Embarrassed to be an American - Page 3

Oddball · 03-23-2003, 02:11 AM

Allow me to tell a story of cultural insensitivity.

OK I was in Cambodia. As some of you may know, in 1975 the communist Khmer Rouge took Phnom Penh and evacuated the entire capital's 2 million residents.

What was to follow was the systematic murder of many Cambodians.

I was going to the Killing Fields for the day and it was a 45 minute motorbike ride to get there. I had past a bus on the way but I paid no real attention to them.

I went to the killing fields and saw and realised the horror of this place. It was very moving.

As I was leaving, the bus I past unloaded American tourists. Now they seemed OK for the most part but some insensitive prick was wearing a t-shirt that had the Vietnamese yellow star on it. For those of you who don't know, Cambodians and Vietnamese despise each other. And this cunt (there really is no better word) was wearing this shirt to the killing fields. This is like wearing the swastika to a Holocaust memorial.
I felt like decking the guy. He looked to be in his early twenties.

I hope he's in the minority. I've been on scuba trips and met very polite, nice Americans too.

Totenkopf · 03-23-2003, 03:07 AM

[quote=Arkan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by "Chronic Diarrhea":d3a3f

He had every right to respond that way. I'm sorry Americans treat others like shit, they were probably rude ass yankees from NYC anyway. Us hicks down in the south at least have common decency, while a New Yorker would stab you in the face if someone offered him/her 5 dollars for it.

That has got to be the dumbest thing that ever came out of your big mouth !! What the fuck do you know about NY'ers ?? You probably were never there!! Oh, i get it, it's the "stereo-type" thing and you believe it. I guess you fuck your sister too?...i mean, you are a "hick" and thats what they do right? They fuck their own family members?
Oh, BTW, in case you didn't know, the war is over! (I'm talking about the civil war) JACKASS

As for the rest of you people who had bad experiences with "Americans", lemme ask you two questions.
1. Are you sure they were from America?
2. How old were they? (The guy who started this thread went to Mexico and was surrounded by a bunch of kids....what else do you expect from them......just look at this room here!!)

I traveled outside the US and never had any type of problems. The "locals" were very nice to me and commented how nice it was to meet someone from NY. They were diggin' my Brooklyn accent. I tend to treat people with respect and then see what happens.......I always put the ball in their court 1st. Too bad you peeps met dip-shits but, that happens sometimes. Also remember, sometimes the cultures are soooo different that it may seem the other person is being rude when in fact their not. I met many people from Europe in NYC and in the Hamptons...some of them seemed snobbish but it's just a cultural difference.[/quote:d3a3f]

Where did I say they were kids? These were adults, acting like kids. hake:

Wilko · 03-23-2003, 03:18 AM

Well, the only thing i can contribute to this conversation is something a Balinese Taxi driver told me while i was over there, that in his experience, you can usually tell where The Tourists are from by their demenor when they're drunk. If they're happy, they're Australian/New Zealander/English, but if they're angry and fight-happy, 9 times out of 10, they're American.

Oddball · 03-23-2003, 04:49 AM

Cab drivers are the oracles of modern society.

Sgt>Stackem · 03-23-2003, 06:16 AM

The rudest person Ive ever met was a wee wee frenchman pussy on vacation. This wasnt good enough that wasnt good enough, is this the only wine you sell with his pussyfied nose in the air. Every race, nationallity and sect can be rude so what does it matter

Wilko · 03-23-2003, 06:50 AM

[quote="Sgt>Stackem":2daa1]The rudest person Ive ever met was a wee wee frenchman pussy on vacation. This wasnt good enough that wasnt good enough, is this the only wine you sell with his pussyfied nose in the air. Every race, nationallity and sect can be rude so what does it matter[/quote:2daa1]

Granted that all Nationalities have their assholes, but i think the point Totenkopf was tring to get across was that, en masse, Americans seem to be the worst offenders.
I personally have never met an arrogant American Tourist, but then I'm a nice clean white boy, so i probably wouldn't incur the same wrath as a Mexican waiter biggrin:

Ydiss · 03-23-2003, 07:40 AM

America certainly is still appaling for racism, especially seeing how diverse the culture mix is (and always has been, really).

Racism is still rife here in the UK but it's nowhere near as bad as it used to be 20 years ago.

