Yeah right ...

[Joe]

Judging from how the English and England are portrayed in American TV dramas and movies, I'd say that at least in the US there is a perceived English stereotype there.

And would you say that such a stereotype is a fair and/or reasonable portrayal of the English?

I recall one US sitcom where one character is holding forth about the English and says 'Tell me one good thing about the English'. To which her friend replies 'They hate the French even more than we do?'

[Marco]

And you wonder why the world's in such a state....

Marco.

[struth]

Well the English and French were fighting for centuries, so its not surprising there are some that still feel antagonism. Much of it is just bravado tho. deep down its probably not as bad as that. Scotland has always been a traditional friend of France as you'd expect

[Macca]

As usual Terry Collier explains it all:

Bob: 'I'm learning a lot about you. I could go round the world and you'd have a pat response.'

Terry: 'I've travelled. I've seen the world!'

'What do you think of Koreans, then?'

'Not to be trusted. Cruel, like all Orientals.'

'That's a third of the world's population dismissed in a phrase. Russians?'

'Sinister'

'Egyptians?'

'Cowardly.'

'Italians?'

'Greasy, but less than the French.'

'Germans?'

'Arrogant.'

'Spaniards?'

'Lazy.'

'Danes?'

'Pornographic.'

'That's about everyone. Americans?'

'Flash.'

'So it's down to the British?'

'Well I haven't got time for the Irish or Welsh and the Scots are worse than the Koreans.'

'And you never could stand southerners.'

'I don't like anyone much, outside this town. A lot of families on our street I can't stand, in fact I don't even like them next door.'

[Marco]

Well the English and French were fighting for centuries, so its not surprising there are some that still feel antagonism.

What - over stuff that happened centuries ago. and long before you were even born?? Only a neanderthal knuckle-dragger, who can't let go of the past, would behave that way. And if you're like that, then it's YOU with the problem, no-one else!

The proper (and more reasonable) way to behave, is to judge people, of ANY nationality, as you find them today, because they'll have had nothing whatsoever to do with what their ancestors did in the dim and distant past!!

Scotland has always been a traditional friend of France as you'd expect

Yes "the English" have always wanted to fight with everyone

Marco.

[Macca]

What - over stuff that happened centuries ago. and long before you were even born?? Only a blinkered idiot would behave that way. It's completely ridiculous! And if you feel that way, then it's YOU with the problem, no-one else!

The proper thing to do is judge people, of ANY nationality, as you find them *now*, because they'll have had nothing to do with what their ancestors did in the dim and distant past!!



Yes "the English" have always wanted to fight with everyone

Marco.

The English had no option since the French and Spanish were always trying to invade us. Most of the Empire was acquired not because of any intended territorial desire but in a bid to keep the continentals from taking the places for themselves and so becoming too powerful.

People pay far too much attention to lefty, revisionist, back-of-a cornflake-packet history these days. I've no idea why but it seems to get worse as time passes. The way it's going in another 20 years they'll be telling us that the British started WW2 in order to conquer Germany and Hitler wasn't a mass-murdering lunatic bent on world conquest but a brave freedom fighter making a stand against English imperialism.

[struth]

As usual Terry Collier explains it all:

Bob: 'I'm learning a lot about you. I could go round the world and you'd have a pat response.'

Terry: 'I've travelled. I've seen the world!'

'What do you think of Koreans, then?'

'Not to be trusted. Cruel, like all Orientals.'

'That's a third of the world's population dismissed in a phrase. Russians?'

'Sinister'

'Egyptians?'

'Cowardly.'

'Italians?'

'Greasy, but less than the French.'

'Germans?'

'Arrogant.'

'Spaniards?'

'Lazy.'

'Danes?'

'Pornographic.'

'That's about everyone. Americans?'

'Flash.'

'So it's down to the British?'

'Well I haven't got time for the Irish or Welsh and the Scots are worse than the Koreans.'

'And you never could stand southerners.'

'I don't like anyone much, outside this town. A lot of families on our street I can't stand, in fact I don't even like them next door.'

great episode that...so true as well

[Marco]

The English had no option since the French and Spanish were always trying to invade us. Most of the Empire was acquired not because of any intended territorial desire but in a bid to keep the continentals from taking the places for themselves and so becoming too powerful.

People pay far too much attention to lefty, revisionist, back-of-a cornflake-packet history these days. I've no idea why but it seems to get worse as time passes. The way it's going in another 20 years they'll be telling us that the British started WW2 in order to conquer Germany and Hitler wasn't a mass-murdering lunatic bent on world conquest but a brave freedom fighter making a stand against English imperialism.

It was a little bit different though, on home soil, with your battles against the Scots and the Welsh...

Marco.

[struth]

FREEDOM!!

[Marco]