You're so American!

[Mac Mickmanus]

11 hours ago, rudi49jr said:

Who says it was a false accusation? If it was, why not take it up with the moderators? They are the ones who can do something about it. 

It quite clearly was a false allegation , I posted the new MLK statue and he accused me of being a racist , because he thought that the it wasn't the new MLK statue and something else .

   He later found out that it actually really was a photo of the new MLK statue that I posted , yet he still  hasn't retracted his mistaken  allegation .

   Its him who needs to rectify the situation as it was him who made the allegation 

[Purdey]

Why do many people call themselves Irish American when they have never been to Ireland and don't have dual nationality? It is like saying someone is German British. I don't think anyone cares. 

Why do people say, "countries like Europe."?

Why is every country with government funded healthcare "communist" but government funded police or firemen are not? 

[GinBoy2]

This whole thing is nonsense.

 

I am an American of Mexican heritage

 

Am I Mexican No. Could I hold a Mexican passport Yes.

 

I'm proud to label myself as Hispanic, but again I'm not Mexican

 

My parents were first generation Americans, my Grandparents were from Guadalajara and I visit family often.

 

We are products of were we were brought up, not some distant ancestry. 

 

Obviously I speak Spanish, but to the fam back in Mexico I'm still a gringo

 

[Damrongsak]

9 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

Insurance is not really "insurance" in America unless you have a golden plan like CEOs and politicians who are fully indemnified from costs. It is a discount program you cannot afford to be without,  unless you are broke.  

 

In an emergency like you son abdominal pain you get the same care a as a bum off the street. Vagrants don't have addresses and poor people never get sued waste of money for the hospital  simply throw the bills in the garbage. Nothing happens. However a person with a job and assets would be sued and even have wages garnished. So we all pay for lack of Universal coverage in the end.

Yeah, and some government workers have cushy health plans.  Very low deductable cost and whatnot. 

 

This reminded me that when that son was born, the hospital bill was something like $5,000 or whatever.  But the itemized cost included something like a 30% surcharge.  That was to offset the cost of those who couldn't/wouldn't pay!  I didn't get soaked because I had insurance at the time. I couldn't believe it. 

 

Some years later the Affordable Health Care Act ("Obamacare") was enacted.  People of very modest income could get quite a subsidy, and preconditions weren't a problem.  I got a good insurance policy for a family of 3 the first year for about $78/month with minimal co-pay/deductions.  I had major surgery for an aneurism and spent a week in the hospital, ICU and all.  Cost me maybe $300 - $400.  Prior to that insurance, they couldn't tell me how much it might cost, but could run to $100,000.!

[GinBoy2]

To add to this, my two American daughters DNA is a weird thing.

 

My eldest daughter looks mayan which is a way distant throwback. My youngest daughter is a blondie and who knows how that works out, we'll see how my Grandson works out with that one.

 

My Thai son has turned out to be one Handsome Lekung  boy and quite the thing with the ladies

 

Weird thing DNA

[cdemundo]

1 hour ago, Purdey said:

Why do many people call themselves Irish American when they have never been to Ireland and don't have dual nationality? It is like saying someone is German British. I don't think anyone cares. 

Why do people say, "countries like Europe."?

Why is every country with government funded healthcare "communist" but government funded police or firemen are not? 

"Why do many people call themselves Irish American when they have never been to Ireland and don't have dual nationality?"

 

Of course it isn't just people with Irish ancestry who do that, with the exception of "Native Americans" every one in the US either descended from an immigrant or is an immigrant.

I think it comes from the tendency to depend on the community from the home country when first coming to the USA.

Then it becomes part of family history: "Grandpa swam across the Atlantic with a piano on his back" and other stories of the older generation. 

Some of my siblings are obsessed with that kind of thing, reading Irish history, having  Irish-themed decorations in their home, visiting Ireland, getting Irish passports..

I guess it's a kind of family pride, I'm not big on it myself.

Interestingly my grandfather is quoted as saying "There are reasons we left Ireland" when asked to reminisce about the old country.

 

Myself I confine myself to Irish jokes like

Q: "Lotta Irish-American families have a lot of boxers. Why doesn't the Kennedy family have any boxers?"

