I’m Ameri… erm,,, I’m Canadian!

[beet1e]

Another cut and paste job – I’m turning into Ripsnort!

I found this article as surprising as it was interesting. I just want to preface this by saying that I don’t believe in judging people according to how they vote (even my bro voted Labour – I still love him!), and certainly don’t agree with trying to influence the democratic electoral process in another country. I have a lot of friends in NYC, many of them Jewish, but most of them seem to be Dems.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2004/11/13/ftyank12.xml

Sometimes, I pretend I am Canadian
(Filed: 13/11/2004)

Sneering, insults, condescension – it's not so much fun being an American in London since the election, says Helen Kirwan-Taylor

There was a moment when we Americans living in Britain, all 200,000 or so of us, thought we were home free. The years of being mocked and antagonised for our country's leader were coming to an end. "Actually, I'm voting for Kerry" was the simplest way of getting out of a difficult conversation. The truth is that many Americans in Britain probably voted for Bush, but have kept it to themselves. It's about as fashionable as admitting to having the clap.

 
Lauren Crowe: 'As far as I can se, they're all insane'

"Every meeting I go to, every social occasion, even when I'm out shopping, someone hears my accent and challenges me to a debate," says Annie Ouroussof Jordan, an executive headhunter who, though American, spent years in France and the Middle East before moving to Britain 15 years ago. She did not vote.

"There wasn't a proper candidate as far as I'm concerned and I wasn't going to vote for Kerry just not to vote for Bush. The truth is that I would have voted for Bush if I had to make a choice. Many of us Americans feel this way because we don't know what Kerry believes in. He stands for nothing. I have gotten flak for it but part of being an American is speaking up. I am often provoked in social situations and have taken to avoiding the subject altogether." Still, this is nothing compared with French anti-Americanism. "It's pure hatred there," she says.

Anti-Americanism is running so high in some British circles that, at a recent party, I resorted to saying: "I'm Canadian". Months of getting into arguments and defending America (its people, not its leader) have caught up with me. Now, I feel embarrassed and worried. Every new headline makes my stomach turn. As for the future, I think we can expect a lot more polarisation, Bush-bashing and America-hating.

"Worried, ashamed, scared, depressed" are the words I have heard over and over again from my American friends. "By being hostile, the British are trying to say that we are not like you [Republicans]: we believe in fair play, in integrity, in doing the right thing," says Mark McDermott, a reader in psychology at the University of East London.

The US Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy recently issued a report on the subject. It found that "hostility towards Americans had reached shocking levels since September 11, despite America's attempts to fight the negative image". It even suggested creating an office that would respond to questions about US policy and world crises on a 24-hour basis, forcing ambassadors to engage with the public in their host countries.

Another study by the German Marshall Fund in America (which promotes co-operation between America and Europe) found that American power is viewed increasingly negatively in Europe - 76 per cent of Europeans disapprove of current United States policy. By contrast, a separate poll by Mori found that most Britons – 81 per cent – say that they like Americans as people, compared with 69 per cent in 1989.

 
Alfred Munkenbeck: 'Some guy was making fun of my accent in Mark & Spencer'

Such studies are being conducted left, right and centre because there is no question that anti-Americanism is an issue in Britain and the world, and we Americans cannot escape it. Even my children, who hold American passports, taunt me with comments such as "Americans are dumb". I have no idea where they heard that. This week, we had dinner with a friend of Chinese descent visiting from New York - a Bush voter, as it turns out. "I avoided the whole 'we hate America' thing with London cab drivers by playing the Asian," he said.

Bush and Iraq aside, I have my own theories to explain anti-Americanism. Americans export their culture anywhere there is a buyer - and Britain is a big taker, whether of nail bars, Bliss Spa massages or Starbucks.

Americans have an uncanny way of getting where they want to be in Britain, be that into the best clubs, schools, social circles or jobs. Even the BBC's director of television, Jana Bennett, is an American. The City is dominated by America; many of my friends work for American banks, law firms, magazine publishers and advertising agencies. I call my neighbourhood, Notting Hill, a suburb of New York because, effectively, it is. One American writer calls London a blue state, that's how close it is to liberal East Coast America. But the fact that we wholeheartedly embrace Britain and British ways probably makes Britain wholeheartedly not want to embrace us.

"Anti-Americanism does arise in certain social situations, which can be tricky, as I am often the only American in the room," says Cory Edelman, an American lawyer who moved to London a few years ago. "I used to take the bait, and now I know to be light, but I did take offence at some of the pre-election media coverage in Britain - I felt my patriotism come to the fore when the American system was attacked, as foolish as that may be."

Expat Americans feel they have to have all the facts and statistics at their fingertips to ward off any criticism. "I don't know what I'm talking about half the time, do you?" says Lauren Crowe, a magazine editor. "I've never spent time in the heartland of America. As far as I can see, they're all insane." She does, on occasion, hear people making fun of Americans. "They say we're inarticulate and dumb, but that same person when drunk says: 'I wish I could live in California'."

"To pretend there's a war when there isn't is really terrifying," says American architect Alfred Munkenbeck. "One terrorist incident doesn't mean you go to war with every small country. I think we overreacted hopelessly.

 
Diane Kordas: 'Deep down the British admire us'

"Four years ago, I used to shrug my shoulders. I was horrified the first time Bush won because I thought he was such a dummy but I thought America was a robust place. Now, I'm worried."

