why "america" and not "colombia"?

scotty says on Jul 22, 2007, 11:08:

every single colombian i have ever met has referred to themselves as Colombians, colombianos, calenas, etc. i have never heard a colombian call themselves an american. I have heard many many colombians refer to me as americano. go figure?

Get Rhythm, when you got the blues. Johnny Cash

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gabolicious says on Jul 22, 2007, 11:13:

That is why... I don-t understand.. I told her ok we call an american american cause that person born in the USA.. and we call ourselves latinamericanos on a general basis, but we call ourselves colombianos, argentinos, mexicanos whatever your nationality might be... we don`t call ourselves "americans" to refer to our nationality....

Elección no canonización....

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Jul 22, 2007, 11:24:

So...is she still your friend after telling her the thesis has about as much substance as a marshmallow?

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gabolicious says on Jul 22, 2007, 11:55:

Tinto LOL she has not gave a call since then...

she said that I was not supposed to evaluate her thesis... but she asked my opinon though... so I read it and said: "is this your master's thesis?, well, do you want me to be honest or do you want me to lie to you?"...

I told her... that her thesis was SO VAGUE and NONSENSE... in other words is BS... I think she got mad... =P

Elección no canonización....

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Simon says on Jul 22, 2007, 11:59:

When I was in Spain, a few Spaniards referred to me as 'Americano', as in someone from the Western Hemisphere/New World.

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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gabolicious says on Jul 22, 2007, 12:02:

Simon... she is spaniard... mmmm that can explain why she thinks so

Elección no canonización....

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goin_south says on Jul 22, 2007, 12:45:

well, basicly gabo- , one can prove jus 'bout anything one wishes to prove, as my young revolutionary ('70's) American History teacher taught us when she asked us to write an essay on "Was the American Revolution REALLY Revolutionary?".

Ciao! Gustav.

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gabolicious says on Jul 22, 2007, 13:35:

GS you may have a point there... but the thing is that my friend has not made any research at all... everything is based on what she has seen or heard; however, to write an essay I think she has to go beyond than the "I supposed..." thing as you say she has to "prove" what she thinks... well I don't know... taking into account that she is writing her thesis

Elección no canonización....

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Colombiano_81 says on Jul 22, 2007, 13:56:

People born in the USA should not be called Americans. They should be called NORTH Americans. If they wanna label us down south as LATIN Americans then they are North Americans plain and simple. Both them and Canadians. In North American culture supposedly there are 7 continents? How stupid is this? North and South America, Australia, Africa, Asia, Antartica,and Europe.. In Colombia they teach us that there are 5 continents...AMERICA, AFRICA, EUROPE, ASIA and OCEANIA. NOT AUSTRALIA. Anyways my point is that in reality anyone living in the western hemisphere or the new world is American without a shadow of a doubt and if you gringos wanna call us latin americans then you should label yourselfs what you are North Americans and not just Americans. Oh also in reality we are not LATIN we are Hispanic. The latins are in Europe such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, etc. ANy country that had its language derived from LATIN.

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gabolicious says on Jul 22, 2007, 14:03:

Las lenguas que tienen su raíz en el Latin son llamadas "lenguas Romance"

Elección no canonización....

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miamimike says on Jul 22, 2007, 14:32:

People born in the USA should not be called Americans. They should be called NORTH Americans. If they wanna label us down south as LATIN Americans then they are North Americans plain and simple. Both them and Canadians. In North American culture supposedly there are 7 continents? How stupid is this? North and South America, Australia, Africa, Asia, Antartica,and Europe.. In Colombia they teach us that there are 5 continents...AMERICA, AFRICA, EUROPE, ASIA and OCEANIA. NOT AUSTRALIA. Anyways my point is that in reality anyone living in the western hemisphere or the new world is American without a shadow of a doubt and if you gringos wanna call us latin americans then you should label yourselfs what you are North Americans and not just Americans. Oh also in reality we are not LATIN we are Hispanic. The latins are in Europe such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, etc. ANy country that had its language derived from LATIN.


Well put Colombianao 81--I often wondered the same thing myself.

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.

