by B.J. on 8/13/2004 11:52:00 PM 1 comments Print this post

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funny, when i was talking to you the other day i accidentally did the america thing and you didn't even say anything--caught myself though. i hate that stuff too...i think i have since middle school when i was reading this generic babysitter like book and one of the characters was ranting about that. anyways i prefer us or united states... usa makes me feel like one of those filipinos that wear those usa shirts.
-says the girl who sports the maroon USA 84 sweater. =D

# posted by

Anonymous : 12:21 AM

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Minor Irkings. ..

. . .When people call the United States of America, just "America."

There's South America in case you missed it. "America" is an exclusive term that when used by itself, always means "North America." South America does not count as part of America because they are seen as composed of people of non-action; we whities just see them as a bunch of cheap laborers unwilling to speak English. They aren't part of the "American" being of action.

Whenever you see America used, it's a word that we use as a subject doing something, being active. "America Votes 2004", "America fights the War on Terror" "America has sex with Paris Hilton." America does all the action (or rather gets it). It's like an individual, a being always doing what is right.

However, when you see what "America" the individual does, "America", the word (at least for me), brings out mental images of Fox News and its shnazzy flag animations, CNN, the "war on terror", hot dogs, overweight couch potatoes, and fat old women. Those are negative images each layered with subversion, deception, or inactivity - ways of either cheating to accomplish something or doing absolutely nothing. For example, maybe I haven't been watching enough of the news, but whenever 9/11 is mentioned, "America" is always used rather than "USA."

On the other hand, in lieu of "America" "USA" and "United States" are nice things that bring out more wholesome images of the Olympic Rings and Neil Armstrong walking the moon un-Michael Jackson style. These words provoke images of achievement. For example, "USA wins shit." That's about the extent to which USA is acting upon something.

The "United States" becomes less of a being and more of just another country. It acknowledges that its on par with everyone else. Even for you Republican individuals, just think of using the USA as that it becomes easy to notice the good things when you refer to something as a country rather than an individual.

So solution = just use "USA", "United States" and you're officially cool.

P.S. Also, I really want to move out of my parents home (as if I could right away. I feel like I'm "outgrowing my crib" so to speak). My parents (I still like em - that's all I can say as I'm gritting my teeth at them at the moment trying to refrain from using some harsh words I would use on random people) annoy me with every little thing they do and only now, living here, am I just realizing it.

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