(no subject)

[bubosquared]

People talking about America and pride and how dare they attack the USA (not as in 'my home" but as in "the USA, land of the free, home of the brave, or however that schpiel goes) are scaring me. And hurting me. Because this is about the loss of human lives, not American lives.

And every time someone talks about it like that, I can't help but think, what about the IRA victims? The Red Hand Defender victims? The CCC? The Bende van Nijvel? UCK? All the victims in Northern Ireland, in Britain, in Belgium, in France, in Spain, wherethefuckever, what about them? Are their deaths less tragic because they were not American?

I don't caree if that's not what you mean. It's what you're implying when you talk about America, and pride, and how dare they. And coming from people I like, that's a slap in the face, because it feels like I'm worth less to them because I'm not American. It's as if, should the terrorists have targeted Europe, and sent the centre of Brussels aflame, those it wouldn't have been quite this bad because this isn't the USA, and Belgium is not some ideal, some epitome of freedom or whatever.

People are people are people. Everyone has people who care about them. Everyone. Ever violent death is a tragedy, every deceased is mourned over, and every terrorist should be caught and punished. Geography is not an issue here. This was not a crime against America, this was a crime against humanity. And every time someone gets up in arms about America over this, I feel like they would be less vengeful, less angry, less caring about my death, because I'm just a European. And that's just not something I want to think I'm hearing from my friends.

Everyone has the right to their own opinions, but I have the right to be irrational and frightened and angry, and to do the electronic equivalent of sitting in a corner with my teddybear, hands over my ears, singing "Lalalala, I can't hear you!"

(Edit: Of course I'll let my friends grieve. I'm grieving too. Everyone is grieving, and only a few are turning this into an American thing. And I really don't think this isn't an indication of something that was there all along: the conviction that America is, somehow, more special than any other country, and Americans are more special people than any other people. And that's what hurts me, and that's what I'm refusing to subject myself to.)

Comments

[ex-verdandi713.livejournal.com]

I think I should have "We're Not All Like That" tattooed on my forehead--not that any of you folks would actually believe it. LOL.

I love my country, but I don't confuse that with a generalized carte blanche to stomp on someone else's. Most Americans do not. The most intelligent and well-spoken of us are, unfortunately, usually the last people you will see staring back at you on your television screen.

Re:

[bubosquared.livejournal.com]

Oh, of course you're not. Seriously, there's really only a few people in my direct envirmonment that've made me feel like this. Most of you, as I said, are grieving for the people, not their nationality.

Trust me, I do know not all of you are like that. I'm just scared most of you are, and that the top is like that.