December 21, 2006
Americans: Immature, Swaggering, and Stupid as H*ll
UPDATE (10:53 a.m.): I just heard from Mick, and he asked the question, "What minions?!!!!" My apologies for the assumption, and many thanks to him for contacting me!
I received an e-mail today from Mick LaSalle, who has a blog at the SFGate.com. (It's made to look like he sent it to me personally, but I'm sure some minion goes trolling about looking for blogs that might link to him, and then sends out a mass mailing. Still, it kind of gives the impression that Mick LaSalle thinks I'm an important person!)
Below, I discuss his post regarding how he thinks Europeans see us. (Can you guess where this is leading?)
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According to today's blog entry, Mick was recently in Venice, where he's always ready to explain that American visitors to Europe are usually the kind of Americans that Europeans would like to have over (think Gwyneth Paltrow):
So when Europeans meet an American for the first time these days, they're looking and trying to make a judgment. Basically, they're trying to decide if you're OK or one of the crazy ones.
Actually, just the fact that you're in Europe should probably tell them you're not using terms like "freedom fries." That would be a logical assumption on its face, but the statistics support it as well. Only a small percentage of Americans hold passports (statistics vary -- some say seven percent, others sources say as much as a quarter), but the greatest concentrations of passport holders tend to be in blue states and in cities. I'm ready with these statistics at all times in Europe and, in my limited Italian, I've explained this phenomenon on several occasions, on very little prompting.
In other words, yokels and uncultured types don't usually hold passports, so Europeans can breathe more easily when they see that American Airlines plane land.
After he talks a bit about how lovely Venice is (I wouldn't know, I've never been there), LaSalle describes a couple of guys he encounters on the street after his customary post-plane ride nap:
Two young men, early twenties, swaying and swaggering up the street. They were laughing out loud, and even though they were about seventy or eighty feet away, something about them immediately identified them to me as American. Maybe it was because they looked like Brad Pitt. I should add that something about them made me hope that they weren't American.
As I got closer, I could tell that they were drunk -- not reeling, not staggering, not out of control, just drunk and feeling good about it. Everything about their manner commanded attention. They were talking about girls, and in really loud voices -- cursing about them, actually, or about some specific girl. And then one said to the other, "Hold on." He took two or three steps to a gate that separated a garden from the pedestrian walkway. And he pulled down his zipper and started peeing through the fence onto this beautiful garden.
I looked to my right and saw a man from India look, register puzzlement and then look away. I saw the Italians in front of me take in the situation with full comprehension and then go about their business, neither happy about it nor willing to be provoked into a reaction. I believe that everyone on the street knew that those young men were Americans, and I also believe, though I can't prove, that that's why no one on that street looked surprised.
Here's what you've been waiting for:
To many outside the United States, that is what Americans have become: Immature, swaggering, stupid as hell, vulgar, heedless, calling attention to ourselves, acting like the world belongs to us, announcing our Americanness everywhere, wrongly convinced that we're lovable, without respect for anybody, without a capacity for shame, and pissing all over everything.
What a disgusting sight, those two young slobs. And what do you think people from outside this country feel when they see something like that and know they can't do anything about it? Do you think they wish those Americans well? Do you think even those inclined to like Americans wouldn't like to see us get our comeuppance?
They immediately recognized what I was ashamed to see. Those young Americans would not have behaved that way in broad daylight in New York City, San Francisco or Chicago. The fact that they did it there was a political statement, an expression of their country's omnipotence and of their ignorant disdain for another culture.
I just hope when those two drunken pigs get theirs the rest of us won't have to suffer for it, too.
Sure these guys were jerks. But you know what? I'll bet they do act like that when they're drunk and staggering about in America. A visit to Europe isn't likely to prompt that kind of behavior if they aren't used to indulging in it at home.
During my one trip overseas (I may live in a blue state, but I'm really not wealthy enough to go gaddding about the globe frequently), no one assumed I was an American just by looking at me. Unless I was speaking, I was simply one of many people roaming about the streets of London and Cardiff. Why? Because I'm a generally well-mannered person. I didn't have one person treat me with any disrespect (although I did have people asking me if I was happy with our president. I was pleased to answer in the affirmative).
