Do Americans get poorly treated in Ireland?

MrJoeSoap · 03-11-2006 01:56PM #1

I was watching Seoige and O'Shea yesterday (for shame) and they had a few Americans on talking about fairly random stuff it has to be said. One of the guests, however, mentioned how he had tripped up getting onto a Dublin Bus and said 'sorry' to a person he had fallen into and the driver. The drivers response was "The only thing you have to be sorry for is Bush". To be honest, I've lost count of the number of times I've heard American people living in Ireland blamed for GW.

As well as this, hardly a day goes by on boards without some sort of comment along the lines of "Those stupid Americans" etc...

Now in all fairness, I dislike Bush as much as the next Joe Soap, but to criticise someone from the States purely on hearing a voice etc... says more about the person criticising than it does the American! We don't really have any issues with British people, Pakistani people (apart from the occasional moronic racism) and so on, despite any opposition we might have to their governments.

Do other people see this as a problem/issue? Any anecdotes to back me up or oppose me?

Steyr · 03-11-2006 02:14PM

Im an Irishman and proud of it but this Anti Americanism really gets my goat, The Americans are not stupid whatsoever they have massive technological prowess and some of the finest minds on the Planet. I love the Americans as much as anybody else, id like to see someone else make this......

Nuff said.

godtabh · 03-11-2006 02:21PM

People don’t like ignorance and rightly or wrongly people associate Americans with been both ignorant and stupid.

Obviously this isn’t the case. You'll get different kinds of American.

Then you have their foreign policy. Most people would know it but would you know Pakistan’s foreign policy? I don’t

b3t4 · 03-11-2006 02:23PM

MrJoeSoap wrote:

The drivers response was "The only thing you have to be sorry for is Bush".

In what tone of voice did the bus driver say this? He may have only been joking. Just a possibility mind.

A.

ziggy · 03-11-2006 02:25PM

This post has been deleted.

MrJoeSoap · 03-11-2006 02:26PM

b3t4 wrote:

In what tone of voice did the bus driver say this? He may have only been joking. Just a possibility mind.

Well it wasn't me so I don't know, but even if he was joking, he still said it and the mentality still exists in Ireland.

Dragan · 03-11-2006 02:32PM

I would say that American's get the same treatment over here as Irish people get over there?

A general lack of understanding and a lot of stereotyping.

MrJoeSoap · 03-11-2006 02:35PM

I spent a month in the States in 2004 and most people I met there were quite knowledgeable about Ireland, none of this "Dublin? Isn't that in Texas?" nonsense you hear about!

lodgepole · 03-11-2006 02:43PM

A guy I know from Kansas got an involuntary from some crusty hippy on Dame Street while he was in Dublin, as if he needed to be educated about his own country. Friends from New York were genuinely scared to leave their hotel when one of the large anti-war protests was taking place. The mentality certainly exists and is becoming more prominent. That said, the bulk of Irish don't treat the bulk of American people badly, from what I can tell.

The Irish don't get stereotyped in the US, certainly in none of the parts i've visited. You get a bit, but it's not common.

Ruu_Old · 03-11-2006 02:44PM

Dragan wrote:

I would say that American's get the same treatment over here as Irish people get over there?

A general lack of understanding and a lot of stereotyping.

Agreed, I've been in the US for over a year and get asked about "leper-chauns". Sure I wear a green bowel hat and have a mop of ginge hair but still like, down with the stereotypes!
Seriously though, agreed with the above point. Not every American is obese, a loudmouth or a warmonger.

humanji · 03-11-2006 02:55PM

Steyr wrote:

Im an Irishman and proud of it but this Anti Americanism really gets my goat, The Americans are not stupid whatsoever they have massive technological prowess and some of the finest minds on the Planet. I love the Americans as much as anybody else, id like to see someone else make this......

Nuff said.

Actually I think the B2 was designed by a german and only built in the states. And either way, it was a rip off of the german WW2 Horten Ho. Just to be pedantic

But yeah, the anti-american thing is getting out of hand. It must be something to do with the fact that it's not as popular to hate the british anymore, and people have felt the need to move their animosity onto eastern europeans and americans. Can't we all just get along *sniff*

Steyr · 03-11-2006 03:03PM

I have nothing against the British either those days are gone except for those shinners who give the rest of us a bad name, dont they realise its not the old days but that we are all together now in a place called Europe? Whats done is done and about the north **** it who really wants it, we all know tony would give it back asap but we dont want it, its a huge burden on the British Economy so why make things harder for us by giving it back?

phantom_lord · 03-11-2006 03:04PM

humanji wrote:

Actually I think the B2 was designed by a german and only built in the states. And either way, it was a rip off of the german WW2 Horten Ho. Just to be pedantic

you got there before me. Good ol' go 229

Without a doubt this aircraft was many many years "ahead of it's time" and demonstrates some of the aeronautical design brilliance that was present in Germany during the period. It certainly seems humorous to think that the Northrop B-2 Stealth Bomber that we see today of comparable design requires millions of dollars of computers to enable it to simply stay airborne. In contrast the Horten designed Go-229 performed perfectly well with conventional mechanical control linkages. Also it was designed without all of today's advanced design aids but rather on sound principles of aerodynamics.

