Text 32628, 62 rader
Skriven 2016-04-17 22:09:42 av Lee Lofaso (2:203/2)
  Kommentar till text 32368 av Jeff Smith (55.fido:fidonews)
Ärende: Bashing US Dictators
============================
Hello Jeff,

 JS> How often have you heard or read of people from the US being refered to
 JS> as Americans? And then how often have you heard or read of Canadians or
 JS> Mexicans being refered to as Americans?

All the time.  Cheech & Chong have often been referred to as Mexicans,
even though both are full-blooded Americans.  Ted Cruz has been often
referred to as a naturally born American, even though he is half-Cuban
and half-Canadian, definitely born outside of the United States ...

 JS> To me it makes perfect sense to use "America" and "Americans" for my
 JS> country.

That's fine.  But it is also just as fine to call Pope Francis
the American pope.  Argentina is part of America in the same sense
that Germany is part of Europe.  Pope Benedict XVI (I am not sure
what one calls a former pope who is still alive) could easily be
called the European pope.  A future pope, say from China, could
be called the Asian pope.  I see no problem with that.

There have been several secretary-generals of the United Nations.
They have come from Asia, Europe, Africa, and America.  Not yet
from Australia/Oceania, but give the United Nations some time.

 JS> The name of the country is "United States of America". Why is it strange
or
 JS> uncommon to shorten this? It is common to shorten the official name of a
 JS> country — many people don't even know the official names for many
countries.

Chess player Bobby Fisher was playing a fellow from Mongolia in a
tournament, but had absolutely no idea as to how to write the man's
name, much less spell it correctly.  So what Fisher did was note
the guy's name as "X".  Each person has the right to call himself
by any name he chooses.  But what right to others have to call an
individual something else?  Even if a name is unpronouncable, is
it right to just call or write somebody's name as "X"?

 JS> For example, the official name of Mexico is "Los Estados Unidos Mexicanos"
 JS> which actually means "The Mexican United States". I doubt that anyone
would
 JS> be surprised that it is referred to as "Mexico" or it people being refered
 JS> to
 JS> as Mexicans.

And yet, a pope from Mexico could be referred to as being the American
pope, the same as the present pope, who is from Argentina.  Or what
about the UN Secretary-General who was from Peru?  He could easily be
referred to as having been the American UN Secretary-General.

 JS> Isn't this rather just a feeble attempt at perpetuating your anti American
 JS> or using your slang term "USAian" sentiments?

There is nothing anti American by calling Pope Francis the American
pope.  There is nothing anti American by calling a UN Secretary-General
from Peru the American UN Secretary General.

--Lee

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