In these heady days of folks all across the Arab world, like, downloading the Simon Bolivar theme for their Twitter page, and foisting revolution across the continent, and you can't tell if the NPR is telling you about a colonel in Libya* or a governor in Wisconsin, it's hard to remember that Al Jazzeera used to be part of the "them" in the post 9/11 world, rather than the only news source anyone trusts. Seriously, if my religion permitted me to care about college basketball, I'd be checking in w/ the AJ bracketologist instead of the ones on ESPN. But I digress. One of the questions people used to ask (the Cod just got done reading the 9/11 report, so pardon) was "why do they hate us?" (Yes "they" and "us" are problematic, but it's still worth exploring the question.)
One answer to why folks in other parts of the world besides the United States, who do not enjoy our level of material prosperity, might get mad at us, is the proliferation of obscenely large meals at restaurants that come with the proviso that if you eat it all, it's free. Toddler-sized burgers, buckets of pho, Wilfork cutlets, etc. Well, someone went to the trouble of rounding them all up, and putting them in one place. If I were looking for a reason to hate the USA, this list would be a good one. And if you have to ask, it is definitely a sign of another Guiteau Monday.
*Is there anything about Gaddafi's appearance that suggests he would go quietly if someone would just set him up as a gonzo porn auteur in the Valley? Yes, Boston University is running an Elderhostel for ex African dictators, but the Colonel seems like more of a West Coast guy.
The ex African dictator haven gives new meaning to the BU Terriers.
Posted by: Marco | Monday, 28 February 2011 at 08:21 AM