A: "Kennedys can't take a shot to the head."

Rimshot please.

[GinBoy2]

4 hours ago, cdemundo said:

"Why do many people call themselves Irish American when they have never been to Ireland and don't have dual nationality?"

 

Of course it isn't just people with Irish ancestry who do that, with the exception of "Native Americans" every one in the US either descended from an immigrant or is an immigrant.

I think it comes from the tendency to depend on the community from the home country when first coming to the USA.

Then it becomes part of family history: "Grandpa swam across the Atlantic with a piano on his back" and other stories of the older generation. 

Some of my siblings are obsessed with that kind of thing, reading Irish history, having  Irish-themed decorations in their home, visiting Ireland, getting Irish passports..

I guess it's a kind of family pride, I'm not big on it myself.

Interestingly my grandfather is quoted as saying "There are reasons we left Ireland" when asked to reminisce about the old country.

 

Myself I confine myself to Irish jokes like

Q: "Lotta Irish-American families have a lot of boxers. Why doesn't the Kennedy family have any boxers?"

A: "Kennedys can't take a shot to the head."

Rimshot please.

I very rarely identify myself as hispanic in public. Folks can generally tell by my surname but I don't advertise it.

 

Now I'm a very white Hispanic, so without my name I need to say nothing.

 

My eldest daughter however looks very mayan, and she leans into her heritage very much. 

 

She's absolutely American but much more than me she embraces her DNA heritage

[LaosLover]

People like to be Irish American because they enjoy the broad Irish cultural flavor and like to pretend that they are in any way attached to it. So many cable knit sweater bad choices.

 

They believe that Irish culture is somehow deeper than so-called generic American culture in the same misguided way that white liberals think black people are "more in touch" with something or other.

 

Stuff like RiverDance or Celtic Thunder mints money in the states from these people and also a larger audience who likes a rosy Epcot Center world-view where the world is a safe mash up of different funny dances and deep fried desserts.

 

I used to live near where they held The Highland games in the Blue Ridge Mountains. More saluting of uneaten haggis's in that weekend than in 20 Chinese bus tours to Mull.

 

I am half-English. I am properly ashamed of it. It's really the only way to go.

[KhunLA]

17 minutes ago, LaosLover said:

I am half-English. I am properly ashamed of it. It's really the only way to go.

My ancestors left the Empire, for more freedom.  Why would I want to consider myself anything but a US American.  

 

They sacrificed so much to rid that stigma, why would I want to reclaim it ????

[GinBoy2]

On 1/21/2023 at 8:05 PM, KhunLA said:

My ancestors left the Empire, for more freedom.  Why would I want to consider myself anything but a US American.  

 

They sacrificed so much to rid that stigma, why would I want to reclaim it ????

Well pretty much all Americans at least in the 20th century came to the US to escape either persecution or grinding poverty.

 

The English are the oddballs.

Most of us maintain at least some affection for where our parents, or grandparents came from.

 

I like going to Mexico, would I want to go back to live there; Hell No!

I think that is probably a similar sentiment for a lot of first second generation immigrant children.

 

The English almost try to hide it, and a lot actively work at losing their accent to hide it

[Jingthing]

7 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

Well pretty much all Americans at least in the 20th century came to the US to escape either persecution or grinding poverty.

 

The English are the oddballs.

Most of us maintain at least some affection for where our parents, or grandparents came from.

 

I like going to Mexico, would I want to go back to live there; Hell No!

I think that is probably a similar sentiment for a lot of first second generation immigrant children.

 

The English almost try to hide it, and a lot actively work at losing their accent to hide it

Moving to Mexico is very popular among Americans. 

In my case my folks left Russian ruled Ukraine dodging pogroms to enter Cuba illegally so no thanks at the moment.

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/number-of-people-moving-from-us-to-mexico-2019-5?op=1

 

Edited January 23, 2023 by Jingthing

[KhunLA]

2 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

Well pretty much all Americans at least in the 20th century came to the US to escape either persecution or grinding poverty.

 

The English are the oddballs.

