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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMy Parents Hid Me from Reagan
During Reagan's term in office, my parents and I lived overseas. We had nothing to fear when we were at home on an American compound, but we frequently took trips to other countries. As a precursor to one of these trips, my parents warned me not to let anyone know I was American because they were worried the rest of the world viewed Reagan (and all Americans by extension) as arrogant bullies. They made me promise that if anyone asked where we were from, I would tell them we were Canadian. That was playing it safe.
This memory just popped into my mind a couple of days ago. I think it puts being American in perspective when a person is traveling or living abroad. I know that the rest of the world joined the protests on Saturday, but you still have to wonder what the average person in a foreign country really thinks about us.
Ellen Forradalom
(16,159 posts)I too travelled a lot during the Reagan years and remember the embarrassment when the US commit some particularly heinous act. "I'm Canadian" was a pretty common sidestep.
PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,750 posts)Australians would ask us what we thought of the new President, and we were at pains to tell them we did NOT vote for him.
I'm sure it's going to be vastly worse for Americans abroad in the foreseeable future.
Initech
(99,915 posts)And my British friends were asking me what we thought of Trump then. And that was back when his campaign was first starting. I told them I would think there's absolutely no chance in hell that he could get elected and that most people thought of him as a joke. I think if I go back, it will be much different to explain now.
Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)actually didn't travel too much at all. I recall a wage freeze and a wage roll back in those years so the money was a bit tight.
Qanisqineq
(4,826 posts)I said I was Canadian if I was asked. This was after getting rude comments to being American. I traveled to Italy during that time and people kept assuming I was German even though I don't speak a word of German. I didn't correct them.
ProudLib72
(17,984 posts)that I remembered after the initial post is that I witnessed Reagan transferring arms to Saddam. We lived in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia in the mid 80s. One day my dad and I were driving along the coast road and got passed by a deuce and a half with a tarp covering the rear section. When the tarp moved, it exposed a full load of missiles. U.S. army truck heading north to Kuwait + bed full of missiles = not difficult to determine what was going on.
Buckeye_Democrat
(14,848 posts)If "Trailer Park Boys" is any indication, they might get away with it!