Sometimes there is a comment that requires so much thought and such a long response that there is nothing to do but write another post about it. Since this is my blog, I am taking the liberty of doing that.
Here is the original comment from Guatemala on this article:
Your article began by talking about remesas (money sent by Western Union or other means from other countries). Currently, 30% of the gross national product of Honduras (and expected to be even higher this year) is from remesas sent by Hondurans living in other countries, principally the U.S.
Your article stated that "Remesas are also a good measurement to see how a country has failed to its citizens." I couldn't agree more and I only wish people put as much effort into improving their own governments as is spent criticizing the U.S. (Please don't take that comment personally as I know absolutely nothing about the government of Guatemala and am in no way referring to you specifically.)
Honduras receives hundreds of millions of dollars in international aid each year and yet the lives of the poor people never change. It is just more money going into the pockets of the corrupt and incompetent government officials. What they don't steal, they waste on poorly thought out projects such as a community of 4,000 homes built for the poor and sitting vacant for more than 5 years because it was constructed on top of a major acquifer that supplies 30% of the water to the capital city with no thought as to how the sewage would be handled.
Well, I digress, as usual. Back to your article: It was almost as if you were reading my mind − I could have written the same article, except that I generally try to avoid U.S. politics. There are enough other blogs and websites to fullfill those needs and the purpose of my blog is entirely different.
I originally included the newspaper cartoon without comment, just because I thought it was funny/ironic and might give my North American readers a peek into a different viewpoint from the perspective of Central Americans.
I don't think you are confused at all. I know what you are saying. I wrote an article a couple of months ago entitled "Who is an American?" that I just have not posted, because ... well, I don't know why, but I'll include it now.
I stumbled over that sentence you referred to and was just too lazy to reword it. No excuses! I guess I sometimes think that only my few U.S. friends are reading this little blogicito but of course that's not true. When speaking to Hondurans, I always say that I am "norte americana" or "de Estados Unidos" (from the U.S.) because I agree completely that it is arrogant to say that you are an American when talking to others from the American continents.
While there are many words in Spanish for "those who are from the U.S." there is only one in English and it is "American." Right or wrong, that is the word that most English-language newspapers use. In fact, along with "gringo,""Americano" is a term often used by Hondurans to describe those people from the United States of America. Perhaps we should make up a new word, United Statesian, or something.
The second part of your question I guess refers to the word 'illegals.' This, of course, was contrasting with the first part of the same sentence talking about "legal workers." Just as it is illegal for me, as a Honduran resident (legal resident, I must add), to take a job in Honduras (with a few exceptions, such as teaching), it is currently illegal for some to work in the U.S. I don't quite see the problem here. I write in a casual way and thought it was redundant to use the word workers again in the same sentence. I'm sorry if that was offensive to you.
But, Rudy, I have one little bone to pick with you. Nobody likes to be stereotyped. Please don't assume that all conservatives agree with everything the U.S. government does anymore than you should assume that all liberals are against everything the U.S. does. By saying "Do not follow the link if you're conservative," you seem to be implying that conservatives will want to put their head in the sand and not even know about an opposing viewpoint. I have to say that that is just a teensy bit offensive.
Anyway, Rudy, I thank you for your comment. I think you are 'preaching to the choir' here. We are on the same side of the fence on this issue, and probably many others. Let's keep an open mind and hope that a better solution to the immigration problem is found.
Now, you all can discuss this among yourselves, if you care to, because tomorrow, this blog is going back to our regularly scheduled gardening, chickens, life in Honduras theme.
Here is the original comment from Guatemala on this article:
Rudy Girón said...Hi Rudy! Thanks for visiting my blog and thanks for your interesting comment. I did read your article even though I could probably be described as a conservative. I thought it was an excellent article and you might be surprised to know that I agree 100% with everything you wrote. In fact, when describing the Statue of Liberty in my second article, I almost said that it should be knocked down as it is no longer a symbol of the United States − similar to what you said about sending it back.
