RE: americanness

RE: americanness (Full Version)

All Forums >> [Casual Banter] >> Off the Grid

Message

submaleinzona -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 5:31:10 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Aneirin Well, for the majority of us over the pond, our understanding of what an American is, is gleaned from all the American shows we see here. You'll never get a clear picture from TV or movies. quote: Do you really have flag break in the morning ? Yes, but I'm not sure if it's as prevalent as it used to be. Everyone has the right to refuse to recite the Pledge, though. Here's a funny story about that. A few years ago, I went to my niece's eighth-grade graduation, and the class president led the auditorium in the Pledge of Allegiance. As she said, "Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance," people (including myself) started looking around to see where the flag was. There was no flag in the auditorium. Oops. What made it even funnier is the common mistake kids make when reciting the Pledge of Allegiance: "I pledge of allegiance, to the flag..." We also play the National Anthem at sporting events. It was also pretty common whenever a radio or TV station would leave the air for the night. quote: Do people really call adults sir and ma'am ? Yes. It's quite common where I live. We also say "please" and "thank you" and other such terms which many have deemed superfluous.

submaleinzona -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 5:39:02 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: twistedreality In my opinion, there are many who live here and some that were even born here, that are not "Americans" . Being an "american" is a frame of mind and belief in the constitution. The rest can go away. The only trouble with this statement is that to believe in the Constitution would mean to be tolerant of dissent and that which is contrary to governmental policy. So, someone could still be an American without believing in the Constitution. I'll admit that it sounds a bit weird for someone who is against the Constitution and the American Way to still want to live here. But I believe in the Constitution, and as such, I believe that a U.S. citizen has the right to stay here, even if they don't believe in the Constitution or the same things that I do.

StrangerThan -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 5:46:53 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: sravaka Ok. I have a question. I come here semi-often, and read the political threads, and have my own thoughts about them.... but i'll put said thoughts aside to ask this: Where [on earth] do you [whoever you may be] get your ideas of what "being American" is/means? I have my own ideas of what this (Americanness) entails.... and don't claim that mine is any more or less valid than yours-- after all, we all have passports, don't we? (parenthetical intentionally left blank) Be honest, please. Where do your ideas come from? From your parents? From your early education (please specify)? From life experience processed later in the game? What? I think most of the conflicts come down to this. (Hint: conservatives, liberals, and liberatarians alike are all convinced that they alone are true to "Americanness") I have no delusions that these conflicts can be resolved, but I'd very much like to understand their sources better, and will appreciate any input. I have no idea how to answer this question as I've never thougth about it to be honest. I grew up in the rural south. We weren't raised to be "American." We were raised to work hard, take responsibility for your actions, to mind your own business and let others mind theirs.... and there was plenty of work. I lived mostly with my grandparents who had never mentally made it out of the depression. So if you were breathing, you were farm machinery regardless of color. What I do know is that during my lifetime folks have become almost anal about ancestory. I traced mine back once out of personal curiosity. One side came from Germany in 1580. The other from Scottland around 1760. But identifying myself with either is just friggin impossible. I have no frame of reference, no common traditions, nothing. Its like looking at history in any respect except this particular history had a tree that led to me. So I'm not German-American, Scottish-American or any other hyphenated American. I'm just.. American and nothing has ever given me pause to wonder about the degree of Americanness in anyone else. They just are or they're not.

marie2 -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 5:53:40 AM)
I have no idea where non-Americans get their ideas from with regards to what Americans are like. But I have noticed that a lot of non-Americans on the boards have formed some seriously innacurate conclusions. Besides, I really don't think any generalizations can be made anyway, as it really is a melting pot of different cultures and various attitudes. Even from state to state, the "cultures", beliefs and behaviors vary greatly.

kittinSol -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 5:55:30 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: marie2 Even from state to state, the "cultures", beliefs and behaviors vary greatly. But McDonald's remains the same everywhere [8D] .

