A friend told me that when she visited a household in the US, she was astonished that when Bush came on the TV, the child of the house, aged about 6, promptly stood up and saluted!
She was told that American children are trained to regard the president as some kind of god-like figure, an object of respect and awe.
Question being, is this really the sort of thing that goes on over there? It sounds dangerously like indoctrination to me - like the way the German kids used to be taught to stand to salute Hitler. This kind of attitude is completely alien in the UK, where the only thing we are taught as kids in regard to our prime minister, whoever he be, tends to be a healthy disrespect and cynicism.
2007-10-12 04:08:28 · 9 answers · asked by SLF 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
Oh yes...your friend is so right. All Americans are identical, we all think exactly the same way and we all agree with the Bush administration's policies. Just like your country. Good god...
2007-10-12 04:30:50 · answer #1 · answered by Andy S 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I certainly was never taught to stand and salute when the president comes on tv. It sounds as if your friend landed in some nut house.
I think we are taught to respect the office of president. Right now, I personally can't respect the person holding that office and many Americans probably feel the same.
2007-10-12 04:13:13 · answer #2 · answered by Miss Brown 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
nationalism is indoctrinated into all children. However, I've lived in both countries and I found that people in general in the UK held more respect for the crown than Americans do for the president
2007-10-12 04:12:41 · answer #3 · answered by bregweidd 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't go like that in most houses. I see Bush on tv, i flick him off and change the channel. His parents are the ones that forced that type of behavior. I think in most houses politics are not a main concern and although we regard his position as special, we do not see the person as special. At least that is my opinion.
2007-10-12 04:22:13 · answer #4 · answered by CSND 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Disrespect and cynicism? Haven't you ever watch David Letterman or Jay Leno?
2007-10-12 06:45:17 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do all the English have bad teeth? Although the incident you described does disturb me more than a set of bad teeth, I would not take it, if I were you, as a reflection of how ALL American families raise their children.
2007-10-12 04:14:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have not seen this in any household I have ever been in. My kids no how I feel about our president. He in not very well liked by a lot of Americans.
Sorry, you were misinformed.
2007-10-12 04:15:21 · answer #7 · answered by MotherB 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Trust me, you'll have an easier time speaking negatively about Bush in the US than we would have even asking why you still have a queen if we were in the UK.
2007-10-12 04:33:02 · answer #8 · answered by Rossonero NorCal SFECU 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It depends on where you are. In places like possibly Texas, you might find something like this happen, but it's not the norm for the country as a whole.
2007-10-12 04:12:11 · answer #9 · answered by firstythirsty 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