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scotty says on Jul 22, 2007, 16:44:

well when you hear the word Americans you just naturally think of people from the USA. To call people from the USA North Americans wouldnt really be correct because North Americans are actually people from the USA, Canadians and Mexicans.
Maybe we could be called USAians?

Get Rhythm, when you got the blues. Johnny Cash

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Philly says on Jul 22, 2007, 16:54:

Christopher Colombus was a heartless motherf**ker. Thank God we were not named after him. In the US, we are finally teaching our students that he was not a good person and how he murdered sooooooooooooo many people.

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Philly says on Jul 22, 2007, 17:06:

But we are not called "Colombianos" after him and our Country is not named after him. He can have a city!!!!!!!!!

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Philly says on Jul 22, 2007, 17:07:

In fact, we should be named after the Indians, they were there first.

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Jul 22, 2007, 17:10:

Which Indians? The warring, slave-owning, human-sacrificing, heartless MF Indians?

;-)

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Simon says on Jul 22, 2007, 17:10:

Philly,

Don't be ridiculous, why was Columbus heartless? He was just a man who had a great vision. It was those who followed to the New World who were heartless!



"well when you hear the word Americans you just naturally think of people from the USA.

Scotty,

Yeah, cause you're from the US!! When I hear the word 'American', I think of anyone from Chile to Canada.

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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gabolicious says on Jul 22, 2007, 17:12:

well my question will be... Colombia or Columbia? in that case...

Elección no canonización....

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gabolicious says on Jul 22, 2007, 17:43:

Philly there are lots of important guys around the world claiming to be saving the world and they have "murdered sooooooooooooo many people" just like Columbus

Elección no canonización....

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ColombianoGringo says on Jul 22, 2007, 17:43:

Strangely enough, Colombia was not the original name of the country. It was called Nueva Granada for a period in the early 1800's.

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ColombianoGringo says on Jul 22, 2007, 17:47:

Simon,

You should really review your history. Columbus was really an evil bastard who enslaved a huge amount of native Americans.

Also,
America was named after an Italian glory hound by the name of Amerigo Vespucci.

Peace,
CG

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gabolicious says on Jul 22, 2007, 17:51:

but colombianogringo do you know why they changed its name to Colombia?

Elección no canonización....

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ColombianoGringo says on Jul 22, 2007, 18:02:

I think the names went back and forth from variations of Nueva Granada to Gran Colombia until finally named Republica de Colombia in the late 1800s.

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gabolicious says on Jul 22, 2007, 18:07:

that is right but Americo Vespucio did not discovered the continent...

Elección no canonización....

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Simon says on Jul 22, 2007, 18:11:

ColombianGringo,

I think you're confusing Columbus with Francisco Pizarro or Hernan Cortés.

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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gabolicious says on Jul 22, 2007, 18:14:

good point simon

"I think you're confusing Columbus with Francisco Pizarro or Hernan Cortés"

Elección no canonización....

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gabolicious says on Jul 22, 2007, 18:35:

who did it then?

Elección no canonización....

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ColombianoGringo says on Jul 22, 2007, 18:38:

Sorry Simon. I don't know why you are so willing to ignore the massive atrocities committed by Columbus and his henchmen. There are several letters written by Colombus that directly mention the enslavement and subjugation of the native peoples. Once the hunt for gold intensified, Columbus and many that followed him killed probably millions of the only real Americans. Columbus was after one thing. The 10% of riches promised to him by the Spanish Royalty. The spread of Catholicism was simply a way for him to sleep better at night.

Unless your family is a recent arrival to Colombia, those natives, along with the Spaniard thieves, murderers and rapists that were sent along with Columbus are your ancestors and mine.

CG

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Frank Rizzo says on Jul 22, 2007, 18:42:

Long live the Vikings !!!!!!!!

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goin_south says on Jul 22, 2007, 18:45:

Who's on Second?
What's on Third?
When's he coming Home?
jeje.... you kids crack me up

Ciao! Gustav.

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goin_south says on Jul 22, 2007, 18:46:

I mean, who really gives a Flyin Duck?

Ciao! Gustav.

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goin_south says on Jul 22, 2007, 18:48:

Mario.... 'The Chinese'.... probably have a current Map of Attack.... to take the entire continent, all the Natural Resources, and Most of the Women.

