Paul Revere by Cyrus Dallin, North End, Boston

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Wednesday, July 23, 2014

"...To See Ourselves As Others See Us"



O would some power the giftie gie us to see ourselves as others see us. 
 (O would some power the gift to give us to see ourselves as others see us.) 
--Robert Burns, Poem "To a Louse" - verse 8





HOW SOME BRITS SEE THE USA:



































14 comments:

Infidel753 said...

More than a little truth to it. At least they know enough about the US to have such detailed stereotypes.

But weed isn't that big in Oregon, sorry.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Did you notice how often the word "racist" was used in the southeastern and southwestern states?

That's how those regions are perceived, apparently.

Hmmm. Oregon: hipsters? And what's with this "bit annoying?"

skudrunner said...

Think it said some racists which would apply to any part of the country. Go to detroit or east chicago indiana and see how many racists you find (hint the majority).

Love the fake irish people and not a real place. They nailed DC.

Shaw Kenawe said...

"Go to detroit or east chicago..."

Do you know the history of how parts of Chicago came to be segregated?

I suggest more people read about it and other northern cities where African Americans fled to during The Great Migration because they were running away from Jim Crow laws.

Segregation was encoded in law in the south. Segregation was practiced in the north because of racism, bad enough, but not encoded in law.

Because African Americans were not prevented from voting (as they were in the south), they began to use the power of the ballot box to change some things.

Essentially, the white communities in the big northern cities kept the migrating A.A.'s in one place and when they saved enough money to move out of those districts into middle class white areas of the city, the racists there terrorized them. The A.A.s were forced, through redlining and other tactics, to stay in small areas of big cities, thereby turning those areas into all black communities.

Read the history of how racism in the south and north kept African Americans "in their place," IOWs segregated and as second-class citizens.



Les Carpenter said...

I keep asking myself just why it is the more things change the more they stay the same. I think I have arrived at the answer but I'm keeping it to myself. Ya see, everybody else thinks they have as well so it's pretty much settled. Don'tcha think?

okjimm said...

Cheese Weird is good stuff. Just make sure you get a fresh can....otherwise the aerosol might not work and then...ooops.....I thought it said 'cheese whiz'

okjimm said...

Course....the Brits eat stuff, called, 'Bubble and Squeak' and 'Bangers and Mash'.....hmmmmmmmm

BB-Idaho said...

The Brits, or just about any Eurpean, have a better perception
of foreign countries than most
Americans. However, in my state,
potatoes are in the south and there are cowboys. Like most states, Idaho was Indian country.
Those people haven't much left
except their humanity and dignity !

Shaw Kenawe said...

BB-Idaho, good move by the Coeur d'Alene Tribe.

I don't understand why any group, conservative or liberal, has anything to do with that stain on humanity.

I don't get "not Iowa" for your state. The Brits were kinder to Idaho than they were to some of the other states.

"Fake Irish" for Massachusetts is pretty funny. And accurate.

Shaw Kenawe said...

okjimm, the Brits also eat "spotted dick."

I refuse to explain.

okjimm said...

'spotted dick' I got a can of it for a xmas present. gave it to someone with a tainted personality

Infidel753 said...

Shaw: The hipsters are a bit annoying. And there's a touch of that old-fashioned political correctness here that people associate with Berkeley, though I think that's more in Eugene than in Portland.

And we get as least as much rain as Washington. It rained here most of today. Yes, July 23rd. Portland has more England-like weather than anyplace else I know of.

You have to be very selective with British snacks. Some of the cookies and candy are among the best in the world. But there's also what are called "rock cakes" which some who have tried them claim most be made from actual rocks.

As for Idaho, over here it has something of a reputation as a haven for white supremacists, who presumably moved there to dwell among their intellectual superiors, the potatoes. One wouldn't expect the Brits to know of such nuances.

Their assessment of Arizona looks right on the money, except that I didn't know Alice Cooper was from there. As for Texas, what can one say? It trumpets its character proudly. But I bet British tourists are surprised at how heavily Hispanic it is -- I've been there and that's the most obvious thing that's different from Oregon.

BB-Idaho said...

A follow up on Idaho: Mr. Nugent
is not happy with the Coeur
d'Alene Tribe. heh -and the
reference that Idaho 'is not Iowa'
refers, IMO, to the mail mix ups that result from the coasties confusing states that start with
'I' as well as the profound
horizontalness of Iowa compared to the startling verticality of
Idaho.

Dervish Sanders said...

I didn't know there were White Walkers in northern Alaska. Not a fiction made up by JRRRRRRR Martin, I guess.