Speaking as a UK citizen, Why do you think that the USA is the laughing stock of the Western world?

Question

Everywhere I go I hear jokes and stories about Americans being religious crazies, gun toting psychos and Racist extremists (white and black). Are there any normal people in the good old USA?

Answer 1

Yes

Answer 2

I can't speak as a UK citizen, as I'm not one.

Speaking as a US citizen, I cannot claim to be a religious crazy, gun toting psycho, or racist extremist so if nobody else chimes in, there is at least one "normal" person.

Of course, being a nation of religious crazies, gun toting psychos, and racist extremists - the very concept of "normal" has shifted, so I guess I truly am not normal.

Now have a nice day, Mr. Bigot.

Answer 3

Yes Americans are good god fearing people. Most Americans have a love of country, god and family, There are problems with the USA. But we love our freedoms. The world talks bad about the USA for the same reason little kids make fun of the talented kid at school....... JEALOUSY

Answer 4

We're spoiled silly, and incredibly advantaged in general. We don't need to learn about other cultures, peoples, languages, etc., in order to still eat, watch, play, HAVE most everything we want. Most people here seem, to me, a little apathetic and disengaged from any "big picture"- anything involving a deep exploration of other beliefs or ways of life. We're too hyper-convenienced to care much.

And then you have the worst among us, but I don't know that the 10 to 20 percent I'd consider to be "dangerously" ignorant or racist or fanatically religious is a higher percentage than you'd find anywhere else. Hey, there's actually a fairly decent chance we'll elect a black president in the next few cycles. You see that happening anywhere in Europe anytime soon?

Answer 5

There are plenty of normal people (normal meaning informed, not crazily religious, open-minded, etc), but we just aren't as outspoken as the fat, religious, racist ones. Also, I think the media glamorizes the idea of a "real American" being some hick wearing hunting clothes, driving a huge truck and praising jesus constantly.

Answer 6

There are some "normal" people here, but most of them know a bit about history, the world, things like that. But unfortunately, most Americans don't know much about history and have a low cultural standard. But there are many exceptions too. However, it's a democracy here, and we allow ignorant people to vote in officials/representatives etc. who are not really qualified to lead, thus putting us into mess after mess.

Answer 7

You sound like you are the one with the problem. You should actually MEET many individuals in the US and maybe then you would be qualified to make a judgment.

We hear jokes about how ugly the Brits are, how anal retentive they can be, and how bad their teeth are. I don't find that kind of prejudice humorous either.

Answer 8

Speaking as a US citizen, why is it that nonAmericans, most notably Brits, come to YAnswers to spew hatred at Americans?

I think it's just like the radical muslim terrorists - they flock to Iraq because there are Americans there. Brits and radical Islam, always trying to bring their hatred to Americans wherever they are.

Answer 9

Because they are. I'm an AMerican, and I'm disgusted. I'm constantly assaulted with religious and racist views about my mother's/father's country (Iraq) and my religion (Islam) and the fact that no one seems to understand the fundamentals of other cultures. For a country that used to be a melting pot, it is now a country that takes all cultures and forces them into one.

Answer 10

I don`t think that you can generalise a whole country!!!!....I have ALOT of friends from the US and they are NOTHING but kind decent people!!!!....I`me from the UK and my hubby is in the Army....get your facts right before you slag a whole nation off....they are our CLOSEST ALLIES and we should be PROUD to have them at our side....x