Discrimination...

[akdiver 3]

a). Is anyone REALLY surprised that discrimination exists? I mean, come on now, we're all adults here. Be honest.

B). If Europe was so great, the Europeans would be convincing the Americans to immigrate there instead of them coming here. Sure, some of them do, no doubt. However, based on what I have seen on this board, the overwhelming majority do not. Not real surprising since this board is about coming to the US (: Nevertheless - I am willing to bet serious cash that more Europeans are coming to America than vice-versa.

c). There are plenty of measures that indicate that in Europe (at least some nations of Europe) one can have a "higher quality of life" (as measured by criteria that may not be reasonable for a given individual). Sure. But nevertheless, people are coming here. Despite the totalitarian regime currently in power (sigh), there still seems to be a broad appeal that draws an awful lot of people, relative to other places. Yes, yes, there are lots of reasons for this - but the facts still remain.

For what it's worth, once my (Russian) wife and I finish graduate school, we plan to move out of the U.S. somewhere - anywhere. Australia and Ireland are top picks, but UAE and Peru are other destinations at the top of the list. (:

Cheers!

AKDiver

Edited May 7, 2007 by akdiver

[akdiver 3]

The fact that non-Americans persistently delight in telling us what ignorant idiots we are probably doesn't help either.

Especially Texans.

Cheers!

AKDiver

Edited May 7, 2007 by akdiver

[*JG* 2]

Is moving out of the US going to solve your discrimination issues?

I've only been out of the country to Jamaica so I can't speak for every other country. I do know I felt I was discriminated against in Jamaica.

I also have friends from Canada who I love to death;but sometimes I feel some of their comments are discriminatory.

Not sure discrimination is something you can actually run and hide from. It's everywhere.

[akdiver 3]

Is moving out of the US going to solve your discrimination issues?

Well, I don't see how, since I have no discrimination issues, and my desire to move out of the US has nothing to do with discrimination.

I also have friends from Canada who I love to death;but sometimes I feel some of their comments are discriminatory.

I think you are confusing having an opinion or attitude about something with discrimination.

Not sure discrimination is something you can actually run and hide from.

Not sure I ever said I had this goal.

Cheers!

AKDiver

[*JG* 2]

Is moving out of the US going to solve your discrimination issues?

Well, I don't see how, since I have no discrimination issues, and my desire to move out of the US has nothing to do with discrimination.

I also have friends from Canada who I love to death;but sometimes I feel some of their comments are discriminatory.

I think you are confusing having an opinion or attitude about something with discrimination.

Not sure discrimination is something you can actually run and hide from.

Not sure I ever said I had this goal.

Cheers!

AKDiver

Since I did not quote exactly what my friends said, you have no basis for this comment.

And, what some people call opinion or attitude could be considered discriminatory no matter how they meant it.

Sorry that I assumed you were moving because of discrimination issues. You did, however, mention moving in the discrimination thread. It was a leap I took.

[homesick_american 1]

I have to agree with everyone on this one...it's a wonderful eye-opener to travel Europe and I'm glad to have done it.

I've seen things many Americans haven't...century old buildings, famous little towns, art - hell, I've seen a piece of art painted during the renaissance from an artist who's supposedly one of my ancestors! Anyways, i suppose for me, it was a wonderful and awe inspiring experience, one which I am so thankful I had.

At the same time, I've heard that 'Americans need to travel more' ironically from people who have never been to America! Pot, Kettle!

I suppose it all boils down to the individual...clearly HA and MW feel there's nowt in Europe that can't be had here....although, I relate quite a bit to HA in the respect that we're both very proud Americans who live/lived in the UK...and please don't underestimate how VASTLY different everything is, ahhahaah. But in York, I'm shocked that things living around things like the City walls, the shambles, York Minster, isn't a mindblowing experience for her! It soooooooo was for me...and not just for the initial part of my stay.

I do feel my expereinces there have changed me for the better. It's good to get out of the fishbowl every now and again.

I didn't say Europe doesn't have anything to offer; other people just assumed that is what I thought. I simply do not like to travel, and my dislike of traveling extends to my own country as well. I hate flying, I hate staying in hotels, I hate living out of suitcases.

York was intriguing the first time I saw it...but after six years, it has gotten old.

Nobody said that Native Americans don't have thousands of years of history and culture, of course they do, and very interesting it is too. I am sure that lots of Europeans that visit the US take away some very interesting facts and cultural information regarding early American civilization.

Sure sure...you said that after someone agreed with me. Pwnd.

[akdiver 3]

Since I did not quote exactly what my friends said, you have no basis for this comment.

Sure I do.

And, what some people call opinion or attitude could be considered discriminatory no matter how they meant it.

Well, no. Discrimination involves behaviour, not attitudes and opinions. For example, if you are a purple person, and I tell you to your face, "You know what man, I really HATE purple people", that is not discrimination. On the other hand, if you apply for a job with me, and I do not hire you ONLY BECAUSE you are a purple person, well, that is discrimination. On the other hand, if I refuse to hire you because you don't speak Japanese, well, that's discrimination too.

Sorry that I assumed you were moving because of discrimination issues. You did, however, mention moving in the discrimination thread. It was a leap I took.

Discrimination perhaps?

Cheers!

AKDiver

[akdiver 3]

By the way - discrimination is a GOOD thing. The human species would have died out a long time ago had it not evolved to discriminate based on perception.