As for the negative comments he hears in Britain, he takes them in his stride. "I was in Marks & Spencer the other day and some guy was making fun of my accent," he says. But having spent time in the American Midwest recently, designing the Grand Rapids Art Museum in Michigan, he feels relieved to be back in England. "Eccentricity is encouraged here. There is huge pressure to conform in America, which is scary."

But even the most articulate American with the most cosmopolitan of British friends will find herself the butt of someone's hostility. "I was at a dinner recently. The host became increasingly rude about Americans, even though he happened to be married to one," says Diane Kordas, a jewellery designer married to a banker. "I confronted him and he became even more unpleasant. He said: 'Don't you know that everyone hates America?' "

She shrugged it off. "Deep down, I think the British admire us and we all get along really well. We've brought a lot of positive things with us. When I first moved here, nine years ago, London was a drab place. To get anyone to do anything took for ever. Now - thanks to us - Britain has power showers, concierge services and restaurants like Nobu."

All the good has, however, been eclipsed by recent events, she thinks. "The election has made Americans uncomfortable, even among themselves," she says. "There's a real stigma to being seen to have voted for Bush. People are staying very quiet."

"I feel sorry for Americans at the moment," says Mark McDermott. "They're stuck in a bad marriage with the British. It's called the 'reciprocity of negative affect'. If you are in a situation where the message you are constantly receiving is, I don't like you, the response is to say: I will make myself unlikeable."

Over the years, I have noticed that the loud Americans one encounters in Britain behave differently on their home turf. This includes me, I'm afraid. I will wage war on any rogue service suppliers in Britain, argue with the airline agent in public, speak my mind when my husband would rather I didn't, but when back in America, I'm all stiff upper lip. Why? Because the British assume that we are loud and demanding and consequently, we get our way. Unfortunately, acting American in America gets you absolutely nowhere.

[Dago]

Working with two British gentlemen on the job right now.  They will be returning to jolly old London in another week.  I have offered them each a dollar to look up beetle and give him a swift kick to the nads.   They are considering my offer.  

Beetle, didnt you notice that article was written by a woman?

a) Who gives a shxt what some woman says?
b) Who doesn't think most woman blather on to hear themselves make noise?
c) Who doesn't realize you can brow beat the British into submission?  

dago

[Wotan]

Helen Kirwan-Taylor

99% of all women with hyphenated last names are liberal wack jobs to begin with.

I will just leave it at that.

[lazs2]

yep... written by a woman... women want to fit in and be secure.   I love to get into debates and wore cowboy boots in london along with my accent... would wear an American flag armband now.   I made fun of british accents while I was there.   Asked em to speak modern english so I could understand em (Californian is modern english).

when they said that it was I who had the accent I pointed out that they could all understand me perfectly well but that they were speaking jiberish half the time even to each other.

I also pointed out that, like people with other speach problems like stuttering say, they spoke perfectly good Californian when they sang... I would ask if it were not too much trouble that perhaps they could sing to me to get over their speach impediment.

lazs

[lazs2]

I guess Bush has been good for the country tho if 81% of brits like us now that he is re-elected compared to 69% before.

He is a uniter.

lazs

[Curval]

lazs..you speak of modern English being Californian and yet you and others can be equated to the Taliban for your views towards women.

It is a bizarre idiosyncrasy you guys seem to have.

[AKIron]

Originally posted by Curval
lazs..you speak of modern English being Californian and yet you and others can be equated to the Taliban for your views towards women.

It is a bizarre idiosyncrasy you guys seem to have.

Lazs may appear a bit chauvinistic but I would hardly label him Taliban.

[Chortle]

I suspect I wouldn't like a sushi eating jewellery designer whatever their nationality.

[Curval]

Originally posted by AKIron
Lazs may appear a bit chauvinistic but I would hardly label him Taliban.

A BIT?

I only labelled him Taliban "for your (his and others) views towards women".  Nothing else.

Lazs wants to end women suffrage and roll the clock back on women's rights hundreds of years.

You call that a bit?

That is like being "a bit" pregnant"

[NUKE]

I picture Otto in  "A Fish Called Wanda" when I think of Laz in the UK.

[AKIron]

There's still a vast difference in the way women were treated "hundreds of years" ago in America and the way they were treated by the Taliban and still today in many Middle Eastern countries. When was the last time an American women was publicly executed for adultry?

[Nash]

Originally posted by AKIron
When was the last time an American women was publicly executed for adultry?

Does privately count?

[AKIron]

Originally posted by Nash
Does privately count?

Women are murdered in every country and culture. Certainly not sanctioned by western governments or decent people.

[beet1e]

Originally posted by NUKE
I picture Otto in  "A Fish Called Wanda" when I think of Laz in the UK.

ROFL - can you also imagine Lazs holding me by the ankles and dangling me over a balcony while I "apologise unreservedly" for laughing at his accent?

When Lazs next visits, I want to take him to an English tea shop. These are like little cafés full of old ladies and various "tweedy" types where everyone tries to be discrete and speaks in whispers.

[lazs2]

well beet.... ya gotta admit... I would get their friggin attention and give em something to wisper about for a while... hell... bet I could even get a few of em fired up and get their juices flowin again huh?

curval... if the only agenda the taliban has is ending womens suffrage and the only method they use is petitions or BB's and letters to congressman and the ocasional subversion of girlfriends, then ......I guess that would make me taliban too.  

some women are beat to death here as they are everywhere by lovers, boyfriends, husbands etc for every real or imagined failure... some... get guns and shoot their attacker dead.

lazs