As if the world doesn't hate the US enough as it is. (Page 5)

Please show me where I said I hated the US, in this thread or any other. Go ahead, I dare ya.

Look at the title: it sure doesn't say anything about Jim hating the US. It alluded to world reaction to the IOC's decision. And now go look at the feedback I posted and tell me if it was a false statement.

If you'd read the thread, I talked about how it was, indeed, an IOC decision. But I also stated truthfully that it was a US company's doing. The rest of the world sees it as another example of us throwing our weight around to impose our will.

Look...if I hated the US like you think I did, I wouldn't be so damn passionate about changing the things I don't like about it. Is it wrong to want a something better?

Because, apparently unlike a lot of people, I give a damn about how the rest of the world views us. I want us to be good stewards; in fact I think it's our responsibility being the great nation we are. That's why when groups that arguably represent our country do stuff like this, damn the consequences, it p!sses me off. I'd really like to be able to travel abroad some day and not be greeted with derision because of my nationality.

Call me crazy, but I care. And if that p!sses people off, well then so be it.

Hijack, but this is my thread so deal:

Why are people that speak against the Bush administration called traitors, when the same people that are calling us traitors spoke the same way about the past president? Why aren't all of you Clinton haters traitors?

He's a dirty hippy too.

An angry, dirty hippy.

I can feel the anger coming from him.

And the hippy.

What were we talking about again?

That's good advice. I've travelled a bunch and worked for a year in the Peace Corps building fish farms in Honduras. And you're right, comparitvely this is a hell of a great country. I just want us to be better.

And it's interesting. IRL I'm actually the most easy-going, laid back person you'd ever meet. Heck. Maybe I'm just a bit stressed about this race I have in 8 days, I don't know. And I am fun at parties...just ask Black Spandex Man.

And you probably are right...people by and large don't give a rat's @ss about swimming. I'm definitely clouded by my love of the sport. But damn...it's the Olympics. It belongs to the world, not to us Americans.

Hippies are *supposed* to be full of love. Autumn's right...I am only a wannabe hippie. Where did I go wrong? Damn you, Ironman. Damn you. 

Maybe you're not dirty enough.  I think all that time in the pool is washing off your essence.

After IM, I'll make it my mission to rediscover my essence. 

Spoken like a truly dirty hippie...

Jim I get your point about the way you want people to see us.  And after a decade in military service where I "traveled" to the middle east, Europe, and Central and South America I get it and I agree. I think there's just a proportionality disconnect between the "not so important in the big picture" change in the swim schedule and the "pretty important in the big picture"  arguement that our country can stand some improvement in it's international image. Typical dirty hippie tactic if you ask me... but that's what I like about you Jim. I could give two #7^#s about the swimming schedule, but I've spent a significant part of my day thinking about our national image... which I suspect was your intent. Shouldn't you be off tapering something?

 I think you're really misunderstnding me, and perhaps I've misunderstood you. So let me try to explain, because I really do want to be understood. When I read this: "but did you notice that your original post was anti US", it give me the impression that you think I hate the country. And it's really quite the contrary. Now, if I had said "Hooray! Another reason for the world to hate the US!", then yeah, I'd agree with you. But read what I wrote again, and the subsequent posts. If you think about it, what I wrote is actually very pro-US. I tried to express extreme disappointment that another thing happened to tarnish our image in the world's view. You may not agree with my points or the manner in which I tried to make them, but the foundation is solid. At least in my opinion. But I'll conceed that my passion does get in the way sometimes, and maybe I missed the mark. But seriously, people need to see that there's difference between questioning leadership and bashing the country.

Now, as for the personal stuff. I don't remember insulting your spelling or grammar. if I did that, it's offsides and I apologize, truly. Petty crap like that is just not productive, and I hate when I see it on this board or anywhere. So if I slipped and did something like that, I'm ashamed. Now, I do remember this exchange, and it may be what you're remembering:

run4yrlif: I bet some of them would be up for comparing IQs.

Just sayin'.

I stand by that. It wasn't a personal attack, and I wasn't calling you stupid. But you called people stupid that I respect, and people that I consider friends. So I called you on it. My point was the people that I know who do that stuff are actually extremely intelligent. Some are very gifted artists and writers. I take offense when marginallized people are marginallized further just because someone doesn't get what they do. It's a pet peeve.

And the baby eating. Sheesh. That was clearly a joke, and in response to another poster bringing the subject up (and fwiw, I "borrowed" it form Jon Stewart).

Peace.