Limeys and Yanks - Buddies or not?

[BadgerKing]

I was musing this very point while watching the news the other night. It seems to me that that a lot of the media in the UK is quite prepared to rubbish the USA particularly because of its current government. There also seems a pervasive feeling that the USA is totally gung ho and that the UK trails around it like the henchman of a bully. Conversely I see US originated comments on various history or current affairs forums with have a far bit of vitriol aimed at the UK.

I see the US as allies and friends, I always have, in my youth I spend a whole year in the US and loved it. But what do you think? Are we allies and friends or is the special relationship growing cold?

[TincoSkin]

well if the relationship is cooled because of british hate of the current US government, take comfort. half the US hates it too!!

[UK Skins Fan]

The relationship is just fine. Needs a bit of freshening up though - once the Tony and George Show has left town, things might not be so stale.

To sum up the UK/US relationship, it's a best to use a very old joke:

The US gave us Elvis Presley, and we're grateful.

You also gave us Buddy Holly, and we're grateful.

You gave us John Wayne, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen, we're grateful.

You gave us Jimmy Stewart, Jimmy Cagney, The Beach Boys, James Dean and many more - and we're grateful.



We gave you John Lennon. And you shot him.

[Redskin in Canada]

The relationship is just fine. Needs a bit of freshening up though - ...

Yeah, something ike an Ice Age or something.

[UK Skins Fan]

The relationship is just fine. Needs a bit of freshening up though - ...

Yeah, something ike an Ice Age or something.

Don't rile me. If we pulled all our troops out of the Middle East, I'm fairly sure we could take Nova Scotia. Then you'd be sorry. Actually, I'm fairly sure that's where GW thinks the next big threat is coming from...

[Irn-Bru]

Speaking as an American, I've always liked the UK and really loved the short time that I got to live and study there. (Always dream about going back to live there someday).

My experiences with people there were all positive (but obviously I can't speak on behalf of the Brits that I interacted with!). I generally found that if I didn't walk around like I owned the place, talking loudly or assuming everyone should be interested in me, I was received warmly and got along fine.

As for the relationship politically, I have no clue. I can only hope that what my president and congress do won't make anyone predisposed to hate me.

Maybe we can trade places someday, BadgerKing.

[Mursilis]

The relationship is just fine. Needs a bit of freshening up though - once the Tony and George Show has left town, things might not be so stale.

To sum up the UK/US relationship, it's a best to use a very old joke:

The US gave us Elvis Presley, and we're grateful.

You also gave us Buddy Holly, and we're grateful.

You gave us John Wayne, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen, we're grateful.

You gave us Jimmy Stewart, Jimmy Cagney, The Beach Boys, James Dean and many more - and we're grateful.



We gave you John Lennon. And you shot him.

Ha, ha, funny stuff!!
I've always liked the UK, and the people I've met from there. I've spent a few days in London (not nearly enough, of course), but would like to see much more some day. I hope the US/UK relationship is still strong when I next make it across the pond.
So 'Limeys' isn't considered a perjorative to Brits? I was never sure about that one.

[redskins12287]

Lets not forget that England gave the world the most beautiful man on the planet in David Beckham. How could you not love the county that procuded such an attactive man?

[BadgerKing]

Lets not forget that England gave the world the most beautiful man on the planet in David Beckham. How could you not love the county that procuded such an attactive man?

Over here we all look like him...its no biggie!

Well I think the US is great my only gripe is that we got all your fast food chains except Taco Bell...and I love Taco Bell

[BadgerKing]

And also Krispy Kreme...nowhere to be seen...not even in London

[UK Skins Fan]

Mursilis wrote:

So 'Limeys' isn't considered a perjorative to Brits? I was never sure about that one.

No - anybody offended by being called a limey really should get out more. As a nation that has more slang words to describe foreigners of any origin, we really should be able to accept a tag like "limey". Apparently something to do with limes and British sailors eating them to prevent scurvy.

[JPFair]

The relationship between the U.K. and The United States is unmatched, and there is never going to be a situation where the friendship will be broken. There might be a few small disagreements economically or something like that, but policitcally they always support each other.

