Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Frikkin America

On the shortwave this morning, the news was that Fidel Castro announced he'd be officially giving up power. Now the US is crowing about how much it will cost to "rebuild Cuba".
Cuba doesn't need rebuilding. And if it does, who says it's the US's job to do it? For years and years, the US has been poisoning everything it touches. Not being Americanized is one of Cuba's greatest blessings. I'm not saying anything about Castro, just that not having US influence is a good thing that should be maintained.

It seems to me that Americans think every country wants to be like America. That is a great falsehood. The only people telling Americans that every country wants to be like the USA is other Americans. Believe me, other countries DO NOT want to be like the US.
I'm an American, but I've lived outside the US for over 10 years. Americans seem the least able to grasp the concept of a different culture. They seem to think everywhere is like the US. Go to the post office here and wait 5 minutes, you will see an American confused by the mail slots, one says "Cayman Islands Mail" the other says "Foreign Mail". The American can't decide where to put their mail, because they think they're not a foreigner in another country. "I'm not a foreigner, I'm American, which slot am I supposed to use?" You will see this, virtually every time you go to the post office. Where's the Starbucks?

The US economy sucks even when Americans think it's good. I was working two full time jobs for 10 years before I moved here. I was so broke from taxes all I ate were beans and noodles and shit. Then I see the lady at the grocery store with jewelry and steaks and a BMW pull out a wad of food stamps.

The US health care is among the worst on the planet. Many countries have a longer adult life span and lower infant mortality rate than the US.

When I go back for a visit, it is worse than many of the "third world" countries I have visited. It is filthy dirty, everyone is in debt, maxing out credit cards and suing each other.

The US is going to destroy Cuba by going in there and building McDonalds and Wal-Marts.

5 Comments:

Blogger Daisy Martin said...

Couldn't have said it better myself.

But seriously, which mail slots ARE the US tourists supposed to use?

February 19, 2008 8:02 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Are you kidding me?! You're in the Cayman Islands. A foreign country. Your mail is going back to the US. If you stick it in the Cayman ISlands slot, where do you think it will end up? In the Cayman Islands!! So that leaves one other choice: the foreign mail slot. Newsflash: The Cayman Islands is not a part of the US. That's Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

I think you just proved your point, Mark, though I bet you wished you weren't right on this ocassion!! LMAO...

February 19, 2008 11:03 AM  
Blogger MS CUTE PANTS said...

I could not have said it better myself although it does sound the best it ever could coming from you, an American.
The mail slot thing was funny! I quite enjoyed that bit.

And this is why the world loves Canadians more. Honeslty, you Americans make us look so good...not that we're not already...

February 19, 2008 9:59 PM  
Blogger Mindie said...

I totally agree with you, Mark. If I was single and kid-free, I would move to where you are in a heartbeat!

February 21, 2008 7:40 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

ha ha you definately been here too long bro...

Don't worry, the US won't have much effect on Cuba for a while, they don't plan to lift embargos or sanctions any time soon. The US government still acts like it had nothing to do with what Cuba became. When a country has survived a half-century of being unable to trade with its closest neighbor, they develop a certain resiliance to being cowtowed by outsiders.

I do like your attitude. Sadly though, eventually everyone buys into the 'American dream'... 'cept maybe Jimmy Buffet... ...oh wait! he sold out too... ;)

Trouble [problem with my Blogger acct.]

February 21, 2008 6:27 PM  

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