Most of us maintain at least some affection for where our parents, or grandparents came from.

 

I like going to Mexico, would I want to go back to live there; Hell No!

I think that is probably a similar sentiment for a lot of first second generation immigrant children.

 

The English almost try to hide it, and a lot actively work at losing their accent to hide it

A few hyphenated you never hear;

UK - American

British - American

Wales - American

Scottish - American

If not for St Patty's Day I don't think anyone would claim to be Irish American.

 

Also have never heard anyone say they are part of any of the above listed except for Irish.

 

... nuff said 

[GinBoy2]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

Moving to Mexico is very popular among Americans. 

In my case my folks left Russian ruled Ukraine dodging pogroms to enter Cuba illegally so no thanks at the moment.

Well  most Americans move to US 'enclaves' in Mexico, basically a US retirement community, which just happens to be in Mexico.

 

When I go to Mexico I stay in real Mexico. As much as a love my family, real Mexico just ain't for me!  

[Jingthing]

WASPs have generally not experienced being othered in American history. Every other group has.

 

Duh.

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

Well  most Americans move to US 'enclaves' in Mexico, basically a US retirement community, which just happens to be in Mexico.

 

When I go to Mexico I stay in real Mexico. As much as a love my family, real Mexico just ain't for me!  

Wrong.

Most of the Americans moving to Mexico have Mexican roots.

[VocalNeal]

1 hour ago, GinBoy2 said:

The English almost try to hide it, and a lot actively work at losing their accent to hide it

Not the ones I have met here. 

 

But then we have to separate English from British????

 

Also why do Americans have such a thing for the Brits???? As some posts on this thread allude to.

[Jingthing]

50 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

Not the ones I have met here. 

 

But then we have to separate English from British????

 

Also why do Americans have such a thing for the Brits???? As some posts on this thread allude to.

A thing?

You mean like a boner?

[EVENKEEL]

2 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

Well pretty much all Americans at least in the 20th century came to the US to escape either persecution or grinding poverty.

 

The English are the oddballs.

Most of us maintain at least some affection for where our parents, or grandparents came from.

 

I like going to Mexico, would I want to go back to live there; Hell No!

I think that is probably a similar sentiment for a lot of first second generation immigrant children.

 

The English almost try to hide it, and a lot actively work at losing their accent to hide it

My parents with 4 sibs made the journey in 1950 from Denmark, my father made the journey in the 1920's to US and Canada. Then again later with the family. 

 

It had zero to do with any economic reasons. They went from living a good life in Aarhus to a 1 room cabin next to the RR where my father had a job waiting, He loved the USA, he tried for years to make it, their life in Denmark was much better than living in the NV desert. 

 

And I know others who came to the USA for the freedom and possibilities it offered.

[GinBoy2]

3 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

Not the ones I have met here. 

 

But then we have to separate English from British????

 

Also why do Americans have such a thing for the Brits???? As some posts on this thread allude to.

I wasn't talking about how most Americans react to Brits, more about how the English, and I make that distinction from generic Brits react to themselves in the US.

You get lots of Scottish festivals in the US, a little Welsh, but never seen anything essentially  English

 

I'm a total Anglophile, fell in love as a nerdy teenager listening to warbling Shortwave BBC World Service in my bedroom in the 70's. Allowed a poor Hispanic kid see a wide world from that bedroom, I'll always be grateful

Edited January 23, 2023 by GinBoy2

[KannikaP]

4 hours ago, KhunLA said:

A few hyphenated you never hear;

UK - American

British - American

Wales - American

Scottish - American

If not for St Patty's Day I don't think anyone would claim to be Irish American.

 

Also have never heard anyone say they are part of any of the above listed except for Irish.

 

... nuff said 

In 'real' English, it is St PADDY's Day.

A PATTY is what Americans put on a bread bun and call it a sandwich. 555

Edited January 23, 2023 by KannikaP

[Jingthing]

18 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

I wasn't talking about how most Americans react to Brits, more about how the English, and I make that distinction from generic Brits react to themselves in the US.

