It’s long been the stereotype that Brits view America as a gun-toting, violent and generally unrefined nation. The caricature could actually be closer to the truth than we think.
A shocking act of violence here recently threw the issue of gun control in Britain versus America into sharp relief.
In a quiet town in the north of England, 12 people were killed in early June when a taxi driver went on a shooting spree. In its wake, the tragedy left a shaken, paralyzed and livid nation.
One person interviewed following the shootings summed up the British point of view: “You hear of these things happening in America, but not here."
Naturally, this brought out the mouthbreathers in comments.
"It’s long been the stereotype that Brits view America as a gun-toting, violent and generally unrefined nation."
ReplyDeleteYup. Since about 1775 or so.
I thought shootings were un-possible there!
ReplyDeleteWith so few guns and no "assault weapons"...
It’s long been the stereotype that Americans (at least I do) view Great Britain as a panty-waisted nation of tea sipping, sheep gut eaters who would be speaking German and heiling Der Fuhrer if it weren't for gun-toting Americans. That caricature could actually be closer to the truth than we think.
ReplyDeleteAztec Red, you were probably pissing yourself when the Murrah Building and Twin Towers Collapsed.
ReplyDeleteThink of all the British Cities that were bombed to rubble during 14-18 and 39-45.
The Americans sat on the sidelines trying to figure out how to be on the winning sides in both wars.
And if it were up to people such as Prescott Bush and Henry Ford, would have probably supported Hitler.
I'd love to see how you would feel if they weere bombing the US on a regular basis.
Laci
When the threat of a German invasion was eminent, the Brits begged U.S. private citizens to send over thousands of personally owned rifles since the bulk of their subjects didn't own any. We were more than happy to oblige. You would have thought that they would have returned them afterwards instead of just destroying them.
ReplyDeleteEvery time Europe gets into trouble with themselves it becomes "help us obiwon-America, you're our only hope".
Laci,
Indeed, it is amazing how many know nothing about Ford being a Hitler fanboy.
"Aztec Red, you were probably pissing yourself when the Murrah Building and Twin Towers Collapsed."
ReplyDeleteSorry. No pissing.
Thanks for that funny image in the title: "leaving the La-Z-Boy."
ReplyDeleteIt's no joke though that the image of the United States is lousy.
"It's no joke though that the image of the United States is lousy."
ReplyDeleteEurope may think of us as "lousy" but they change their tune every time need to have the United States bail them out of their trouble.