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Originally Posted by Jerrek
"Indeed, it [referring to what makes a people--nationalism in Europe, an idea in the United States] seems to bind us much more strongly than most nations. If I were to move to the UK, and became a citizen there, I would forever be thought of by the British as being "American".
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Well, yes, because Britain acknowledges the concept of "Dual Nationality", but to become an American citizen you have to recite an oath part of which says "'I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic....''.
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"But you're American if you think you're American, and are willing to give up what you used to be in order to be one of us. That's all it takes."
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That's *ALL* it takes? Give up *everything* that's defined your life previously to become an American??? Oh, well *that's* no big deal!
Although I wonder if the author of that piece has been to Little China, or Little Italy, or Little Russia or Little Cuba or talked to a large number of Hispanics who don't even *speak* the same language as him...!!!
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"It is not just that they don't understand that idea; most of them don't even realize it exists, because Europeans have no equivalent, and some who have an inkling of it dismiss it contemptuously."
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Or consider that Dual Citizenship is actually not that bad a thing after all.
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It is that idea that explains why we don't care what Europeans think of us, and why European disapproval of our actions has had no effect on us. It is that idea which explains why, in fact, we're willing to do what we think is right even if the entire rest of the world disapproves.
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Translation: It's that which makes some of us arrogant ba$$$$ds who think that we have the right to do what we want and to hell with anyone else because we're the biggest bully on the block!
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Our freedom of speech and the press are critically different. In large parts of Europe, hate speech is a crime. But in America, hate speech is protected speech. So when a French judge tried to order an American company to remove Nazi symbols from their site in the US, an American judge told the French judge to get stuffed.
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Maybe if the US had actually *experienced* Nazi occupation they might have a different view on the situation.
(NB I don't approve of the laws in France and Germany that proscribe this sort of thing, but I understand why they have them)
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A Brit who shoots a burglar in his home may land in prison. An American who does the same will probably be treated as a hero. That idea we share admits of no other conclusion; the man who kills a dangerous intruder in his home proves his dedication to that idea as strongly as anyone can without serving the nation in wartime.
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And what about the one who accidentally shoots an innocent person...? Of course in America the intruder is *much* more likely to be armed...! (Oh gods, but *please* let's not start that debate again!!)
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"Some Europeans finally come to understand that idea--and most of those end up emigrating. (And they're welcome, too.)"
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And the US is welcome to them...!
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To this post, Steve got a reply:
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He probably got *lots* of replies, but, from what I can see, since it's *his* site, he can pick and choose which ones he repeats!
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We are Americans because we believe in ourselves. We believe we can accomplish much, and we're damned well not going to let others prevent us from doing so, others who are rich in words but poor in actions, others who have no ideals, no honor
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Gods, if this was The Goodies I could just imagine Tim Brooke-Taylor standing there with his Union Flag and tape recorder playing "Land of Hope and Glory"
Unfortunately what this *really* reveals is that many Americans (without really knowing it) suffer from a "cultural inferiority complex". For instance Eddie Izzard once quipped "I come from Europe. You know, the place where history comes from!"
The USA are, when it comes down to it, the "new kids on the block" (no, *not* the boy band!). They talk about "Old Europe" as if "old" is bad and "new" is good, failing to realise that we've been working out how to get along since before their country ever existed.
Many of them are brash, arrogant, loud and attention seeking, just like a kid. "Hey, look at us! We're here, we're powerful, we're going to do what we want and screw the rest of you!" and seem upset when people suggest they settle down and use their brains rather than their mouths (or their "fists").
By the way, that doesn't mean that *all* Americans are like that, far from it, but unfortunately the ones we hear the most from are the loudest
