who is "anti american"

[havanagilla]

I just wanted to share a personal thought, and line of 'evolution' with respect to my attitude to people who profess 'anti americanism". I have to admit that it wasn't before 2004, that i met for the first time people who hate america and who vowed never to set foot there (they were canadians, or canadian residents from europe). I found it very strange, because as an israeli (and later as a US resident) it never occurred to me that such a position is even possible. at first I found it refreshing, because I too have had my share of suspicion and bad memories from the american part of our family history, and my own predicaments. Today, again, I ran into such a person, another canadian, who is a colleague whom I never met, only these emails. I now feel uncomfortable with this attitude and frankly, I find it intimidating. In general, I guess my attitude has changed, or evolved, to the point that any extreme view, that excludes the possibility of dialogue, appears dangerous to me. Exclusion to the rule would be perhaps someone who refused to visit Nazi Germany in the "good ol times" but even that would be stupid, because in order to fight something you need to get familiar with it. (in Hebrew the word "Battle" and "proximity/nearness" are the same. One has to get close to the person they fight. Another word from the same root is "sacrifice", namely, giving away something in order to get close.) There's another cultural example of same, in the description of the brothers of Joseph in the bible, it said that they hated him so much, they could not greet him or speak to him. Not a very good place to be in.). <br>--<br>Just a thought tonight. <p></p><i></i>