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Arrogant factoids:
Term arrogance by dictionary definition means; a feeling of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or presumptuous claims. Term American as a noun by dictionary definition means; an Indian of North America or South America, a native inhabitant of North American or South America, a citizen of the U.S.A. Term american as an adjective by dictionary definition means; of or relating to America, of or relating to the U.S.A and its territories, of or relating to the division of mankind that comprises Indians of North and South America. Term clown by dictionary definition means; countryman, farmer, rude ill-bred person, boor, a fool jester or grotesquely dressed comedy performer in a circus. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) reports:
Passport:
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Americanism. The word american was actually slang for "everything American." Dictionaries in the United States have adopted the term. Arrogant american remains slang for "people from the United States who think they and their ways are superior" to others.
The "American president," the "Americans sent troops in the Gulf," and "unemployment in America continues to rise...." are examples in the media to reference people and activites in The United States, even though the term ignores the American Indian, and the residents of Canada, Central American and South America. Even dictionaries don't include Canada as "American." Is this arrogant?
Calling someone from the Americas, the two continents sliced only by a thin canal at Panama, "american" is technically correct. But the term is sanctioned to refer only to those from the United States, perhaps that itself is simply arrogant. How did this term gain recognition? How does any slang word gain recognition... simply through its use. Peculiarly or not, the term "american," did not begin in the United States, it was used by the British, or to be exact, citizens of England in the early 1800s. At that time, England was thought of as arrogant by other nations and cultures. During the late 1700s and early 1800s, Great Britain was afterall the world's super power, even having lost to the "americans." Arrogantly so, the British saw only one other true player on the map -- America-- the French were simply ignored.
Two hundred years later, and after the United States invaded Iraq, no country on the American Continents associate themselves with the United States. Aggression in the Middle East, afterall, has been seen as evil by those who do not practice such aggression in a modern world. With a climate of preemptive strikes played under George W Bush's administration, the door is now open for other countries to follow the trend. Some countries in the Americas are preparing, and hope to become the second America's superpower. (They are american by the way.)
Brazil and Argentina, (americans,) have begun their nuclear arms build-up despite threats from the White House to abandon such weapons and against United Nations nuclear weapons regulations. Peru is considering a nuclear weapons program. The White House gives financial aid to South and Central American countries. The White House also stipulates these countries may not build up nuclear arms. But since 2001, South American countries have thumbed their noses at the Bush administration. Who is arrogant now?
If I were to write the definition for "arrogant american," I would describe them to be, certainly the man who shouted at the frenchman, but also I would include the 80-85 percentage of U.S.-residents who do NOT own a passport, for I believe they are arrogant too. It would also include residents who believe there is only one true democracy in the world, that under the White House, and that we in the United States pay the least income tax of all industrialized countries. Those beliefs are arrogant. And finally, I would add to this description anyone of the 40 percent of U.S.-voters who actually do not vote.
Until such a definition is written and accepted as part of the English language, the French waiter will continue to work at Le Clown, earning his wages and tips, and serving the american -- hopefully his last -- arrogant american.