Volume I No. 88
 07-27-03
 The Offending Game
 { Offending The Masses - In Iraq And Elsewhere }
 author: Vance Cureton
 © Copyright 2003

 The recent events in Iraq { the deaths of Uday and Qusay Hussein } 
 only point to an ugly fact we Americans must finally admit to. We 
 must be the most OFFENSIVE people on the planet.

 Every time you turn around we are offending somebody. And for 
 crying out loud the French become offended just because "English" 
 words creep into the everday French vocabulary. Translation, it's
 the fault of those damn egotistical Americans again. Spreading
 their unsophisticated culture hither-and-yon.

 In case you haven't heard. Just this past week the French Cultural 
 Ministry banned the use of the term "email" from use in all official
 French communication documents, including on the internet. Instead 
 the French word "courriel" will be substituted. Courriel is actually 
 borrowed from our French-Canadian brothers up north. And is itself
 derived from the term "courier electronique."

 Well, at least the phrase isn't American, huh?

 So while we're ranting about the delicate sensibilities around the 
 world. Just take a moment and glance at your immediate surroundings. 
 That's right. Are you at your computer right now? -- Of course you 
 are.

 Well, you're in for a revelation.

 Have a wall clock in the room? If it's just a run-of-the mill clock it
 was probably manufactured in China or some other Asian nation. 
 But if it's fancy, it might be of Swiss or German origin. Usually
 the most sought after quality timepieces are at the very least, 
 Eu-ro-pean.

 If you're wearing cheap athletic footwear, they definitely were made 
 offshore. Perhaps in some run down South American or Asian factory. 
 The persons employed by the shoe manufactures { usually young 
 women }  likely earned much less than a dollar an hour to make your 
 shoes. Same thing with your shirts, blouses, ties, etc.

 But, let's not stop there. Go out into the garage. The power tools 
 and lawn care equipment probably weren't manufactured in America,
 either. Hmmm, take a quick walk to the laundry room. What's made 
 in America in there?

 Feeling desperate? Surely the family refrigerator or freezer has a 
 discreet "Made In America" plate on it somewhere. Wrong again?

 Well hey, if you're thinking about heading out to the recreation room 
 or the den to check out your tony electronic equipment.

 Forget about it.

 Sure does seem a lot of folks dump their products onto the US market, 
 into every nook and cranny they can find. Sometimes at below cost. 
 All with the intent to capture market share. 

 On the other hand, when US manufacturers go overseas in an effort
 to find open markets for American products, the typical reaction is 
 along these lines. "You can't sell that here. This offends our culture. 
 We have traditions you must respect. And we have laws prohibiting 
 foreign manufacture. These laws cannot be changed quickly. It
 will take much time. Besides, our citizens would never buy those 
 kinds of products from you."

 "Those kind of products?"

 We're talking every day consumer products. Not skin magazines.

 An American company trying to do business in China, for example,
 is often faced with tremendous obstacles. Many cultural. But many 
 also political in nature. And most just smoke screens to protect the
 Chinese markets from too much foreign intrusion. Ditto for the 
 former Soviet Union. And, can you imagine the reaction of the 
 Japanese government if American manufactures tried to dump 
 cheap American cars in Japan the way Datsun { Nissan } and 
 Toyota did in the USA, years ago. Not only would these actions 
 have "offended the Japanese people." But GM, Ford, and Chrysler
 would have would utimately failed, anyway. Japanese politicians 
 would have made sure the Japanese public understood that 
 "buying Japanese" and rejecting the American-manufactured
 cars was the patriotic thing to do.

 Whatever. The market share of American car companies in Japan 
 today is still abysmal and not likely to change any time soon.

 Is this in any way fair?

 Of course not. But, isn't it amazing how nations far-and-wide 
 welcome our jobs. -- It's our products they don't want.

 But we started this article by mentioning Uday and Qusay Hussein.
 What's the connection?

 Have you become annoyed with some Iraqi person raging into the
 camera about America? If we show the pictures of the dead sons 
 of Saddam Hussein we will offend the Iraqi people. If we do not 
 show the pictures of the dead sons of Saddam Hussein, no one in 
 Iraq will believe "the occupiers" when they say that they are indeed
 dead.

 Further, if we have allowed the morticians to clean up the bodies 
 of Uday and Qusay so that every one can see that they are dead, 
 this somehow offends "Muslim sensibilities."

 Is this a "Mad TV" routine were talking about, or is this real life?

 Funny, Al Jazeira had no qualms about showing the faces of dead
 American soldiers. Even when this particular news organization 
 has more than a few management and on-air individuals who were
 educated in the West, and thus presumably would have an idea 
 about our sensibilities and our tradition. Not to mention that the
 Geneva Convention prohibits certain kinds of behavior on the part
 of government and the tools-of-government, during wartime.

 Sounds too damn complicated.

 It is.

 But, every society wants to play this "offending game" with the US. 
 Because we are foolish enough to listen when they talk this nonsense.

 Let us take a final look at Iraq.

 Aren't these the same people who don't fight on the Holy Days? 
 Except when they are murdering and butchering one another. All 
 in an unfortunate part of the world, where women are protected by 
 not being allowed to have a political voice in the societies in which 
 they must live. The consequence of a cultural belief system { not 
 entirely based upon the Koran } where the sexuality of the human
 female is treated as an evil-corrupting influence.

 The Iraqi people should count their blessings that the murderous
 Sons of Saddam will soon be in their own graves. They wanted 
 proof that this evil duo are deceased. The United States military 
 gave them the proof. First in still pictures. Second via video from 
 the morgue.

 Uday and Qusay are gone.

 If the Iraqi people are offended. Then maybe all the American troops 
 should come home. They certainly want to. Our boys are tired. Stressed.
 And worn out. -- And there is no relief from attack by outlaws dressed 
 in civilian clothes. Cowards who murder and maim, then and slink back
 into the crowds.

 Let Saddam take the country back.

 Now that really would be offensive.
 

 ReadingPost.Com
 © Copyright 2003

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