To the non-American forum members...

satur8 · Dec 08, 2015, 15:48

Hi guys. So...you know we're not ALL idiots in the U.S., yeah? I mean, here on this forum we have a global community where we all discuss our favorite music and everyone is treated with respect, even in disagreement, as it should be. So, we (American forum members) know you are okay with us personally. But, please tell us you know that many other Americans also don't fit the "gun-lovin/fast food eatin'/racist xenophobe/loud/low-intelligence" stereotype that is so easy to identify.

Don't get me wrong, some of us see it too and know where it comes from. Hell, many of those that fit the stereotype are either proud of it or simply don't believe there is anywhere in the world that the United States in not loved and cherished as "#1". These people are, of course, ignorant idiots.

Anyway, there are many of us speaking out against the injustices, hate, abuses of power and overall idiocracy of our current politics. Many of us are banding together and trying to make a better world. And, I know we don't usually talk politics on the board (and perhaps we shouldn't on an entertainment forum), but I want you to know that there are many of us that see the fools around us and we are trying to fix it. And, if a dangerous demagogue like Trump or his ilk do somehow rise to power, please remember that MANY of us very vocal against it and trying to encourage others to stop it before it happens. There have been a lot of comparisons to Hitler, and yet many Americans still wonder how Germany "let it happen". I was embarrassed of our countrymen's treatment of our first black President, and somehow they have doubled down with their guns and hate of all non-white non-Christians.

I'm not looking to open a political post or start America-bashing arguments . I'm just letting you know...it's not all of us. I don't even think it is most of us. But the mainstream media over here feeds into it, so you don't hear the sensible side often enough. We are here, too.

ThePumisher · Dec 08, 2015, 18:46 #1

Quote from: satur8 on Dec 08, 2015, 15:48

And, if a dangerous demagogue like Trump or his ilk do somehow rise to power, please remember that MANY of us very vocal against it and trying to encourage others to stop it before it happens.

The French people have the same problem at the moment (Le Pen). It's like no one has learned from what has happened here in germany 80 years ago.

Ben_j · Dec 08, 2015, 20:39 #2

Quote from: ThePumisher on Dec 08, 2015, 18:46

The French people have the same problem at the moment (Le Pen). It's like no one has learned from what has happened here in germany 80 years ago.

The problem is that people didn't vote. More than half of the people didn't vote or did a blank vote last sunday. As a result, the FN appears to be very strong with 30%, while really it just represents 12% of all French voters (with the two other main parties at 10% and 11%) . Le Pen won't get elected next sunday in Nord Pas de Calais, and she won't at the presidential elections in two years either.

And to answer to satur8 : yes we know you are not all idiots. But Trump is getting less and less funny, and more and more scary.

Bendy1001 · Dec 08, 2015, 21:36 #3

Politicians like Bush are stupid cause they appear to have all their opinions fed to them by their parties. But every now and then you get a politician like Trump, who seems to be spouting all of his bullshit straight from the heart, and that's what makes him so much scarier.
As convenient as it would be to have all of the world's idiots bundled up into one country, I think most people are aware that the USA does actually have a reasonable population of intelligent people. That said, the mere notion of Trump getting voted in puts a serious damper on any future possibilities of my moving to America.

ThePumisher · Dec 08, 2015, 22:24 #4

Quote from: Ben_j on Dec 08, 2015, 20:39

But Trump is getting less and less funny, and more and more scary.

Careful what you say here - he can shut down the whole internet with just one call to Bill Gates

Ben_j · Dec 09, 2015, 01:00 #5

Quote from: ThePumisher on Dec 08, 2015, 22:24

Careful what you say here - he can shut down the whole internet with just one call to Bill Gates

Wasn't that on a satire news website ?

Enjoyed · Dec 09, 2015, 04:42 #6

I have been in America for 86 days now.

99% of the people I've met have been the best people I've ever met.
Super friendly, super enthusiastic, genuinely caring and generous if you strike up a conversation.

I haven't been south much...

.. But still. We know you're mostly great.
We love you.

Now let me come and be one of you, yeah?

Csar · Dec 09, 2015, 10:34 #7

This is an interesting topic you've come up with, Satur8. I don't think you need to apologize for stupid people that happen to live in your country, because they're everywhere. When I spend my internship time in the US, I've had almost the exact same experience Enjoyed is having right now. I met kind, generous and lovely people all over the place. People were approaching me on the street when I was apparently looking for something and looked lost or got into nice conversations out of the blue with strangers. Damn, I even spend a whole day with an older lady at the Rally to Restore Sanity back in 2010 after we'd met and waited for like an hour at the metro station that was swamped with people to get there.
Sure, there were superficial and dumb folks too, but like I said, they're everywhere. The Trumps of this world are everywhere. Just like Mc Donalds

.

And since you felt the need to apologize, I have to as well: I live in the epicenter of the PEGIDA movement, which is most annoying right now. If you hadn't heard about it, I'd be glad. If you have, well, I'm sorry!

sandelic · Dec 09, 2015, 11:29 #8

There are uninformed folks everywhere; there are number of them who makes uninformed opinions based on nothing more than Trump and Honey Boo Boo about Americans over here, and you have my apologies on their behalf.
We, on the other hand, remember things like said Rally to restore sanity and anti-Bush demonstrations and know you guys have been trying hard to make things right. Obama was a part of that process, I guess.
I have no doubt that 'creatures' like Trump will not get elected, since that would be disastrous for America and for the rest of the world.

