May i quote someone ranting about America
 

I dont remember who it was but i liked it so much that i saved it in a text file:

Unlike many other countries in the developed world, where it is almost traditional to travel internationally soon after graduation, most americans will never stray outside their own borders; so they get no real firsthand experience of what the rest of the world is like, and can only form opinions based on what they were taught in school (not much) and what they see on TV (typically biased).

You pledge allegience to the flag every morning in school; proceed to learn about Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Paul Revere, Lewis and Clark, Slavery, the US Civil War, how approxiately a dozen Americans defeated the entire English army, then Hitlers army. And that about sums up all the world history you'll get, at least until college (university), if you attend.

Those with more worldly experience may have visited the 3rd world country below them, Mexico, or (what they consider) the 51st State above them, Canada. Some may consider Hawaii an international destination.

I would guess less than 1% of Americans have gone any further.

I have met a scary number of adults here who think that England is still ruled by the Queen and that the USA is the only country with 'Freedom' or 'Democracy' or toilet paper. They do try to give you that impression.

Call it patriotism or propaganda, but this country is more fanatically in love with itself than any other. It really puts itself on a pedastool. Flags on everything. Declarations of 'Land of the Free, Home of the Brave', 'These Colors Don't Run', and other silly solgans on billboards. Businesses even whore out 911 in radio commercials, using patriotism to push product. Politicans compete with eachother on how many times they can incorporate the phrase 'Greatest Nation On Earth' into their speeches. It would border on bizarre if you weren't so used to it.

So of course, with all that around them, a lot of people believe it.

But all the flag-waving and rhetoric would be no more than annoying, if not for the fact that it is blinding the population to abuses of power. America is not a facist regime Yet. I don't know that it ever could be. But they are certainly putting the tools in place to make that a possibility. And that's far more significant than the particular individual who happens to take office.

maybe you should look at a fucking map sometime.

I can travel the length of California and cover the same as if you went from the Netherlands to Romania.

If I went from CA to FL it would be like you going to Greece.

While I did not measure the exact milage, you get the idea.

For someone that has such an obvious dislike for the US and the people that reside here, why are you going through all this trouble to get here?

I dont dislike the US at all.

Cant wait to go there again.

I just need to try to avoid people like you.

eh... I dont think he was talking about LENGHT!

Very good thread Battus. But you forgot one thing: they have Bush as president. Why, Why, Why, Why, Why?

You fucking idiot.

If you went from Amsterdam to Romania you'd go through Germany, the Czech Reepulic and Hungary at the very least. If that's the route you chose to go. You could choose to go through France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary.

But that's the same as covering the length of California, isn't it?

You can tell you've never been outside North America.

This pretty much sums it up. it's simply a matter of geography. I get a laugh out of smug Euros that pride themselves on international travel when all they have to do is drive three hours and they're in another country. I can drive east for five hours and I'm still in the same state.

Baddog would never say anything bad about his country. He would rather lie then admitting something negative. I wonder why. I can say plenty of negative things about my country. Thats normal.

You probably dont want to hear this but a LOT of Europeans visit other continents. We go to Asia, Australia, America, Africa.

I dont think the person who wrote the rant above was talking about crossing the border 100 miles from your home.

i just walk 5 minutes :thumbsup

I guess you and Joe Citizen have a problem with English. I said that was the same as going from CA to FL.

Okay, my bad, I did say that was the length of CA . . . I also said I did not measure the exact distance from the Netherlands to Romainia . . . how many miles is that?

aha... umhu... eh...

... there is(was) a comedian named Bill Hicks who was making jokes about people like you... And you'll never get it.

I will admit we have problems. . . primarily giving a rats ass about what others think of us

but your still in fuckin america........

Nice edit.

The thing is, I just spent the last five weeks going from The Netherlands to Belgium to France to Spain to Italy to Germany to the Czech Republic and now I'm sitting back in Amsterdam in a hotel on Haarlemstraat stoned off my guts and I can tell you personally you are full of shit.

Try getting out of your own country.

people please ... how fuh-kin BO-RING!!
Sounds like it is time for a group hug, or for some of you to seek some profressional :helpme

I would buy you a beer but im sick as hell and i hope im getting better before i leave to Vegas.

I can drive for a day and a half in Australia and still be in the same state.

How exactly does that stop me from travelling overseas?

You probably don't want to hear this, but lots of Americans do the same thing

Wasn't he the guy that did a big "I love smoking, not afraid of cancer" routine and died of cancer in his early thirties?

Why don't you explain bill's brilliance to me and help me "get it"?

No worries Franck.

I'll be back here at the same time next year.

Plenty of time for beers.

:rasta

*yawn* Yes Joe, we know you've been on an airplane and all Americans are stupid. Crawl back into your hole now.


Figures this thread would bring you out of the woodwork.

Hey, what you doing for new years? I'm not sure how i will feel then but i might be up for a beer or 2. Wont do anything crazy though because i have to leave the next day and i dont wanna feel like shit when traveling for 12 hours.

I think he was IRONIC?! PERHAPS...
he didnt give a shit.

If you dont get me, please go rent a his dvd, or download some of his shows and you'll see what I mean. If not. Thats ok too.

Well considering my odds of getting killed by anti-American haters or thrown in prison unjustly no wonder I don't leave the US. I have never been outside the US and have absolutely ZERO desire to leave. You know how many Americans are rotting in Mexican jails for YEARS without trial or their families even knwing whether they are dead or alive? And Mexico is suppossed to be our friend. Imagine the less friendly countries. Not to mention the food and water standards in most other countries is much worse than in the US.