sappatoti -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 6:12:48 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Aneirin Well, for the majority of us over the pond, our understanding of what an American is, is gleaned from all the American shows we see here. Do you really have flag break in the morning ? Do people really call adults sir and ma'am ? When I was going through the public education system here in the US during the '60s and '70s we did start the day off by the requisite standing, looking towards the flag of the US, and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance with our hands over our hearts. I have nieces attending public school right now who do not know some of the words in the Pledge of Allegiance (and they no longer are required to stand and acknowledge the flag if they no longer wish). As to the calling of adults "sir" or "ma'am", I think it's a regional thing. Living in upstate NY as an adult I didn't see much of that; mostly it was politely calling people as Mr., Mrs., or Ms (insert their surname here) if we didn't know them personally, by their first names if we knew them casually, or by some pet name if we knew them personally. Since moving to Florida, I've noticed the use of "Sir" and "Ma'am" so frequently that I feel like an outsider if I don't participate in the habit.

submaleinzona -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 6:17:29 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: sunshinemiss Hello sravaka, American citizenship - what is that? It means you live in the Americas. America is North and South America, comprised of many countries and even more cultures. How in the world could anyone answer your questions? If you mean being a citizen of the United States, that is NOT being an American. In fact it shows the arrogance of the USA in that there is not even a word in the official language for a citizen of the USA. There is the word "American" which of course means a citizen of North or South America - Mexicans, Bolivians Uraguayans, Canadians are all Americans. Perhaps that is the answer to your question. Citizens of the USA are egocentric and arrogant as a culture. Well wishes, The term "American" has always been a bit fuzzy. It was mostly by happenstance that these two continents were called "America" to begin with, since it is commonly believed that the name came from the Italian mapmaker, Amerigo Vespucci. Some have doubts about that, but either way, the name was applied to the continents of North and South America and it stuck. It was nearly three centuries between the time that the continent was named and when the American Revolution took place. The British subjects living in America referred to themselves as "Americans" more as an indication of geography than anything else. Just like people living in California might refer to themselves as Californians. When the 13 original colonies revolted against British rule. They didn't necessarily think of themselves as "Americans." Someone living in the British colony of Georgia didn't necessarily see themselves as living in the same nation as someone from Connecticut or New York. Their loyalty was more with their individual state than the American Union as a whole. George Washington is probably one of the more influential figures responsible for using the term "American" to indicate citizens of the United States of America. I think it was a way of encouraging and promoting unity among the disparate new states in a new republic. It should also be noted that, at the time the U.S. was formed, most of the remaining territories in the Americas were still under European colonial rule, mainly by Spain and Portugal. I'm not sure if that means much now, but it could be that the term "American" stuck as to uniquely apply to this weird experimental nation that most in Europe expected to fail. I agree that many Americans are arrogant and egocentric, but I don't think that's the reason for using the term "American" to apply to U.S. citizens. It was likely just a matter of convenience for both within and outside of the United States. We had to be called something, and "American" just seemed to stick on us naturally. But what's in a name? I recall this same discussion on alt.usage.English a long time ago, and someone jokingly suggested that the name of America should be changed to "Spaghetti Sauce" and that all who live here should be called "Spaghetti Saucians."

DarkSteven -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 6:27:28 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: SpinnerofTales It's been over sixty years since we last put a whole group of people into concentration camps. Under the last administration, we began the practice of abducting people from their homelands (rendition) and taking them to Gitmo without trial. Not exactly a concentration camp, but they were held without trial, tortured for information, and denied any protection of law. I agree with the rest of your post. ----------- I love to think of America as opportunity. Where two college dropouts can make an Apple Computer. Where India's untouchables can come and own a hotel chain. Where some of the amazing pieces of America, such as the right to own the means of production, can be exploited for the good of the people. Where ordinary people can participate. Needless to say, the idea of a half-Kenyan boy from a poor single parent household becoming President resonates strongly with me, more so than a man who was drunk for his first forty years becoming one through connections.