Ciao! Gustav.

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gabolicious says on Jul 22, 2007, 18:54:

the reason why I asked who did it was not to start a fight, I asked because I attended to school in Argentina and in Mexico and never heard the name of the discoverer of america different from Cristobal Colon's... and if somebody else did it first I would like to know who.. it is nice to pay attention to others because your knowledge might be become wider, don't you think? but I think I'll have to do some research by my own and not precisely on the internet cause sometimes the information is not accurate...

Elección no canonización....

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gabolicious says on Jul 22, 2007, 18:59:

well going south you may don't care about it, but I do cause I feel like I've been cheated all my life, specially when we celebrate oct 12th as dia de la raza

Elección no canonización....

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ColombianoGringo says on Jul 22, 2007, 19:00:

I did not mean to imply that Amerigo Vespucci discovered America. He was simply a guy who supposedly traveled to the New World in the late 1490s and early 1500s. There were some famous letters published in Europe that were attributed to him. The letters recounted tales of the New World and made his name quite famous. However, many historians believe that he either had nothing to do with the letters or that they were written by others based on Vespucci's writings.

I have also heard of these supposed Chinese maps, but have not read anything authoritative about them, There does appear to be a a fair amount of evidence that some Norse tribes visited The eastern coast of Canada well before Columbus accidentally stumbled across what he originally thought was Eastern Asia.

CG

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gabolicious says on Jul 22, 2007, 19:03:

but you have a point:

" 'The Chinese'.... probably have a current Map of Attack.... to take the entire continent, all the Natural Resources, and Most of the Women."

yes! those mofo's are going to take the whole world!!!

"BEHOLD I AM COMING SOON"

Elección no canonización....

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Miguel_Clavo says on Jul 22, 2007, 19:06:

Will you people in the US stop saying that the American Indian was first in what is now the USA?? stop watcing Survivor and American Idol and try watching the Discovery Channel or the International Channel????? The fact is that there are skeletal remains that have been discovered in the modern day US from just about every other continent around which have been dated thousands of years BEFORE the identification of the American Indian......hell, we all come from the amoebas in the sea, so does it really matter?? jajajjaj..

"I would rather die living life, than to live a dying life."........ Oh, and my PM is always ON. Great Bumper Sticker: "Home of the Free, Because of the Brave"

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gabolicious says on Jul 22, 2007, 19:07:

INTERESTING CG thank you for giving me some light on this matter, yes I think I have to do some research....

Elección no canonización....

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ColombianoGringo says on Jul 22, 2007, 19:14:

Miguel,

You are correct in stating that the "Native Americans" are not really native at all. The ancestors of the "natives" most likely came over from Asia via a land bridge in what is now considered the Bering Straits.

That still doesn't change the fact that Columbus was an evil bastard ;)

CG

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Frank Rizzo says on Jul 22, 2007, 19:14:

Miguel C....right you are...

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/printout/0,8816,1169905,00.html

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Miguel_Clavo says on Jul 22, 2007, 19:17:

CG and FR...it is amazing what a little "quality time" with a educational channel (including the National Geographic Channel) will do for the brain...jajjaja..

"I would rather die living life, than to live a dying life."........ Oh, and my PM is always ON. Great Bumper Sticker: "Home of the Free, Because of the Brave"

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Miguel_Clavo says on Jul 22, 2007, 19:24:

jajaja....as a matter of fact mario, there is a doc on some Nazi SS dude right now......the military channel is interesting as well.....=)

"I would rather die living life, than to live a dying life."........ Oh, and my PM is always ON. Great Bumper Sticker: "Home of the Free, Because of the Brave"

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Frank Rizzo says on Jul 22, 2007, 19:27:

Exacto MC....gotta exercise the old sandia....jjajaja.........Mario...it's too funny...the History channel...you're right...it's all Hitler...all the time....lol....

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ColombianoGringo says on Jul 22, 2007, 19:33:

Well Miguel, I actually paid attention in history class.

It is sad to see the ignorance that most North Americans betray with regards to history, geography and other areas of what should be general knowledge.

