Something To Say-World: DOLLARS: WE DON’T LIKE DOLLARS! As I was told by a merchant in Brussels, Belgium!

Photos: Google Images
& Haojie Qin

WE DON’T LIKE DOLLARS!

(NOTE: Person of topic is "not" pictured)

Earlier this month, I spent a three day weekend in Brussels. And I passed some time visiting the Grand Place shopping area. While browsing through one store that sold leather jackets, I noticed there wasn’t a price on attached tags. So I said to the merchant in an interrogative voice: “There is no price tag? Do you all accept Euros, dollars or what?” He promptly replied in a very friendly and anxious manner: “We accept Euros, sir!” And with a brief pause and firm voice-a noticeable change in physical demeanor and facial expression, he said: “We don’t like dollars.” I responded: "Oh, I see!" I continued to look around.

As I was walking out, without making a purchase, the merchant commented: “I will give you a very good deal on a leather jacket.” I retorted, with a smirked smile: “I only have dollars!” No comment from the merchant. Admittedly, I experienced a sudden “I got ya! or touche!” kind of feeling. I suppose it’s innate nature to want to have the upper hand or last word in any type of intellectual exchange with another human being.

But the moral of the story is, simply, I wasn’t surprised in the least that the Arab merchant would express such disdain for the dollar in today’s global-political and militaristic atmosphere: Israel’s indiscriminate and disproportionate bombing of Lebanon with perceived U.S. encouragement and tacit approval; U.S.’ invasion and occupation of Iraq; and, of course, the never ending Palestinian and Israeli issue that continues to incense and enrage the Arab world, throughout. Further, realizing as well that the gentleman, being of Middle Eastern Arabic descent, probably still has strong ties to his roots, whether it be religious, political, sense of brotherhood or merely outrage over what is believed to be unfair treatment and slaughter of his brothers and sisters. So I naturally understood.

Ironically though, it appears people shy away from accepting the dollar in some cases, if not out- right rejection of that currency-like never before. Is it because the Euro is slowly but surely becoming more of an acceptable dominate currency, coupled with the Japanese yen, etc.? Can this backlash be due to U.S. foreign policies, aggressions and lopsided support for Israel? What is actually fueling this widespread animosity and rage towards the U.S.? It is all the above, probably, and even more?

I can remember quite vividly the times when merchants all over the world, at least those parts of the globe I was fortunate to spend time in, such as southeast Asia, Europe, and Latin

America, were zealous to get their hands on the “good old American greenback," that" almighty dollar"in every denomination.

Times sure have changed. The U.S.’ image and actual influence as a powerful honest-broker nation appears to have dwindled, along with the once appeal of its currency; If not empirically, at least in a transparent manner anyway.

Getting back to the merchant. I don’t know if he deduced I was U.S. American because of my mannerisms, dress, mid-western accent or based on my inclusion of the word “dollar” in my question. But one thing for certain, he was vent on sending me a clear message that he and his fellow merchants wanted nothing to do with anything that symbolizes the U.S.A. This was also obvious based on the clear fact that when I said I only had dollars, the merchant never tried to solicit or encourage me any further. And actually, I didn’t have any dollars on my person anyway. Touche! So much for the good old U.S American dollars.