I can't help but think that there is a stronger vein of racism running in the American attitude (in general). It's a sweeping statement, I know and not one I'd normally make, but (without stating actual evidence and facts - this is opinion) it really does seem to me that Americans are naturally more racist, especially to "minorities", such as Mexicans, for an example.

I'll still stand by my original opinion that every culture has it's racists and twats, but America, being such a large country, definitely seems to have a lot more of them.

Americans tend to be very fiercely loyall to their flag and patriotic to the extreme, as well. This ultimate die-hard pride in their own institution really rubs off on their responses to out-side influences.

There's nothing wrong with standing up for your country or country people, but some take it too far and see it as their obligation to show the world that America is best.

If there's ever anything said against America by a British person it's when we see an American on TV harping on melodramatically that USA is the best country in the world and it's the land of the free and only in America would yada yada happen and "God, I love America!".... Sometimes it's just cloying, but it can get really tacky after a while.

There's only so much of "we're the best" that the world can take before it gets old to them, I suppose.

Disclaimer: That last statement was not the representation of my entire nation's opinion and is entirely my own speculation as to why Americans are regarded as isolationistic.

I have never met an American like this (most that I know are just as ready to bash their nation for it's flaws as they would be to stand up for it, like most Brits I know) so it would have to be a direct result of what must be the largest export that America has: Television.

In a way America has itself to blame for its stereotypical image, it starts right in Hollywood.

The UK is just as bad... Thanks to the films that we export to the States you all seem to think we're posh upper class Hugh Grants or Liz Hurleys, or cockney wideboys like the cast of Lock Stock'.

Apparently we all have bad teeth, we drink tea at high noon with crumpets (or scones) and we all speak like the Queen or Bob Hoskins.

Or Dick Van Dyke. Ugh...

Anyway, I ramble therefore I am... I'm done biggrin:

Wilko · 03-23-2003, 08:10 AM

Hey Ydiss

It's been quite a while since I've seen you around here! biggrin:

pvt_hz · 03-23-2003, 09:07 AM

americans here in my town, are very arrogants, they are a pain in the ass, they flood our streets whit his fucking monster trucks!! wtf man! que pedo con esos cabrones, oh and what i find really really stupid about americans is they're so ignorant, i can bet if u ask 100 americans where is denmark or china, 10 will reply,
Viva Mexico cabrones!! CDLR!!!

Duke_of_Ray · 03-23-2003, 09:15 AM

Yea, Americans are all annoying. Bah, you ever hear of these guys called the French? If your so embarresed, the please by all means leave. Also how is America racsist? I guess you all have never been to south, if you want some really friendly people come here.

GreenEggs&Pot · 03-23-2003, 09:17 AM

Over spring break i meet these english guys who stayed a few doors down in the same complex. guess they were supposed to be soccer holigans(or at least thats what they said they were). they were completed assholes, making rude comments about everyone right out in the open, yelling at waiters, the maids, everyone. then they would getting fucking drunk on 3 cans of bud or something. i meet a different group of english people from another resort, they were nice, polite, and after talking for the better part of half and hour they invited me to dinner with them.

just goes to show anyone can be an asshole

GreenEggs&Pot · 03-23-2003, 09:19 AM

wait, that's already been said 20 times hastnt it? oOo:

Arkan · 03-23-2003, 09:59 AM

This thread is retarted. Oh wait, i forgot, i'm American soooo......
FUCK OFF EVERYONE !!!!
I'm allowed to say that cause i live in the best Country in the world...all the rest are swamps! Long live America and it's arrogant people.....fuck the rest of the planet !!

Innoxx · 03-23-2003, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arkan

This thread is retarted. Oh wait, i forgot, i'm American soooo......
FUCK OFF EVERYONE !!!!
I'm allowed to say that cause i live in the best Country in the world...all the rest are swamps! Long live America and it's arrogant people.....fuck the rest of the planet !!

[img]http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gerald.marley/Smilies/kekesign.gif[/img]

Totenkopf · 03-23-2003, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arkan

This thread is retarted. Oh wait, i forgot, i'm American soooo......
FUCK OFF EVERYONE !!!!
I'm allowed to say that cause i live in the best Country in the world...all the rest are swamps! Long live America and it's arrogant people.....fuck the rest of the planet !!

You mean retarded? As I do not see any tarts around.