[sdiy] WAY OT: the offensive person

[Bill Keys]

>From: "Dr Strangelove" <phdinfunk at hotmail.com>
...
>>it is probably more a case of lack of cultural awareness
>(remember, most U.S. residents aren't to wise to other cultures).
>

I agree whole-heartedly. I, personally, am someone (American) who has an 
intense interest in other cultures. However, I know most people (not just 
Americans) don't even get the concept of cultural differences. Especially 
when they are fanatic about their own little world's comfort zone - which 
brings us (in the extreme) to the root cause of Terrorism.

However, most Americans, IMHO, just don't have the exposure to other 
cultures. It's not that they always don't care - it's not that they always 
want everybody else to be like them. Usually it is a true innocence. After 
all, no matter how much I currently am interested in the culture of Iran or 
Iraq, I know no one from either of those countries whom I could learn from. 
And they might not be willing, anyway... And I don't think I'll be traveling 
there to learn more....

Ultimately, the first offense can be forgiven. The second offense would be 
intentional, and therefore cruel. In the minds of younger Americans, like 
Mr. Seinfeld, WW2 and Nazi-ism are so far in the past, that the emotional 
impact of the horror of that time is minimized. There are no local historic 
markers, no memorials, no indications whatsoever in America (or I should say 
darn few, if any) that would keep the memory of that time in the forefront. 
(and IMHO, this is the reason that history often repeats itself). Even 
reading about it often does no good. One has to have imagination and attempt 
to put one's self into that time and place and get as close as possible to 
feeling the feelings before one can truly understand why it could be 
offensive.

As a youngster, I read about Pearl Harbor. Couldn't imagine what that was 
like. Now I know.

Sorry for the ramble. I'm one of those idiots who still dreams that the 
world can work out problems without violence and destruction. However, I'm 
beginning to see that no one wants to put forth the effort to learn how to 
get along. Apparently, it's easier to kill them than to understand them.



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