My Country

Discussion in 'The Lounge' started by becca, Mar 25, 2009.

  1. soujiroseta

    soujiroseta Contributor Contributor

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    haha i can say with 99% confidence that he did NOT do that. it's just a joke that a lot of people who've gone overseas say. My cousin told everyone she's an african princess and has lions and leopards in her back yard.

    As for the kenyans im not exactly sure but i watched a swedish documentary a while back that said something about the altitude of the region and how the air was thinner there or something and when they came to lower altitudes it was a piece of cake. Ill try find the name of the documentary for you.
     
  2. becca

    becca Contributor Contributor

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    In a lot of ways our politics are terrible. It seems that our governement thinks that their 'agenda' is way more important than the people and what they want. In the foundation of what out government 'should be' there are a lot of good things. I just think that politicians have strayed too far off course.
     
  3. Addicted2aa

    Addicted2aa New Member

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    Name 10 countries better and at least a paragraph explanation of why and I'll take you seriously. I'm tired of people hating on America. Yeah we have our problems, but fact is we are one of the best countries to live in, even in our ****ty times. That's why some many people want to come here.

    This is directed at you, but many of the people I hear complaining about our Government don't understand the basics of how it works. They don't understand economics, religion, the dual party system, the legal history of our country. This applies more towards US citizens. I've never really had the chance to debate any one from another country who thought America was that bad. The few people from outside of the states I've talked to about it think America kicks ass.
     
  4. Acglaphotis

    Acglaphotis New Member

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    People really don't hate the US itself, but those that represent it badly. The only thing I've seen that works adversely to your nation's interest is that "we are the best" mentality. It exudes arrogance. I've never seen that zealous nationalism from anywhere except the US. Of course I'm aware those kind of people are a minority, or at least less vocal than the more reasonable people, but they do give you a bad image on the internet and elsewhere.

    PS: You could argue that most of the first-world countries are reasonably similar to say that they equal in terms of comfortable living. Except Australia, what were they thinking, censuring the internet? :p
     
  5. madhoca

    madhoca Contributor Contributor

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    Yep, I'm not American, but US bashing is sooo tiresome. And everyone knows/should know that the US constitution and legal system share many, many key concepts with the UK, so even more reason for Brits to zip it.
     
  6. sabella

    sabella New Member

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    Irish-americans?

    oh i have a question for the americans here. I hear that most of you like to think you're Irish??? Is that true and if so whats with that?
     
  7. Shadow Dragon

    Shadow Dragon Contributor Contributor

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    Darn Brits stealing our ideas. Why couldn't they have done what we did and take it from the Ancient Greeks and Romans? :p But yeah the American bashing does have to stop. What I find ironic is that most of the people world-wide that bash the U.S. haven't been here and yet they complain about us thinking we're better than an area where we've never been. :rolleyes:
     
  8. Xeno

    Xeno Mad and Bitey Contributor

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    Did I miss something?
     
  9. Xeno

    Xeno Mad and Bitey Contributor

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    Except for the Scottish. :p
     
  10. sabella

    sabella New Member

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    there seems to be a rift between the brits and the yanks.... shocking:)
     
  11. Xeno

    Xeno Mad and Bitey Contributor

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    Lol. The Atlantic Rift?

    Honestly, I don't America-bash unless I'm joking. I would never judge an entire country on the opinion of one or two people.

    People in Britian who take the p**s out of the U.S. are either:

    A: Just taking the p**s for fun, or,

    B: Idiots.

    I'm the former. A lot of British humor centres around poking fun at certain things (Or countries) and therefore America does bear the brunt of it.

    [size=+2]But I won't admit it's not fun.[/size]

    Anyone who disagrees with this obviously can't take a joke. :p
     
  12. Rei

    Rei Contributor Contributor

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    I was talking about Canadians born in Canada.
     
  13. Wreybies

    Wreybies Thrice Retired Supporter Contributor

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    I am about to break one of the 10 Sacred Rules of Being Latino.

    Rule#1 ~ Never talk smack about the Latino Culture to non-Latinos.

    I am both an American Puerto Rican, and also a Puerto Rican American. I live both inside and outside of both cultures.
    My face in the U.S. says: Puerto Rican. My accent in Puerto Rico says: American.

    Latinos from the many nations of the Spanish world are equally passionate about the #1-ness of their respective countries and cultures. They just have a rule of showing humility in front of others. Kinda' like dressing up in your Sunday best.

    *goes and hides in the closet and waits for La Guardia to come and get him for breaking one of the Sacred Rules*
     
  14. Shadow Dragon

    Shadow Dragon Contributor Contributor

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    Don't worry Xeno, American humor usually pokes fun of things including countries also. For instance we take a lot of shots at Canada, even though they've never done anything to us before. :p
     
  15. sabella

    sabella New Member

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    Nearly all nationalities are made fun of at some point. it's funny and it shouldn't be taken so seriously. American shows like simpsons and family guy make fun of other countries all the time, (especially France and Ireland :)).
     
