I had a couple of my posts taken down by Keith Redmond at the American Expatriates Facebook Group.
The first made use of Lebron James comment, ‘I’m the best player in the world’.
I wrote, “Mirror Mirror on the wall, who is the best basketball player of them all?” Keith Redmond, the co-administrator of the Facebook group asked me what relevance it had to the group and I said it is analogous to American exceptionalism, “Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who is the most exceptional of them all?” It is really about the National Narcissistic Personality Disorder from which Americans suffer as a nation. It leads to the USA unilaterally imposing FATCA on the rest of the world as so beautifully captured in this video, which is still the best explanation of FATCA ever:
The second censored post reported on the State Department’s denunciation of Dominican Republic citing the United Nations human rights provisions. I said the USA was hypocritical because it violates the human rights of its own expats.
Then as Deedee Gierow, the Democrats Abroad co-administrator of the American Expatriates Facebook group, posted that she was sick and tired of all the bashing of the USA and that she, Keith and others were working very hard to lobby Washington (Facebook link). This solicited a discussion in which Redmond and Gierow heroically defended the purpose of the group and that they would henceforth delete any America-bashing content.
The American Expatriates group’s mission is to inform, educate, and provide the most up to date information regarding United States government policies affecting the lives of Americans living overseas. It is extremely important to mitigate the misconceptions about Americans living outside the United States vis-à-vis the public at large
It remains unclear to me how it is possible to have a group which discusses Citizenship Based Taxation and FATCA from an expat’s perspective without being anti-American. This is the conundrum–either the content is irrelevant (e.g., cookie recipes) or it is anti-American–e.g., discussions of the lives that are being ruined by FATCA and CBT. How do you stand by and allow innocent people to be destroyed by a foreign government and say positive things about that government?
There was some back and forth between myself and some of the other active members of the group, in which I learned that I am argumentative and offensive. Really? That really surprised me.
My third censored post was a comment: if we can’t really complain about how the USA is treating us, then we are supposed to be like a battered spouse, who quietly accepts abuse, and so I posted a link to the following page and suggested the situation was comparable to spousal abuse: Intimate Partner Violence Dynamics.
It seemed like Expat Forum deja vu, when I concluded that a censored forum is an oxymoron. So later when I suggested that some people would indeed leave the group because it wasn’t a safe place anymore, Redmond told me to leave. So I suppose my days are numbered.
I guess that is all I can write for now. My knee is bothering me and it is hard to stand up at my desk. In any case, it is good that some people are trying to lobby the US government, but I have no faith that that will change anything. So perhaps my cynicism and pessimism is not welcome in best of all worlds–but certainly not on certain “forums”. Cheers to you all.
A censored forum IS an oxymoron. I have had a few quips immediately deleted there as well. I wish them Godspeed in their efforts, but as I am gearing up for a huge fight, I find it counterproductive to get a warm and fuzzy feeling for a government that seeks to destroy my life. I lack the patience to abide by political correctness, so I feel unable to offer any thoughts there, for fear of watching my efforts disappear before my eyes. Best of luck to them, and indeed, to all of us.
I thoroughly hate the USA for what it’s doing to our family and especially to my wife. In fact, I’d love to see every damned self-glorifying monument to that piece of shit nation destroyed. I feel sick to my stomach everytime someone says “The USA is our friend.” In fact I feel like projectile vomiting. I’ve sworn that I’m not setting foot in the United States and I’m seriously thinking about going to the Abbotsford Airshow this year and handing out FATCA pamphlets. The USAF is back with their damned F-22 Raptor built at taxpayer expense (even those of us who don’t even live in that godforsaken nation).
Fortunately for the US the F-22 raptor was cancelled. No more planes will be built. So it looks like the US will be stuck along with Canada with the good ole CF-18.
I personally love telling homelander Americans that unnamed Brocker’s spouse helped build the Dassault Rafale fighter jet for France(France’s competitor to the F-22). That really pisses them off.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOswfrc7Xtg
I also had comments deleted from the American expatriots group by Keith Redmond and have been deleted from the group for being to agressive towards USA. Keith is doing in a very naïve way. He obviously doesn’t know who he’s up against and is probably still a strong US patriot.
