I've read this entire thread with interest, took me slightly more than 3 hours.
Cultures have a lot to due with preceptions. In Japan, historically under Shogan rule, an individual dropped to there knees, bowed until their foreheads touched the ground and uttered the phrase, "Mushi Mushi," which best translates as "I am Your Servant." Mushi, Mushi is stilled used today in such instances as answering the phone. When I was in Japan it was the caller who was in control of the conversation, the person answering the phone uttered Mushi Mushi, becoming the servant, and proceeded to do nothing but answer the questions of the caller. If rebuttal was desired or the persons wanted to ask questions for clarification, they would then have to call the original caller back, who answered Mushi Mushi and, hence, became the servant in turn.
The Indians of the Pacifc Northwest that used Chinook Jargon as a trade language was so impressed with this conduct that they made a corruption of Mushi, Mushi their word for slave, "Misimust."
People reared in a country with a history of kings, sultans, shahs, Rajahs, etc, are of a mind that the protection eminates from the government (ruler) and, hence, cannot understand the American Idealism of individual liberties. America was a frontier, and unexplored land of unknown vastness, riches, or natural wonders. The act of hewing a country out of virgin forests, land, and waters made the settlers of America an independant lot. There safety was reliant upon themselves and their closest neighbors, not a potentate, or they perished. Here they could own the lands they developed, not owing a Monarch or Lord for support to exist. That must be understood if one has any hope of understanding the American people. Canada and Australia had similar beginnings, hewing a life from unbroken rock, so to speak, but unlike the USA, they, to this day, still consider the Monarch of England their King or Queen and the parting between oppressive master and intolerant servant was much less disruptive of civil disorder. That makes a big difference in how the USA's closest siblings see and understand their elder brother.
In my own travels around the world the one thing I noticed was that as much a the people of that country lambasted America and Americans for their Arrogance and Outspokeness as a reflection of the official homeland government line, when given the opportunity to come to America many made the trip with nothing of value except the clothes they wore. Many have spent what were fortunes in the own country to come to the US with a status equal to that of a homeless person trodding the streets of many cities pf America. I think everyone has seen or is aware of a least one family of immigrants who came into their community destitue and began working at the most meanial jobs. Yet over a period of years they owned business' and often became community leaders. Why? Because they made the best of the phrase espoused in the Decloratio of Independence that All men are created equal. They are created equal but what they achieve is not neccessarily equal because that is left up to the inititative and diligence of the indivigual. Many work and achieve great things because they have that desire, others are content with meing an unrecognizable face in the crowd, while still others would prefer to have their life given to them and their lifestyle and achives reflect that. America is a land of trassplants from other countries, world wide, who have, historically, and still do, assimulate together as one culture. The ideas of the world have given America its unique outlook.
When one can fully understand all of those complexities, the necessity and dependence upon self-reliance, the necessity of helping their neighbor to enable their own survival, one can begin to understand why Americans treasure the Bill of Rights and especially the 2nd Amendment. America fought for their indepence, they died, to fertilize the ssoil andideals upon which it was founded.
As much as I admire both Canada and Australia, their parting from their motherland was much more subdued and amicable. That makes a big difference.
Any discussion about any of the USA, or it's constitution, can go on awe nauseum unless one truly understands America.
does his
Got that Pardner?