The United States has a lot to be thankfull to the U.K.. The U.K., and London specifically, is pretty much the front runner, the cornerstone, and the centerpiece of the World. The U.K. is where everything (for the most part) starts and/or leads the way. Music, fashion, culture, etc.. are all things that the U.K. are lightyears ahead of the rest of the World in. The United States has every reason to be allied with the U.K., and the U.K. have ever reason to be allied with the United States. It's a classic case of "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours". The two countries are meant to be friends, as they share so many things in common.

The only thing that has put a dent in the relationship has been the George Bush administration being perceived (rightly or wrongly) as a meddling bully. But, this will survive the test of time when Political situations change.

Personally, I've been to England dozens of times and have come to the conclusion that it's a great, great country and always will be. The people, in many ways, are great. Every society, no matter what country it is, has people that aren't model citizens. I find them to be pleasant, fun, and most of all GREAT sense of humor and wit.

The only negative I see from an American standpoint is that, for the most part, the people that that U.K. form their opinions of Americans by are the 60 year old tourists who come over on vacation and think that just because they're "AMERICAN" that the world owes them something. If people can avoid stereotyping Americans, then the British people and the American people will always have that special bond. But, it takes a keen sense of awareness to live in another country and not stereotype a person(s) from another country when that's the only real idea they get of what people from the U.S. are like.

[DESkins]

The U.K. is where everything (for the most part) starts and/or leads the way. Music, fashion, culture, etc.. are all things that the U.K. are lightyears ahead of the rest of the World in.

Not food.

[JPFair]

The U.K. is where everything (for the most part) starts and/or leads the way. Music, fashion, culture, etc.. are all things that the U.K. are lightyears ahead of the rest of the World in.

Not food.

I disagree. Have you ever tried Yorkshire pudding? Simply awesome!!!

[UK Skins Fan]

The U.K. is where everything (for the most part) starts and/or leads the way. Music, fashion, culture, etc.. are all things that the U.K. are lightyears ahead of the rest of the World in.

Not food.

You can't get away with saying that from your side of the Atlantic.

JP is right - get your gums round a good Yorkshire pudding, steak and kidney pie, or a big sticky spotted dick, and you'll know that Heaven is truly a place on Earth.

OK, slight exaggeration, but I don't think I'll take culinary criticism from a nation that thinks cordon bleu involves covering everything in chilli sauce or mayo.

Now look, you've damaged our special relationship now.

[joebagadonuts]

or a big sticky spotted dick

I'm hoping that there's some sort of language issue here.....

[UK Skins Fan]

or a big sticky spotted dick

I'm hoping that there's some sort of language issue here.....

I knew exactly what I was saying.

Here you go: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_dick

[joebagadonuts]

Thanks for the explanation. I'll have to ask my wife tonight if she's interested in a big sticky spotted dick, and see what kind of reaction I get.

I'd better take a print of that Wikipedia page with me, just to be safe.

[UK Skins Fan]

Thanks for the explanation. I'll have to ask my wife tonight if she's interested in a big sticky spotted dick, and see what kind of reaction I get.

I'd better take a print of that Wikipedia page with me, just to be safe.

If she doesn't like that, then there's always toad in the hole.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toad_in_the_hole

[joebagadonuts]

You silly English and your psuedo-sexual food names!

[DESkins]

Only speaking for myself as far as food. Not that I don't care for ALL English food, I mean, come on, how can you dislike something with some of the names that you have for it over on your side of the pond? But on the whole, I like the stuff I make better. To be fair though, we hosted two fellows a few summers back, one was a former member of the "junior" team for Kilmarnock, the other was one of the managers for Manchester United, and although I cooked my best stuff, I overheard the fellow from Kilmarnock calling his folks and referring to the food over here as something really unpleasant. So I guess it all comes back to what you are used to.

[UK Skins Fan]

Actually, even we English don't think we're great masters of the art of cooking. But at least we're not deluded like the French, who actually think that their strange mix of garlic and boiled toilet paper is something special.

And that's how you get a thread on the trans Atlantic relationship back on topic - with some old fashioned French bashing.