corysub -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 6:28:30 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: sunshinemiss Hello sravaka, American citizenship - what is that? It means you live in the Americas. America is North and South America, comprised of many countries and even more cultures. How in the world could anyone answer your questions? If you mean being a citizen of the United States, that is NOT being an American. In fact it shows the arrogance of the USA in that there is not even a word in the official language for a citizen of the USA. There is the word "American" which of course means a citizen of North or South America - Mexicans, Bolivians Uraguayans, Canadians are all Americans. Perhaps that is the answer to your question. Citizens of the USA are egocentric and arrogant as a culture. Well wishes, You make an interesting observation but I do think the people of Mexico, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile...and our Canadian friends would be surprised and possibly upset if they were told that THEY are citizens of America! Check me if I'm wrong, but I think we have called ourselves the United States of America for over 200 years, and I guess it had a ring to it and kinda stuck, and i guess somehow the label American stuck. I also understand that we are called arrogant, egocentric as a peoples, by those that don't want to see the truth in our charity and giving to the global societh. No country has ever given back as much to the world as the United States. From rebuilding Europe, to not be a conquerer who did not leave Germany or Japan or Italy...as we could have, but helped former enemies to rebuild and become among our strongest friends. Interestingly, some people living in countries we shed to most blood now hold the most obscene view of my country and its culture. I also think others living in countries in our hemisphere are as proud to be called Canadian, Brazilian, Argentinian, as we are (mostly) proud to be called Americans. As far as defining a citizen,..... Section 1401(a) of Title 8 of the United States Code defines a U.S. citizen as "a person born in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof." This law uses the same language as the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. I don't see any reference to citizenship be inclusive of those that don't live somewhere within the borders of the fifty states and territories of the United States of America!..but that could change over the next four years. and well wishes to you too!

DarkSteven -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 6:36:57 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: marie2 I have no idea where non-Americans get their ideas from with regards to what Americans are like. But I have noticed that a lot of non-Americans on the boards have formed some seriously innacurate conclusions. I asked some foreign born people where they got their impressions of the US. They told me from the movies and TV shows we make. They thought we were a bunch of loud talking buffoons (sitcoms) and that there were drug deals, car chases, and rogue cops everywhere.

kittinSol -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 6:39:53 AM)
People also get their opinion from real live interaction with American tourists [8D] . Needless to say, the consequent generalisations aren't always the most flattering.

joanus -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 9:25:13 AM)
Americans are easy to understand. They are sheep. Mindless sheep that follow along with what ever they are told blindy creating and adding to other problems. Never do they every acctually bother to think for them selves and try to understand various ways of thinking/living/cultures/religion. The ones with have a mind think they are special godchildern you are destined to do anything other that fail misrably. Its sad really.

philosophy -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 9:33:36 AM)
...this is a true story, regarding the first US citizens i ever encountered in my life. As a very young person (9 or 10 years old) my mum took me up to London to see the monument.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monument_to_the_Great_Fire_of_London ....so, we're in the queue, waiting to get in and clinb the steps to the viewing platform of the old thing. Just ahead of us are an older couple, somewhat overweight, festooned with two cameras each and wearing what i now know to be hawaian shirts. (At the time i remember being rather spooked by them). This couple paid their ticket and walked into the monument. We're just paying ours when they come straight out and loudly demand, "Where's the elevator?". Finding that there isn't one because the damn thing was built in the late 1660's they walked off grumbling....... Absolutely true story.

NeedToUseYou -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 10:07:35 AM)
Hrmmm, what does being an american mean. Not Much. I've let go of my loyalties to this piece of dirt, as(edited MOST of) the people on it don't mesh with my view of things. To me a Happy American (assume you want an answer pertaining to someone that likes the US), as in someone that likes America pretty much (America used to mean USA), is delusional, probably psychotic, maybe insane even, more than like showing extreme signs of schizophrenia, and a deep seated need for a daddy to take care of them, oh generally fat. Oh and narcissistic. [:D] Actually, I guess I could of left off the smiley, that infers I'm joking, which I am sorta but sorta not.

