to think we really are 2 completely different cultures - the USA and the UK - just looking at the 'rebellion' taking place

[chomalungma]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8228769/Bleak-figures-China-US-economic-hit-virus.html

I know it's only some Americans. I know that it's a massive country with many many more people than the UK

But these scenes are astounding. People flocking to beaches. Protesting about lockdown.
Protesting with guns about lockdown

You just can't imagine these scenes in the UK at the moment.
Especially not the Ohio Zombie picture

It just amazes me - sometimes you think we are very similar to the USA, and then many times, you realise we are completely different.

It won't sink in till either they or people they love get sick. Even a nurse sitting in her car with a face mask saying restrictions should be reduced. Depressing.

Trump needs economic recovery to survive politically he’ll throw anyone outside of him immediate circle under the bus to get it back up and running again
It’s truly shocking

Interesting thread, thank you. I’m not sure we are that different though. If Boris was tweeting liberate London, protect the economy I’m sure we’d see scenes just like this, if not worse.

Yes the brits are more reserved, yes we don’t pledge allegiance etc, but I’m not sure at our core any of us are that different, anywhere.we all have our share of the good the bad and the ugly.

As said though, if Boris was tweeting liberate London, I don’t think the scenes would be that different.

The only difference is Boris wouldn’t do that.

American values evolved from Puritan beliefs. They were very religious people that were fleeing England and Europe because they wanted to purify the Church of England. British life was and still is to some extent concerned with myths and folklore, American life values obedience and Christian morality. This is where the differences derived from and still remain.

I was asked by a supermarket cashier for recommendations on Netflix as he had exhausted most of it due to the lockdown. I have been watching Ozark with my husband and recommended it to the cashier. He asked what it was about briefly and I started by describing the context and to explain the kind of touristy location said it was a bit like the Lake District but what I meant was that the family find themselves in this tourist hotspot that isn't a beach or the seaside. That's as far as the similarities go as I don't think the Lake District is full of drug cartels, gang killings, money-laundering and the Old Testament!

For the life of me, I cannot believe the POTUS is provoking civil unrest in his own country? It’s crazy and what’s even more crazy is that he has the backing of thousands of people, wealthy donors and a major news organisation. Normally people will cross the road to avoid a ranting crazy person, not follow him.

The country is so divided that it can’t even hold together for 5 seconds in the face of an existential threat that could kill many of them.

No other country in the world is behaving like this. Nobody in the world wants to be locked down but they understand that it’s for the greater good and will mean less longer term damage.

I really feel for the sensible people of America who are following scientific and healthcare advice who’s lives will be threatened by the type of people photographed in the OP. Can they not see that they are seen as business fodder? There are reports that wealthy conservatives are paying for these demonstrations. They don’t care about the people, they care about their portfolios investments . Are these protestors really ready to die to ensure the Koch brothers don’t lose any billions? It’s insane.

I wonder how many of the US citizens who complain about the Welfare State and how unemployed are lazy layabouts etc.
I bet they happily took their relief payment

I wonder how long it is before there is a shooting.

I understand personal responsibility and choice, and if they want to go out and be at risk of catching it and not care, then fine

But in practice that isn't freedom for the frontline workers, who in many cases are BAME (mostly white in those pics aren't they) who are the ones having their lives out at risk. No freedom for them

@myohmywhatawonderfulday an old friend of mine who now lives in the states genuinely believes it will ‘pass over the doors’ of Christians, ala Moses (?). She’s far from alone.

Aren’t the majority of Americans for lockdown still? Whilst troubling I think these people are in the minority.

I bet they happily took their relief payment
The relief payment that was delayed because Trump wanted Donald Trump President of the United States plastered across the cheque, like he was giving them the money personally.

Canada as a country is around 150 years old and was a British colony until about 90 years ago. It is still a commonwealth country. The American revolution (which ended British rule) finished more than a century before modern day Canada was formed.

I don't think this is a large number of people and would definitely be interesting to know who organised the protest.

I posted that too soon- the Ozark drama really highlights this fear of heaven and hell, sin and retribution that Americans have. Our values are rooted in myths and legends and often we admire people that triumph through wit and will not 'preachy' types.

‘God gave us an immune system for a reason’. The mind boggles. God gave us the ability to kill of massive numbers of the population with our stupidity and right to freedom too?

America is such a huge country, that has to play a part.

I know a few Americans and they’re nothing like this. Larger population = more morons?

@Roussette

Trump wanted to have his signature on them as well! But he wasn't allowed.

@Fae1989 ... Probably anti-vaxxers

I think the only thing that links our culture is language

And barely even that.

There is an obsession with being "the land of the free" - and they want the freedom to do anything they want. There's never any recognition that freedom comes with responsibilities. If everyone has the right to do what they want to do, where is the respect for other people's rights?

There isn't any - there's just your own. ll take, no give.

an old friend of mine who now lives in the states genuinely believes it will ‘pass over the doors’ of Christians, ala Moses (?). She’s far from alone

They thought that about AIDS, too.

I agree with Bluntness,

The fact the president is pooh pooing the measures and lockdown is convincing the electorate that they’re being mislead.

At the beginning the UK was blasé about it too. And I think Bojos hand shaking with coronavirus patients and dismissing it as flu and won’t affect anyone healthy stance did a lot of damage. Even now I’ve seen people roll their eyes over the measures.

If the President is saying it’s ridiculous and get back to work then of course the average person who is suffering massively due to the loss of salary from a lockdown is going to hit back.

I think a lot of people here only sat up and took this seriously when the PM here ended up in hospital.

I’ve seen people telling pharmacists here to ‘chill the fuck out’ because our pharmacy has a three person inside at any time policy.

People aren’t taking it seriously. As the initial reaction by the politicians was dismissive.

The ones I know who are have suffered personal loss because of the virus.

For the life of me, I cannot believe the POTUS is provoking civil unrest in his own country? It’s crazy and what’s even more crazy is that he has the backing of thousands of people, wealthy donors and a major news organisation. Normally people will cross the road to avoid a ranting crazy person, not follow him.

It worries me because I truly believe that he is capable of starting a nuclear war rather then have to take responsibility for his own actions.

@DippyAvocado
I was surprised by suggestions before the lockdown that the UK government thought people wouldn't comply. With a few exceptions, we are generally a very law-abiding nation. We like rules. Look at our fondness for queuing correctly.

I suspect it is because - if not in government they wouldn't comply. BoJo particularly - even his Dad said it wasn't going to stop him going to the pub. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there aren't at least a few pubs opening 'after bird' style. Only regulars let in and by appointment so a lot don't turn up at once.

My friend lives in Houston and I'm worried for her that these crazies are on the loose
And armed.
Also Trump encourages bizzare conspiracy theories to terrify his base into going along with his policies.
One that they were circulating was that there was a left wing conspiracy along the lines of the movie Purge and that they needed to start evangelical Christian Militias to counteract this imagined threat. High levels of the Trump administration’s emails were leaked which had plans to organise armed units with army structures to patrol their districts.

What terrifies me is that, even after all this, he'll be voted in again.

These Evangelical Christian militias had detailed hierarchies and command structures and they were attempting to roll them out nationwide. One step up from having the kkk armed and trained imo.