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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To hope that if Britain leaves the Eu so we can become the 51st State.

196 replies

GreenTeaMummy · 24/05/2015 18:48

I love American culture so much and would love to be American, I visit every year and have lots of family who live in America.

I was thinking that since we can't be alone in the world (for various reasons) we would have to join the U.S.

Aibu to think we should have a second referendum to join America. Grin

OP posts:
TalkinPeace · 25/05/2015 22:34

Some things would be good such as the gun laws
Ha fucking ha

MitzyLeFrouf · 25/05/2015 22:37

I think that's the first time I've seen a British person praise American gun laws!

ToadsJustFellFromTheSky · 25/05/2015 22:49

Some things would be good such as the gun laws

Really?

Burke1 · 25/05/2015 23:15

Yep really, I support the right of law abiding people to keep arms for self defence. Not too keen on the American healthcare system though, if this would be a pick and mix type deal where we can keep some bits we like and leave those we don't it would be better lol :D

SteamTrainsRealAleandOpenFires · 26/05/2015 02:57

I would rather the UK go it alone, so we can trade with whom "we" want to without interference from anyone & on our own terms.

Canyouforgiveher · 26/05/2015 04:36

It is all moot anyway, as there is no way the US would accept the UK as a state.

Sansarya · 26/05/2015 07:22

Yep, those great gun laws can only be good right? They'd never lead to the deaths of innocent people in gum rampages. Oh wait...

Madeyemoodysmum · 26/05/2015 09:24

Cost me £218 to see a doc for ten min while on hols. For the nhs alone I would never want to be American.
Been to Chicago. Florida and Las Vegas and New York.

Loved New York Could live there a while
Loved Vegas but it's not real life. Only could stay a few days at a time
Loved Florida for theme parks and sun but would not live there.
Chigaco. Not sure as only there a few days.

The main reason I couldn't be American is social culture. My Dh has a good job and we would be ok but what if he lost it.
What if he got cancer. Heart disease and had to leave
To many risks IMO.

Burke1 · 26/05/2015 11:16

Sansarya it's my belief that murderers tend to cause the deaths of innocent people on rampages. Murderers who would find something else to use if a gun weren't available, or would simply use a gun anyway even though it wasn't allowed. There is nothing to really be gained from preventing law abiding people carrying to protect themselves.

The healthcare seems to be the big problem in the way (not that this would ever be seriously considered). I have my fair share of annoyances with the NHS but I suppose for me the end user it's good to have it there free on demand when I need it. I'd be ok in America too if I had insurance but what if there was some reason I didn't, like I lost my job or was short on money and had to stop paying the premiums.

Sansarya · 26/05/2015 11:36

Oh come on, in the same week as the murders in Sandy Hook a man wielding a knife went on rampage in China. But because it was a knife nobody was killed. So "guns don't kill people, people kill people" may be true but people with guns kill far more than people with other weapons.

TalkinPeace · 26/05/2015 11:40

Burke
I think you need to read up a LOT MORE about the relative homicide rates around the world.
Only in the USA does the massacre of a whole class of kids not result in a change in the gun laws.

I don't need a gun here in England because I can be pretty certain that nobody I encounter will be carrying one.
Its hard to murder dozens of people with a machete before being overpowered.
With an automatic assault rifle its a doddle.

America's gun laws are a disgrace.

LikeABadSethRogenMovie · 26/05/2015 12:47

Kinder eggs are no longer banned in the U.S. btw. I bought some at Easter.

ShadowFire · 26/05/2015 13:05

Burke - obviously it's murderers who cause the deaths of innocent people when they go on murderous rampages.

The issue with guns, is that they make it much easier for the murderer to kill lots of people very quickly, and to kill them from a distance. If the murderer were to go into a crowded place with a knife / machete / blunt instrument, then the potential victims would have a much better chance of successfully running away or defending themselves.

Also, if it's legal for law abiding citizens to have guns, it's also going to get an awful lot easier for the criminals to get their hands on guns.

Burke1 · 26/05/2015 15:17

TalkinPeace civilians are banned from owning automatic weapons in the states unless there's a specific threat against them that justifies it. The best anyone can really get access to is a semi. And it's also very hard (in theory) to kill lots of people with a gun before being overpowered. If everyone rushed the attacker like suicidal drones there would be only a few deaths, the same as there would be if everyone did the same to someone with a machete except that's not how it tends to work. No one seems keen to rush the crazy man with a machete because although a group could easily do it, they know the first to try is probably going to be seriously injured if not die.

Running away may be possible ShadowFire but just how would they be "defending themselves" against a man with a knife? Exactly it's next to impossible.

00100001 · 26/05/2015 15:37

YABU!

Why woudl you want to leave a Union to join another?

1Morewineplease · 26/05/2015 16:04

Hmmm...
Cons:-
Gun culture
Healthcare injustice
Free obesity for all
Baseball, American football and cheerleading to fund and watch after school
Spelling changes
Death penalty

Pros:-
No royalty to fund
Cheap petrol
Massively cheaper housing
Polite customer service
Two roast turkey dinners per year
Trains that run no matter how bad the weather

Tricky!

MitzyLeFrouf · 26/05/2015 16:12

This thread has prompted me to find out why Hawaii is an American state, it's a fair old distance from the rest of America.

00100001 · 26/05/2015 16:12

Cons: it's America.... :P

ErrolTheDragon · 26/05/2015 16:34

Burke - are you not old enough to remember the two horrible attacks on small children in 1996 in the UK and their markedly different outcomes? Dunblane with guns resulted in the death of a teacher, 16 children and the perpetrator. It's clearly very easy to kill a lot of people quickly with a gun.

Wolverhampton, a machete attack resulted in the nursery teacher being injured (severely, but not fatally), and lesser injuries to 4 children - an unarmed 21 yo woman was able to defend their lives.

00100001 · 26/05/2015 16:38

Good lord, guns in the UK would be AWFUL.

RandomFriend · 26/05/2015 16:42

YABU. I would prefer to join Australia.

MitzyLeFrouf · 26/05/2015 16:43

Join Australia? No thanks.

Suefla62 · 26/05/2015 16:46

Thanks but no thanks! We got rid of the English 238 years ago and we don't want you back now.

RandomFriend · 26/05/2015 16:47

Why not, Mitzy? It is no more unrealistic than OP's original idea.

ErrolTheDragon · 26/05/2015 16:49

While I'm pretty sure that the EU is the most rational bloc for us to be part of, if we couldn't be with them then I'd want to buddy up with Canada and New Zealand most.