Why does this offend you??

I have no clue what you are talking about so I can't really respond. Did you call someone a name or use a racial slur? I am just trying to figure out why someone would be so upset.

I would be defensive if you mentioned my country in a negative way. You may be only just commenting towards that one particular person but when you state the country where they are from, you are 'attacking' their heritage and everything they grew up with. You are 'attacking' their loyalty, their faith and everything about them. I understand you did not state that everyone from that country is like that one person, but you are still 'attacking' their country as a whole when mentioning where they are from.

This has not happened yet but no I would not feel that if someone mentioned my country that they were attacking me in any way . I did have a similar if not different experience though when I responded to a discussion on how I felt about abortion . I did not say that everyone had to feel the way I did or that I hated anyone that did this but was attacked because I said I was against if for certain reasons . I stated my reasons , also stated why I felt the way I felt and stated that this was just my opinion and that it did not need to be the opinion of others but was my own and was attacked because of what I said . I have a feeling some people don't bother to read our answers and take it totally wrong and instead of re-reading it to see that they may have taken it the wrong way they decide to attack . In my opinion ( again my opinion , does not have to be everyones ) I feel that when others attack they are doing this out of immaturity . This is a site about opinions and feelings and when we say something others need to realize that we are talking from our experiences and not about them unless we have stated we were talking about them . If you do not agree with how I feel on something then you are are entitled to feel this way and I should be mature enough to understand that you have the right to state how you feel without getting all on the defensive and attacking you even if you completley disagree with me .

I know which discussion you're talking about, and I can tell you now - the only reason it became racially motivated is because the intended target of the discussion made it that way. This person lied brazenly about what was said and how it was said, then she had the gall to imply racism or xenophobia. People picked up on that implication, and without really reading the thread in question, they just began believing what she said. Comments which just happen to have your nation of origin in them aren't usually racially or ethnically motivated, and shouldn't be percieved as such. If I got pissy about every discussion I saw that mentioned the negative trait of an American or group of Americans, the stress would've turned my hair grey by now. Heck, I don't even let the cheap shots at Americans, or more specifically, southern Americans, bother me because it just isn't worth it. Unless they're talking about me specifically, I take whatever they say to mean it's intended for a specific person or group of people to which I'm unrelated.

Hi there Cyntrow, I'm only responding because it's you because I did not see the discussion. I do know that I've made discussions with such innocent intent and suddenly someone comes along and blasts me down as if I were insulting a whole group of people. It really throws you back. I'll go back and re-read what I wrote trying to understand what I could possibly have said to make this person feel this way. I try to look at it from different angles....sometimes I just don't get it so I just laugh it off and assume that they didn't read my post entirely or read so fast that they missed the entire point. Sometimes people read a line or two and "think" they know where you are going with it and after that, it's all over. I have actually done it a time or two and had to go back and appologize...feeling like the idiot that I often am.

The political correctness, racism thing has gone from being the blatant obvious remarks to just about anything one person says to another. I think some of the remarks that sports announcers have made are ignorant, but not racist. However if someone says that people of a race are good in a certain sport because of height, etc. it is considered a racist remark. I don't get that.

I am bombarded with comments from people of that nation calling me racist and acting as though I had just shot their mother Ah some ppl just need to natter, complain and jump on others dont they ..Childish...NOW IF you had made a general statement implying that a specific race, country etc etc was such n such then I'd understand BUT since you were ONLY talking about a specific person then I dont see what the issue is OTHER THAN THE SIMPLE FACT that ppl need to complain and carry on about something regardless of whether or not their b!tching is valid .. So, if someone mentions your country in a discussion are you instantly on the defensive? If so, Why?? Pfft hell no....Just because I'm Canadian doesnt mean I AM CANADA..make sense?

based on what you described I think it's kind of strange that some people of certain nationality would jump all over you just because you stated that a person of that particular nationality is doing something questionable. but then again it may not be what you said but how you said it. without reading the discussion itself I can't really say more.

I do agree with you for the most part. Simply stating where the person was from should not create such negativity. Perhaps it was pertinent to explain the comment better. Different places have different customs and a comment from a person from one country might sound horrible while if someone from another country said it, it would be normal. It's not like you were saying this person said this BECAUSE they are from _____ and we all know that they are stupid (or whatever). I wouldn't get offended if a person made a reference about someone from here unless it was obviously meant to be a slam against all people from here.

What makes me even more curious is why this person asked to be my friend when i wasn't even involved anywhere near the discussion????..Couldn't be a coincendence could it?

I don't get it either. When someone mentions that President Bush is from Texas, that doesn't mean that everyone from Texas should stand up and shout that you're talking about them. When you're taking about a kid with a red bike, it doesn't mean that you're speaking about all kids with red bikes. Perhaps the problem has something to do with the language barrier?

No I am not offended. As a matter of fact I don't like the US at all so even if I was prone to being easily offended, mentioning my country wouldn't do it cuz I'd rather be anywhere else right about now. Anyway though I think that people who are so easily offended by something like that are insecure. It's not like you said all americans are like that or whatever. That's just silly.

There are many people that seem to take discussions personally and forget that we are in a public forum. As well there are those people that feel like if you don't agree with them then you are wrong, and don't accept that its just your opinion which may very well different from theirs. I take it all with a grain of salt and expect that these people will be around. Sometimes I think people will read what is already posted and just jump on the band wagon in their response and much is lost from your original discussion.

hmm..maybe they're from the same country..and you might hurt their ego..even though the other one person is what you are pin pointing but some other people take it hard when they read it..but don't take it so hard..

I would not be offended. If that person you were talking about was a horrible person, I would assume that person was not setting a good example for his country. Then again if a whole lot of people from; the nation started to call you a bigot, then I would not think much of that nation for defending a creep like that. I am never on the defensive, but then I do not agree with lots of what Canada stands for now. I am one of the silent majority.

If I am from the same nation I would get offended but I would not comment any harmful statement because I know I’m not that person. I would respect there point of view and opinion. Everyone is entitled to have there own opinion. I have my own mind as not to be easily influence by others. I don’t see any reasons why would they be mad, maybe they just sympathize with the person caused they came in the same nation.

I would not be offended. Like you, if it does not apply to me, why should I be bothered by the statement? However, there are people out there that believe the whole world is against them and out to get them, so the first opportunity that have to jump on that incredulous wagon, they will. Then come the attacks. That is true of religion, or lack there of, politics, raising children... or any other topic that strikes that "I am right you, are wrong" chord in someone.

i think people do it because it's much easier to insult others then trying to teach them why they don't like what you said. i have notice when i start discussion people will call me rude, to almost all kind of stuff tell me i am ingoran (think i spell it right it's too early) but i think no matter if they are from the states or other country most of the time if you don't think or belive what they do they will get upset instead of talking about it

if someone made a remark about someone and where they are from and it was negative i would stick up for that person. i don't tolerate ignorance in any shape or form. if you don't want to be attacked for the things you say then you shouldn't say them or think before you speak.