Observations from my classmates
So as and engineer and a business person, I am not a big fan of politics, but I have fun talking with a bunch of my classmates from all over the world and getting their views of what is going on in the world and the US.
First off, the scandinavians and the other students from the states are by far the most critical of the US. The norwegians go so far as to say they prefer to try to speak english with a UK accent because they are so disenchanted with the US. I expected some of this, they are really cool and nice people but they make some pretty brutal generalizations about the US community.
My counterparts from London feel a little sympathetic to the US public because so of them genuinely think the US population is being snowed and mislead by the government. I found that really interesting. One instance they brought up was how it was painfully clear how generally democratic jurisdictions in the US were not given the same resources during the election (read not enough machines, changes in voting locations etc.) as the republican areas. Just short of telling me the election was rigged, they told me that the general UK population believed the election was rigged.
My Canadian friend is an interesting case, he said he kind of admired the US for at least taking a stand. He said that in Canada the government doesn't ever seem to take a stand for or against anything and that really frustrated him.
What really bakes my noodle is the europeans. The thing they seemed most bent about is the fact that there was no consistent EU message about the Iraq war. The differing stances that Germany, France and the UK took were a real frustration to them.
I get into a lot of good discussions about US politics especially because most of my classmates just assume I am a republican so they like to go on the attack. I have to remind them that I am a greenie at heart and explain to them that I'm a dem. Still doesn't stop them from wanting me to start a revolution. French and their revolutions, its almost like if they aren't revolting against something, something is wrong.
Anyway, I'm off to have lunch with my new German friends Venzel and Bruno. They are very big and scary but I think they are good guys.
More later...
First off, the scandinavians and the other students from the states are by far the most critical of the US. The norwegians go so far as to say they prefer to try to speak english with a UK accent because they are so disenchanted with the US. I expected some of this, they are really cool and nice people but they make some pretty brutal generalizations about the US community.
My counterparts from London feel a little sympathetic to the US public because so of them genuinely think the US population is being snowed and mislead by the government. I found that really interesting. One instance they brought up was how it was painfully clear how generally democratic jurisdictions in the US were not given the same resources during the election (read not enough machines, changes in voting locations etc.) as the republican areas. Just short of telling me the election was rigged, they told me that the general UK population believed the election was rigged.
My Canadian friend is an interesting case, he said he kind of admired the US for at least taking a stand. He said that in Canada the government doesn't ever seem to take a stand for or against anything and that really frustrated him.
What really bakes my noodle is the europeans. The thing they seemed most bent about is the fact that there was no consistent EU message about the Iraq war. The differing stances that Germany, France and the UK took were a real frustration to them.
I get into a lot of good discussions about US politics especially because most of my classmates just assume I am a republican so they like to go on the attack. I have to remind them that I am a greenie at heart and explain to them that I'm a dem. Still doesn't stop them from wanting me to start a revolution. French and their revolutions, its almost like if they aren't revolting against something, something is wrong.
Anyway, I'm off to have lunch with my new German friends Venzel and Bruno. They are very big and scary but I think they are good guys.
More later...
posted by The Daily Headbutt at
2:33 AM
2 Comments:
Hi Nick,
Great Blog! Mom and I really enjoyed talking with you today. Have a fun weekend in Paris. We love you.
M&D
By
Anonymous, at 5:57 AM
Nice post Nick. That is the same impression I have been getting up here in Denmark. As I told you, Paul and I ran into some interesting friction with the Norwegians while traveling Norway.
In the month since I have arrived, it has been tough to have to answer to my European peers for actions our government has taken as if they were decisions that I made personally.
In each conversation, I do my best to defend the American persona and explain, as in their countries, what our governments do is not always representative of ever citizen's view.
All I can do is represent my country though my actions while abroad. And hope that anyone who may have a negative view on the US takes away a more positive view after getting to know me.
By
fuller151, at 1:29 PM
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