I enjoy those channels as well, but you should always take them with a grain of salt when it comes to historical accuracy. If a topic interests you, take the time to do a little research and you will find a wealth of information that can't be fit into a 22 minute show or that doesn't make for good entertainment. Over the years, I have seen many examples of grave historical errors on these channels. You have to remember that after all, the programs on these channels are primarily made for entertainment and profit.

Peace,
CG

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bueno_pues says on Jul 23, 2007, 05:24:

"Yeah, cause you're from the US!! When I hear the word 'American', I think of anyone from Chile to Canada."

Los mexicanos y los canadieneses nunca van a llamar sus mismos "Americans". A ellos como nosotros es una palabra para los EEUU. Solamente los americanas sur tienen un problema con esto. Ellos tienen un complejo de inferioridad y es por eso ellos quieren estar llamado "Americans"?

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Monpirri says on Jul 23, 2007, 05:52:

Habla mas que un loro endrogado.

Annette Taddeo for US Congress 2008

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Swinn88 says on Jul 23, 2007, 07:01:

Native americans are native to the U.S.A in the fact that the were here before us. When Europeans came here they found native americans. So yes they are native. The Name Americans was given to The U.S.A. I believe that when people hear the word American they think of The USA regardless of how many of us won't admit that. So please stop with the "you people from the U.S. call yourselves Americans when..... Everyone calls USA America. North America in Fact includes Canada, U.S.A. and Mexico. There has been data documenting the fact that there were arrivals of before colombus. I have an interest in the Vikings that arrived in North America. Perhaps someone can begin another thread on the topic. I think American or USA's are rather more honest than most when it comes to history. Especially their own history. Remember the USA is still a young nation. it's very difficult to tell lies about ones history when it is so young and out in the open. I'm sure trhe channels we subscribe to are wrong occasionally but none of us that I know of have the research capabilities that they have. By the way colombianogringo I would like to know if you would be interested in providing examples of American ignorance with regard to History and geography and such. I never met Columbus so I don't know if he was evil however I do know that what he did is no different than what anyone else has done. Evil or not it's what humans do.

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Swinn88 says on Jul 23, 2007, 07:39:

The Video is an example of what? If we study history you will see the atrocities that we we humans do. It's not malarky ( by the way I have a very good friend and his last name really is Malarky) it's fact. Colombus did what they all do and what they will all continue to do.

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Simon says on Jul 23, 2007, 07:43:

"Everyone calls USA America"

That's BS dude, in Spanish and Portuguese it's called Estados Unidos, in French it's called 'les Etats-Unis', in Italian it's called 'Stati Uniti', etc. It's more like the english-speaking world calls you guys "America".

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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Swinn88 says on Jul 23, 2007, 07:56:

we call the U.S. the United states. it does not change the fact that when people say america they think of the U.S. Walk into a bar, supermarket, salon or whatever. In Colombia, Italy or Iraq and say "those American are buying drinks" and noone is confused. They are not thinking well what part of america. They are not thinking latinos. They are thinking USA. Thats the point I'm Trying to get across. The french call The US Etats Unis The Spanish Estatdos Unidos And I call it the United States. But Everyone Says Americans, Americanos, or however you want to slice it they are referring to The USA. No I dont see the video connection. I asked for an examples of American historical and geographical ignorance, not a clip from Jay Lenos show.

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ColombianoGringo says on Jul 23, 2007, 07:59:

Swinn, I think you are mixing up two separate points. My mention of the average North American's ignorance of history and geography does not directly relate to my point about Columbus.

I was born and have lived in the US my entire life. Sadly most people in this country are geographically and historically illiterate. Most have a very limited understanding of even US history and geography. When it comes to the rest of the world, the people of the US display a level of ignorance that is embarrassing at best. That video could be seen as example of said ignorance, although I would hesitate to call it evidence as the video was edited with the particular aim of illustrating the producer's opinion. I happen to agree with their opinion, but that doesn't qualify the video as evidence.

Peace,
CG

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Swinn88 says on Jul 23, 2007, 08:00:

The united states of America = the states of America that are United. no more, no less.

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Monpirri says on Jul 23, 2007, 08:02:

Or the United States of Colombia.