FATCA is the last effort of the private federal reserve organistaion created in december 1913 by Rockfeller, Rothschield and JP Morgan to find more money by any means to finance their “New World Order” project.
Just watch ex lawyer of the IMF reveal whats really going on (better than what edward Snowden did) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhTvsDuP-rg
The BRIC countries joined together to ditch the US dollar. More and more are joining them incuding Germany : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doSkB_rlzHg
The end of the federal reserve is near and it’s going to be a bumpy ride, hold on tight.
I have left the AE Facebook group.
It is in my view, that I find it to be disingenuous, and hypocritical, to have a forum that discusses the issues of CBT and FATCA, but yet consider the concept of criticizing the government for implementing the same said policies, as off-limits. Especially when those issues are clearly linked at the hip.
I also thought it was inexcusable for Keith to be telling Petros to leave, simply because he chose to speak his own mind.
Also, it was abundantly clear that deleting posts, and now entire threads, was causing the infighting to escalate, instead. I guess that even some of us expats, whom have legitimate grievances, are also to be sacrificed for the ‘greater good’ of the group.
Just imagine, after being oppressed by government policy for being an expat, we’re to be shit on by other expats too? For the greater good? Nah. That is one indignation that I will not tolerate, and for that, I have now turned my back on them. I told them repeatedly, that my marriage comes first. I was squelched for pointing out, that if I was the Canadian, my spouse was American, that if she were to demand my financial information to give to the IRS, that I would divorce her fucking ass faster than you can say ‘alimony’. What was anti-American, or even anti-government, in that statement?
The people that choose to remain, and put up with that bullshit, can post cookie recipes to their hearts content. But in the end, when you have to contend with real life in the trenches, it is still ‘sauve qui peut’.
Now it is their loss, too.
https://renounceuscitizenship.wordpress.com/2015/06/04/looks-like-the-revolution-of-americansabroad-is-almost-here/#comment-11197
“The American Expatriates group’s mission is to inform, educate, and provide the most up to date information regarding United States government policies affecting the lives of Americans living overseas. It is extremely important to mitigate the misconceptions about Americans living outside the United States vis-à-vis the public at large”
What BS. And proves that we are not the ones generating the “misconceptions”. Now they’ll tell American living outside the US what to think, what to say, what to believe.
How very UN-American. What would the constitution have to say about that?
If they’re that threatened by dissent then they obviously have an agenda that can’t withstand criticism or scrutiny.
Keith Redmond was following me on twitter – I blocked him. Don’t have to have him RT my posts if he’s going to be a “homelander abroad”.
Up until a couple of hours ago, I was pretty active at the American Expatriate FB group, where I thought I was truly following their stated purpose, which is “to inform, educate, and provide the most up to date information regarding United States government policies affecting the lives of Americans living overseas.”
However, I soon found that whenever I wrote something that was critical of US policy towards Non-Resident Americans, particularly if it involved Democrat policy makers, the Administrator would receive a bunch of complaints, and in turn, scold me for committing the crime of “America Bashing,” when in fact all I was doing was, “informing, educating, and providing the most up to date information regarding United States government policies affecting the lives of Americans living overseas.”
Consequently, I am left scratching my head wondering what it is those people actually expect us to write.
So for the time being, I will continue to write on the AMEXP FB group, but only about cookie recipes, which hopefully won’t get me kicked out of the group. But one never knows, particularly when blind party loyalism and the desire to please the “powers that be” clearly trumps solidarity within American expats’ fight for freedom.
This whole thing makes me think of the image of an abused child clinging to the leg of the father who is beating him.
Until American expats are able to put the interests of “expats” in front being blindly loyal to a government and/or political party which is out to screw them, Non-Resident Americans will continue to be abused — forever.
Indeed, it is bullshit, and I am not about to be told what to think, what to say, and what to believe. Not after what I’ve been through.
It is pretty obvious to me that they’ve sold themselves out for some other agenda, and those of us that were most vocal, are to be thrown under the bus.
No way I was going to stick around to be targeted next. Not after what Keith did to Petros.
@Walt
Good point.
