Turns out I’m a “saved” immigrant who’s not content with American society. And that’s not an immigrant story that anyone in America really wants to hear.
Hi Yasha, the truth is that many more immigrants are not content with American society, but they are afraid to admit it, because they were fed myths and know they would be called losers by their own Eastern or Central European societies if they dare to share such opinions. I will never forget the first time I landed in the US (East Coast), I literally thought we took the wrong plane and landed somewhere in a 3rd world country. I could never get used to extreme inequality I witnessed there. When I photographed ghettos of Baltimore and DC, my dad accused me of photoshoping the pictures, such strong was his belief in American paradise. But in fact, it is a loveless society (except for Mexicans who seem to express genuine feelings for each other) and a taugh place for the old, sick, hopeless, poor or colored. It is a police state more so than any other European country nowadays. The fate of immigrants, like myself, who got there after 1991 was not that peachy, we were not "saved"; therefore not needed anymore. And I always hated the 4th of July, this corny celebration (of freedom to reap profits from slaves without sharing them with Brits), crowds of loud, drunk idiots eating hot dogs and god awfull fireworks scaring seals, sealions, dogs and all wildlife, poluting the ocean, what a pathetic display of nationalistic barbarism it is. America is like Microsoft, somebody said once, a mediocre product with great marketing.
“ …miserable, work-obsessed technophilic death cult.”
What a great capsule definition ! Have fewer words ever nailed the entire set-up so clearly, from ‘C’ to shining ‘C’ ?
Nope.
Yet truly merciful in its brevity. Undercover compassion , I think… ya’ gotta’ do that here in hotdog ville.
Dehumanization is our frantic task, 24/7 & it really takes a demented Village to get ‘er done.
Luckily, a curious kid touches down @ LaGuardia 30 years ago & then somehow gathers enough experience & strength to dedicate his natural gift of discernment to the service of us all… to deliver a rousing warning ! ( Picture Paul Revere galloping his exhausted steed from one miserable sleeping town to the next work obsessed hamlet, yelling himself hoarse… )
- Thanks , J.Joslin ( electrician in Detroit, Michigan - just South of the Canadian border w/o even a leaky rowboat to cross over…)
"No matter how people’s life turned out here — whether they’ve been successful as new Americans or are struggling to fit in and make ends meet — let’s be honest: the fact is that this society didn’t let in Soviet Jews like us out of kindness or out of some kind of universal love of all oppressed people. We were let in as part of a Cold War project. We were given special “it” victim status because we were useful to interests of American Empire."
It would be cool if you could engage with a Cuban American (not of the first wave of compradores and enablers of the casino and sugar industries) on how this same type of project is at work to propagandize them on the evils of Cuban socialism that ignores the massive effects of the 60+ year US blockade/embargo and all the sabotage that goes along with it.
Very Good Article. I myself I am from Romania and I can tell that it’s so True how Yasha Described The US influence around the world.
Most people in Europe and neither in the US and Anglo Saxon Countries(Canada, Australia, New Zealand) do not know that there Are two kinds of Human Rights which Even the UN Charter Explicitly says. The Political Rights and the Social/Economical Rights.
The West and Especially Anglo Saxon countries emphasis only the vague concept Political Rights like Freedom of Speech, Free Press and the Right for elections, but that doesn’t matter to most people when they are constantly squeezed financially over the edge, and Usually those Rights that Most Easterners don’t understand is that everything that they like about the West or the US, both true, cliche or False were actually fought tooth and nail by Human Rights Movements and Leftist Organisations for centuries and many
Of them suffered throughout that time, and many blood was spilled, and even those hard fought rights can be easily wiped out in seconds by the Establishment when it feels threatened.
In Short let’s face it, a homeless person will not beg for money in order to buy a newspaper to see which rich fuckhead flew to the moon or what clothing he has bought. A person like that wants a roof above its head, a possibility for a stable life and warm food on the table.
Many African, Latin American and Asian countries on the other hand focus more on the Social/Economic and Cultural Rights, since Many of them were former European Colonies who faced Genocide, Slavery, Looting, Brutal exploitation or any other Horrible acts and they know that the Empty rhetorics against them by US and European Politicians are Empty and Hypocritical, and they argue, correctly that those political rights were never extended in the colonies and faced persecution for even mentioning this, a fact many in the West don’t understand or more precisely wilfully refuse to understand.