Annette Taddeo for US Congress 2008

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kalder says on Jul 23, 2007, 08:04:

You say 'American' in the UK and no-one's going to picture Mexicans or Canadians. The word refers to citizens of the United States. Language is organic- whether 'American' being a synonym of 'Yank' ruffles your feathers or not, that's what it's become and, ergo, is.

"kalder- have you ever had a woman?"--Sam Salmon

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Monpirri says on Jul 23, 2007, 08:07:

Better yet, why we don't call the whole American continent, la Gran Colombia!

Annette Taddeo for US Congress 2008

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ColombianoGringo says on Jul 23, 2007, 08:09:

Swinn,

Here is an idea. Ask a few people that aren't academics about the significance of the following topics in history and current events and listen to people's responses. They are all topics that are covered in high school history or social studies classes so they most people should have studied them at one point or another. I remember all these from history classes and I am certainly no academic.



The Federalist Papers

Appomattox Court House

The Magna Carta

Treaty of Versailles

The 95 Theses

The current crisis in Darfur

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Swinn88 says on Jul 23, 2007, 08:20:

I agree with you Colombiano in that respect but the truth is most people are like that. In every country. Who here knows what colombias law 70 is? how many of us know la cuenca de darien? When did the the departamento de panama become the nation of panama? what year did simon bolivar die? it's all general teachings but most people don't know it, or don't remember it.

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Monpirri says on Jul 23, 2007, 08:24:

Good point Swin88, we tend to forget many historical dates.

Annette Taddeo for US Congress 2008

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Swinn88 says on Jul 23, 2007, 08:25:

there are many more examples but I refuse to say that colombians are ignorant of their own history and geography.

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Swinn88 says on Jul 23, 2007, 08:28:

Mario it's still something from a comedy show. That Vid can be made in any country. I think you know this to be true. Gotta run ill be back in an hour or so.

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Simon says on Jul 23, 2007, 08:28:

"You say 'American' in the UK and no-one's going to picture Mexicans or Canadians."

Like I said before, the UK is english-speaking, of course they'll see it how you do!

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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kalder says on Jul 23, 2007, 08:35:

They'll all be Canadians when we get round to forcing them back into the Empire :)

"kalder- have you ever had a woman?"--Sam Salmon

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Jul 23, 2007, 08:36:

Simon, After Putin wakes up in the morning and he's counted his billions, nationalized an oil company and poisoned a few enemies, do you think he turns on the news and starts complaining about the citizens of the United States of America or simply the Americans?

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ColombianoGringo says on Jul 23, 2007, 08:37:

I did not say that you should ask people about the specific dates related those topics, but I would bet that most people in the US have no clue about the significance of the Appomattox Court House, The Articles of Confederacy, The Louisiana Purchase or The French and Indian War.

I think that reasonably educated people in most other developed countries have a significantly better understanding of the history of the world and their country.

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gabolicious says on Jul 23, 2007, 08:44:

CG said " think that reasonably educated people in most other developed countries have a significantly better understanding of the history of the world and their country." mmmm not necessarily.... hay gente inteligente y que sabe de historia en toooodosss lados first or third world countries....

Elección no canonización....

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Swinn88 says on Jul 23, 2007, 11:33:

It's a funny Video. I love comedy but that video could be made in many developed countries including colombia. 20 uneducated people on a video represent 300 Million people? I understand the point your trying to make but I can't get past it just being entertainment. I can't use it to measure the intellect of the USA population in general. Colombian Gringo I can't agree with the statement that most reasonably educated people from other developed countries have a significantly better understanding of the history of the world and their contries.

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Miguel_Clavo says on Jul 23, 2007, 11:43:

lets just call everyone americolombianos...jajajjaja

"I would rather die living life, than to live a dying life."........ Oh, and my PM is always ON. Great Bumper Sticker: "Home of the Free, Because of the Brave"

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Swinn88 says on Jul 23, 2007, 11:49:

Like I said Mario I understand the point your trying to make. The video has been done before many times. You should wake up, fly to colombia, venezuela, brazil, belize, mexico, England, Russia, China, (well maybe not china) ask similar questions and you will find surprisingly similar results to the comedy video shown in this thread. It's not USA ignorance it is ignorance of the world.