I've also come across my share of obnoxious European visitors to America. You know the type: they feel we should be honored that they deign to wipe their feet on our welcome mat. The kind who think that we aren't as cultured as they are, and that we should welcome a bit of the "old world" and learn from their greatness. What's worse is when these people come here to live and work (but don't want to become citizens), complaining all the while about America and Americans. They're eager for the job opportunity, but (to use LaSalle's phrasing), p*ss all over the people who are giving them that opportunity. My husband was unfortunate enough to work with a guy like that from Canada (!)some years ago. One day, hubby had had enough, and told him that if he didn't like it here he should just go home. That, of course, didn't happen...
Why are Americans so unpopular these days? Well for one thing, it's possible that we our unpopularity is overstated in Europe's leftwing press. But even assuming it's true, that Europeans really don't like us, why do you think that is?Could it have anything to do with the fact that they don't understand us? That they have no idea what it's like to grow up with a strong sense of national pride, endless opportunity (if one works for it), and a hands-off approach by our government? (That hands-off approach seems to be dwindling, and will continue to dwindle if the Democrats hang on to any kind of power. But I digress.) To live in a country where we aren't all squashed in together, where we can call a bit of land our own?
We Americans have, from day one, been the captains of our own destiny. It's a part of our country's basic principles. Even though European countries are now all democracies, their then-monarchist-now-socialist governments still hold the leash tightly. Overtaxed, over-regulated, and overshadowed by the memories of many wars between themselves, Europeans cringe when they see those free-and-easy Americans coming down the street. How dare we violate their norm? How dare we be so pleased with ourselves?
Boorish behavior should never be tolerated. (How about those riots we hear about during soccer matches over there?) Those drunken idiots in the street should be looked at with disdain -- not because they're Americans, but because they're behaving churlishly. Europeans who dislike Americans do because, as a country, we are doing what's right for us and not what they think is right for us. Americans won't be led. Americans won't fall sheepishly into line with everyone else, with the U.N. dictating what we can and cannot do.
But they do like us when it's time for us to open our wallets, both as tourists and for international aid. I guess we should take what we can get.
Mick LaSalle can quit apologizing for me while he's in Europe. I get along fine, whether Europeans like me or not.
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Show Comments »
Urinating in public is definitely a European fetish.
I remember, having lived in Germany for 7 years, that German men would take a piss anywhere.
The writer of the post is only demonstrating his lack of euro-cred if he thinks that somehow peeing in public is something "ugly Americans" do.
In fact, Europeans think it silly that Americans get upset about "natural" things like peeing or breast feeding in public.
The things about the men that identified them as American was that they were bathed, groomed, speaking English and loud. That's about it.
posted by
aaron at December 21, 2006 09:20 AM
I've been to Europe numerous times although the last trip was about 40 years ago. I found Europeans (except the British - they're generally lovely people and the Irish are so very dear) to be rude, and frequently unwashed and smelling quite offensive. In addition, despite the fact that I am fluent in French, I have a very slight Canadian accent (no idea where it came from but I did live in Canada intermittently), and I was disdained because of that. You know, the French don't care how could your grammar is, as long as you PRONOUNCE it properly. Idiots! Germans ALWAYS made me nervous and their men were unduly aggressive toward women. The Italian men were a bit TOO charming - it was clear their imaginations were running rampant, but still I find Italy to be a magical place.
What this idiot in San Francisco (where, by the way, if you weren't BORN there, you don't COUNT) overlooks completely is that PEOPLE are PEOPLE essentially and churlish behavior is offensive wherever you may roam.
Pam - you nailed it exactly! As always. And you should feel important - because you ARE!
posted by
Gayle Miller at December 21, 2006 09:22 AM
LOL
wait a moment...
in England they still have a monarchy, where the Prince parades around in a Nazi Uniform for Holloween!
i find the stereotypical judgments of some snobby, ignorant Europeans, (and other Arenas), rather tiresome when i am overseas.
they seem vividly unaware of their own insecurity, jealousy, vanity, etc...
but this is nothing new, for they had the same vapid conceptions in the 80s and 90s.
in fact, usually i get 'that American is cool, kind, etc...'
posted by
hnav at December 21, 2006 11:52 AM
So "hands-off" is what you call this administration? That speaks volumes in showing your ignorance.
posted by Jason at December 21, 2006 03:15 PM
hmmm....does it ever occur to you that maybe there are some legitimate reasons europeans may have a bad impression of america, other than our well-deserved pride? we have a history of meddling in others' affairs, in a manner that we would never tolerate if they tried it in our back yard. I suspect that if the french decided to invade a country in latin america to oust its government and occupy the place with a hundred thousand troops, destabilizing the place and provoking a civil war, we might have a problem with it. and would the french then accuse us of not liking them because they don't bathe?
posted by george at December 21, 2006 03:55 PM
For what it is worth, France did invade Mexico twice, in 1838 & 1861 - see:( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastry_War , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_intervention_in_Mexico) - the "Maximilian Affair").