Over there, I was speaking of the fallacy of pleading ‘Stop!’ to an abusive parent, who’s putting out cigarettes in your arm. Not long afterward, the entire thread was nuked.
It was also said, ad nauseum, that tired old refrain of ‘United we stand, divided we fall.’ However, it is clear that US expats are now more divided than ever, and they’ll really start dropping like flies. I believe Keith will ultimately fail in his quest for justice for US citizens abroad, because he is now compromised as a homelander abroad, and that ultimately, the oppression will continue until pretty much all of the expats are expunged through attrition. Either through renunciation, relinquishment, or else going home as failed immigrants.
For all intents and purposes, I now stand expunged. I am yet another casualty in the expat war. Yet I am fine, and I will yet be free.
I voluntarily left the group once for being castigated for being sarcastic (who, moi?) and was later asked to return. Which I did, but made it clear that I didn’t like the lack of tolerance on their (Keith and Deedee’s) part. I don’t know who they’re trying to impress, but it’s seemingly not Americans abroad at large. Keith gets emails all the time he says from people complaining about the tone of some of the participants and is worried that onlookers in a position of helping us would be turned off. I must be pretty thick-skinned or missed many of the comments because it doesn’t bother me much. The best censor is tolerance in my opinion.
I never was on the group as I’m a Canadian, nor am I on the Citizenship Taxation group, but my venom towards “homelanders abroad” know no boundaries. What the IRS doing to my wife and others who don’t have the $$$ to pay their “get out of jail free” card is absolutely criminal. And I’d rather apply “boots to asses” to those who would cuddle up to the USA and their abusive behavior. In essence my response to those who complain about “America-bashing” is “FUCK YOU AND YOUR LITTLE DOG TOO!”
This reminds me of my medical students in Japan. I am a Japan basher unless I speak only in glowing praise of Japan and all things Japanese. Mention the Taraimawashi (hospitals in Japan routinely refuse patients in ambulances and send them on to the next hospital. Death is not an uncommon consequence as many are refused by multiple hospitals spending hours in the back of an ambulance while the ambulance crew searches for a hospital that will accept their patient) problem in a medical discussion classes and I am asked why I hate Japan.
Constructive criticism is not allowed. Anything less than statements affirming their believe that they are superior in each and every way elicits “Japan basher”.
“Everyone knows that flowers in Japan are more beautiful than flowers anywhere else in the world.” Well no not really. “Japan basher!!!”
Actually have had the experiences related above and many many more. I truly am shocked that we now have the same coming from the States.
I stopped commenting at the American Expatriates or AARO facebook pages a long time ago. They are both infiltrated with too many Democratic party activists and US Government ass kissers.
I also think the administrators Keith Redmond and Deedee Gierow are huge hypocrites.
First they ask you to write about the problems expats are having because of FATCA and CBT, then they yell at you for complaining too much about those problems. I find such behavior pyschopathic.
First we had the FATCA Mythster Stack telling expats and the rest of the world what to believe. Now, we have the FATCA Mithconceptioners ever vigilant to block any anti-US propaganda or other criticsism on Facebook or wherever found.
This is a perfect example of the difference between those who do NOT consider themselves to be U.S. citizens (which appears to be many contributors to the Isaac Brock Society) and those who identify as American citizens who happen to live outside the United States – “Homelanders Abroad”.
For previous references to “Homelanders Abroad” at the Isaac Brock Society see:
https://www.google.ca/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=WwGCVcSjEYrZqAaqh4DYAg&gws_rd=ssl#q=isaacbrocksociety.ca+%22homelanders+abroad%22
This is also a good example of what happens when the issues of “Americans Abroad” are discussed in “partisan terms”. Many of those who identify as being “U.S. citizens abroad” also identify with political parties. It is disturbing that many of these “Homelanders Abroad” are also identifying as Democrats or Republicans and further confusing the issue. (The purpose of the Democrats is to oppose the Republicans and vice-versa.)