But all that is not, unfortunately, only symptomatic for American society. There is unnerving trend of mistaking opinions for facts, lunatics like anti-vaccine and anti-gay movements (to name a few) are taking hold all over the world, and that vocal minority is more often heard and talked about than other side, painting a picture of that society that has little to do with reality.

All I can say from my experience with Americans is to echo previous posts; they where always respectful, kind and quite open, folk you can stop to chat for a while and, here and there, have a good time.

satur8 · Dec 09, 2015, 14:11 #9

Thanks guys. I'm glad your experiences here have been positive. I agree, many people over here are great...it's the loudest that are the worst.

I will follow up with a few things:

1 - The general consensus here (so far) has been that stupid people are everywhere, and I agree. But somehow my large, powerful and arguably influential country is the one that is propping up Trump. How does a man with this much hate even gain this type of large support in a first world nation that supposedly understands world history? (However, just today a lot of media sources and politicians are finally speaking against him, which is good.)

2 - I know the gun thing is a big deal everywhere, and we look like fools. You guys are just being nice while we're killing each other (and blaming the Muslims or liberals to boot!). For Americans, we know and understand that it's legal to have guns here and that is not always the polarizing point. It is the ignorance, lack of restrictions and common sense/responsibility that makes us a joke in the global community.

3 - It's not just the south. This stupid is everywhere. It showed it's head when we elected our first black President, and it seems to have gained speed after years of appearing to accept each other. It is also happening in the center and the north. Geographically speaking, I live in one of the most democratic/liberal/progressive parts of the country (Delaware). I work in a predominantly liberal large city, in a large and predominantly liberal law firm, in an IT department: we're geeks and nerds and usually pretty forward thinking. Yet, both guys I sit next to are 'tea party' gun nuts that support Trump. These are otherwise cool guys that believe all foreigners, specifically browns ones, and more specifically anyone Muslim, are a threat. It's everywhere.

There is an air of superiority over here that is neither warranted nor productive in a modern global community. Fortunately I believe cooler minds will prevail. At least I hope they will. And thank you guys for your honesty.

satur8 · Dec 09, 2015, 14:16 #10

Quote from: sandelic on Dec 09, 2015, 11:29
But all that is not, unfortunately, only symptomatic for American society. There is unnerving trend of mistaking opinions for facts, lunatics like anti-vaccine and anti-gay movements (to name a few) are taking hold all over the world, and that vocal minority is more often heard and talked about than other side, painting a picture of that society that has little to do with reality.

I am relieved and saddened this is not just an American trend. Even fact checking is hard these days with all of the min-info out there (but it CAN be done).

Wolkenkrabber · Dec 11, 2015, 10:08 #11

Can't find this on youtube yet...

https://twitter.com/Studio10au/status/674729609380814852

Csar · Dec 11, 2015, 11:06 #12

Quote from: Skyscraper on Dec 11, 2015, 10:08

Can't find this on youtube yet...

https://twitter.com/Studio10au/status/674729609380814852

That made me curious. I mean, if Han Solo is bashing Trump!!

it's a movie, Csar, it's a moooovie!

neorev · Dec 11, 2015, 11:29 #13

thanks for the topic satur8
i'm from the States and it's something i feel as well. Trump as President is absolutely terrifying. I think I'd need to move to Iceland or Canada if that happens.

Ben_j · Dec 13, 2015, 19:45 #14

There, not a single region for FN

sandelic · Dec 14, 2015, 11:45 #15

Kick ass!

The Bloke · Dec 21, 2015, 23:57 #16

That's because the communists, socialists and liberals all support the same candidate every time the National Front is about to win. Just like the SPD and CDU govern together in Germany, except there's no other real challenger there.
Basically, it's as if the Democrats and Republicans in the US, or Labour and conservatives in the UK, supported the same candidate for an election. Don't think it's very likely to happen there, but in France it does.
This said :

whirlygirl · Dec 25, 2015, 15:29 #17

I am glad for this thread and grateful for the discussion here. Satur8 pretty much says what I would say, and much more eloquently so. Because whenever I see the name Donal Trump, all I can think is how much he needs to shut his pie hole.

The media gives him a lot of attention because that is how it goes with those who scream the loudest. I haven't had cable television in years, so being removed from that painful element of the candidate vetting process. But I am inundated with it elsewhere I get my news right down to trending topics on Facebook.

This man is a bully of the highest order and of the most dangerous kind. He runs his campaign on fear, and in turn those who oppose him fear the possibility of what it would be like under his regime. We can not let him win.

sandelic · Nov 22, 2016, 12:55 #18

Quote from: sandelic on Dec 09, 2015, 11:29
I have no doubt that 'creatures' like Trump will not get elected, since that would be disastrous for America and for the rest of the world.

Hahahaha, I'm going to eat my hat!

neorev · Nov 23, 2016, 02:20 #19

What's more messed up is Clinton won the popular vote by almost 2 million votes, but Trump won because of the way the electoral college is set up. So it shows there's a majority of people here who are not completely insane.

I did find both candidates to be flawed, but I would have preferred Clinton. But once again the electoral college screws over the progressive half of this country. This time we were royally screwed over due to the huge gap in popular votes.

Another issue is over 40% of registered votes did not vote. That's huge. I'm curious if they just didn't feel either candidate was worthy of their vote or possibly thought one candidate had a good chance of winning and didn't feel like their vote would matter.

Going back to the electoral college screwing us over, I always wonder what our country would be today if Gore defeated Bush. What path we would have gone on instead of the one Bush/911/Iraq war sent us on.

I was already frightened of the future... with Trump as President, I'm downright terrified.