La Gringa: It is interesting that many people have felt compelled to write about new "the fence" to further divide the U.S. from the rest of America. Like you, I wrote about it as my final entry on my recent series about transnational corporations in La Antigua Guatemala (do not follow the link if you're conservative).
I am confused about two aspects of your post and I say this because I know you write from outside the United States borders. What you do mean by "As Americans... " and by "... if they were found to be using illegals." As far as I know Hondurans are Americans too and are the all the natives from the American Continent.
I am glad that you decided to write about it and to create the space for discussion. Keep it up!
My best wishes for a prompt recovery.
11:21 PM, October 12, 2006
Your article began by talking about remesas (money sent by Western Union or other means from other countries). Currently, 30% of the gross national product of Honduras (and expected to be even higher this year) is from remesas sent by Hondurans living in other countries, principally the U.S.
Your article stated that "Remesas are also a good measurement to see how a country has failed to its citizens." I couldn't agree more and I only wish people put as much effort into improving their own governments as is spent criticizing the U.S. (Please don't take that comment personally as I know absolutely nothing about the government of Guatemala and am in no way referring to you specifically.)
Honduras receives hundreds of millions of dollars in international aid each year and yet the lives of the poor people never change. It is just more money going into the pockets of the corrupt and incompetent government officials. What they don't steal, they waste on poorly thought out projects such as a community of 4,000 homes built for the poor and sitting vacant for more than 5 years because it was constructed on top of a major acquifer that supplies 30% of the water to the capital city with no thought as to how the sewage would be handled.
Well, I digress, as usual. Back to your article: It was almost as if you were reading my mind − I could have written the same article, except that I generally try to avoid U.S. politics. There are enough other blogs and websites to fullfill those needs and the purpose of my blog is entirely different.
I originally included the newspaper cartoon without comment, just because I thought it was funny/ironic and might give my North American readers a peek into a different viewpoint from the perspective of Central Americans.
I don't think you are confused at all. I know what you are saying. I wrote an article a couple of months ago entitled "Who is an American?" that I just have not posted, because ... well, I don't know why, but I'll include it now.
I stumbled over that sentence you referred to and was just too lazy to reword it. No excuses! I guess I sometimes think that only my few U.S. friends are reading this little blogicito but of course that's not true. When speaking to Hondurans, I always say that I am "norte americana" or "de Estados Unidos" (from the U.S.) because I agree completely that it is arrogant to say that you are an American when talking to others from the American continents.
While there are many words in Spanish for "those who are from the U.S." there is only one in English and it is "American." Right or wrong, that is the word that most English-language newspapers use. In fact, along with "gringo,""Americano" is a term often used by Hondurans to describe those people from the United States of America. Perhaps we should make up a new word, United Statesian, or something.
The second part of your question I guess refers to the word 'illegals.' This, of course, was contrasting with the first part of the same sentence talking about "legal workers." Just as it is illegal for me, as a Honduran resident (legal resident, I must add), to take a job in Honduras (with a few exceptions, such as teaching), it is currently illegal for some to work in the U.S. I don't quite see the problem here. I write in a casual way and thought it was redundant to use the word workers again in the same sentence. I'm sorry if that was offensive to you.
But, Rudy, I have one little bone to pick with you. Nobody likes to be stereotyped. Please don't assume that all conservatives agree with everything the U.S. government does anymore than you should assume that all liberals are against everything the U.S. does. By saying "Do not follow the link if you're conservative," you seem to be implying that conservatives will want to put their head in the sand and not even know about an opposing viewpoint. I have to say that that is just a teensy bit offensive.
Anyway, Rudy, I thank you for your comment. I think you are 'preaching to the choir' here. We are on the same side of the fence on this issue, and probably many others. Let's keep an open mind and hope that a better solution to the immigration problem is found.
Now, you all can discuss this among yourselves, if you care to, because tomorrow, this blog is going back to our regularly scheduled gardening, chickens, life in Honduras theme.
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