To be clear, the issues surrounding Americans abroad are NOT political issues at all. They are about the absolute and total betrayal of approximately 8 million people. Furthermore, those 8 million people have been America’s best ambassadors of good will. (Make no mistake the days of Americans abroad being ambassadors for America are over.) Even though this is NOT about politics but IS about betrayal, those “Homelanders Abroad” who are Democrats find it difficult to criticize the Democratic party. It’s a truly sad commentary on democracy in America when everything is seen in partisan political terms. It’s a sad commentary on democracy in America when it is thought to be bad to criticize America. Truly tragic but very real.
There is another aspect of this is deeply troubling. Those “Americans Abroad” who identify as being U.S. citizens (AKA “Homelanders Abroad”) are primarily concerned with saving themselves from the effects of FATCA. It is deeply troubling that they are quite happy to support the imposition of FATCA on the rest of the world (including the countries that they reside in), but ask for an exemption for themselves (same country exemption).
Finally, as difficult as it may be, it must be understood that ALL persons with a U.S. birthplace are under attack. All persons with a U.S. birthplace. In that respect it is important that (as President Clinton once said) our similarities (in the relevant sense of being attacked by the U.S. because of place of birth) are greater than the differences.
Therefore, it is NOT good for those with a U.S. birthplace to “splinter off”.
Just my thoughts.
@Japan T; Japan has their collective heads so far up the US’s ass, that it’s amazing. Criticism is not allowed in Japan – their lovely little quote “deru kugi tatakareru.” Pretty much, they’re like Borg. Mustn’t upset the collective… And…that’s why I will never move to Japan.
…and I’m a Japanese Canadian who spent too many years under the yoke of his “must not criticise abusive Mother” opinion’d father. I believe he was emasculated just like Japan and the people you dealt with are “Homelander Japanese”. I prefer to call them idiots.
@Tim – I wish Canada would buy the Rafale over the F-35 (hangar queen). The Rafale is the “little “non-stealth” aircraft that could”. Seen gun camera footage where a Rafale takes out an F-22. Mucho satisfaction viewing that.
@JohnXHanson stated he was on the way to US Embassy to renounce.
I tweeted one of his recent graphics:
https://twitter.com/JCDoubleTaxed/status/611285306596294657/photo/1
@JDL
I stopped expressing my problems to those two, once I put two and two together, and figured out than my problems would merely be used in someone else’s agenda.
I also have had considerable emnity towards James Wattengel, who liked to claim being backstabbed by the Democrats, but I always suspected him as being a DA plant. That part became clear to me when I would add to the discussion, and he would make thinly veiled attacks at me for it. Eventually, I just stopped engaging with him, and passively watched his tactics. He is certainly a member of the politeness police that can’t tolerate government dissent, and I am certain that he had a hand in subverting the group.
@Tim, do you see the sweetheart deal that Dassault gave Canada…as a part of the offering of agreement? And Harper had his head stuck so far up Obama’s @$$ that he still went ahead and decided on Boeing’s Hangar Queen (F-35 Lightning). Dassault would have put additional Canadian jobs on the table…yet Harper decided to go with “We’ll let you bid on jobs…” Boeing.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/f-35-s-french-rival-pitches-canadianized-fighter-jet-1.2577234
Congratulations to John Hanson!
@ UsCitizenAbroad
While you may be correct in the main that those of us who concider ourselves to actually be USC may differ in their artitudes from those who do not, I do not think that is the deciding factor.
I am a Stateside born USC and am a patriot. I love my contry. I subscribe to the believe stated by one of the first US patriots, ‘The first duty of a patriot is to defends his country from its government’. I fear that what we are now seeing in the US is Nationalism, the belief that anything my country does is right and just with the thin skin towards any critism that seems to cover such creatures.
Nationlism coupled with selfishness, I want therefore you must provide and don’t even think of complaining about you ungrateful basher!, a very
dangerous combination.
@Japan T
You write:
Agree with you completely. It is for precisely that reason that (IMHO) the vast majority of “Homelanders Abroad” are NOT Patriotic Americans at all.
Congrats to John Hanson! May you live free and in peace.
@MJH
There is a bunch Democrat plants over there, Wattengel is probably one of them. Keith Redmond is either hopelessly naive or just plain stupid.
The disrespect many of those Homelanders Abroad show towards fellow American expats is pathetic. They can keep their US citizenships, they deserve it.