Everyone discriminates, every day. Discrimination has become a dirty word, even though it really is nothing more than choosing behaviour A over behaviour B (typically making a choice to take some action based on stimulii), for whatever reason.

People need to understand and appreciate the difference between discrimination, and discrimination that is deemed illegal under the law.

Cheers!

AKDiver

[broma25 2]

I have to agree with everyone on this one...it's a wonderful eye-opener to travel Europe and I'm glad to have done it.

I've seen things many Americans haven't...century old buildings, famous little towns, art - hell, I've seen a piece of art painted during the renaissance from an artist who's supposedly one of my ancestors! Anyways, i suppose for me, it was a wonderful and awe inspiring experience, one which I am so thankful I had.

At the same time, I've heard that 'Americans need to travel more' ironically from people who have never been to America! Pot, Kettle!

I suppose it all boils down to the individual...clearly HA and MW feel there's nowt in Europe that can't be had here....although, I relate quite a bit to HA in the respect that we're both very proud Americans who live/lived in the UK...and please don't underestimate how VASTLY different everything is, ahhahaah. But in York, I'm shocked that things living around things like the City walls, the shambles, York Minster, isn't a mindblowing experience for her! It soooooooo was for me...and not just for the initial part of my stay.

I do feel my expereinces there have changed me for the better. It's good to get out of the fishbowl every now and again.

I didn't say Europe doesn't have anything to offer; other people just assumed that is what I thought. I simply do not like to travel, and my dislike of traveling extends to my own country as well. I hate flying, I hate staying in hotels, I hate living out of suitcases.

York was intriguing the first time I saw it...but after six years, it has gotten old.

Nobody said that Native Americans don't have thousands of years of history and culture, of course they do, and very interesting it is too. I am sure that lots of Europeans that visit the US take away some very interesting facts and cultural information regarding early American civilization.

Sure sure...you said that after someone agreed with me. Pwnd.

Whatever you say....and what does pwnd mean?

[broma25 2]

No need to explain Pwnd.....i looked it up already

[Fandango 1,439]

I didn't say Europe doesn't have anything to offer; other people just assumed that is what I thought. I simply do not like to travel, and my dislike of traveling extends to my own country as well. I hate flying, I hate staying in hotels, I hate living out of suitcases.

York was intriguing the first time I saw it...but after six years, it has gotten old.

I was just saying that they miss a lot by not visiting Europe.

What are they missing? What does Europe have that America doesn't?

Yeah, I'm sort of with you on that.

Sorry, HA...that's what I inferred from what you wrote above.

[Nancy2015 2]

Thousands of years of history, and culture

Ugh. UGH. UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I HATE it when Europeans say this. Do they not realize that people with their own history and their own culture have been living in north and south America for tens of thousands of years? It's so ARROGANT of them to think that history did not start in the Americas until after THEY arrived.

Go tell a Native American that they don't have thousands of years of history and culture...see what they tell you. I dare you. Please film it.

Nobody said that Native Americans don't have thousands of years of history and culture, of course they do, and very interesting it is too. I am sure that lots of Europeans that visit the US take away some very interesting facts and cultural information regarding early American civilization.

I wouldn't say that the modern American culture is the continuation of the Native American civilization. Well, it isn't The United States as a civilization have been around for only over 200 years. It's not a long time, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with it, and there is no need to try to compete with each other. If a country has a shorter history, it doesn't mean it's inferior to European countries.

Edited May 8, 2007 by Jewel12

[broma25 2]

Thousands of years of history, and culture

Ugh. UGH. UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I HATE it when Europeans say this. Do they not realize that people with their own history and their own culture have been living in north and south America for tens of thousands of years? It's so ARROGANT of them to think that history did not start in the Americas until after THEY arrived.

Go tell a Native American that they don't have thousands of years of history and culture...see what they tell you. I dare you. Please film it.

Nobody said that Native Americans don't have thousands of years of history and culture, of course they do, and very interesting it is too. I am sure that lots of Europeans that visit the US take away some very interesting facts and cultural information regarding early American civilization.

I wouldn't say that the modern American culture is the continuation of the Native American civilization. Well, it isn't The United States as a civilization have been around for only over 200 years. It's not a long time, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with it, and there is no need to try to compete with each other. If a country has a shorter history, it doesn't mean it's inferior to European countries.

I never implied that the US was inferior to Europe, I simply said that Americans miss out on the history and culture if they don't visit.

Homesick American has stated that she dislikes to travel, that is her perogative. She has obviously done some travel in her life as she now lives in the UK.

Lets just agree to differ.........its kinda like the chocolate

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

It's pretty hard to experience Native American culture in a casual visit to the US anyway - it's there to see on reservations and a few museums, but you don't land at an airport at a major American city and get a sense of thousands of years of history here as you do in most European cities. It doesn't mean its "better" or "worse" - its just different.

I also agree that Americans (or Europeans/Asians/Latins/Africans/Australians) miss out on a lot when they don't visit other countries.

Edited May 8, 2007 by robinklake

[Caladan 19]

I wouldn't call it discrimination, but what it is: ignorant prejudice. Assuming every Hispanic-looking person (which basically means 'brown with black hair') is a nanny or a maid really just mean the rich white people need to get out of their bubble a little more.

Don't sweat it. Anti-Hispanic sentiment is a bit high in the U.S. now, but most people aren't ####### once you get to know them.