[Irn-Bru]

Actually, even we English don't think we're great masters of the art of cooking. But at least we're not deluded like the French, who actually think that their strange mix of garlic and boiled toilet paper is something special.

And that's how you get a thread on the trans Atlantic relationship back on topic - with some old fashioned French bashing.

Yes, there's something we can all agree on.

Americans may not hold the gold medal for culinary delights, but I don't know if one can find bigger portions anywhere else in the world. . .which may explain some other statistics America leads the world in

[thaiphoon]

The United States has a lot to be thankfull to the U.K.. The U.K., and London specifically, is pretty much the front runner, the cornerstone, and the centerpiece of the World. The U.K. is where everything (for the most part) starts and/or leads the way. Music, fashion, culture, etc.. are all things that the U.K. are lightyears ahead of the rest of the World in. The United States has every reason to be allied with the U.K., and the U.K. have ever reason to be allied with the United States. It's a classic case of "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours". The two countries are meant to be friends, as they share so many things in common.

AMEN !!!

The only thing that has put a dent in the relationship has been the George Bush administration being perceived (rightly or wrongly) as a meddling bully. But, this will survive the test of time when Political situations change.

True.

The only negative I see from an American standpoint is that, for the most part, the people that that U.K. form their opinions of Americans by are the 60 year old tourists who come over on vacation and think that just because they're "AMERICAN" that the world owes them something. If people can avoid stereotyping Americans, then the British people and the American people will always have that special bond. But, it takes a keen sense of awareness to live in another country and not stereotype a person(s) from another country when that's the only real idea they get of what people from the U.S. are like.

Its not just the older ones either. My wife is VERY well-travelled (her dad worked in the UN for decades and she travelled alot when she was younger) and I'm catching up to her. We like to travel alot overseas (this year our winter vacation is going to be in Budapest).

A few years ago we were visiting Prague (this was 2004 about a month after the election) and we were on a dinner cruise along the river and were getting along famously with this English couple from Liverpool and an Irish couple from Northern Ireland. We were swapping stories about our respective countries and our families and found that, except for a bit of changes around the edges, we really weren't that far apart (ok I admit some of their political leanings and ideas about the US were a bit strange to me but I politely talked to them about my alternative vision to theirs). The funniest thing was the Irish woman sking me how to get all the "Parn" (porn) off her PC that her son got on there.

But...

There was another American on the boat who was just obnoxious. This young woman from Boston. People were engaging her in conversation about America, the election (she's a liberal) and baseball. She basically bemoaned the "stolen elections" of 2000 and 2004, etc... and just made herself look like an a$$. The coup-de-grace was when someone asked;

Q: Where are you from?

Her answer: (As she thrust her hands in the air and pointed her fingers skyward) - " Boston ... the best city in the world !!"

I had been holding my tongue at the moonbat all night when she engaged in conspiracy theory after conspiracy theory and looney thought after another and making us Americans look bad. But this tore it for me. I said; "Don't you think these other nice folks also think their hometowns are the best city in the world too?"

She shut up ...

[UK Skins Fan]

I assume, thai, that you didn't dislike her just because she was a liberal?

Well, all nations have their "special" ambassadors that travel all around the world (of course, the stereotype about Americans is that they don't travel around the world, and that's a cause of ignorance and insularity on their part). We Brits have to suffer the stereotype of drunken young men (and women now) puking their way around the streets of Europe.

My view of the French is also based largely on ignorance on my part - I'll admit that it's based almost exclusively on our history of conflict with them (combined with their perceived poor performance in conflicts when they were on our side), plus a particularly distasteful 3 day school trip to Dieppe when I was 11.

Americans undoubtedly enjoy the largest food portions around (except for Chinese takeaway restaurants, who seem to think that you're eating for four). This does lead to many travelling yanks being a little on the portly side. Americans also tend towards being superconfident in themselves and their nation, perhaps the result of 200 years of being taught (by Americans) that the American constitutional and political model is the perfection of democracy?

On the other hand, we Brits tend towards self deprecation, and certainly refuse to take our political system or democratic process at all seriously - at least in public.

Ironically, my position on UK/US differences is best summed up in French - vive la difference!