Date: Fri, 28 Feb 2003 08:47:35 -0500 (EST) From: dan combs <dcombs-AT-bloomington.in.us> Subject: Re: War On Fri, 28 Feb 2003, Dave Coull wrote: > We do have at least one French anarch on > the list, and I don't know what he thinks about your > wife's expression of such sentiments, but as a reason > for following any particular policy on going to war > or not this has just got to be one of the silliest. Personal prejudices are rarely based on big events. I mean the Armenians have it in for the Turks due to the genocide and Poles don't like the Grrrrmans for repeated invasions. But mostly life is made of small encounters and that is what people base decisions on. You know, in a lot of instances, say, it is reality that black americans or people who cook italian foods or anyone who lives or wirks (WIRKS?) in a different odor environment do smell different to people who don't, much the same as I smell of the whatever cologne I use tempered with a faint woodsmoke hint from tending last night's fireplace. To people who are looking for a reason to exclude any of us (I do think xenophobia may be genetic) if odor is the only reason then it is THE reason. Who knows what little perceptions can end up tilting the balance. I do know that I live 800 miles inland in the states and the only british subjects I have ever met around here are the people who could *afford* to get here. Same-same with the french. I can admit dealing with these upper-crusted individuals has given my small mind all of the reason in the wirld to detest eveyone from either place. However I am _aware_ of how I come into these pet dislikes so I can put rationality to wirk (WIRK? Wow. That's twice in one email) and overcome them. But I actually have thought about it. Most others just pigeonhole the prejudice and keep it. As for a frog on the list, well, so be it. I do not believe in creating One Big Homogenous Wirld. I sioncerely doubt any human alive, including french anarchists, do not maintain prejudices towards at least one ethnic group or nationality. It is okay to have prejudices and general dislikes; The key is in the contorl of such. carp
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