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Permalink Reply by Dale Headley on April 3, 2012 at 3:00pm

   Welcome to America, Waynster, but if you think we are crazy regarding religion, which we most certainly are, wait till you get a real feel for our politics; try living in Arizona, for instance.  Or take a good look at our deep legacy of racism; try living in Sanford, Florida. Or send your child to the schools in the south, where ignorance is a source of pride.  And hey, if you think your leaders were less than pefect, like Blair, or Cameron, or Thatcher, get a load of ours.  George W. Bush, Sarah Palin; Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum...and the list goes on.  These people are not only truly stupid, but ideologically dangerous.  

   You may feel you have good reason to criticize the country from which you emigrated; but Britain is where modern science was born and still flourishes; America is where it came to die.  Britain has Richard Dawkins; we have Pat Robertson.  Britain has the BBC; we have "Fox News."

   This post is sure to draw responses something like, “If you don’t like this country, then get out!”  And that brings me to the last thing I think you need to know about America: we think we are better than any country in the world, since we have the most powerful military ever conceived; and because we have more millionaires and billionaires than anybody else.  But our shortcomings are numerous and serious.  After all, only one country in the world thinks it is entitled to build, possess, and USE nuclear weapons on innocent people, and it isn’t Great Britain.   As you become increasingly aware of our shortcomings, though, keep your mouth shut about it; Americans don’t like to hear that other people in the world are as worthy of God’s attentions as we.

   As to my getting out?  I already have, actually.  I created my own little country within a country, where none of the insanity that is going on in America is likely to ever affect me.  You might say I'm like the unabomber, only without any bombs other than rhetorical ones.  Anyhow, being 76 years old, it is not going to be an issue for much longer.   

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Permalink Reply by Waynster on April 3, 2012 at 3:44pm

Hi Dale

Believe me my friend I am very aware of the politics of the USA. In europe I read about Bush before he was even elected and immediately became very scared. At the time he was voted into office I was in a relationship with a girl from Atlanta and when visiting saw the effect of the whole Bush administration. I've seen the size of the churches in the south and it frightens me how much power it has and how much in bed with the politicians they all are. Religion and the Right is like one giant clusterfuck waiting to happen. And if Santorum or Gingrich end up in the White House sometime soon you won't see me for dust.

I am very lucky that where I do come from, whilst religion is somewhat quirky in its involvement in politics, any politician who stands up as a true christian in the UK is ridiculed and avoided like the plague - sadly here I know full well its a pre-requisite to the insane right.

I acknowledge there is much wrong with this country Dale - a lot that genuinely frightens me, especially with my newborn son and his future and education - but it is for a lot a progressive society and with the power given to the masses by the likes of the internet it can be changed. Christopher Hitchens loved and made this place his own when he could so easily have remained in the UK but instead he saw I believe that he could make a difference here and I think in a small way he did, at least by getting people to read his book which I am sure for many gave them the courage to try. 

Yes I was lucky that we had Dawkins, the BBC. But here in the US there are a lot of great writers, thinkers and activists also and many more emerging. The internet is allowing the free press to be accessible to all and also I believe Fox is actually doing an awful lot to destroy itself (certainly News International with all the recent scandals of phone tapping are making people question journalism) and I think more people are fed up of being told what to think. There are choices and movements like this very site is bringing together people to stand up and be counted. Whilst I said there is a lot that scares me about being here, it is this standing here at a time when I feel a change is coming that makes it damn exciting to be here, especially as I think we can all be a part of that - you included. 

And finally, I hope you are around a lot longer to see this change as it is people like your good self who can make this happen - I can't vote remember, but you can

Cheers
Wayne 

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Permalink Reply by Gininitaly on April 3, 2012 at 6:38pm

Dale and Waynester.... very well said!

... and Marc you have just had the misfortune of being in the USA during the worse possible time period in the last 160 years, it certainly hasn't been like this since the market crash of 1920s! We have had, in the immediate last 15 years the supposedly most godly and  yet most godless hypocrites on the face of the earth... because greedy imperialists require good sheep and thoughtless followers, they have used Christianity as a bait and switch game to take what used to be folks with some common sense and a few liberties into the present adle pated idiots who blindly follow the loudest voice with the most money backing them up.

I am, in no small way completely disgusted by what a few greedy mega capitalists have done to the formerly free 'Can Do' country I was raised in and loved! They have bought our government so that it no longer serves the majority, but only a fat few, divided the nation and conquered it with lies, fear and hate mongering... and then proceeded to crash the global economy for fun and profit... none of this having a thing to do with what used to be considered a 'Christian' conscience. Shame on us for letting this happen without a groan or a whimper, let alone a gathering of revolutionary ire towards those responsible.

Pray? Hell I pray everyday for a miracle and I'm the most godless heathen I know! Because at this point we're all in that filthy fox hole with no hope in sight, with the devils behind and in front of us and our dazed brethren to the left and right of us. Why do you think religion was created in the first place? To explain the unexplainable, give an excuse for shit happening... as if being good and appeasing the gods ever changed squat.. and to meekly volunteer to be controlled by a few. Aarghhh.

As for you Marc? Be brave and true to the good and righteous in you, volunteer, join a movement, have a voice, do something with your time for those even less fortunate than you, gestate, create, find a niche, network, reorganize, reconnect to this unfortunate new world not of your making...... don't stay home and self flagellate....  a tsunami of greed did it.... IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT!

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Permalink Reply by Marc Poulin on April 3, 2012 at 8:38pm

Oh I'm not American, I'm Canadian. I left my last job because I was hired to fill in for a maternity and she came back so I was down to 4 hours a week. I have been laid off before though.

I'm a kitchen designer, and it's something I Iove doing, finally, but there's not much demand for it in my area. I don't want to do anything else, only to yearn for my passion and be miserable, but I just have to face the facts. I can always leave should something better comes along.

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Permalink Reply by Marc Poulin on April 20, 2012 at 8:35pm

Thought I'd post an update for anyone interested. My latest career path has been as a kitchen designer, and there is just zero opportunities in my area. I went to a job fair yesterday, and all there was were call center and financial planning jobs, which are depressing as hell. After the job fair I went to see a guy opening a kitchen store to which I've applied as designer. He's not done setting up the store yet, but he assigned me to design his showroom and show him my work, and if he liked it the job is mine! Later that night I went for beer and wings with him and his crew, and he basically said as long as I don't screw up my plans I've got the job.

So I finally managed to get a job doing something I love, not working for a big box store, and I am getting in on the ground floor of his business, all without "God's" help!  Now I just have to wait 3 weeks for his store to be open.  :)

Thanks for your support guys! 

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Permalink Reply by Cara Coleen on April 20, 2012 at 8:41pm

That is such awesome news!! Great to have a job lined up, and even better for it to be something you love!

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