See!! Stoopid americans...

drunkenfool · 03-11-2006 03:09PM

most big american engineering products have been thought out by international engineers.

they're always headhunting the best scientists

Steyr · 03-11-2006 03:12PM

drunkenfool wrote:

they're always headhunting the best scientists

Nobody else does so thats another point for them!

dr.bollocko · 03-11-2006 03:16PM

I hate racism. I hate that ireland is an inherently racist country. the cead mile failte bull**** is long since out the window.
But you know what? When it comes to america, they have to reap what they have sewn. They are a democracy, a government of the people, for the people, by the people. And their government has a whole ****ing lot to answer for. So so the **** what if we moan about bush? We weren't exactly delighted about Hitler were we? They illegally elected a president without a majority vote. They have started ****ting on the world, and invading countries willy nilly. Iraq? Afghanistan? Mother****ing Guantanamo man. They are still trying to ruin south american economic policies. They have agressively pursued drug crimes with policies that dont work, introduced manditory minimums and ridiculous hate crime legislation. They have ghettoised their entire country and throw those who cant afford health insurance on the street. A huge number of americans live in poverty. They are pushing out gay marriage and civil union, they are pushing out abortion and scaring muslims in their own country. They are wrongfully and illegally imprisoning people for no reason except the colour of their skin. They are attacking hollywood and free media agendas for being too left wing, they are pushing closeminded middle american white protestant agendas to a global scale. They refuse to sign up to any treaty involving reducing environmental emissions. They are consuming more resources per person than virtually any other country. They have created a ridiculous 1984 style culture of fear based on news flashes, media manipulation, terror levels and quotes from prominent politicians warning against terrorist attacks. They have demonised other world religions and systems of government and pushed their own agendas on other countries for far too long.

**** them. They should apologise for Bush.

03-11-2006 03:18PM

Something I never understood about Bush getting re-elected is that when I was in America, the majority of the people I talked to hated his guts. And hated the Iraqi war. In fact, most of them dont want that war on.

I've heard stories of people who joined the Army because they thought it would be easy, and then suddenly this war happens and their forced into it.

I don't think that Ireland is necessarily that racist. And Ireland isn't the only country with anti-Amerian feelings.

bongo85 · 03-11-2006 03:22PM

I went to school over in California for about a year and I must say they were a very sound bunch of people. They were very hospitable towards me when I was the new kid in the class and I got along great with everyone in the first week. Very sound bunch of people indeed!!

And anytime I meet an American outside America, I get talkin to them straight away and they're always very chatty and up for the craic!!

Their government is a load of ****e though and most americans would actually agree with this....except for the hill billy-fundamentalist christian-types, of course. They're all stupid !!!! Has anyone ever watched the God Channel??? Bunch of weirdos!!

dr.bollocko · 03-11-2006 03:24PM

MrJoeSoap wrote:

I spent a month in the States in 2004 and most people I met there were quite knowledgeable about Ireland, none of this "Dublin? Isn't that in Texas?" nonsense you hear about!

I was in LA bus station at two in the morning at one stage, on a j1 back in me good ole college days, not that long ago.
Well he had just bought a deck of cards released by the americans with pictures of the most wanted war criminals on it. U remember those cards?
We got to talking, and he called Bush a "total Meathead." I liked that. I told him I was from Ireland. He said. "Ireland, isnt that, like, part of England or something." I corrected him, but a RA head could have killed the poor guy!

Steyr · 03-11-2006 03:25PM

dr.bollocko wrote:

Mother****ing Guantanamo man. .

Guantanamo Bay is actually US Soil, Theres a USAF base there for God sake. <snip> NO PERSONAL ABUSE, YA MUPPET. </snip>

MrJoeSoap · 03-11-2006 03:25PM

dr.bollocko wrote:

**** them. They should apologise for Bush.

Only if you apologise for Bertie first. Why the American people living in Ireland should have to apologise for Bush stealing the election I have no idea.

Steyr · 03-11-2006 03:28PM

In February 1903, the United States leased 45 square miles of land and water at Guantanamo Bay for use as a coaling (fueling) station. The treaty was finalized and the document was ratified by both governments and signed in Havana in December of that same year.

A 1934 treaty reaffirming the lease granted Cuba and her trading partners free access through the bay

netwhizkid · 03-11-2006 03:29PM

dr.bollocko wrote:

I hate racism. I hate that ireland is an inherently racist country. the cead mile failte bull**** is long since out the window.
But you know what? When it comes to america, they have to reap what they have sewn. They are a democracy, a government of the people, for the people, by the people. And their government has a whole ****ing lot to answer for. So so the **** what if we moan about bush? We weren't exactly delighted about Hitler were we? They illegally elected a president without a majority vote. They have started ****ting on the world, and invading countries willy nilly. Iraq? Afghanistan? Mother****ing Guantanamo man. They are still trying to ruin south american economic policies. They have agressively pursued drug crimes with policies that dont work, introduced manditory minimums and ridiculous hate crime legislation. They have ghettoised their entire country and throw those who cant afford health insurance on the street. A huge number of americans live in poverty. They are pushing out gay marriage and civil union, they are pushing out abortion and scaring muslims in their own country. They are wrongfully and illegally imprisoning people for no reason except the colour of their skin. They are attacking hollywood and free media agendas for being too left wing, they are pushing closeminded middle american white protestant agendas to a global scale. They refuse to sign up to any treaty involving reducing environmental emissions. They are consuming more resources per person than virtually any other country. They have created a ridiculous 1984 style culture of fear based on news flashes, media manipulation, terror levels and quotes from prominent politicians warning against terrorist attacks. They have demonised other world religions and systems of government and pushed their own agendas on other countries for far too long.

