First off, does anyone, even Reichert, believe anymore that being associated with Bush is a good thing? Uh, hellooooo... no one likes the dude anymore!
I'm pissed at Bush for so much, but most immediately for causing me to hush-hush something I used to be so proud of when I traveled to Europe: my American citizenship. I remember times when I was proud of being American when I traveled internationally... but not recently. And I blame Mr. Bush for that. Hell, I'm even considering hanging a Canadian key chain or trinket on my backpack when I head back to Europe next month, just to avoid any perceived affinity with the buffoon. I live within a hundred or so miles of the Canadian border, so I can temporarily borrow the association, riiiiight?!(An open message to all Germans: most of us think he's a jackass too.)
So you can imagine my ire when I watched the 5:00 news yesterday. The Seattle freeway system, which is pretty crazy during the evening rush hour on any given Monday, had been virtually shut down! The video cameras showed a completely empty 405 freeway between Bellevue and the airport and a grid-locked traffic jam on the 405 in Kirkland. Gazillions of people who just wanted to get home after a long day at work sat motionless in their cars, just waiting to move. Why? Because Bush was in Seattle for a $1000 a plate ($10,000 a handshake) fundraising event.
If I was pissed watching all this from my livingroom, I can just imagine how pissed the people sitting in their motionless cars must have been!
Yeah, I know. Obama would cause the same freeway havoc if he were president and came to Seattle. But go ahead... bring that ON!
Too many Americans pretend to be Canadian these days we're not always believed anymore. I always have a little Canadian pin on my hat or backpack. Go ahead, if it will make you feel safer, why not. We don't mind...ciao
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about being an American while travelling Europe.
ReplyDeleteMost Europeans probably won't ask if you like W since you're only a visitor. If they do, just tell them that you don't. If they ask, 'Why did he get reelected?' just say, 'I don't understand that either,' and that usually moves the convo on to a different subject.
We (the rest of the world) can understand why he was president the first time (he stole the election, right?), but we are mystified why he was re-elected. The mind boggles!
ReplyDeleteBut then again, our own leadership (in South Africa) is such a joke, I should just shut up... I may need to knock on your door for asylum one day!