I'd load up on stuff that is wrong with Nigeria and the Muslim faith and go to town on them, instead of telling them to shut up. See how they like it.
If I heard people from outside the US bashing the country, I would be tempted to say something like what you said. However, based on the short description you gave, it sounds like they were bashing American people, not the country itself. I wouldn't have a problem with that.
Agreed. If the professor is being foolish enough to allow this sort of conversation (assuming that is not the point of the class) - load up with factual data and obliterate the opposition. Given the example above, it should be easy.
Criticism and judgement runs rampant in society. Humans tend to focus on negatives rather than appreciate positives. I think the main reason there's a lot of America bashing in your class is because it's the largest thing they have in common. When I'm with my USC friends, there a lot of USC bashing. ***** that school. I support your choice to speak up though. De-constructive criticism can be a costly social mistake, and I hope you made them realize that, but don't take it personally.
Let's not be too hasty here, I think the Nigerian chick has a very valid point. As an American, I am willing to compromise: I will take on the several wives aspect but not the religion.
<br> Best part is that a woman was saying it's a good thing to have many wives?!?!! If only the girls I dated believed in that....
You're obviously not married... I barely have the energy to talk to one wife... more than that would render me a slobbering vegetable.
I got no problems with foreigners who are in America critizing the bad stuff we have here , but for every 1 bad I can name a dozen good things so if these Nigerian douches or wherever the hell they're from that can't say one good thing about our beloved country, you have my 100% support to open a can of smack down on them. BTW, back in my college days, after 2 weeks of continually America bashing by this 300lbs angry, fugly, femi-nazi psych professor with a hairy upper lip, I couldn't take it anymore so I called her out in front of the class and dropped her class on the spot. My only regret was I didn't give her a wedgy on that giant backside before I left!
I would never go to another country and start talking crap about that country or its people. I would wait until I'm out of that country before I started with the complaining.
These people are American. They are foreign-born American. Almost every single American family was born in another country at some point in time. There is absolutely NO RULE for number of generations you have to be in America to be considered American. Also, supporting Islam does not necessarily equate to bashing America. Islam is a religion, America is a country. Nigeria is approximately half Christian. It's very unclear to me what's going on. Whether polygamy should be allowed in America is a debate on its own. My concern is why the place of birth of these people is being considered in whether their comments are appropriate. They are not saying anything an American Muslim should not, would not or is not allowed to say. Whether they are right or worng is a debate, but suggesting it is also a debate. If the issue is with the WAY they are talking, being rude or disrespectful, then I would definitely ask them to speak with respect. However, claiming that an American policy, rule, law or whatever is hypocritical - that does not constitute a rude statement. Even the PRESIDENT of America could make such a comment and it would be fine. That is freedom of speech in your country. You say enough is enough but there is no such thing as enough of freedom. Demanding respect, as far as I'm aware, is a personal thing which you need to sort out personally with them. You have to understand that they may view their own statements very patriotically - after all, they bellieve that their ideas would better America and therefore their intention is to improve this country which has adopted them, a country where almost all are adopted.
The Nigerian could be Christian... telling them off by going on and on about the crap Muslims do would be a good way of exemplifying some good ole' fashioned American ignorance... but I get a feeling that you are probably being sarcastic. I don't know, though. As for the OP: I don't see why you didn't confront them earlier, and not let yourself get to the brink of your own anger. I don't see a problem in confronting someone and telling them that you don't like the things they're saying (as long as you don't come off as hostile). But letting that stuff go until a point where you just snap isn't good for any party involved.
I would either make fun of America with them (since the good ol' US of A is becoming somewhat of a joke due to the politics and stupid citizens these days), or simply take a different approach. Instead of telling them that America is better than Nigeria, I would take a "well it's not THAT bad" approach. Your approach was simply combative.
My ego and ideology says read a US history textbook that covers the mid-19th century to right after WWII, just to remember that most of our important social and political movements were started by dissident immigrants. But in the context of your situation, you should probably speak with the department head, dean of the college AND VP of Student Affairs. Kicking a paying student out of the class, especially for responding to comments from other students, seems like a bit of a sticky wicket; or at least a sign that the prof should establish clear rules of decorum up front. It should be worth noting that your comments were personal attacks directed at the students, whereas theirs were probably targeted at the government/society and pretty germaine to a poli-sci/history/social sciences course.
I can't think of any country I wouldn't be critical of, and I like most places in the world and think I'm appreciative of different cultures. No place on Earth has everything, and if you miss something in your old home it's natural to complain. In all fairness though, it's part of the the whole cycle of culture shock. You have a honeymoon phase where everything is better than home but after time you become alienated by the things that are different and you complain about it. Eventually you get over it and learn to adapt, but that situation is normal for every immigrant that ever moved anywhere, and it's probably healthy to vent with other immigrants.
