Flag waving

[silvanski 1]

There's a gag order.

You get briefed on it at the POE while they implant the locator chip in your neck and take scans of your irises.

[Ban Hammer 13,658]

I'm still here and I'm willing to discuss anything. If I realized that there were people here that get off on seeing people get upset I would have never commented. I stand by my earlier statements and if you want to analyze them go ahead.

your statements are not being questioned - the put up or shut up that lisa posted hours ago was aimed at a specific few, who interestingly enough, have not replied.

lisa challenged a rather condescending statement, as it said that "we" don't follow the news and browse various sources to be well informed. such is an uninformed statement and i applaud her for challenging it. as those who issued that statement have not replied, lisa has proven her point.

any posts by you or others to try to fill in the void are unnecessary.

[alexcrv76 0]

There's a gag order.

You get briefed on it at the POE while they implant the locator chip in your neck and take scans of your irises.

[yabasta 0]

nice try, but let's try reading comprehension 101...please see bolded area for reference:

If ya need any more help, giz a shout

Talking down to people does not make you better than them for starters. Saying you are serious here does not stop your question coming off as rhetorical. The question is clearly intended to make a point. So please go back to comprehension 101 and read the bits you skimmed over.

oh and if you need any more help....

[Laura_and_IanM 0]

godsavethequeen Yesterday, 12:01 PM Post #134

but Americans in general are not told the truth.

I was there last for 3 weeks. I saw no news reports about Iraqi, I got back to England and the first news broadcast I saw was; explosion in Iraq, soldiers killed civilians killed. It happens every day. The truth is out there yes, but does every American go searching the web for truth. No!! They watch the news broadcasts and believe they are told the truth. they are told insubstantial snippets so as not to spoil the good feelings of the nation.

America help other countries... yes true but if you look at the stats the percentage help is mimimal. Sorry but you'll have to find the evidence ones self... the Truth really is out there.

OK, now that I am upto speed here, I would like to make a few comments. First, I have been in the UK for the past year. TBH, I haven't seen the much news about the US. SO it kind of says the same thing you are saying about the American side. TO generalize and use Americans as a whole to make your opionion known is not on in MY OPINION. Not all of us are Republicans, gun toting, and what ever else it was that you said. Fact ..21 out of 43 of the United States Presidents were actually Republican.

Now, since being here, I have been made to cry literally because of British citizens making me feel like real shite because of where I come from. I cannot go anywhere without a comment being thrown my way in absolute disregard of Americans as a whole. This is all without getting to know me as an individual. I had my breast groped to find out if I was a "typical" american woman and had breast implants. I am damn proud to say that these are all real baby!!! I have not once, slandered the British or their ways. I also recognise that there are ignorant Americans out there that have had no regard towards the British and any other country and have slandered. But..to generalise without actually living in ones country is off the cuff and not on. I for one am sick and tired of the nit picking and the name calling...especially when you haven't been there to actually live. I say this to even Ian and his family. It is one thing to come visit, lets face it, how many of us have gone on holiday to another country and have a bad experience? It happens everywhere. But it is different to have a bad experience then to actually live there.

As far as freedom of speech goes, our country was built by British revolutionaries breaking away from the religious confinement and wanting to be able to be free. I think people take advantage of free speech. Remember it was founded years ago before television, before phones, before computers, etc...Also, post 911, I have to say that coming into America...you really should watch what you say. People may start pointing fingers. I for one am glad that Americans get offended more easily now when people slag off our country...it means we are collectively as a whole paying more attention to who is coming in.

As far as bearing arms and shooting a robber in our country, some Americans may not know this, but if a robber breaks into your home, unless he is not armed with any type of weapon that can kill, we do not have the right to protect ourselves even if we do have a legal gun with a permit. In fact, the robber could turn around and sue us if we cause him any bodily harm weather it be with a gun, knife, bat, or our own two fists. I can say this though, at least in America, if someone gets life in prison without parole, that means life in prison. In the UK, life in prison is 25 years and in most cases are out sooner.

I am all for people having their own opinions and I can honestly say that I do learn from others. But I will admit that I do tend to stop listening when we are generalised. Free speech yes, but please, don't do it in such a way to hurt and offend ppl then dare use freedom of speech as your shield. It wasn't meant to use as cover but rather to allow ppl to express themselves in a way that wouldn't get them into trouble. You can't pick and choose when freedom of speech works for your own agenda.

Again...all of this is just MY OPINION...waiting patiently for the flaming... ..and I can even make a solid bet on who will be the first few to do so...anyone curious to know just pm me.

Laura Mitchell

[Anyta Holland 1]

godsavethequeen Yesterday, 12:01 PM Post #134

Now, since being here, I have been made to cry literally because of British citizens making me feel like real shite because of where I come from. I cannot go anywhere without a comment being thrown my way in absolute disregard of Americans as a whole. This is all without getting to know me as an individual. I had my breast groped to find out if I was a "typical" american woman and had breast implants. I am damn proud to say that these are all real baby!!! I have not once, slandered the British or their ways. I also recognise that there are ignorant Americans out there that have had no regard towards the British and any other country and have slandered. But..to generalise without actually living in ones country is off the cuff and not on. I for one am sick and tired of the nit picking and the name calling...especially when you haven't been there to actually live. I say this to even Ian and his family. It is one thing to come visit, lets face it, how many of us have gone on holiday to another country and have a bad experience? It happens everywhere. But it is different to have a bad experience then to actually live there.