Yes, we have made our mistakes, but I think that aside from the boorish behaviors of a few rude, arrogant people (Yes, I have seen this first hand with some Americans while on a field trip into Ciudad Chihuahua, Mexico), most of the resentment is based on jealousy. Good, old-fashioned jealousy.
posted by
joe-6-pack at December 21, 2006 08:46 PM
Joe-6-pack has it right. It is 100% envy and jealousy. Like the dhimmi's in the U.S., the Europeans have let the envy turn to hate and the hate to insanity. You know how much sleep I lose over it, none. The only people in Europe I would vote to defend would be the U.K. The rest need to face another Hitler. Maybe Russia will show them that new Hitler.
posted by
Scrapiron at December 22, 2006 11:05 AM
To Mr. La Salle I would say--there's only one thing worse than a European--and that's a Europhile with a poorly disguised inferiority complex....
posted by
TheManTheMyth at December 26, 2006 12:37 PM
« Hide Comments
Urinating in public is definitely a European fetish.
I remember, having lived in Germany for 7 years, that German men would take a piss anywhere.
The writer of the post is only demonstrating his lack of euro-cred if he thinks that somehow peeing in public is something "ugly Americans" do.
In fact, Europeans think it silly that Americans get upset about "natural" things like peeing or breast feeding in public.
The things about the men that identified them as American was that they were bathed, groomed, speaking English and loud. That's about it.
I've been to Europe numerous times although the last trip was about 40 years ago. I found Europeans (except the British - they're generally lovely people and the Irish are so very dear) to be rude, and frequently unwashed and smelling quite offensive. In addition, despite the fact that I am fluent in French, I have a very slight Canadian accent (no idea where it came from but I did live in Canada intermittently), and I was disdained because of that. You know, the French don't care how could your grammar is, as long as you PRONOUNCE it properly. Idiots! Germans ALWAYS made me nervous and their men were unduly aggressive toward women. The Italian men were a bit TOO charming - it was clear their imaginations were running rampant, but still I find Italy to be a magical place.
What this idiot in San Francisco (where, by the way, if you weren't BORN there, you don't COUNT) overlooks completely is that PEOPLE are PEOPLE essentially and churlish behavior is offensive wherever you may roam.
Pam - you nailed it exactly! As always. And you should feel important - because you ARE!
LOL
wait a moment...
in England they still have a monarchy, where the Prince parades around in a Nazi Uniform for Holloween!
i find the stereotypical judgments of some snobby, ignorant Europeans, (and other Arenas), rather tiresome when i am overseas.
they seem vividly unaware of their own insecurity, jealousy, vanity, etc...
but this is nothing new, for they had the same vapid conceptions in the 80s and 90s.
in fact, usually i get 'that American is cool, kind, etc...'
So "hands-off" is what you call this administration? That speaks volumes in showing your ignorance.
hmmm....does it ever occur to you that maybe there are some legitimate reasons europeans may have a bad impression of america, other than our well-deserved pride? we have a history of meddling in others' affairs, in a manner that we would never tolerate if they tried it in our back yard. I suspect that if the french decided to invade a country in latin america to oust its government and occupy the place with a hundred thousand troops, destabilizing the place and provoking a civil war, we might have a problem with it. and would the french then accuse us of not liking them because they don't bathe?
For what it is worth, France did invade Mexico twice, in 1838 & 1861 - see:( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastry_War , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_intervention_in_Mexico) - the "Maximilian Affair").
Yes, we have made our mistakes, but I think that aside from the boorish behaviors of a few rude, arrogant people (Yes, I have seen this first hand with some Americans while on a field trip into Ciudad Chihuahua, Mexico), most of the resentment is based on jealousy. Good, old-fashioned jealousy.
Joe-6-pack has it right. It is 100% envy and jealousy. Like the dhimmi's in the U.S., the Europeans have let the envy turn to hate and the hate to insanity. You know how much sleep I lose over it, none. The only people in Europe I would vote to defend would be the U.K. The rest need to face another Hitler. Maybe Russia will show them that new Hitler.
To Mr. La Salle I would say--there's only one thing worse than a European--and that's a Europhile with a poorly disguised inferiority complex....
