Sunday, February 08, 2004
American's in Brazil:
Brazil has implemented new procedures for American tourists. This amounts to fingerprinting and photographing all Americans entering Brazil. Apparently this is in response to the U.S. using the same procedure in regards to tourists from most nations on the planet. By all reports this has not been well received by American tourists. To date two Americans have taken exception to being treated the same as Americans treat everybody else. The second incidence of U.S. citizens giving the bird while being photographed has just been resolved. The American in question has been handed a large fine for his disrespect.
This demonstrates the larger problem with the attitude of Americans with regard to the rest of the world. It seems that what is good for the U.S. is not necessarily good for anybody else. The U.S. acts as if it has no regard for the wishes of the rest of the world and then expresses outrage when they are treated the same. By and large the Americans are good people who have the best of intentions. However the saying the road to hell is paved with good intentions has never sounded more true. Only once the U.S. starts working with others in good faith will this change. To date, the main impression the rest of us get is that the U.S. will act in its own best interests with very little true regard for anybody else. The rhetoric and bullshit coming from the White House and other politicians is obscene and frankly it's time for change. The people of the U.S. need to view their leaders with more criticism and stop believing all the crap they are being fed in the name of patriotism.
Brazil has implemented new procedures for American tourists. This amounts to fingerprinting and photographing all Americans entering Brazil. Apparently this is in response to the U.S. using the same procedure in regards to tourists from most nations on the planet. By all reports this has not been well received by American tourists. To date two Americans have taken exception to being treated the same as Americans treat everybody else. The second incidence of U.S. citizens giving the bird while being photographed has just been resolved. The American in question has been handed a large fine for his disrespect.
This demonstrates the larger problem with the attitude of Americans with regard to the rest of the world. It seems that what is good for the U.S. is not necessarily good for anybody else. The U.S. acts as if it has no regard for the wishes of the rest of the world and then expresses outrage when they are treated the same. By and large the Americans are good people who have the best of intentions. However the saying the road to hell is paved with good intentions has never sounded more true. Only once the U.S. starts working with others in good faith will this change. To date, the main impression the rest of us get is that the U.S. will act in its own best interests with very little true regard for anybody else. The rhetoric and bullshit coming from the White House and other politicians is obscene and frankly it's time for change. The people of the U.S. need to view their leaders with more criticism and stop believing all the crap they are being fed in the name of patriotism.
# posted by Wil Smith : 7:27 p.m.
