Thu, 21 Oct 2004

An American in London

I have never had the pleasure of visiting the continent which birthed my ancestors. But I still find this article, An American in London, hard to believe - or swallow.

If true, and it has a ring of truth to it, then things are alot worse than I suspected. But really, how different are the situations the author describes from the daily diatribes I hear on the streets here, about "cheese eating surrender monkeys" and "weenie-spined limeys"? True, I've never seen the kind of personal, verbal attacks she describes, but then again, Boone County, Indiana doesn't get much of the cross Atlantic tourist trade...

Has the vitrol in American politics seeped overseas? Do most Europeans really think Americans are naught but a bunch of Bible-thumping Bubbas? Do most Americans really see Europe as a has-been continent of tree hugging pacifists? I can't believe that - I don't want to believe that.

With Putin endorsing Bush, and most of Eastern Europe standing with the US in major foreign policy issues, are we seeing a realignment of global power? Are we watching history in the making, such as occured in the period from 1820 to 1870, when nearly all major alliances changed?

I suppose we'll find out. It brings to mind the old Chinese curse I keep hearing about: "May you live in interesting times."

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