You get lots of Scottish festivals in the US, a little Welsh, but never seen anything essentially  English

 

I'm a total Anglophile, fell in love as a nerdy teenager listening to warbling Shortwave BBC World Service in my bedroom in the 70's. Allowed a poor Hispanic kid see a wide world from that bedroom, I'll always be grateful

Ever heard of New England?

Ever heard New England prep school accents?

English don't need no freakin' festival.

[GinBoy2]

17 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Ever heard of New England?

Ever heard New England prep school accents?

English don't need no freakin' festival.

Actually they do, it might make them feel better about themselves.

 

Tolkien once said he wrote Lord of the Rings to provide the English with the closest they could get to a national mythology.

 

They don't have a national dress the closest they come are Morris Dancers, which I've seen enough to know it's pretty weird!

Edited January 24, 2023 by GinBoy2

[VocalNeal]

^ They have lots of mythology. 

 

King Arthur

Robin Hood

Et al.

[BigStar]

19 hours ago, Jingthing said:

English don't need no freakin' festival.

So many things in life are matters of want rather than need, son.

United Kingdom

• Beverley Folk Festival
• Cambridge Folk Festival
• Celtic Connections
• England's Medieval Festival
• Edinburgh Folk Festival
• Fairport's Cropredy Convention
• FolkEast Festival
• The Green Man Festival
• Inter Varsity Folk Dance Festival
• Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival
• Shetland Folk Festival
• Shrewsbury Folk Festival
• Sidmouth Folk Festival
• Soma Festival
• Wickham Festival
• Wimborne Folk Festival

Wikipedia

 

Lots of Renaissance Faires in many parts of the USA, too, the biggest of them in Texas. I went to the Bay Area version and it was great. Supposedly European, but mostly English influenced.

Edited January 24, 2023 by BigStar

[radiochaser]

On 1/20/2023 at 5:40 PM, MyFriend You said:

No, Texacan

A Hispanic friend of mine back in San Antonio, once told me, we don't speak Spanish, we speak Texican!

[Mac Mickmanus]

On 1/17/2023 at 1:48 PM, ozimoron said:

I thought it looked like a "mars bar". I didn't even believe it was real when I first saw it. I accused the poster of being racist for posting it. mea culpa.

That will have to do for a retraction of your allegation then 

[thaibeachlovers]

On 1/20/2023 at 3:36 PM, Hummin said:

Some islam states and coutries do have free social welfare, education, healthcare and no interest allowed. 

No Islamic state should have interest as it's banned by the religion.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riba

Riba (Arabic: ربا ,الربا، الربٰوة ribā or al-ribā, IPA: [ˈrɪbæː]) is an Arabic word that can be roughly translated as "usury", or unjust, exploitative gains made in trade or business under Islamic law. Riba is mentioned and condemned in several different verses in the Qur'an (3:130, 4:161, 30:39 and perhaps most commonly in 2:275-2:280).[1] It is also mentioned in many hadith (reports describing the words, actions, or habits of the Islamic prophet Muhammad).

[Orinoco]

I like the Americans, worked with many over the years.

New Yorkers to red neck farm boys,  all good stand up guys.

But you do tend to get the Audio before the Visual,  most of the time.   

[Hummin]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

No Islamic state should have interest as it's banned by the religion.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riba

Riba (Arabic: ربا ,الربا، الربٰوة ribā or al-ribā, IPA: [ˈrɪbæː]) is an Arabic word that can be roughly translated as "usury", or unjust, exploitative gains made in trade or business under Islamic law. Riba is mentioned and condemned in several different verses in the Qur'an (3:130, 4:161, 30:39 and perhaps most commonly in 2:275-2:280).[1] It is also mentioned in many hadith (reports describing the words, actions, or habits of the Islamic prophet Muhammad).

Yes, and also social healthcare and education for their own, but still treat contract workers lkke slaves and dirty dogs! 

 

 

[Hummin]

Typical Americans? Guns, and more guns

 

 

This is just unbelievable, that this just continue year after year! 

 

 

39 mass shootings so far in 23. More than 1200 people shot dead!

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/24/tragedy-upon-tragedy-why-39-us-mass-shootings-already-this-year-is-just-the-start