Sometimes, I Pretend I Am Canadian (How Americns living in England cope with the hate)

The Telegraph ^ | November 13, 2004 | Helen Kirwan-Taylor

[quidnunc]

Sneering, insults, condescension – it's not so much fun being an American in London since the election

There was a moment when we Americans living in Britain, all 200,000 or so of us, thought we were home free. The years of being mocked and antagonised for our country's leader were coming to an end. "Actually, I'm voting for Kerry" was the simplest way of getting out of a difficult conversation. The truth is that many Americans in Britain probably voted for Bush, but have kept it to themselves. It's about as fashionable as admitting to having the clap.

"Every meeting I go to, every social occasion, even when I'm out shopping, someone hears my accent and challenges me to a debate," says Annie Ouroussof Jordan, an executive headhunter who, though American, spent years in France and the Middle East before moving to Britain 15 years ago. She did not vote.

"There wasn't a proper candidate as far as I'm concerned and I wasn't going to vote for Kerry just not to vote for Bush. The truth is that I would have voted for Bush if I had to make a choice. Many of us Americans feel this way because we don't know what Kerry believes in. He stands for nothing. I have gotten flak for it but part of being an American is speaking up. I am often provoked in social situations and have taken to avoiding the subject altogether." Still, this is nothing compared with French anti-Americanism. "It's pure hatred there," she says.

[quidnunc]

TFine80 wrote: This is a total lie... I was just in London and had no problem at all. There are so many Americans there and Britain is as much involved in what is controversial as we are... The media lies about this story constantly.

Sorry, but denial is not a river in Egypt.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1242461/posts

[Willie Green]

"Actually, I'm voting for Kerry" was the simplest way of getting out of a difficult conversation.

Good grief, no need to humiliate yourself like THAT.
Just tell 'em you think Papa Bush should've nuked Saddam back in '91.
They won't bother you after that.

[Cowboy Bob]

What a Loser. I travel extensively overseas - primarily in the CIS. I never hide the fact that I'm American, and I even boast that Reagan was the greatest President of all time. I've never come across anger, only envy.

[nopardons]

Way ta go!

[TFine80]

I think the problem is similar to the way the US media looks at things. They assume that if they and their friends do something everyone must do the same. Here some journalist, albeit for the Telegraph, is 'telegraphing' his experiences on to the rest of Britain.

Most British are reasonable people -- what is the point of arguing with a single American about Bush's policies??? It's only in the really wacko European countries -- Greece, Belgium, France, and parts of Germany -- where you have to put up with this crap.

[nopardons]

I thought it might be less than the truth. Many of the English papers have been having a terrible time of it,since we re-elected President Bush.

[cyborg]

I didn't pretend to be anything but myself when I visited England. I didn't sense any anti-Americanism whatsoever.

[jocon307]

Oh please, they hate their own country too. They are pathetic these modern Euros, my we never be like them.

And we never will, face it, our forebears came here to get away from that crap.

[dr_who_2]

More of the same old stereotypical tripe.

[TFine80]

This story is about some lunatic... Most people are sane enough to recognize that they cannot blame one single American when their own DAMN government is going along with the US on Iraq.

[Mears]

bump

[BraveMan]

I'll trade you your Telegraph for my Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel . . .

[lancer]

Someone hears my accent and challenges me to a debate,

Just tell them you have the clap...it's less embarrassing than admitting you are an American, isn't it?

[mrsmel]

Be American and proud of it. Let them choke if they don't like it.

That sounds like the most proper response:)

[philetus]

Is the Telegraph trying to cause a rift between America and Briton?

[rpgdfmx]

Let them choke if they don't like it.

Ah yes, how to win friends and influence people. Frankly, you sound as ill-mannered and elitist as those British twits who sent letters to Ohio voters. It's people like you who make my job as an American businessman abroad, all that much harder. Do people in other countries have other viewpoints? You betcha! Surprise of the day: not everyone in the world thinks the same way we do... and we don't even all think the same way. I hope that since you are incapable of showing respect to other people in their country, you at least show respect to your fellow citizens at home.

[jocon307]

"They won't bother you after that."

LOL, it works! I got my brit house guest to stop bothering me with political arguements (while I was tryin to give away halloween candy to the CHILDREN, for pete's sake) by telling her in a very loud tone of voice that re: Iraq etc. "I WOULDN'T CARE HOW MANY COUNTRIES WE INVADE, HOW MANY WE KILL OR HOW MANY DIE!!!"

She ran away! Literally ran away into the house.

Later I told her that while she was wrong and I didn't actually think Bush was perfect, I did think Tony Blair was.

Then she was just confused.

At least her Puerto Rican husband had a good Catholic elementary school education and can actually THINK! This woman is hopeless, a real victim of moral relativism and multi-culti crap.

[spodefly]

Over the years, I have noticed that the loud Americans one encounters in Britain behave differently on their home turf. This includes me, I'm afraid. I will wage war on any rogue service suppliers in Britain, argue with the airline agent in public, speak my mind when my husband would rather I didn't, but when back in America, I'm all stiff upper lip. Why? Because the British assume that we are loud and demanding and consequently, we get our way. Unfortunately, acting American in America gets you absolutely nowhere.

Funny.