course. Mercy destroys us; it weakens us and saps our resolve. Put aside all such thoughts. They are not worthy of those in the service of country.

Thank you...

Tethys

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-- Harry S. Truman

I am curious about, and like people from all countires. I will give anyone the benefit of the doubt. However, if someone gives me atitude about being an American without knowing anything about me, that does get my back up.

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Don't startle him, Joe - it's almost full!

Understandable, RR. That’s a universal reaction, I reckon.

We all have our individual story, where ever we are from.

Tethys

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-- Harry S. Truman

I've lived in Germany for the past five years and have come into contact with many Germany and other Europeans for that matter. I can't speak for the rest of the world and can only give an opinion based on the impression the people I've come into contact with have given me. What do I think about them: They're no different than Americans. The only problem I have with many of them is that, while they have a laundry list of things they condemn Americans for, they're guilty of indulging in most, if not all, of these things themselves (and in some cases worse). I don't want to say I've developed a hatred of Europeans because I take one person at a time, but I find this very obnoxious and arrogant.

I've had my best experiences with the Irish. The Brits are probably second on the list. You can have an intelligent conversation (and maybe even a heated argument) one minute and the next minute you can sit back and have a pint and a fag and have a night of fun and laughter.

In the end, though, I've noticed that Americans and Europeans have more in common than they think they do.

Carry on and best regards,

E. Duane

My views of Non-Americans are very positive. Not having travelled overseas, my only contact has been through growing up in a college town and working at a university where there were international students, professors and their families, which is really just one type of Non-American, I guess. But I believe most people, no matter where they're from, are good people. The only negative experiences I have had is with some middle eastern men at the university, with them not being friendly or respectful with western women. That was only a small minority however, and doesn't affect my opinion of people from the middle east.
My husband lived in Germany for 6 years, and we had a conversation recently about his experiences in Europe and he said he loved the people, and didn't find them different - mostly good people, a few idiots - just like anywhere else.
I hope to be able to travel overseas once my children get a little older (I might be able to go to Italy next year!) - and then I can experience things firsthand.

That goes for Americans and Australians, and pretty much the rest of the world, there, e-duane.

And best regards back to you.

Tethys

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-- Harry S. Truman

Nice post, Jess. If you ever think of heading to Australia, let me know. I live in beautiful Sydney. It would be a pleasure to play host to you and your hubby.

Tethys

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-- Harry S. Truman

While I was overseas (sitting in Kuwait, waiting for the invasion to start) I had a chance to sit down and chat with some Aussies. They were part of an SAS unit, though they weren't operators. IIRC, they were intel and computer guys. Anyways, I figured they would feel, for lack of a better term, closer to the Brits. However, I was suprised to learn that they felt they had more in common with Americans than any other country. We then went on to, jokingly, plan the Aussis invasion of New Zealand.

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There can be no bystanders in the battle for survival. Anyone who will not fight by your side is an enemy you must crush.

We are at war with forces too terrible to comprehend. We cannot afford mercy for any of its victims too weak to take the correct course. Mercy destroys us; it weakens us and saps our resolve. Put aside all such thoughts. They are not worthy of those in the service of country.

Perhaps it's a shared 'frontier mentality'?

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“Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people.” -Dr. Carl Sagan

USA, Canada and Australia were all 'frontier' places where Europeans (mostly British) people settled. They have a common culture in the immigrant experience. All three nations are defined by immigration in a way that no other nations can be.

I rather like Mexicans.

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"Jesus said: I have cast fire upon the world, and behold I guard it until it is ablaze."
Gospel of Thomas

Aussies like to tease our neighbours across the Tasman Sea, Thorhammer.

I agree with your points Speakeasy and White Rabbit.

I would include New Zealand in that lot, though!

However, I have to say that I think there is something about the US that makes it distinct in the way it symbolises a fusion of every people in the world.

Perhaps this distinction from the other (modern) nations defined by immigration lies in the power status of the United States, but I think it goes beyond this. It is probably the subject for another thread topic.

Tethys

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-- Harry S. Truman

Alas, I only had the occasion of spending one day in the US, a stop-over in LA on a visit back to France some years ago with my father.

We just hopped on a bus and got off at a random stop. It was near a Mexican market, and we ended up spending a couple of hours there. I bought a poncho, which I proudly wore all over France (and which I still have), and I also bought a couple of national dolls (which are of course happy residents in my collection of dolls from around the world, living in perfect harmony in my doll cabinet).

Tethys

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-- Harry S. Truman