Edward Piercy

Countries I Wish I Could Be Banned From

Sunday, 30. November 2008, 03:25:30

This is about as close as I would
want to get to Damascus.

A humorous comment by one Opera member on one of Darko's recent posts
about being (supposedly) banned from entering a number of countries got
me to thinking. And you know what happens when I start thinking --
usually another Republic of Bullshit post.

So. What countries would I like to be banned from?

I would say Syria, for one. For a lot of reasons that I won't go into
here, Syria can just go to hell as far as I'm concerned. I'm not talking
about the people of Syria, of course; many of whom I'm sure are fine
people.

I also think it would be cool to have my blog banned in some country or
another. I think there are a good number of countries that more or less
restrict outside internet access. But what I'm talking about here is
having my blog banned specifically.

For example, I think it would be cool to be able to put

BANNED IN MADAGASCAR

at the top of my blog. Just to leave people wondering what the f*** that
one was all about. In truth, I have nothing against Madagascar, and I
love lemurs. But that's the first country that came into my head. So I'm
running with it.

Well, I think I'll have to give it more thought. Stay posted.

Datura, Vol. 1Cars, Raccoons, Brick Walls, Squirrels

Comments

ellinidata # 30. November 2008, 04:06

hmmmmmmmm these are some very interesting posts today Ed!!! You are smoking hot!!! I don't know what you had for lunch but it really gave you the extra protein for creativity!!!

I need to email my girlfriend Nadya, She works at UN and I am sure she will have some amazing links to visit

(not the countries

)

edwardpiercy # 30. November 2008, 04:14

Well I've had two cups of coffee today. Which for me is a lot. More importantly, I'm out of cigarettes, and I'm about ready to claw at the walls until my fingernails bleed like some story out of Edgar Allan Poe.

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Stardancer # 30. November 2008, 04:16

My gramps was born in Syria. I'm glad you clarified that about the people.

It would be cool to be banned from a country or two, wouldn't it?

I love your RoB posts!

edwardpiercy # 30. November 2008, 04:20

Whoops. Oh well, I figured that somebody was going either live in Syria or have some sort of relative in Syria when I wrote the thing. Just about any country I could name, somebody on Opera probably has relatives there.

Just don't tell me the other side of your family is from Madagascar!

Stardancer # 30. November 2008, 04:31

Don't worry, Edward. I never met my grandpa. He died 3 years before I was born. (But you can tell there are Arab genes in my family.

) And I never take offense at one of your RoB posts, or any other post for that matter.

I wouldn't want to visit Syria nowadays, either, BTW. But someday, I hope the region is peaceful enough that people can visit safely. I'd love to go do some genealogical research for that side of my family. And I'd like to see the places that influenced the man he became. His father was born in Beirut, which is another place of familial interest to me.

Kinda hard to picture, ain't it? Lebanon to Syria to Arkansas.

edwardpiercy # 30. November 2008, 04:38

Yes, it's strange.

And speaking of places I would like to be banned from....Arkansas is also on the list.

(Ha! Just joking. In fact I even figured how much it would cost to fly there a while back, if you remember. Theoretically visit, of course.

)

Stardancer # 30. November 2008, 04:40

I do remember. And I wouldn't mind being banned from Arkansas, myself.

There will come a day when I can afford to live wherever I want. Arkansas ain't on that list, lemmetellya'.

edwardpiercy # 30. November 2008, 04:43

Ah, I hope you get there.

Stardancer # 30. November 2008, 04:45

Thanks, Edward. After that little guy with the magic wand gets finished, I will, I'm sure.

Have a good night.

gdare # 30. November 2008, 05:44

you can come closer to Damascus using Google Earth software

edwardpiercy # 30. November 2008, 05:56

Don't want to get any closer! Although if the people of Damascus want to visit my street here in Spokane, they can now do it.

ricewood # 30. November 2008, 10:09

Since the days of the infamous Mohammad Cartoons there are countries in this world I can't (or dare not) enter. Just because I happen to be a Dane.

And I ain't bullshittin'.

edwardpiercy # 30. November 2008, 10:15

Wow. Guilt by nationality. That's terrible. But I suppose not surprising amidst the culture wars (and other wars) that we are having.

ricewood # 30. November 2008, 10:24

I would assume that many people, US-citizens included, are used to that. But for Danes it's something new.

edwardpiercy # 30. November 2008, 14:28

In other words, we Americans are universally detested? And have been for some time? In fact for so long that we have gotten used to it?

You may be right about that one.

But just for the record, I would like to state that I have not personally started any wars over the past 8 years.

Granted, there was that little row I had with the member of that rock band a while back. But that was in no way a war. That was more like a "police action."

ricewood # 30. November 2008, 14:35

Universally detested - well, that would be a slight exaggeration to put it mildly

But about the getting used to it, I'd like to say that your flag has been burned in front of your embassies in many countries at several occasions. Prior to the cartoon-thing, that had never happened to the Danish flag.

Not that it goes as a proof - but then again....

On a personal note I would like to state, that the US represents what is best in this world to me, and also what is worst. Just to clarify things. I like the US people a lot - I talk to you on a daily basis, you see. And you all seem fairly reasonable to me

musickna # 30. November 2008, 15:31

My mother visited Syria about ten years years ago - said it was an amazing country full of astounding antiquities (hardly surprising, really) and the people were very friendly and courteous. It is a shame about the government, alas.

edwardpiercy # 30. November 2008, 19:05

You can find archaeology pretty much anywhere in that whole region. It's sort of like what they refer to talking about a "buyer's market." You've got a lot of choices. Myself, my areas are really farther west than that anyway.

I didn't want to mention any specifics but, yeah, it's the government!