SteelofUtah -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 10:19:25 AM)
all it takes to be an American is being a citizen of America (North or South apparently) What this country stood for in it's beginning has been destroyed by those who wanted what America was to fit their ideals and as a Democracy they were given the ability to do so. Is the America Today the one that I long for and Love with all my heart. No. It has become something else. So that you know OP the history books you read or were read to you were written by the side that won. Historic accounts of what was done and how "Good" the good guys were are all up to specualtion. I will say this though in a War no matter what people are killed and to the families of those people the ones who did it are NEVER the Good Guys. America Today is clouded by people who want to live other peoples lives for them, the America I love was an America where everyone struggled just to survive and did what was necessary to keep the ideals of this country alive. In time those ideals have become muddy and now what we used to call Democracy is something most people don't quite understand and just leave to the people who do and yet complain when things affect them. I love this country and always will, I simply dislike where it is in it's creation. This is a Dark Time for America, I can see it all fall down if we cannot see each other as country men and continue to see each other as opositions. Steel

thishereboi -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 12:10:25 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: kittinSol quote: ORIGINAL: kdsub maybe we are related...lol Butch Impossible: my ancestors are not rooted in France: Jews and Scotts the lot of them. Thank goodness for that: it means you can still take me out to that restaurant that serves caviar and foie gras [:)] . Scotts huh....were any of them MacArthurs?

thishereboi -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 12:17:26 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Aneirin Well, for the majority of us over the pond, our understanding of what an American is, is gleaned from all the American shows we see here. Do you really have flag break in the morning ? Do people really call adults sir and ma'am ? I don't remember any thing about a flag break, but I do call people sir and ma'am. It's just the way I was raised and I never thought of it as being an american thing. Just polite. Of course after learning of this lifestyle I have been told I shouldn't do that, but I ignored the advice. I am careful not to call one particular domme ma'am, but that's cause she has deadly nails and can hit the nipple every time.

thishereboi -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 12:20:25 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: sunshinemiss Hello sravaka, American citizenship - what is that? It means you live in the Americas. America is North and South America, comprised of many countries and even more cultures. How in the world could anyone answer your questions? If you mean being a citizen of the United States, that is NOT being an American. In fact it shows the arrogance of the USA in that there is not even a word in the official language for a citizen of the USA. There is the word "American" which of course means a citizen of North or South America - Mexicans, Bolivians Uraguayans, Canadians are all Americans. Perhaps that is the answer to your question. Citizens of the USA are egocentric and arrogant as a culture. Well wishes, Or maybe they use it because that is what the citizens of this country have been calling themselves for a very long time and they are just used to it. Of course if you want to think all the citizens of the US are egocentric and arragont, you go right ahead. I wouldn't want to spoil a really good rant for you.

corysub -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 12:55:37 PM)
[&:] quote: ORIGINAL: Aneirin Well, for the majority of us over the pond, our understanding of what an American is, is gleaned from all the American shows we see here. Do you really have flag break in the morning ? Do people really call adults sir and ma'am ? Many of the schools that I'm familiar with still pledge the flag but less and less, it seems than just a few years ago. As far as children call adults Sir or Ma'am...it seems to be weather releated...the more south you go from NYC the more Sir's or Ma'ams are heard. Of course, even in NYC a subbie better say Sir or Ma'am...or whatever their Dom/Domme wants to hear.

NorthernGent -> RE: americanness (2/27/2009 1:28:17 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: marie2 I have no idea where non-Americans get their ideas from with regards to what Americans are like. I've been watching you for a while, Marie, and every single one of my ideas are based on you. Best behaviour as you're carrying the weight of a nation on your shoulders.

Page: << < prev 1 [2] 3 4 5 next > >>

Collarchat.com © 2025

Terms of Service

0.046875