I just heard about the attacks in India. It is horrifying.
Something caught my eye in the MSNBC article:
Alex Chamberlain, a British restaurant-goer at the Oberoi, told Sky News television that the attackers singled out Britons and Americans. He said a gunman, who appeared to be in his early 20s, ushered 30 or 40 people from the restaurant into a stairway and ordered everyone to put up their hands.
"They were talking about British and Americans specifically. There was an Italian guy, who, you know, they said: 'Where are you from?' And he said he's from Italy and they said 'fine' and they left him alone. And I thought: 'Fine, they're going to shoot me if they ask me anything — and thank God they didn't," he said.
Perhaps he just meant that they would recognize his accent, but the way I read it was that he would tell them the truth. If that's the right reading, he is very brave.
What would you do? Would you say that you're an American or would you lie and say you're Canadian or fake a French accent?
I think I would tell the truth. I hope I would.
Posted by Sarah at November 26, 2008 04:22 PM | TrackBackI am a soldier stationed over in Korea, and I have to say, to you, to this Italian man, to anyone who would, or would like to think, that you would tell the truth and tell them you are an American, thank you. Those few Americans that still have that pride are what keeps us going when we are away from our families... You bring out a great deal of good old American pride in me. On Thanksgiving day, Thank you.
Posted by: Gypsy at November 26, 2008 07:03 PMGypsy -- Thank you for that comment. I means a lot to me.
For more discussion on similar topics, read here and follow the links within the post.
Posted by: Sarah at November 26, 2008 07:29 PMI would rather die having told the truth than live with the knowledge that I denied something that is so integral to my very existence. If I had been born in Bagdhad or Mexico City, my life would suck in comparison. If I get the chance to go to India someday, it will be because of the opportunities I had living here in the US to wearn a very decent living, not be considered property, to accumulate the money it would take to travel that far from home.
I can understand someone with more to lose might not be able to make that decision easily. If I had kids, it might be harder. But what I do have are my friends who have served in the military or loved someone who does. I could never bear the thought of having to admit to them I denied the country that they fought and gave up so much for.
Posted by: Code Monkey at November 26, 2008 09:24 PMA little history lesson on how it's done:
Ambrose R. Davenport
September 11, 1772—March 13, 1858
While a prisoner of war during the War of 1812, Ambrose Davenport refused to swear allegiance to the British crown by saying:
"I was born in America and am determined at all hazards, to live and die an American citizen."
He was captured on Mackinac Island and taken to
Detroit for his incarceration. In case any reader
thinks this was easy for him --his wife and SIX
children remained on the island.They were
continually harrassed until his release in 1815.