To point out the anti-Americanism on Mumsnet?

[PitilessYank]

To My Fellow Mumsnetters,

This topic arose on my recent thread about Bernie Sanders, so I decided to start a thread centered around it.

I really enjoy Mumsnet; there is nothing else like it. However, even as a mellow person, and someone whose hackles rarely get raised, I find myself increasingly pissed off by the anti-American schtick around here.

Enough about our mammoth American refrigerators! (Yes, I own one.) It is not our fault that you have imported over-the-top baby showers or bachelorette parties ("hen-dos"). (I didn't have one, for the record, I think that they are dumb.)

Our educational system is very decent, thank you very much. (For one, unless you are talking about NYC, children here are guaranteed a spot in a local school in the town in which they reside. No muss, no fuss.

Also, did you know that the majority of US physicians, of whom I am one, currently support the implementation of a single-payer health care system that provides guaranteed coverage to all? We are working on it, European onlookers!!

The US is like a collection of 50 different small countries horribly lumped together, and change can be slow.

But we got it together on gay marriage! That was pretty impressive. And Bernie Sanders is very popular! That is a good sign. We make good tv shows?? (Yours are great as well, and much more artful, imho.)

And I think we are so nice to you-always gushing about your lovely accents, assuming that you are smarter than we are because of how you talk, even, appreciating your amazing architecture, art, lusting after your sexy princes, etc...

Well, that concludes my rant for now. Thank you for reading it. I feel better. Commence telling me IABU.

With Love,
Pitiless Yank.

I have thought you all rather endearing ever since I heard Michael Stipe of REM describe Milton Keynes as "near London" and Mike Mills, also of REM, commenting about our TV programmes and using "One Man And His Dog" as an example

The only things I really hate about America are the paternalistic attitude to the rest of the world, which would be fine if they really cared more about peace than commerce, and the gun laws.
The second point is so huge in my mind that I never ever want to go there nor can I completely trust anyone who thinks a gun is an essential piece of household equipment.
I read recently that more Americans have been killed by toddlers getting hold of guns than by terrorists.
Go figure (as they might say).

There seems to be an unspoken rule in the UK that it's Ok to make fun of someone if they are successful, just take any criticism as a compliment

Michael Stipe of REM

A man who described something as being "Yea high" (pron: "Yay") when interviewed on UK TV

I read recently that more Americans have been killed by toddlers getting hold of guns than by terrorists.

That very much depends on the time frame you are looking at. It's going to take a long time for toddlers to catch up with the number of people who died on 9-11.

"Yea high" or sometimes "yea big" is a Southern expression. Michael Stipe is from Georgia.

Mouse I think that's just because both countries have different views on whether the individual or the state should has more responsibility. In England it seems like you guys depend on the state more, for example if you get attacked you expect the police to come and protect you, whereas I would consider it my own responsibility to protect myself. Not saying that either view is right or wrong, just it's the way our countries have progressed. We had a court ruling a while ago saying that the police have no obligation to protect citizens, so that might help explain why some of us are reluctant to give up a means of protection. If the cops aren't willing to protect us, then we need to be able to protect ourselves.

"Yea high" or sometimes "yea big" is a Southern expression. Michael Stipe is from Georgia.

Oh, I know, just made me smile someone picked on him for not knowing UK geography. (It's also an old English expression)

I love the fact the US is a time capsule when it comes to so much English culture. I presume being bigger, it takes a long time for things to change. (Outing myself as one who knows why it's sidewalk, check, and fender). Especially in manners. As I keep saying to MrsLH (and the vacation of a lifetime is being planned, so she can verify) Americans in America are some of the politest and most hospitable people I have met. It's an attitude borne of waking up every day in the secure knowledge you have made it to the top of the pile. Yes, there are downsides - (and I hate being called Sir) - but the UK could learn a lot from US everyday manners.

"Do you know why the US has a second amendment ?

In case the government forget the first."

LurkingHusband re. your link. Is the journalist Daisy Buchanan American then? I can find no evidence of that.

