[lbo-talk] Chinese shark attack!

Wojtek Sokolowski sokol at jhu.edu
Thu Jul 14 08:19:34 PDT 2005


Doug:
> <http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20050718&s=henwood>
>
> COMMENT | posted July 12, 2005 (web only)
>
> Chinese Shark Attack!
> DOUG HENWOOD

Good stuff. However, fervent nationalism and blaming others for one's own problems is hardly unique to the US - others have more than their fair share. I would say that on average US is not as xenophobic and nationalistic as most Asian or European countries. While it certainly does have a large chunk of hyper-patriotic rednecks and an unusually large number of hysterical politicians and media commentators whipping up nationalistic frenzy - it also has a rather large segment that is not affected or even opposed to the peril of jingoism and foreigner-bashing.

A good indicator is that a foreigner can quite safely rant about the US in the US, while elsewhere he would more likely trigger jingoistic fervor in his interlocutors.

Wojtek



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