Confronti

If America is a country of immigrants, how do you define what an immigrant is in America? Are there different types of immigrants and, if so, what are they? Are they treated differently? 

Secondo te, l’immigrazione rappresenta una risorsa o un pericolo per la popolazione? Per favore, motiva le tue rispste, articolando il pensiero in modo semplice e chiaro e fornendo possibilmente degli esempi concreti.

Esiste in Italia la pena di morte? Che cosa ne pensate?  Credete che sia giusta solo per alcuni tipi di crimini o che non lo sia mai?

Abbiamo studiato che in Italia i terroristi e i mafiosi possono “pentirsi” o “dissociarsi” per avere uno “sconto di pena”. Non solo questa legge, ma anche il linguaggio usato in questi casi ci sembrano molto influenzati dalla religione cattolica. Negli USA, la religione è chiaramente separata separata dallo Stato. In Italia no? Perché?

We got some information about the American electoral system and we learnt that there are two kinds of vote: the popular and the electoral vote. The electoral vote seems to be much more important than the popular. As a matter of fact if a candidate doesn’t win the popular vote but wins the electoral they are elected. We think that this is not democratic and rather strange for a country which is supposed to be exporting democracy where needed. So what do you think about it?

Can you tell us in more detail how the situation between Northern and Southern States is? What sorts of differences (economic, social, political…) are more evident between the two parts of the country? As far as you know, do you think there are some similarities with the situation in Italy?

In the questionnaire about word association we noticed that, talking about American women, one of you wrote “Lypo suction”… I would like to ask how do you see plastic surgery. I mean, do you see it as something normal or as something an insecure woman does in order to be more successful in life? Are looks really so important in the U.S. since you mention very extreme situations (i.e. ‘being fat’ vs ‘anorexic’, and all the plastic surgery and lypo stuff)?

Do you think the American dream is still possible? Given that the world economy is changing, do you think America can still be the land of opportunity?

We’d like to know something more about your view of Italian lifestyle. In the questionnaries, you described it with adjectives such as “slow”, “relaxing”, “take it easy”. Do you think your opinion of our lifestyle is influenced by mass-media? In which way? And do you think that American tv series (The O.C., Dawson’s Creek, Friends) reflects your lifestyle or gives a distorted idea of your culture?