The North American Haji...

I'm gonna do a combo post tonight, and I ain't even gonna charge extra...

First, I want to talk about the difference between compassion and stupidity.

Somalia is a war-torn nation. It has been since...well, I don't really even know. I never heard of it before the whole "Blackhawk Down" thing. People who get here from Somalia must think that America is paradise on Earth, and rightly so. I do have compassion for those people. A child should never have to deal with war. On the other hand, those who come here from Somalia, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Chechnia, Afghanistan, Iran, etc. need to perhaps humble themselves a bit. I know that when my life gets suddenly better, I try to be grateful.

What I'm trying to say is that even though it is rude to throw ham at Somalians, they of all people should know that it could be waaay worse.

This superintendent, while probably a well-meaning guy, is just a giant horse's ass. His over-apologetic, politically-correct reaction to an ultimately harmless gesture has led to an endless stream of diatribe from assholes like me.

Next, I want to talk about my favorite topic, which I like to call The Great Migration of the North American Haji. Once again, I have been offended by a third-world attitude about my first-rate country. A man who barely speaks English and goes by the name of Smith approached me and asked me where to get "work papers" (maybe because I'm a little brown guy, I don't know). I told him that they have a new Mexican Consulate in Little Rock, and that would be the most appropriate place to start. He asked me if I wanted him to kick my ass (I think). I became so amused by this that I really offended him. Now, I ask you, was there really any reason for him to be upset? He asked a question, I gave the right answer, and he threatened me. He didn't mean it, and there was no violence, but he walked away believing that I was the ill-mannered party involved. It reminded me of every Haji I ever met.

I have come to the realization that we have overcompensated for over two generations for some European attitude that we Americans are an arrogant bunch.

You know, back when we had just saved their asses from Hitler.