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| THE PEACE BETWEEN
MEN AND WOMEN IN THE PHILIPPINES |
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First, there is the image of the United States itself, the worldwide champion of justice and freedom. Over the past century, American men have earned the honor of being the world's liberators, going to war frequently and fighting courageously and resolutely to uphold the weak and oppressed, beat up the world bullies and evildoers and free the captive. G.L's in particular have a well-deserved reputation for kindliness toward noncombatants, respect for countries they enter and overall good behavior outside safety zones where they are permitted to blow off steam.
Second, the peacetime image of the United States is of a country whose oldest tradition is to be modern. The rest of the world generally looks upon us ordinary Americans as a nation of hard working, industrious problem solvers whose innovations and inventions lead to a better and more prosperous life for most people. During my service in Vietnam, I discovered that Vietnamese marveled at things that we take for granted. To them, it was nothing short of miraculous that we could put menthol in cigarettes and deodorant in soaps.
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Third is the sexy image of American men created by our pop culture, especially Hollywood. Our screen heroes are always larger than life and seem to embody the ideals that have made our country great, all the while being lovers and humanitarians at the same time. And our popular music has been called our greatest goodwill ambassadors. That too represents our ideals, especially jazz, with its emphasis on improvisational freedom, and rock and roll, with its message of defiance of oppressive authority.
Finally, women's liberation takes different forms in different countries. Here it is the assumption of autocratic rule over the male gender. But in other countries, it is the genuine striving of women to choose how they would live their lives, including choosing their mates.
There, women look at their own men and instinctively conclude that American men are not only physically attractive, but work harder, are less domineering and more respectful, have more easygoing personalities and are more loyal and faithful than their own men. You might think that fidelity is a most reasonable and just demand that can be easily honored if you find the right woman. But in countries heavily populated with beautiful, sexy
women (Colombia and Brazil come readily to mind) the poor guys face temptation every time they walk out their front door.
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Copyright 2001 Dexter-Horn Productions All rights reserved |
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