[Paleopsych] islamic radicalism

[Val Geist]

Dear Friends,

When I learned Russian everyone about me spoke it, and my aunt praised me 
for speaking with the accent of a Muscovite. When I learned German I was 
discouraged from speaking Russian, as it was not safe and even a six-year 
old can sense it among red and black banners and arms raised in "Heil 
Hitler". When I learned English and French, it was because my class learned 
it as it was part of the curriculum - full stop! When I lost my French it 
was because my high school French teacher in Regina, Saskatchewan, spoke the 
language less well than I did, and I had nobody to talk to. My Quebecoise 
grandchildren speak French fluently, and I have not been able to re-learn, 
courtesy of nobody to talk to here in the boonies in the west. English is my 
primary language now, and German colleagues are envious because I can so 
readily publish in English. However, I am angered and saddened by their 
denial of their German as so much that is relevant in my interests is found 
only in German. And I appreciate as an author the strengths and weaknesses 
of German and of English. I could not function without the latter in the 
modern world, but imperialism? I never saw it that way. If I could get a bit 
more time I would gladly learn another language, provided I can live in it 
and imbibe the culture that goes with it. And when I get mad at the USA, and 
that happens ever so often, I think back to the GI who sat down on the edge 
of my bed the day the Sherman tanks raced into our village, pulled out his 
K-rations and gave me something to eat. And the care packages that 
brightened our days and in the uncertainty gave us hope for a better world. 
And I am not surprised that the first choice of many Palestinians is to 
emigrate to the United States, and barring that.......

Sincerely, Val Geist
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ross Buck" <ross.buck at uconn.edu>
To: "'The new improved paleopsych list'" <paleopsych at paleopsych.org>
Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2005 12:29 PM
Subject: RE: [Paleopsych] islamic radicalism


> Christian:
>
> Right on!  You have a refreshing point of view that needs to be better
> appreciated in the U.S. if we are ever to understand why we are the object
> of so much bitterness and resentment in the world.
>
> Ross
>
> Ross Buck, Ph. D.
> Professor of Communication Sciences
> and Psychology
> Communication Sciences U-1085
> University of Connecticut
> Storrs, CT 06269-1085
> 860-486-4494
> fax  860-486-5422
> Ross.buck at uconn.edu
> http://www.coms.uconn.edu/docs/people/faculty/rbuck/index.htm
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: paleopsych-bounces at paleopsych.org
> [mailto:paleopsych-bounces at paleopsych.org] On Behalf Of Christian Rauh
> Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2005 2:44 PM
> To: G. Reinhart-Waller; Lista Paleopsych
> Subject: Re: [Paleopsych] islamic radicalism
>
> Gerry,
>
> I am a Brazilian citizen and I was forced to learn english because
> without knowing it I would not be able to get a decent job in this world.
>
> My point was to show the irony of people fearing having to learn arabic
> or going to mosques when other people are having to learn english. What
> they fear is to be influenced to do things they otherwise would not.
>
> The US exerts pressure in other countries. In other places, people have
> to learn English. One can argue that it is not a deliberate and
> conscious pressure, however, to the person learning the language, the
> prospect of not having a decent job is as coercive as troops on the
> street. That's economic pressure.
>
> And to the counter-argument that you always have the individual choice
> of *not* learning english, goes the answer that you always have the
> individual choice of *not* learning arab or going to mosques. But you
> will have to face the individual consequences.
>
> As a final comment, I don't think that, in general, American citizens
> are aware of the amount of influence and pressure that the US exerts in
> the world. That is the reason why I believe that, in general, most
> Americans can't understand the cynicism that foreigners have towards
> "spreading freedom".
>
>
>
> G. Reinhart-Waller wrote:
>> Christian Rauh writes:
>>
>>> I have been forced to learn English.
>>
>>
>> When?  By whom?  Why?  Which country would do such a heinous thing?
>> France?  Germany?  Sweden?  You aren't buzzin' about being an American
>> citizen and having to speak English, are you?
>>
>>
>> Gerry Reinhart-Waller
>> Independent Scholar
>> http://www.home.earthlink.net/~waluk
>>
>
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