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This topic came up in a recent thread. It's an interesting subject given the climate of the world today.

http://www.buffettnews.com/forum/viewto ... &start=400

"SHOULD AMERICANS BE LESS AMERICAN????"

FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, HELL *HELL* NO!!!!

Garry, I think perhaps you should tell us how you really feel.

buffettbride wrote:Garry, I think perhaps you should tell us how you really feel.

There's a reason why people from all over the world want to come here-

BECAUSE IT SUCKS EVERYWHERE ELSE!

Asking an American to be less American is like asking a true Texan to be less Texan


AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN

ph4ever wrote:Asking an American to be less American is like asking a true Texan to be less Texan


AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN

A Texan being less Texan is the eight deadly sin! (NOT Pizza-pizza is the 2nd deadly PLEASURE).

So help me, in my next life I want to be from TEXAS!

I think everyone should be respectful of the culture where ever they are visiting. This is true on many levels...whether I'm visiting someone's home next door, or visiting someone's home in another country. I would also think it should hold true in reverse.

phjrsaunt wrote:I think everyone should be respectful of the culture where ever they are visiting. This is true on many levels...whether I'm visiting someone's home next door, or visiting someone's home in another country. I would also think it should hold true in reverse.

Agreed!

I've seen many Americans acting with a sense of superiority and arrogance when over seas... If this is what you mean by acting less American than I'm all for it

RAGTOP wrote:I've seen many Americans acting with a sense of superiority and arrogance when over seas... If this is what you mean by acting less American than I'm all for it

The arrogance and ignorance some Americans can show towards other people and cultures while overseas can be quite embarrassing. It all really comes down to respecting and valuing others. If "being American" equates to this bad behavior, then yes, we definately have work to do.

RAGTOP wrote:I've seen many Americans acting with a sense of superiority and arrogance when over seas... If this is what you mean by acting less American than I'm all for it

If that's being American, then yes we need to be less American.

But in my opinion, those people are not being American, they are being obnoxious, conceited morons idiots I am embarrased to call fellow countrymen. I was embarrased enough when I went to the Netherlands that I never really tried learning Dutch. But at least I tried to respect their customs and traditions and not make it seem as if I was bombarding into their homeland and taking over.

My philosophy is that if you go over a friend's house and they ask you to take off their shoes, you take off your shoes. The same goes when visiting other places. You follow their customs. Period.

jonesbeach10 wrote:

RAGTOP wrote:I've seen many Americans acting with a sense of superiority and arrogance when over seas... If this is what you mean by acting less American than I'm all for it

If that's being American, then yes we need to be less American.

But in my opinion, those people are not being American, they are being obnoxious, conceited morons idiots I am embarrased to call fellow countrymen. I was embarrased enough when I went to the Netherlands that I never really tried learning Dutch. But at least I tried to respect their customs and traditions and not make it seem as if I was bombarding into their homeland and taking over.

My philosophy is that if you go over a friend's house and they ask you to take off their shoes, you take off your shoes. The same goes when visiting other places. You follow their customs. Period.

wJB10s.
I spent nearly a decade overseas while in the Navy, and a year going around the world after I got out. I've ALWAYS respected and honored the customs and traditions AND LAWS of whatever country I was in. (The only group of people I never cared whose feelings I hurt were the NORTH Vietmamese). In turn, I can honestly say EVERY country that I visited or lived in, I was always treated with the greatest degree of courtesy and respect.
What I meant in my reply in my previous posts (and obviously didn't clarify) is that Americans DO NOT need to act "less American" while IN AMERICA. For example-to feel guilt because some fruitcake in Europe pays $5.00 a gallon for gasoline and we don't is BEYOND idiotic.
Also-protesting the funeral of a fallen serviceman or woman should be grounds for treason, punishable by death. Criticize the government all you want (after all, that IS being an American), but do not under ANY circumstances disrespect the men and women who put on the uniform of this country and make it great nation that it is.
And for punks like Ward Churchill to call the people who died on 9/11 "LITTLE EICHMANNS WHO DESERVED TO DIE" should be grounds for treason too.

Wino you know wrote:

jonesbeach10 wrote:

RAGTOP wrote:I've seen many Americans acting with a sense of superiority and arrogance when over seas... If this is what you mean by acting less American than I'm all for it

If that's being American, then yes we need to be less American.

But in my opinion, those people are not being American, they are being obnoxious, conceited morons idiots I am embarrased to call fellow countrymen. I was embarrased enough when I went to the Netherlands that I never really tried learning Dutch. But at least I tried to respect their customs and traditions and not make it seem as if I was bombarding into their homeland and taking over.