Without wanting to criticise anyone from Britain I just want to say that I agree with you on this one... I was raised in Venezuela, but had a very american accent when I spoke english... So what happened? Everyone started making fun of my accent (and I mean in a bullying kind of way)... So I had to change my ways, and start practising Bristish English pronounciation and tone so hard until I changed it... Ever since, no onw can make up where my accent is from, and I get usually asked where I am from as they can't make it out...

I have learnt not to generalised, especially when is about other countries... I find it rude to put people under the same unbrella just because of their nationality, rece or sex.... That is way I put my opinion forward before... I don't think constructive criticism is bad, but if the OP was only joking, then that is a very weird sense of humour...

[triaxiom 0]

All media is biased and censored, as there is generally a person or a group with an ethos at it's helm, and all people are possesed of an opinion and a bias.

When the London bombings happened, a friend of mine was in Spain, and was watching CNN intended for the U.S, it showed large mobs going round toting anti-islamic placards, and abusing any muslims that happened to get in their way, along with vandalising muslim businesses and mosques.

The BBC showed none of this; for fear perhaps of encouraging such behaviour, or from fear of being seen to give stage to such vehemently anti-muslim sentiment, or for some other reason I can't think of.

Admittedly FOX news and other such news sources, seem heavily opinionated, since the times I watched them on SKY TV, it looked a lot more like a 24 hour talk show based around (usually almost trivial) current events based in the U.S than genuine fact based news.

It's like the difference between printed tabloid and boroadsheet media here in England; one (tabloid) presents the facts along with an opinion, the other (broadsheet) just the facts.

ALL informative media is biased to a certain degree, the manner it's presented in is in part, just a case of it being tailored to the way it's target audience can assimilate the information best (super subtle dig).

if the OP was only joking, then that is a very weird sense of humour...

Have you ever seen Monty Python?

English humour can be pretty off key.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Personally I would watch the BBC over the likes of Fox or CNN etc. Certainly the BBC is just as biased - but the main day to day problem as I see it (is actually not political bias) but poor reporting standards and ethical codes of journalistic.

A person can filter out the biases, but if they don't read widely how will you know what is going on in the world other than what the TV is telling you? Its simply impossible to fit everything into a newspaper or half hour time (or even 1 hour) time slot, so the editor weighs up what he has and simply cuts what he considers to be of lesser interest.

I can certainly think of several big stories that featured prominently in the UK, but passed by without a ripple in the US.

The problem as I see it is "Passive reliance". Simple example, whenever you hear about a war or genocide in some 3rd world country - do you ever find yourself thinking (once the story is no longer being reported) that the war/genocide is no longer taking place?

In other words - its only news if the TV says so?

[Anyta Holland 1]

if the OP was only joking, then that is a very weird sense of humour...

Have you ever seen Monty Python?

English humour can be pretty off key.

I have, and having lived in England for 3 years and 6 months I have learnt about British humour... Still, I did find his comments a bit offensive and insulting to other people... But that is only me...

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

ALL informative media is biased to a certain degree, the manner it's presented in is in part, just a case of it being tailored to the way it's target audience can assimilate the information best (super subtle dig).

Really? I would say they are equally biased in their way. The material is tailored for different audiences - both the Tabloids and the Broadsheets are providing news for a specific section of the British public, in a form that appeals to that specific audience.

Would you say for instance, that The Times is better than The Sun? They are both owned by Murdoch.

[triaxiom 0]

Personally I would watch the BBC over the likes of Fox or CNN etc. Certainly the BBC is just as biased - but the main day to day problem as I see it (is actually not political bias) but poor reporting standards and ethical codes of journalistic.

Me too, although I'm seeing a lot of dumbing down from the BBC as well lately.

Personally I believe very little of what's presented to me.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Have you ever seen Monty Python?

English humour can be pretty off key.

My best friend in Britain is actually German. He's of the opinion that the Brits are obsessed with "The War", because he can't watch the TV without coming across a documentary or old war movie. I can see his point.

[Artegal 1]

. . . but the main day to day problem as I see it (is actually not political bias) but poor reporting standards and ethical codes of journalistic. . . .so the editor weighs up what he has and simply cuts what he considers to be of lesser interest. . . .In other words - its only news if the TV says so?

Problem is Fishdude there is not any actual News--what you see and read is produced for entertainment. That's why commentary creeps into the "factual" reporting, because its more entertaining with a spin. The media corporations are interested in making a profit--they don't really have a journalistic standard--though they claim to have one--more and more the rumor, entertainment, tabloid, and editorials have seeped into the mainstream news. You already see where stories are sensationalized or watered down depending, usually based on ratings or advertisement sponsorships.

[Fuzzness 2]

As far as freedom of speech goes, our country was built by British revolutionaries breaking away from the religious confinement and wanting to be able to be free. I think people take advantage of free speech. Remember it was founded years ago before television, before phones, before computers, etc...Also, post 911, I have to say that coming into America...you really should watch what you say. People may start pointing fingers. I for one am glad that Americans get offended more easily now when people slag off our country...it means we are collectively as a whole paying more attention to who is coming in.

Freedom of speech means all speech. Or it is at least supposed to. However I tend to agree with you on that on a certain wavelength. Just because someone has the right to say or do something does not mean they should. We've become so obsessed with what we have the right to do that we've neglected to think of whether or not we should.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Freedom of speech means all speech. Or it is at least supposed to.

Not really. There have always been common-sense restrictions on free speech. The most popular example is yelling fire in a movie theatre..that speech is not protected by the 1st.

That said, in our current environment we've moved well beyond the simple common-sense restrictions. Why can't I joke about bombs at the airport again? That is awfully bad taste but I put no one in any danger by doing it.. and yet, that sh!t can get me in jail for a night.