British Comedy Guide

Things that piss you off Page 574

Quote: Tim Walker @ March 25 2010, 12:35 AM GMT

In the US you are fortunate to have a pretty much undisputed unifying flag. (Though, I presume some still prefer to fly the Confederate?)

Every 4th or 5th house in the States flies a flag. Here in Texas you're almost as likely to see Texas' state flag - it's a very powerful symbol of Texan pride. The entrance to my neighborhood has huge U.S. and Texas flags - they're about 50 feet long. One morning someone discovered that they'd been stolen and one of the residents bought replacements (very expensive) with his own money and had them flying again by afternoon.

The Confederate flag is still flown by some in the south, but mainly on hats and stickers on their cars. It's not typically a race thing, it's more of a "we're proud to live in the south and we'll wave it even more if northerners give us grief about it" thing. Racism will never die, but my cousin married a black guy in the Alabama city which is home to the headquarters of the KKK and said she seldom gets a second glance from local residents.

Quote: Oldrocker @ March 25 2010, 12:36 AM GMT

It's a chav thing.

Do you have that word in the Colonies?

It refers to the lower order who think that procreating, wearing sports attire all day and imitating the worst traits of soccer stars e.g. spitting, arguing with authority, taking one's top off in public at the first sign of sun and generally making an effin' c**t of oneself is acceptable behaviour.

I'd guess you call them Hispanics?

We call them hillbillies, red necks, white trash... :)

Sadly, these are my people...however I am recovering slowly.

Quote: Oldrocker @ March 25 2010, 12:36 AM GMT

I'd guess you call them Hispanics?

I live in a city of 2 million people that's 65% Hispanic and I don't see any of that. Our Mexican immigrants tend to be very patriotic and within a generation they're well-assimilated. Shortly after September 11th I drove through East Los Angeles and nearly every home was flying an American flag. Some of the small mom & pop (madre y padre?) shops even painted their stores red, white and blue.

Once our "visitors" (I seldom hear the term 'wetback' used unless it's by a fellow Mexican) learn that you can't pee in public or leer/whistle at women they fit in very well. I've been yelled at by chavs in the UK while walking down the street, but that's never happened here.

For all my supposed liberalism I can't stand this knee jerk guilt based leftism that at times inflicts the UK.
If you keep calling people who fly the St George's flag racist, then racists will fly it.

We're not going to get a law banning 1st cousins marrying because will offend some communities. For Roger's sake the law prevents birth defects, incest and forced marriages. The US and much of blinking Europe has had it for years.

I've never seen the appeal of flags. Although I sometimes think it would be funny to fly a European Union flag outside my house just to annoy my massively eurosceptic dad.

Quote: DaButt @ March 25 2010, 12:46 AM GMT

Every 4th or 5th house in the States flies a flag.

I find that a bit weird, to be honest. That whole over the top patriotism thing. It's a bit much.

Quote: DaButt @ March 25 2010, 12:51 AM GMT

I've been yelled at by chavs in the UK while walking down the street, but that's never happened here.

You always make The USA sound like some dream world, compared to the shitty way we have it over here! (It's not shitty really)

Quote: Matthew Stott @ March 25 2010, 9:11 AM GMT

You always make The USA sound like some dream world, compared to the shitty way we have it over here! (It's not shitty really)

Don't you live in Birmingham?

Quote: Paul W @ March 25 2010, 9:13 AM GMT

Don't you live in Birmingham?

London, which is good. And I grew up in The Lake District, which is pretty nice also. I did have the misfortune of living in Birmingham for a while though, yeah. Not great.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ March 25 2010, 9:11 AM GMT

I find that a bit weird, to be honest. That whole over the top patriotism thing. It's a bit much.

Maybe it's akin to some sort of religious faith?

Quote: Ben @ March 25 2010, 9:14 AM GMT

Maybe it's akin to some sort of religious faith?

You mean, like they're crazy or something? (Joke, let's not all blather on about religion again.)

Quote: Matthew Stott @ March 25 2010, 9:13 AM GMT

London, which is good. And I grew up in The Lake District, which is pretty nice also. I did have the misfortune of living in Birmingham for a while though, yeah. Not great.

Catches Nottinghams crime colds that's why :(

Quote: Matthew Stott @ March 25 2010, 9:11 AM GMT

You always make The USA sound like some dream world, compared to the shitty way we have it over here! (It's not shitty really)

USA is better in every way. Even their murder rate is better:

Murders (per capita)

United Kingdom: 0.0140633 per 1,000 people
United States: 0.042802 per 1,000 people

Quote: Nogget @ March 25 2010, 9:18 AM GMT

USA is better in every way. Even their murder rate is better:

Murders (per capita)

United Kingdom: 0.0140633 per 1,000 people
United States: 0.042802 per 1,000 people

I bet Dabutt has some statistic ready to bitch slap you with!

Quote: Matthew Stott @ March 25 2010, 9:22 AM GMT

I bet Dabutt has some statistic ready to bitch slap you with!

All statistics are open to interpretation. For instance, you could argue that the following statistic is a good sign:

According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS): "In 2008, over 7.3 million people were on probation, in jail or prison, or on parole at year-end - 3.2% of all U.S. adult residents or 1 in every 31 adults."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarceration_in_the_United_States

..I mean, it's handy to have so many people available in jail as a cheap labour force. Who needs slavery?

Quote: chipolata @ March 25 2010, 9:06 AM GMT

I've never seen the appeal of flags.

Same here. Some people need them to get some sense of identity I suppose. When I was six I got told off by my teacher for refusing to wave one at the Queen when she visited. No anti-royalty stance behind it, just felt like a tit standing there waving some plastic on a stick, pretending to be excited.

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