In article , rachel
polanskis wrote:

In article ,
"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote:

William Hamblen wrote:

On Sun, 26 Dec 2004 10:44:16 -0500, Howard Berkowitz
wrote:


The spelling "Amerika", to a citizen of the US, suggests that all
related content is to be an anti-US diatribe. The derivation is not
clear ...


It probably comes from a novel by Franz Kafka.

I assumed, since the poster who used the spelling had a
Polish-sounding name, although she mentioned Australia, that
she was using the Polish spelling. Names of countries
differ - and not only in spelling - depending upon the
language one is using.


No, I also wear a "patriot badge" - upside down.
My use of the word "Amerika" comes from my readings of Abbie Hoffman
and others who felt their country was in trouble and in need of
a sense of humour.

I can only say that I knew Abbie Hoffman, although not well, when I did
news reporting on the protest movements of the sixties and seventies. At
best, his "humor" was incredibly cynical, as was he. His humor was most
redeemed, I supposes, when he published a radical book called _Steal
this Book_, and then sued his collaborator/ghostwriter for stealing
intellectual property rights and royalties from Hoffman.


A flag upside down represents "in distress". many countries are
currently in the thrall of a need to fulfil their Far Right destinies,
including Australia. I, being a patriotic Australian wear a
patriot badge, much like American Republicans do, but I wear mine
upside down as I consider our country to be "in distress".

I must observe that "Left" and "Right" have lost the limited precision
they had when referring to the seating in the post-Terror French
Parliament. It is my practice to regard far and near, left and right,
as slogans, and, when making political comments, to speak of actual
positionbs. Ironically, for example, many current Russians speak of the
Communists as the Right, since they represent "traditional values". At
the extremes of left and right, it is often rather difficult to sort out
the ideological differences.

Now I have disillusioned most of you and alienated 51% of the
American and Australian population. But do not forget we are not
a minority - just not able to govern right now....


Most respectfully, I suggest this sort of political discussion, which
is, by its nature, divisive, is perhaps inappropriate for RPCA. If one
wished, of course, to discuss feline ideologies...