My philosophy is that if you go over a friend's house and they ask you to take off their shoes, you take off your shoes. The same goes when visiting other places. You follow their customs. Period.

wJB10s.
I spent nearly a decade overseas while in the Navy, and a year going around the world after I got out. I've ALWAYS respected and honored the customs and traditions AND LAWS of whatever country I was in. (The only group of people I never cared whose feelings I hurt were the NORTH Vietmamese). In turn, I can honestly say EVERY country that I visited or lived in, I was always treated with the greatest degree of courtesy and respect.
What I meant in my reply in my previous posts (and obviously didn't clarify) is that Americans DO NOT need to act "less American" while IN AMERICA. For example-to feel guilt because some fruitcake in Europe pays $5.00 a gallon for gasoline and we don't is BEYOND idiotic.
Also-protesting the funeral of a fallen serviceman or woman should be grounds for treason, punishable by death. Criticize the government all you want (after all, that IS being an American), but do not under ANY circumstances disrespect the men and women who put on the uniform of this country and make it great nation that it is.
And for punks like Ward Churchill to call the people who died on 9/11 "LITTLE EICHMANNS WHO DESERVED TO DIE" should be grounds for treason too.

I was only talking about Americans acting obnoxious and completely disrespecting another country's traditions in another country, and in the process giving Americans a bad name when it comes to international travel. I would like to think that in addition to you and I, the vast majority of Americans travelling abroad respect the traditions of other cultures in which they are travelling. Unfortunately there are some that don't do this and give Americans a bad name.

I agree with what you said in that in no way shape or form should we act less American in America. Hell, McDonalds, Buds, and Walmarts for everyone!!!

Okay well, maybe only the first two.

Oops, didn't read your post correctly Wino. Didn't see the 'w' and 's' -- thought it was something along the lines of "jb,..."

It's been a long day.

Absolutely not.

jonesbeach10 wrote:...............Hell, McDonalds, Buds, and Walmarts for everyone!!!

Okay well, maybe only the first two.

HELL AND MCDONALDS FOR EVERYONE???

Son, you're gonna be a HOOT when you're my age.

I have been to many different countries, and will be moving to one at some point (my fiance is currently in Boot Camp for the Navy and has a dream of living in Japan). It has been my experience that many Americans are not mindful of the cultural differences, therefore are being disrespectful, whether they know that they are or not, it is still disrespect. When I traveled I went with other teenagers such as myself, and I was embarrassed at many of their actions. We were in Italy and they were being teenage boys in a foreign country with different drinking laws. Things got out of hand, and the owner of the hotel threatened to call the police. (we did keep this from happening luckily) We had to explain to him that we just 'didn't know', but of course he was still very upset that we would act like that.

Ok, sorry about that rant, but basically I don't think it should be about 'being less American' it should be knowing about where you are visiting and have respect for the differences. That's why so many people travel in the first place, to see what other places and cultures are like...not to parade our culture around like a Carnival.


(sorry, I'm bad at posting.. and I'm watching the Mask of Zorro and am getting distracted...haha)

Surfer_Girl wrote: Ok, sorry about that rant, but basically I don't think it should be about 'being less American' it should be knowing about where you are visiting and have respect for the differences. That's why so many people travel in the first place, to see what other places and cultures are like...not to parade our culture around like a Carnival.

This is it exactly. I've lived in several countries and traveled to many more....and it's quite....well.....some of the behavior I've seen is quite bad.

Yes, and I've seen German tourist's acting like idiots in Spain...but 9 times out of 10.....if you notice an ugly behaving foreigner...it's gonna be an American complaining why that place isn't more like America.

I don't see being American as being a bad thing at all... we are very lucky to be who we are, and have all that we do.

I do see being an ARROGANT American as a bad thing.
To think we're king of this world, whether as an individual or as a collective government, is the stupidest, least educated assumption we can make.
Just look in a history book, and read about the rise... and fall of so many empires.

It just takes a couple of missteps due to that arrogance to begin a decline.
We don't have to go down that road...

Soraya wrote:but 9 times out of 10.....if you notice an ugly behaving foreigner...it's gonna be an American complaining why that place isn't more like America.

Yep, unfortunately true....

But what originally brought this subject up was state department guidance on being *safer* by being "less American." There is a huge groundswell of anti-American sentiment overseas, and depending where you are traveling that can be a dirty look, a snide remark, or as bad as being attacked or kidnapped. If we can tone down our "Americanisms" we will be much safer. Wearing an American flag on your shirt in some countries is like waving a red flag in front of a bull. An "I'll wear what I want and act like I want, dammit" attitude shows that ugly American thing again.....

There are two issues here: one is respect for another country's traditions, but the other is a very practical throttling back of American dress and attitudes in an effort to be SAFE. Yep, it takes a little swallowing of American pride sometimes. But I'd rather swallow my pride than get the sh*t beat out of me, or disappear......

How many of us Americans know enough about Canada to quickly "become" a Canadian in a tight spot? Not when dealing with officials, police, etc, but in a social setting where your gut tells you it's not a smart time to belt out God Bless America.... Not a bad idea to learn a little bit about Canada so you can "pass" if you have to, depending on what part of the world you're visiting.

I have a co-worker who is a Hispanic-American. He got caught in a mob in the middle east and started yammering away in Spanish. "No hablo" when asked if he spoke English. When asked where he was from, he said a small island in the Caribbean. If they thought he was an American, they would have beaten him to a pulp and quite probably killed him.

Bottom line: if you travel overseas, have a plan for if things go sour. Take the embassy numbers with you. KNOW how to use the local phone system. Make sure the phone in your hotel room works. If your cell doesn't work overseas, rent one when you get where you're going.

Don't be so naive as to think the world loves us. They don't.