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Swinn88 says on Jul 23, 2007, 11:54:

search the net I think you can find similar videos in other countries.

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ColombianoGringo says on Jul 23, 2007, 12:06:

US students routinely do very poorly when compared to other developed countries when tested about history, geography and even math and science. While I understand that tests can be biased and are not a perfect measure of knowledge or intelligence, the patterns do appear to exist.

My dad retired a few years back and then decided to teach high school math. He used to call me arrogant when I would complain about the ignorance of the "Average Joe" in the US. After teaching high school for a few years, he actually apologized to me for calling me stuck up. He now agrees since he sees the unbelievable levels of ignorance displayed by students and teachers alike.

Face it. The US educational system is garbage and our youth are being sent out into the world woefully unprepared to compete in today's global marketplace. Anyone who fails to see that is either in denial or simply not looking very closely. The main problem is that parents are either too lazy or too stupid to teach their children and depend on our decrepit schools systems to do their job for them.

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Simon says on Jul 23, 2007, 12:13:

Pues allá ellos con su ignorancia, a usted qué le importa eso CG, usted es Colombiano, no?

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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Man Tequila says on Jul 23, 2007, 12:17:

Although it was unscripted, it is hard to believe it was not edited for desired effect or comic affect.

Aunque no me creas/ si me lo propongo/ lograre olvidarte/ porque a fin de cuentas/ no soy tan cobarde./ Y termino todo una de estas tardes/ no sera dificil buscar algún sitio donde refugiarme/ donde nunca mas vuelvas a encontrarme. (Polo Montañez)

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Swinn88 says on Jul 23, 2007, 12:22:

Mario I beg to differ about how informed you are. Anyone that won't at least research a topic can't seriously be well informed. Colombian Gringo I actually agree with you. Not enough to state that Americans are ignorant with regard to their history and geography. But enough to say it is true that The US educational system is in shambles, and they are entering a world ill prepared for what awaits them. That I will agree with.

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Swinn88 says on Jul 23, 2007, 12:28:

Man Tequila you are on point. It was edited for the desired effect. I stick to my opinion that Americans are no more or less ignorant than anyone else. Do some research and you will see.

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ColombianoGringo says on Jul 23, 2007, 13:25:

Simon.

Si es cierto que soy Colombiano de sangre y alma, pero nací en los EU y he vivido aquí mi vida entera. Así que me importa y me molesta mucho el estado del sistema educacional en este país. Mis hijos dependen de ese sistema y serán hasta cierto punto, un producto de dicho desastre educacional. Lo bueno para ellos es que tienen un padre, madre y abuelos que se preocupan por educarlos bien y toman el tiempo para complementar lo que les enseñan en la escuela. Pero que pasa con los niños de padres que no demuestran ese interés en la educación de sus hijos?

CG

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Swinn88 says on Jul 23, 2007, 13:33:

I pick my battles Mario. I only comment when I know what I'm talking about. I asked for Examples of American Ignorance with regard to History and geography. I instead got some Comedy show that that you would have me use as an example of american ignorance. I told you that I UNDERSTAND THE POINT YOU ARE MAKING but I CAN"T USE IT TO MEASURE AMERICAN INTELLECT. The Key word is I. So no I can't appreciate the picture that you think it paints. Because I know that THE VIDEO CAN BE MADE IN COLOMBIA AS WELL AS OTHER COUNTRIES. I will not resort to trying to belittle your intellect however I will say this. I don't think you know what your talking about. You talk about the American Empire but yet you continue quote a self professed capitalist entertainer like Frank Zappa. That in itself gives me great insight about you.

I am not rigid Mario In fact I learn from every confrontation. I bend alittle when it's needed. You I have discovered are the rigid. In My reply to CG I conceeded that he was in fact correct and that the educational system is in shambles and children go ill equipt into the world. however ,You did not read that did you.

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Swinn88 says on Jul 23, 2007, 16:49:

Mario slow down im not trying to offend! please do me a favor and research your Frank Zappa and you will find the he was a self professed capitalist regardless of how many commercial audiences he shrugged off for his art. That is A FACT not a generalization. In that respect you know less about FZ and now I know even more about you.