The West understands freedom as screaming whatever you want without changing much, especially in the economical sphere, do unlimited business with endless capital flaw without restrictions, and have some Parliamentary Voting. The Global South Understand it as National And Economical independence.
About the Western Left, a Good Part of them has abandoned its real Leftist values of Social and Economic Justice alongside Anti Imperialist Internationalist Solidarity, but embraced Fake Identity Politics, side talking fashion politics such as Political Correctness, the Farcical „Humanitarian Interventionism“ and Parliamentary Liberalism, and they‘ve been duped by Neoliberalisms perverse rhetorics . It is important to address issues such as Woman’s rights and other such issues, but most of them do not touch the economical/Social aspects of it anymore, a dream what bloodthirsty Neoliberals and Neocons wanted the most.
Seems I emigrated to Canada (1993) about the same time you emigrated to the US, its been downhill ever since then - just a little behind the US (as we always seem to be, responding much better to the US "heel" command since the Harper PM days). I'm retired and searching for nations where the government actually gives a real shit about the people, and "living to work" is not the new religion. Everywhere certainly seems to be cheaper now that a cool $1 million is required to get an ugly cookie cutter home in small city Ontario (Hamilton, Waterloo etc.). Suggestions are welcome, Malaysia looks nice (even English speaking) and perhaps Portugal.
That's exactly the problem: most Americans are really convinced there is no other place on earth to live but in their mighty great USA. So let me ask you this: when you visit countries like Canada, Australia, Germany, UK, Netherlands or France, what do you think of these places? Have you ever considered moving there? I already left, and although I cannot escape capitalism, some countries are actually much kinder to humans than the US. They give people social security, health care and decent pensions. Also, I lived in Italy and I cannot confirm it is "filled with fascists". Sure, there are people who still visit Duce's grave and there is some support for the far-right (case of many countries), but Italy has also one of the strongest socialist traditions in the world, we cannot forget that.
Hi Yasha, the truth is that many more immigrants are not content with American society, but they are afraid to admit it, because they were fed myths and know they would be called losers by their own Eastern or Central European societies if they dare to share such opinions. I will never forget the first time I landed in the US (East Coast), I literally thought we took the wrong plane and landed somewhere in a 3rd world country. I could never get used to extreme inequality I witnessed there. When I photographed ghettos of Baltimore and DC, my dad accused me of photoshoping the pictures, such strong was his belief in American paradise. But in fact, it is a loveless society (except for Mexicans who seem to express genuine feelings for each other) and a taugh place for the old, sick, hopeless, poor or colored. It is a police state more so than any other European country nowadays. The fate of immigrants, like myself, who got there after 1991 was not that peachy, we were not "saved"; therefore not needed anymore. And I always hated the 4th of July, this corny celebration (of freedom to reap profits from slaves without sharing them with Brits), crowds of loud, drunk idiots eating hot dogs and god awfull fireworks scaring seals, sealions, dogs and all wildlife, poluting the ocean, what a pathetic display of nationalistic barbarism it is. America is like Microsoft, somebody said once, a mediocre product with great marketing.
“ …miserable, work-obsessed technophilic death cult.”
What a great capsule definition ! Have fewer words ever nailed the entire set-up so clearly, from ‘C’ to shining ‘C’ ?
Nope.
Yet truly merciful in its brevity. Undercover compassion , I think… ya’ gotta’ do that here in hotdog ville.
Dehumanization is our frantic task, 24/7 & it really takes a demented Village to get ‘er done.
Luckily, a curious kid touches down @ LaGuardia 30 years ago & then somehow gathers enough experience & strength to dedicate his natural gift of discernment to the service of us all… to deliver a rousing warning ! ( Picture Paul Revere galloping his exhausted steed from one miserable sleeping town to the next work obsessed hamlet, yelling himself hoarse… )
- Thanks , J.Joslin ( electrician in Detroit, Michigan - just South of the Canadian border w/o even a leaky rowboat to cross over…)
Out of the scope of your Soviet Jew work, but...
