Him: How can America be strong when you let in Muslims? Aren't you worried that they'll betray you?
Me: Immigrants come to America because they want to be there, and because of that we become loyal to America. But American society also founded on the notion that all religions are equal within American society. We can be members of different religions and ethnic groups and full members of American society at the same time. My best friend was born in a muslim country, and our president's father was born in Kenya.
Him: We had a king once. He built a city, and brought in people from other countries to live in the city. Then there was a war. The other people opened the gates of the city and let in the enemy, and the king was killed.
Also-Bananas here cost 50 cents, and women's haircuts $2.50. Bananas in New York cost 25 cents and women's haircuts $50. Discuss.
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ReplyDeleteThis isn't really so complicated. First, despite all the headlines grabbed by the three monotheistic children of Abraham, the real but under-appreciated power in American religious life rests with the Bananaists. As Schumpeter pointed out in his seminal, unhearlded chapter entitled "Creative Mush," in a country like America, where more than .4 million bananas are consumed daily by each male over the age of ten (more than 20 million consumed daily by just one large male living in Denmark, Maine), the greatest force in setting prices is not the elasticity of demand for or potential supply of competing products, but rather, how close their cultural oneness-in-being is to the pure Platonic essence of The Banana.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea why the prices of haircuts vary from place to place.
Love the conversation, as you can imagine I get just about the opposite over here. Projects are put putting along. My parents just came for a visit and that was an eye opener. Now it's back to business and prepping for a camp. Should be exciting and hopefully the kids will show up, keep your fingers crossed for me. How goes training? Language? Ready to swear-in yet or enjoying the comfort of all the other trainees so close by?
ReplyDeleteWe're doing model school right now. I'm told I should use more visual aids and more Armenian. I think the entire point of visual aids is that I have to use LESS language though. Also, I think my Dad's been reading the Woody Allen lately.
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