I just cannot see forcing a woman to reveal a part of her body she is not comfortable revealing as

[MADem]

96. It's because the European nations place such stock in their particular cultures and histories.

As do other nations around the globe. They understand their roles in contributing to the betterment of humankind, they value the culture that fostered many of those contributions, and they don't want it kicked over or made to be regarded as less important--they're just not used to being "multi-ethnic" or seeing a lot of different shades and attitudes. It's a difficult transition for them. Some of them just believe that holding the line is the way to go--you want to join US? You have to BE like us. We don't adjust to you, you adjust to us, is the POV.


We are lucky duckies, over here on the other side of the pond, because OUR history is, in essence, the history of the world. Our roots go back to every nation on the earth--we get to take the best from ALL of them, and we don't need to feel proprietary about any one thing (save perhaps Mom, apple pie, and --shudder--NASCAR...ewww!) to "feel" American.

That Venezuelan beauty queen that Trump called "Miss Piggy" who just took her citizenship oath is every bit as American as the first or current head of the Daughters of the American Revolution. We don't go ballistic if people want to keep their customs, their foods, their costumes, their language, etc--in fact, if their foods are good, we'll "culturally appropriate" them and "fuse" them with other foods....and, the way you know you've made it America? That ethnic food will get breaded and deep fat fried at a state fair!!!! And served on a STICK! LOL!

We want our citizens to understand our form of government, in all its messiness and hectoring and disarray--but we really don't care if they can explain it better in their native language. We don't mind if they want to celebrate their ethnic histories and holidays--in fact, we want to join in, any excuse for a party--it's just how we roll.

Of course, you'll always have bigots who hate this group or that, but then their child marries one of "them" -- and they have to re-calibrate.

We're a swirly nation, and we get swirlier as the years go by!