Comments on: The real Lonely Hearts’ Club http://www.newnewfrontier.com/2008/04/09/the-real-lonely-hearts-club-fictional-characters-welcome/ Sun, 04 Sep 2011 16:48:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: justsarah http://www.newnewfrontier.com/2008/04/09/the-real-lonely-hearts-club-fictional-characters-welcome/comment-page-1/#comment-11 justsarah Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:12:53 +0000 http://www.newnewfrontier.com/2008/04/09/the-real-lonely-hearts-club-fictional-characters-welcome/#comment-11 The description of this book really resonates with me - I've not read it but I will now. I like the idea of exploring the expectations that come with being [insert nationality here], both outside of your own culture and within it, and especially in that funny twilight zone when you live abroad. Thanks for the tip! The description of this book really resonates with me – I’ve not read it but I will now. I like the idea of exploring the expectations that come with being [insert nationality here], both outside of your own culture and within it, and especially in that funny twilight zone when you live abroad. Thanks for the tip!

]]> By: Dad http://www.newnewfrontier.com/2008/04/09/the-real-lonely-hearts-club-fictional-characters-welcome/comment-page-1/#comment-8 Dad Thu, 10 Apr 2008 03:10:19 +0000 http://www.newnewfrontier.com/2008/04/09/the-real-lonely-hearts-club-fictional-characters-welcome/#comment-8 I know that damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't feeling. In the situation you describe at the end of your post, anything you might have said would have been wrong in somebody's view, but saying nothing was not an option at all. "Can we all get along?" asked Rodney King. Sometimes, sadly, the answer is no. You can't, for example, get along with someone who is determined not to get along with you. You've been at 162 long enough now that you could call out anyone who gave you that "we can stand up for ourselves" brand of patronizing crap. Another way of saying this is that you now have the right to decline to be profiled. Anyway, a great story beautifully told! I know that damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t feeling.

In the situation you describe at the end of your post, anything you might have said would have been wrong in somebody’s view, but saying nothing was not an option at all.

“Can we all get along?” asked Rodney King. Sometimes, sadly, the answer is no. You can’t, for example, get along with someone who is determined not to get along with you.

You’ve been at 162 long enough now that you could call out anyone who gave you that “we can stand up for ourselves” brand of patronizing crap. Another way of saying this is that you now have the right to decline to be profiled.

Anyway, a great story beautifully told!

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