LL-L "Humor" 2008.02.03 (05) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L  -  03 February 2008 - Volume 05
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From: Ingmar Roerdinkholder <ingmar.roerdinkholder at worldonline.nl>
Subject:

Thanks for your apologies, you already gave them to me but now to the list.
I respect that, and understand that you wanted to do that, after you noticed
that your words were misunderstood.
I hope you don't feel bad about it anymore and that we'll move on now as if
it didn't happen... or, even feeling better
because of everything is solved en reunited again!
Peace!
Ingmar

From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Humor

I must apologize to anyone who did not understand my responses to Luc and
Ingmar that began with Luc's "Nueva España" suggestion that I was sure was a
joke based on what he saw as a real situation.

My responses to what I thought were satire were meant to be pure satire. At
the time I thought that that was abundantly obvious, and hopefully it was
obvious to most of you, at least to the native English speakers in the
round. What apparently wasn't clear to a couple of people at least was that
it poked much less fun at European attitudes than at American attitudes and
politics (including contradictory attitudes toward Mexico and Mexicans).
None of it was mean-spirited, at least not intentionally so. I thought that
at least those of you that have known me for a while would have started with
that assumption. Yes, I was poking fun at all around, including myself to
some degree, with the underlying poke at thinking in national categories and
doing so in overly stereotypical and simplistic ways.

I am a born and raised European and am also legally Australian and US
American. I will always remain European, wouldn't be able not to be even if
I tried, which is what man Europeans apparently still don't understand about
emigrants. I don't represent the US American government or any other
government, nor do I approve of most US foreign politics, like a very large
percentage of other Americans, leave alone people elsewhere. I represent
myself. Non-American sensitivities about US politics are apparently such
that there is not even a place for spoofing perceived attitudes. I thought
my satire was *so* obvious, but apparently it was not obvious enough, at
least not to some, hopefully not many -- and to them I apologize.

This goes to show again that humor is dangerous territory in an
intercultural and international setting. We come with different and
variously flexible sets of perception and outlooks wrought by our various
experiences. It also goes to show that there is no way of making people
leave their political baggage at the door before entering. We can at least
try to meet as individuals, as people that are not perceived as representing
groups.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
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