Trashing The USA.

Englishman

It seems to me that many Americans are convinced that Europeans are for ever slagging off the USA for some reason or another.

Just to set the record straight, America bashing is relatively rare in Europe, most of us regard the USA with a not inconsiderable degree of affection. Obviously there are cultural differences between the continents that can lead to feelings being trampled on, but America-hating persons are quite rare over here. The few real antagonists are very vociferous, but like most fundamentalists, regaded as being completely loony.

Maybe the Americans who have visited over here have an opinion?

Englishman.

Latte

Quite true E-Man!

most of us regard the USA with a not inconsiderable degree of affection

One can certainly get rather fond!

Here's to my new American buddies Safe4kids,thinks41self,joy2bfree,jst2laws,lyin'eyes..........naming just a few!

Latte

BluesBrother

Macdonalds, Starbucks, Hilton Hotels, , along with The X Files, E R , Friends, along with a host of past T V shows all have added to the warmth that we feel toward the U SA . Kids wear sweat shirts with brand logo's Dallas ,Boston etc .

There is a certain reluctance to follow politically everything that the U S Government wants to do . It is seen as more likely to want to start a war than to prevent one and people are cautious to say the least in such issues

I am saying that we see a difference between the U S people and culture compared with the U S Govt. of the day and politics.

CC Ryder

Hey Englishmen...Enjoyed your comments on the USA..I Traveled to Sweden and London in 1985. I've traveled through the Carribean and have been to Canada many times. London was fantastic! I only had five days to visit though, but I was able to see quite alot. I took the Tubes to a suburb out near Whembly Stadium and visited a good friend of someone I was traveling with. We walked through a park that was elevated enough to see London from a distance. It was a Great view of such a historical city. We walked through the park down a path to a Tavern where I was treated to a great lunch of English Sausage and Potato's. That English Mustard was Hot! We also saw Westminster Abby (that blew me away), Big Ben, Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, and many, many Taverns. I drank many pints of bitters, and met some really cool people. No one had a bad thing to say about America. They enjoyed busting my chops about American "Football", and we returned the fun with jokes about Rugby. It was the best trip I took anywhere and I wish to return some day.

Sweden was great also. I was in Stockholm for two days and had a chance to sail in the Archepelgo from Winterwegen out almost into the Baltic Sea. We visited the Wasa museum (a 15th c ship that sank in the bay of Stockholm on her maiden voyage). Again, no one had a bad thing to say about America. We were on business so we had to travel west to Gytorp where Nitro Nobel was located. It was Alfred Nobel's first company and they are still in the explosive business today.

I hope to travel back to Europe some day soon.

Cheers to all our Friends in the UK and Europe!!!

CC

Dizzy Cat

McDonalds?

What a great legacy that creates for the US .

A global empire of garbage food. Excrement - in biodegradable shells.

The best thing to come out of the US is Seinfeld and The Simpsons.

Edited by - Dizzy Cat on 6 August 2002 8:5:50

Celtic

Helllll, I can sense maybe getting into trouble again for holding an alternative opinion, oh shite.

Errrrr ummmm Englishman, many of us in this country, the majority hold the USA with some affection eh? I'm not so sure that I would from experience totally agree with that statement. Maybe in middle class England this is true but a hell of a lot of people that I know of absolutely cannot stand Americans for one reason or another. This was only just being talked about between some community leaders here yesterday evening, the anti-american prevailing attitudes and the reasons for it. Perhaps it is more accurate to say that most people in this country couldn't really give a monkey's toss for the USA but same time, know that this country pretty much stinks too. There are a great deal many more countries in the world that we admire more than these two.

Obviously, there is an apparent difference between corporate America and judging all the people there, tarnishing them with the same brush as these conglomerates. I'm as sure as anybody, that people on the grassroots level are pretty much the same wherever you go, and it's to these people everywhere that I take my hat off too.

But corporate America, thats an entirely different story, at least from my limited experience.

Celtic Mark - Cornwall UK

zenpunk

I spend a lot of time over in the UK, visiting family and for business reasons. No trip is complete without someone making a rude comment about me being American. And I'm not even one of those "stereotypical" Americans that Europeans can't stand - with bad clothes and a loud mouth. But I still get the bad comments.

animal

Why would Mark, or anyone, live in a country they despise? Find one that has all the goodies and non-corporate lifestyles you desire and hitchhike or walk there (so as not to polute). Many people with hard feelings for a corporation will boycot the company, not wearing anything, lets say, made in the USA. Have you and yours done that yet? It makes a statement, altho I dont know how many will sacrifice thier own lifestyles to make a point. Talk is cheap, actions show the truth.

We have our own elements here in the USA that hate everything and everyone here, verbally. They still buy and sell American goods and use the system (welfare, etc), all the while saying it sucks. They are hipocrites, and we let them know that.

Patriotism for ones own country is not a bad thing, altho most here were taught that it is. I am heavily involved in politics, not as a player but as a thorn in the sides of political leaders. Thats where the game gets fun, pissing them off and not my fellow citizens.

As I tell others, if you dont like your town/city/country, find the one you may like and go there. That causes change, not idle talk.

Animal
http://www.solriders.net

Celtic

Animal, your argument is rather adrift, I'm no scumbag cheers all the same.

animal

I never called you a scumbag... I said you should head for where the "grass is greener", a country that has all the things you desire.

As for my argumaent being adrift.... I dont argue, I state. And I am always adrift, ask anyone I ride with.

Animal

Trashing The USA.

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