  16. Xeno

    Xeno Mad and Bitey Contributor

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    I know. I was taking the p**s out of Scotland. :p

    As for what Shadow said, I KNOW YOU DO. :p

    I was watching scrubs the other day and Turk says:

    "How can we make this sketch funny?"

    To which J.D. replies:

    "We make them British."

    OOOHH My blood boiled. :p

    Plus there's the bit in Shanghia Knights:

    "Why are all the English so unhappy?"
    "They're sore losers. Little thing called the American Revolution."

    That's a good one.

    I just think that a society where everyone can make jokes about one another with no one being offended is a truly tolerant society.

    I aim to help it along.
     
  17. Rei

    Rei Contributor Contributor

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    Fair enough. I think we should be able to poke fun at each other. The thing to remember is how. Russel Peters gets away with a lot of cultural jokes, and not just about India, where his parents were born. The reason he gets away with it and some people don't is because it's done with an understanding and affection for cultures he's joking about.
     
  18. Xeno

    Xeno Mad and Bitey Contributor

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    I agree. I've seen comics in the past who have been utterly rascist, and I think Rascism is COMPLETELY unacceptable.

    You can poke fun at a culture, or a country's image, or individual people who have proven themselves worthy of p**staking, but a group of people simply because they're different? Nonono. :mad:
     
  19. sophie.

    sophie. New Member

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  20. Wreybies

    Wreybies Thrice Retired Supporter Contributor

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    Um, hello, where do you think we got our sense of humour from?? :rolleyes:
     
  21. lessa

    lessa New Member

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    I was born and raised in Ontario Canada.
    born near windsor just across the river from Detroit.
    Moved to the north of Ontario lived there for a few years.
    Moved to the North West on the shore of Lake Superior.
    Would not like to live anywhere else but never say never.
    Canadians are very accepting for the most part.
    We can laugh at ourselves and even take jokes at our expense.
    BUT Fox News station took that a bit far a couple weeks ago.
    A comedy routine blasted our military and our effort in Afghanistan.
    The people in our country banded together.
    The day it was aired we were bringing home our fallen hero's from
    the war and our friendship with Americans went down the tubes.
    One of the comedians was supposed to come to Canada and perform
    and he was told to not show up.
    The host appoligized and said his comments were taken out of context.
    Nobody believes him as we are not idiots.
    We will not stand idly by while people talk of invading our country.
    We will fight the Americans again or anyone else who comes to fight.
    Reading some of the comments on a news story one person said quite succinctly
    "Remember the war of 1812.
    Only this time it won't be Britain calling the shots.
    Thank heavens that our sense of humour has returned.
    Who knows I could have been an American.
    My great grandmother came to Canada from New York state as a United Empire Loyalist.
     
  22. sophie.

    sophie. New Member

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    I'd really like to go to Canada one day. A friend's been a few times, mostly Toronto but some other small towns, and she loves it
     
  23. lessa

    lessa New Member

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    I grew up in Kent County,, Ontario.
    According to a friend who moved to Canada from England
    southern Ontario is similar to a lot of rural England.
    She was always amazed that British Columbia had so many
    towns named for places in England and looked nothing like England
    physically.
    I have always wanted to visit England Scotland and Ireland.
    maybe we should swap for a month some summer.
     
  24. Rei

    Rei Contributor Contributor

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    You really can't judge what most of Canada is like by going to Toronto. It's not even a big city thing. I've been to other large cities in Canada, and several small towns, and very few of them are like Toronto. It would be like trying to judge America based on what you see in New York.
     
  25. Sabreur

    Sabreur Contributor Contributor

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    Only boys from Boston think they're Irish ;)

    But really, a lot of Americans, especially on the East Coast have Irish heritage, and we like to celebrate it for some reason. Unfortunately, for many that means drinking green beer on St. Patrick's Day and talking about how their great-grandpappy was Mickey O'Brien, 12th cousin a billion times removed from Micheal Collins or something.

    But there are very few people who seriously buy into that whole "More Irish than the Irish themselves" garbage.

    And on the subject of American politics: I think they are garbage just because I'm a horrible person, obviously. An evil commie-liberal, undoubtedly. ;)

    Really, I don't hate American politics. I think they are severely flawed in some aspects, but hey, it's better than some one-party "Communist" (state-capitalist is what the USSR really was, but lets not go there ;) ) or fascist state. I'm not a crazy libertarian or something. I'm more inclined to agree with the Scandinavian model of government, but whatever floats your boat really. Everything has pros and cons.
     

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