Comments on: From The Archives -- Our 51st "Estado" http://www.chrisweigant.com/2012/11/08/from-the-archives-our-51st-estado/ Reality-based political commentary Sat, 02 May 2026 07:43:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Kevin http://www.chrisweigant.com/2012/11/08/from-the-archives-our-51st-estado/#comment-29462 Kevin Fri, 09 Nov 2012 17:09:08 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=6524#comment-29462 Michty, This is an OLD tradition. In 1973 when my girlfriend and I spent three months in Europe, to ensure that our status as Canadians was established, we had Canadian flags on our packs. We met many Americans even then who had Canadian flags on their packs as they were ashamed of the antics of their older fellow compatriots. Michty,

This is an OLD tradition. In 1973 when my girlfriend and I spent three months in Europe, to ensure that our status as Canadians was established, we had Canadian flags on our packs. We met many Americans even then who had Canadian flags on their packs as they were ashamed of the antics of their older fellow compatriots.

]]> By: michty6 http://www.chrisweigant.com/2012/11/08/from-the-archives-our-51st-estado/#comment-29441 michty6 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 14:46:38 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=6524#comment-29441 CW, David <I>Q: What do you call a person who speaks one language? A: "An American." It's ridiculously close to being true, though</I> Us Brits are pretty bad too on this front... I find it very embarrassing. I find that we get away with it more though because Americans have a much bigger reputation for ignorance than we do (to be clear I am not saying this is true, just that it is perceived as so. I have travelled with Americans who say they are Canadian to avoid the hassle...) CW, David
Q: What do you call a person who speaks one language?
A: "An American."

It's ridiculously close to being true, though

Us Brits are pretty bad too on this front... I find it very embarrassing. I find that we get away with it more though because Americans have a much bigger reputation for ignorance than we do (to be clear I am not saying this is true, just that it is perceived as so. I have travelled with Americans who say they are Canadian to avoid the hassle...)

]]> By: dsws http://www.chrisweigant.com/2012/11/08/from-the-archives-our-51st-estado/#comment-29432 dsws Fri, 09 Nov 2012 12:18:30 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=6524#comment-29432 <i>But the point is, we didn't do that 100 years ago to PR, back when nobody had heard the term "politically correct." Successful empires are supposed to crush colonies, and force them to knuckle under. But we as a country have always been wary (or even amibivalent) of actually "being" an empire, so we didn't act as harshly as some other European empires at the time.</i> We didn't do it to Puerto Rico. But we had no ambivalence about subjugating the "domestic dependent nations" of our contiguous land empire. But the point is, we didn't do that 100 years ago to PR, back when nobody had heard the term "politically correct." Successful empires are supposed to crush colonies, and force them to knuckle under. But we as a country have always been wary (or even amibivalent) of actually "being" an empire, so we didn't act as harshly as some other European empires at the time.

We didn't do it to Puerto Rico. But we had no ambivalence about subjugating the "domestic dependent nations" of our contiguous land empire.

]]> By: dsws http://www.chrisweigant.com/2012/11/08/from-the-archives-our-51st-estado/#comment-29431 dsws Fri, 09 Nov 2012 12:13:25 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=6524#comment-29431 <i>American tourists who seem to think that: "a-NY-bo-DY... who... speaks... ENG-lish... SLOW-ly... E-nough... and... who... e-NUN-ci-ATES... their... WORDS... well... E-nough..." can be understood by anyone on the planet, no matter what language they speak.</i> It's ridiculously close to being true, though. Tourists who go try to speak the language of their destination get answered in English. If someone from Algeria and someone from Zambia need to communicate, odds are, they use English. American tourists who seem to think that: "a-NY-bo-DY... who... speaks... ENG-lish... SLOW-ly... E-nough... and... who... e-NUN-ci-ATES... their... WORDS... well... E-nough..." can be understood by anyone on the planet, no matter what language they speak.

It's ridiculously close to being true, though. Tourists who go try to speak the language of their destination get answered in English. If someone from Algeria and someone from Zambia need to communicate, odds are, they use English.

]]> By: nypoet22 http://www.chrisweigant.com/2012/11/08/from-the-archives-our-51st-estado/#comment-29421 nypoet22 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 00:31:28 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=6524#comment-29421 potentially the coolest thing about having puerto rico as a state would be the new flag! potentially the coolest thing about having puerto rico as a state would be the new flag!

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