Seneca sorry it should have read "Last year more Americans were shot by toddlers with guns than by terrorists."
9/11 was without doubt the most wicked and heartbreaking crime of this century.
My beef is with domestic gun owning only.

I do find it rather weird that you have a "beef" with someone like me who carries, despite me literally doing NOTHING legally wrong ever.

I'm not responsible for the shooting sprees, and I want them stopped just as much as you do. And your post sort of suggests you blame people like me for them, or at least hold us partly responsible. Which makes as much sense as me blaming you for every shooting in England.

Isn't Milton Keynes about 45 miles from London? In the US that is close.

Gosh... chilled you carry a gun and you think it's OK? I can't get my head round that mindset.

There is an interesting article which I could link to (but won't, because I don't want to derail the thread)... so much hits home in it. One point is.. data shows that multiple simulations have demonstrated that most people (even those who have had firearm training), if placed in an active shooting situation while armed, will not be able to stop the situation, and in fact will do little more than get themselves killed in the process. There are many simulations which prove this. Now I must shut up and get back to chocolate!

I would like to see that article rousette. Could you link or tell me where to find it. Thanks

That's what I mean, Seneca 😄

Whereas here, anything further than the village centre is "a fair old trek"!

And Mike Mills' flabbergasted "Sheepdogs!" still makes me giggle 😊

Here it is Nicki

Thanks

This is a fascinating site for those who enjoy UK/US language debate ...

A man who described something as being "Yea high" (pron: "Yay") That's how I pronounce it.

I'm American. I've lived in the UK for ten years - still have my accent.

I only mind the "little" comments, regarding baby showers, etc. as cited above. "Ew. Sounds American." Try saying, "Ew. Sounds Jewish." Not very nice.

But that's just mumsnet. As for people in real life - it depends on the sort of people I'm meeting. I do get tired of being asked "Whereabouts in America are you from?" by random strangers - usually drunk geezers in pubs. As if I have time to explain to everywhere where Ohio is.

Scousers, being very direct (that's the polite way to put it) will do this to me whenever I go there. Just walk right up to me and start peppering me with questions about America. Last time it happened I said, "Why don't you move to Kansas City for ten years and answer questions about the fucking Beatles three times a day?"

It's less annoying if it's someone I've been introduced to. Strangely, the sort of people I'm happy to be introduced to rarely ask.

The new question is, "So, what do you think of Trump/the US election?"

Truth is, I try not to think about it. And I'm not at all interested in hearing the drunk geezer's opinions on it, either. If you can't vote for the US President, then your opinion is meaningless and I can't spare the time to listen to it. And I'm not interested in explaining my own opinions to whatever jakanape feels entitled to just walk up to me and ask me.

Large fridges are awesome. As are tumble dryers. And guns can be fun, under the right circumstances.

jakanape

very old school there ! I last read that word in a Billy Bunter book ....

However, I have never yet met an American person who wasn't fundamentally, at their most basic level sure that they and the way they do things is the best in the world. They're just right and that's because America and therefore Americans are just Always Right and even if they're wrong well they meant well. I don't mean this as a criticism at all, it's just something that I have observed. They've mainly been military people and sports people though.

I'm American, just about to become a dual citizen in a couple of weeks after a decade in the UK. It is the "always right-ism" that embarrasses me most about some of my fellow countrymen. I work with a number of Americans who have lived here for 10+ years, some of whom are also dual citizens, who loudly and regularly insist that "our" way is the best way. Anything that's not American is by definition inferior to some degree. Makes me cringe. However, I can assure you that there are those of us out there, as is hopefully evident from many of the posters on this thread, who have a more nuanced view.

As to the beef with domestic gun ownership, mine is that a law-abiding person's interest in having a gun, whether for hunting, target practice, or a misguided sense (see article linked above) that it will provide a means of self-defence simply does not outweigh 20+ first and second grader's rights not to get shot to bits in a classroom or cinemagoers not to get blasted while they watch a film, etc., etc. ad actual nauseum. More guns, legal or otherwise, is incontrovertibly linked to increased gun violence, and IMO that means even law-abiding people need to put their weapons down.