[Magdalen] Inappropriate?

[Sibyl Smirl]

On 10/13/15 7:54 AM, Arthur Laurent wrote:
> Most Americans think Canada is part of the United States.

Interesting sidelights on how people think -- a New Zealand friend, whom 
most of us know, and who might still be here (Hi, Gaynor, if you're 
here) after she took a round-the-world trip through the US (lots of 
listmeets!), was talking to me about tour buses, and somehow I said 
something about foreign tourists on those buses, reacted, "Surely you 
don't consider Ian and me as foreigners!"  I was surprised at her 
surprise, and I think I wound up asking her when was the last time she 
voted here.  Then just a few days ago I passed around a FaceBook post 
about exporting the jobs that Americans should have, Oreo Cookies being 
exported as an industry to Mexico, with the US flag as part of the 
picture.  A friend with a Hispanic surname (I don't know where she lives 
or is native, and her FB page gives no clue, our normal topic in common 
is Autism and Asperger's--for all I know she might be of the Argentine) 
was bewildered.  Seems she thought that Mexico was part of America.  Of 
course, in the continental sense it is, so I explained to her the normal 
usage of "America" as short for "United States of America", the flag, 
and the continental correctness, but in the case of jobs, the difference 
between Mexican citizens and US citizens.  I also cracked that a lot of 
Mexicans seem to think so.  She didn't say anything more on the thread. 
  Maybe she was being subtle about making the continental point in the 
first place, and I was the one who didn't get it, but the picture with 
the post did include the flag.


-- 
Sibyl Smirl
I will take no bull from your house!  Psalms 50:9a
mailto:polycarpa3 at ckt.net