[Ken]

I've traveled to France four times over the past 10 years, and I have always found them to be generally friendly, curious about America and generous with their time. This is especially true in the countryside. Paris is a large city where you are more likely to be treated rudely, like you would be in a large U.S. city. The older French people still have fond memories of American GIs liberating their country. The younger folks are intrigued by American music and films.

User Detail :  

Name : Ken, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 47, City : Milwaukee, State : WI Country : United States, Occupation : writer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Ken]

I admire your courage and individuality. A few years ago, I taught a journalism workshop for minority high school students. I knew young African-American students who spoke grammatical English, worked hard and had every reason to expect to be successful one day. And yet the things they were telling me were appalling. They told me that other black kids accused them of 'acting white,' as if working hard and being responsible were a white thing, and the opposite was black. You just keep being yourself. The whole world will hear from you one day.

User Detail :  

Name : Ken, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 47, City : Milwaukee, State : WI Country : United States, Occupation : writer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Ken]

I was taking pictures once of people lining up to march in a parade, and spotted some individuals with umbrellas with watermelon patterns on them. They were members of Milwaukee's Third Ward, and the watermelon is the unofficial icon of that neighborhood, because of the fruit markets in that part of town. I snapped a photo of an African American man with his watermelon umbrella - not because he was black, but because he was standing in such a way that the sunlight hit him just right. At first he smiled for me, and I snapped the picture. But then his expression changed and he became visibly agitated. He didn't say anything - only glared. I assumed he thought I was taking his picture because of the connation between a black man and a watermelon. I felt badly for him, and embarrased for myself, so I moved on.

User Detail :  

Name : Ken, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 47, City : Milwaukee, State : WI Country : United States, Occupation : writer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Ken]

People like to project an image that confirms their own self image, or what they would like others to think about them. Some people drive SUVs to say 'I am a rugged outdoorsman', even though their lifestyle demands no more ruggedness than driving to the local grocery store. To white people, a skin tan projects a leisurely lifestyle that says 'I am so unhurried, so laid back, so immune to the pace of modern life that I can spend hours of totally non-productive time lying in the sun,' presumably watching the waves roll in. I don't think a white person's pursuit of a tan has anything to do with not accepting our skin color. A case in point - I remember my first summer after graduating from high school. I had a boring day job as a hospital security guard. Two of my more fortunate high school buddies (both white) spent the summer goofing off. I remember how angry I was when they made fun of my pasty white complexion, not because of their hatred of white people, but because what it said about how I spent the summer. Their message was 'We had fun all summer. You had to work. Don't you wish you were us?' Later, while disposing of their lifeless corpses in a local gravel quarry, I reflected on the value of hard work, and knew that I had made the right decision.

User Detail :  

Name : Ken, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 47, City : Milwaukee, State : WI Country : United States, Occupation : writer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Ken]

If Israel did not exist, its enemies would have to invent another reason for their anger. The fact is, the Islamic nations of the world hate the west because the West is rich, and they are not. Why is this so? Because the West values liberal democratic traditions such as secular government, free speech, and representative government. If the US suddenly declared itself a Christian theocracy, and started oppressing non-Christians and women, its economy would sink to third world levels. The US does not support Israel out of some deep seated hatred of Islam, or because Jews control the government. The US, and most Americans, sympathize with Israel because Israel is a democracy surrounded by enemies who are not.

User Detail :  

Name : Ken, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 47, City : Milwaukee, State : WI Country : United States, Occupation : writer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

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