"No matter how people’s life turned out here — whether they’ve been successful as new Americans or are struggling to fit in and make ends meet — let’s be honest: the fact is that this society didn’t let in Soviet Jews like us out of kindness or out of some kind of universal love of all oppressed people. We were let in as part of a Cold War project. We were given special “it” victim status because we were useful to interests of American Empire."
It would be cool if you could engage with a Cuban American (not of the first wave of compradores and enablers of the casino and sugar industries) on how this same type of project is at work to propagandize them on the evils of Cuban socialism that ignores the massive effects of the 60+ year US blockade/embargo and all the sabotage that goes along with it.
Very Good Article. I myself I am from Romania and I can tell that it’s so True how Yasha Described The US influence around the world.
Most people in Europe and neither in the US and Anglo Saxon Countries(Canada, Australia, New Zealand) do not know that there Are two kinds of Human Rights which Even the UN Charter Explicitly says. The Political Rights and the Social/Economical Rights.
The West and Especially Anglo Saxon countries emphasis only the vague concept Political Rights like Freedom of Speech, Free Press and the Right for elections, but that doesn’t matter to most people when they are constantly squeezed financially over the edge, and Usually those Rights that Most Easterners don’t understand is that everything that they like about the West or the US, both true, cliche or False were actually fought tooth and nail by Human Rights Movements and Leftist Organisations for centuries and many
Of them suffered throughout that time, and many blood was spilled, and even those hard fought rights can be easily wiped out in seconds by the Establishment when it feels threatened.
In Short let’s face it, a homeless person will not beg for money in order to buy a newspaper to see which rich fuckhead flew to the moon or what clothing he has bought. A person like that wants a roof above its head, a possibility for a stable life and warm food on the table.
Many African, Latin American and Asian countries on the other hand focus more on the Social/Economic and Cultural Rights, since Many of them were former European Colonies who faced Genocide, Slavery, Looting, Brutal exploitation or any other Horrible acts and they know that the Empty rhetorics against them by US and European Politicians are Empty and Hypocritical, and they argue, correctly that those political rights were never extended in the colonies and faced persecution for even mentioning this, a fact many in the West don’t understand or more precisely wilfully refuse to understand.
The West understands freedom as screaming whatever you want without changing much, especially in the economical sphere, do unlimited business with endless capital flaw without restrictions, and have some Parliamentary Voting. The Global South Understand it as National And Economical independence.
About the Western Left, a Good Part of them has abandoned its real Leftist values of Social and Economic Justice alongside Anti Imperialist Internationalist Solidarity, but embraced Fake Identity Politics, side talking fashion politics such as Political Correctness, the Farcical „Humanitarian Interventionism“ and Parliamentary Liberalism, and they‘ve been duped by Neoliberalisms perverse rhetorics . It is important to address issues such as Woman’s rights and other such issues, but most of them do not touch the economical/Social aspects of it anymore, a dream what bloodthirsty Neoliberals and Neocons wanted the most.
Seems I emigrated to Canada (1993) about the same time you emigrated to the US, its been downhill ever since then - just a little behind the US (as we always seem to be, responding much better to the US "heel" command since the Harper PM days). I'm retired and searching for nations where the government actually gives a real shit about the people, and "living to work" is not the new religion. Everywhere certainly seems to be cheaper now that a cool $1 million is required to get an ugly cookie cutter home in small city Ontario (Hamilton, Waterloo etc.). Suggestions are welcome, Malaysia looks nice (even English speaking) and perhaps Portugal.
Hm what? We don’t have to stay in America, we aren’t even Americans. ‘Privileged’ to have another motherland.
That's exactly the problem: most Americans are really convinced there is no other place on earth to live but in their mighty great USA. So let me ask you this: when you visit countries like Canada, Australia, Germany, UK, Netherlands or France, what do you think of these places? Have you ever considered moving there? I already left, and although I cannot escape capitalism, some countries are actually much kinder to humans than the US. They give people social security, health care and decent pensions. Also, I lived in Italy and I cannot confirm it is "filled with fascists". Sure, there are people who still visit Duce's grave and there is some support for the far-right (case of many countries), but Italy has also one of the strongest socialist traditions in the world, we cannot forget that.
Haha. But you know what, being a doomer is actually being an optimist in this dumb upside down world.
I really agree. Keeping a clear and high bar about people and crazy culture is actually an important stand.