If you are still unable to understand that I have actually agreed with some of what was said then then it's a problem of your own making. In other words "You pidgeon holed yourself". Your use of American Empire if it was not meant with disdain then that is my mistake ( I can admit when I have made a mistake),however I find it hard to believe you meant it any other way.

I believe that you are the one having a problem understandings o in that I would like to request that perhaps you should learn mandarin or teach me mandarin so that I can repeat exactly what I have said here in Mandarin. The way I see it it has gone over your head Mario. You can't see the forest through the trees. Your so busy fighting and trying to insult me that you can't even see that there is no reason to fight anymore.

So...Just for your amusement i'll stay as long as you like with my informed assessments. Please stop quoting Frank Zappa! By the way...your rigidness is what keeps you fighting without cause.

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Swinn88 says on Jul 23, 2007, 17:10:

Also... I don't generalize. Americans are Ignorant of their history and geography is a generalization. Because your so quick to agree I with that generalization I once again beg to differ on your so called knowledge.

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scotty says on Jul 24, 2007, 04:11:

Simon, i dont know where you get your info from but every where i have ever gone from Poland to germany to England to Colombia to where ever i have always been called American.

Get Rhythm, when you got the blues. Johnny Cash

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Simon says on Jul 24, 2007, 16:38:

They called me an 'american' too in those countries.

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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Swinn88 says on Jul 26, 2007, 09:05:

Hi Mario, I'm sorry it took me so long to get back but I have been unable to get to my computer. I will agree with you Mario I am a Capitalist. I have no shame about that. I will agree on another thing. We are both really way off from the original topic. but that often happens here at PBH so you should not be totally suprised about that. furthermore I believe you are trying to convince yourself not me that your reference to the American Empire was not written in disdain, but like you have stated you could care less about what I believe so you just keep on responding to my posts. By the way when I hear people refer to america as the American Empire It is from Anti-American groups, governments, etc. They have all made the reference with great disdain. I can't recall actual USA's using the reference unless they were talking about those anti-american groups, people etc. But that could be because i'm not as informed as you. I have reread the posts and my posts and I assume you have also. therefore I will reassert my previous findings "you have no idea of what you are talking. about".

I think your refering to being a new poster here at PBH (please tell me if thats not what you mean by Noobie) The truth is I'm not that new to PBH. As a matter of fact I have been monitoring PBH for quite sometime. The bottom line is that newness to this site does not preclude members from commenting about colombia. What counts is if they have Knowledge about Colombia. For that matter they should be allowed to comment even if they have no knowledge. From what I can tell, many people have been run from this site because they have been dismissed because of their newness. I'm of the opinion that that is just ridiculous. We should invite and entice newness to this site. Am I off topic? Yup! but that's what we do here. So i'll keep rambling. Have you been fighting me? Yes you have. It's very noticable in your writings even if you won't admit it.

Yes the USA is in flux but thats normal. However it's not a reason for me to predict the end of times for the incredulous American Empire!!!!...The educational system in the U.S. is in shambles as I have agreed with CG. and you stated that you would not let your kids enroll in Public education. I agree. But I don't want my kids in public schools in Colombia either. Why? from my experience kids in public school are at home more often than school during the school year. Not much is taught. Some PBH members that may have had kids in public schools in Colombia may disagree, but my personal experience is nothing good. In fact I prefer public schools in the USA to Public schools in Colombia. Just my opinion guys.

The Video we all watched can be done in colombia with similar results. My wife told me that she viewed Caracol last week and there was a similar piece where people didn't know Simon Bolivar or even what day was independence day (Not a suprise citing the fact that Independece day celebrations happen very rarely in Colombia).

I can agree with the American Educational system is in shambles without saying Americans are Ignorant.


I can agree the Educational system in colombia is the best in Latin America behind Cuba even though 10% of the Adult Population can't read or write.

I know that USA's Are called Americans.

I Don't know why America is called America and not Colombia but I will research it.

Ciao Mario. I'll post in another thread when it peaks my interest. For now i'll just continue to read the hatred that is often spiewed here at PBH.

Just my Opinion.

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