**** them. They should apologise for Bush.

First of all I hate people who are no good at paragraphs

As for americans can't say I blame them, the majority have rarely travelled outside their own state. I have encountered much anti-Americanism here generally from those shove a leaflet in your face types.

I do think (and hope) however that the Americans can soon be cut just a little slack the "Mid-Term's" will be over in a week and it looks as if the Democrats may edge control of the House of Representatives for the first time since 1994. The Republicans are trying every dirty trick in the book calling people terrorist's for not supporting the War in Iraq, I was watching Sky News last night and they are even now resorting to Xenophobic Racism to appeal to the Black/White Divide in the South.

Not to go to far off topic but if the Americans re-elect the Republicans this week they deserve every single torrent of abuse thrown at them. The Republican's are the most evil and corrupt party on the Planet any fool could see that, they even make Fianna Fail look good *shudders*

MrJoeSoap · 03-11-2006 03:30PM

dr.bollocko wrote:

He said. "Ireland, isnt that, like, part of England or something." I corrected him, but a RA head could have killed the poor guy!

Imagine you met an American person in Ireland and he happened to mention he was from Baton Rouge, or something similar. You're initial response might sound equally as ignorant as his probably did.

Its not his fault his education system didn't teach him about Ireland, the same way the Irish system doesn't teach us about US geography.

MrJoeSoap · 03-11-2006 03:33PM

netwhizkid wrote:

Not to go to far off topic but if the Americans re-elect the Republicans this week they deserve every single torrent of abuse thrown at them. The Republican's are the most evil and corrupt party on the Planet any fool could see that, they even make Fianna Fail look good *shudders*

Where is the logic there? Unless a vast vast majority of people vote for the Republicans you don't make any sense, why should we say even those who don't vote for the Republicans "deserve every single torrent of abuse thrown at them".

HelterSkelter · 03-11-2006 03:38PM

Steyr wrote:

Im an Irishman and proud of it but this Anti Americanism really gets my goat, The Americans are not stupid whatsoever they have massive technological prowess and some of the finest minds on the Planet. I love the Americans as much as anybody else, id like to see someone else make this......

Nuff said.

Yeah, I'd be proud of building a killing machine as well :-/

cushtac · 03-11-2006 03:52PM

b3t4 wrote:

In what tone of voice did the bus driver say this? He may have only been joking. Just a possibility mind.

Substitute and Irishman for the American and an Englishman for the driver, now have the driver suggest that the passenger apologise for the IRA - is it still only a joke?

0ubliette · 03-11-2006 04:03PM

lived in the states for a while with my gf, and to say that the people there were friendly was an understatement. In a small town called poulsbo in washington, and my god, not once did i ever feel in danger (even during a big 4th of july piss up, noone got rowdy or started fights), the people were nicer than here, friendlier, the town was cleaner, in just about every way imaginable it was a much more pleasant place to live than dublin. So i dont get why some irish are so high and mighty in attitude when it comes to americans. I love america, and if i get the chance, you better believe id leave this place in a heartbeat for there.

dr.bollocko · 03-11-2006 04:05PM

Steyr wrote:

Guantanamo Bay is actually US Soil, Theres a USAF base there for God sake. You nonce.

Why in the **** does that matter at all?
Well Im sure the prisoners there are sooooooo thankful that they are on US soil when they are listening to Metallica at 10000 dB with their heads in a black hood and their hands tied behind their back.

0ubliette · 03-11-2006 04:07PM

dr.bollocko wrote:

listening to Metallica at 10000 dB with their heads in a black hood and their hands tied behind their back.

\m/ (>.<) \m/

dr.bollocko · 03-11-2006 04:08PM

MrJoeSoap wrote:

Imagine you met an American person in Ireland and he happened to mention he was from Baton Rouge, or something similar. You're initial response might sound equally as ignorant as his probably did.

Its not his fault his education system didn't teach him about Ireland, the same way the Irish system doesn't teach us about US geography.

Yeah I know, Im not slagging the guy or anything, he was a nice guy. I dont really worry about the American educational system because of this either, I wasnt saying that. I just thought it was a funny thing to say, because he has no idea of the 800 years of history behind that statement and that some Irish people could get very offended.

Was it on the Daily show that it was said that you have to go to the coasts to meet intelligent people in America, everything in the middle is devoid of free thought?
I dont believe that either, im not really a fan of sweeping generalisations, Im just offering a counterpoint.

Do Americans get poorly treated in Ireland?

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