Hell I've never been west of the Mississippi River. Once again, no desire too, WTF I want to go to California? I'd go there and the 'big one" would hit.

Also the US is bigger than Europe so an American that travled from Seattle to Miami would have traveled father than some "enlighten" European that traveled Norway to Greece.

New Years Eve I'm eating five bags of mushrooms, smoking twenty joints and drinking ten pints of beer.

But if you're free in the afternoon I'll be up for it.

Name a time and place.

My God, do you know what would happen to you in any bar in this entire nation if you so ignorantly spewed your views all over the place? Wow, they would have to identify you with dental records, after of course the mopped up all the blood and picked the teeth out of the strands of the mop....

Anyway, have fun US bashing you keyboard warrior! (Arrrghhh....I wish I was a tough guy too)

Why don't you then? Say something negative about your country.

I noticed you forgot to mention many things:
1)There are a lot of people on this board that criticizes the Bush administration a lot! (Including other Americans)
2)That when there is a world emergency, the first nation to always be hit up for help is the U.S.
3)That many Americans DO travel outside the United States.
4)That the person that wrote about our "education system" obviously was NOT someone who went through it.

Bottom line is that there is a large amount of xenophobia on this board. Americans trashing other countries...other countries trashing the U.S. Frankly, I'm tired of the whole trashing biz, but this board tends to be more of a "negativity" board (let's criticize instead of compliment or discuss issues that are productive) than one of progressivity (is that actually a word? grin). fwiiw

[QUOTE=Joe Citizen]New Years Eve I'm eating five bags of mushrooms, smoking twenty joints and drinking ten pints of beer.
QUOTE] LOL Now that you have my undying respect for! Party on, motherfucker! :drinkup :stoned

Well, like i said, im not sure if im gonna make it...right now im too sick to even go outside. But if i feel better i will contact you...what email do you check atm?

Joe, I appreciate most of your posts & comments, but I do have to say moving from one hostel to another in a frequent stoned mode of mind does not really give you an accurate feel for what the country, it's heritage and social standards really are.

It actually takes months if not years of actually BEING in just one country to truly appreciate it & understand it.

bongmadness at gmail dot com

I'll check late in the morning of the 31st.

:rasta

he means crossing through completely different cultures and countries. unlike in US

I'm familiar with Hicks and his material I'm just having problems remembering a routine regarding Americans and lack of international travel. Could you help indentify and explain the routine to me? I'd like to here it and your deep European insights on it.

I've spent ath least nine or ten months travelling through Europe stoned, sober and at various points in between.

I've seen enough to know a fair bit about every country I've visited.

Every single day of travel is valuable.

I've spent at least $50,000 on travel in the last six years?

You are saying that is equal to having not travelled at all?

Don't make me laugh man!

Since most of us on here are under house arrest, we really can't go anywhere...

If I want to go to Asia, I head to Koreatown or J-town. Shit I've even been all the way over to Little Armenia, Thai Town, China Town... Just to name a few.

I am one well travelled mofo...

Did you ever think that maybe, jussssstttt maybe, some of us have no interest in visiting other countries, most of them look pretty boring and not really worth the time or money to get there, I don't to pay $1,000 and 14 hours on a plane to hear someone call me a Wanker.

lmfao, I think it's possible that you may have missed the point of the post. Nothing new I suppose.

That is your problem Joe.....You smoke to much of that shit and your brain is becoming pickled.....LOL

Been all over the world myself and actually I'm originally from Greece. Came to the states by boat when I was 7 y/o and the only place I would live other than the US would be back to Greece. Maybe I'm biased though : )) As for the rest of the world, I'll pass. The're nice places to visit, but to live there, no thanks.

If I drive in any direction for a few hours, I will be either drowning in the sea, or in some arab country :)

Yeah, I am sure there is a huge difference between the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. So different.

I don't know how to break it to you, bu while we may all speak the same language, have the same President and Congress, there really isn't too much else that is similar between CA and FL, or TX and NY or AL and AK.

Each state has its own government, dialog, accent, favorite foods . . . .

If you are familiar with Hicks, I find it hard beliving that you dont understand what i mean. I am not talking about americans and lack of international travels.

Read this, this is what GatorB wrote:
GET YOUR EYES UP FOLKS!!

why is this fellow talking about prisons in mexico? Food and water standards in MOST other countries is much worse? wtf?

We have McDonalds in Europe too... + Coca Cola.

There is an immense difference between the Netherlands Germany and Switzerland.

Have you ever been to any of them?

I've been to all three. I'm currently in The Netherlands and I was in Germany last week.

Idiot.

Oh come on Joe..no I never said that and you know it.
I said that spending a few weeks in any country does help you to get to know it better..but to TRULY get to know & appreciate a countries culture & tradition it takes a LOT longer time.

OK nimrod go to mexico, central and south america, most asin countries and africa and drink the water. Good luck with that.

I'm talking about Mexico because Americans travel there and many are arrested for no reason and locked up in prison for YEARS.

Ok... I can agree I wouldn drink the water in AFRICA. But asia?`Hell yeah. Ever been there?

Well, dont travel to mexico then. There are like 10000000 other countries who would treat you all good!

So you're coming to Vegas, fucktard ?

Bring a baggy for your teef.

I HATE to say it, it pains me to say it. But baddog is right on this one. The US is huge, just because people don't travel to Europe doesn't mean they are ignorant. Shit, I haven't been either, but I have been to 3 different countries so far.

the us rocks out with its cock out.
hangs out with its wang out.