Flushed with shame at Britain

The Times ^ | 1/2/07 | Alice Miles

[Proud_USA_Republican]

“One of the three cubicles had been locked shut, presumably blocked. Another I was told not even to show my daughter into in case it frightened her. I glanced, saw blood, retreated. The sole final cubicle, for which everyone was queueing, wouldn’t flush without a repeated pumping of the button and most people were coming out embarrassed and apologetic that they had not managed it.”

They just wanted to make sure they didn’t offend any 3rd worlders by having nice public bathroom facilities. All in the spirit of multiculturism.

[HeartlandOfAmerica]

One imagines a legion of public servants going out to clean every loo in the country, little knowing or caring that it's simply a symptom and the disease is much more entrenched than merely shoddy workmanship.

[kipita]

I tend to think a family, community, or county suffers when the lower echelon live like those in third world countries. Which explains Britain’s demise.

[2ndDivisionVet]

When I was on temorary duty in Germany back in 1980, you could eat off the sidewalks. Is it still that clean, I wonder?

[singfreedom]

I’ve not been to the British Isles since 1970. I’ve been telling my husband, for the last several years, that we need to go again. Some of the things I’ve heard lately, though, make me think we’ve already waited too long. Sadly, it sounds as if there isn’t a Britain left.

[RJR_fan]

My two-week "missions" tour (actually, expensive and memorable vacation) to Ukraine in 1992 was a blast. Until the final disenchanting moment on the way out. In the incredibly filthy loo, with feces lying in a concrete trough in the floor. And the cost of socialism hit home. A nation the size of France, in population and in area, an allegedly modern nation. The primary airport of that nation, with all the resources of that nation to draw from -- could not compete with any corner MacDonald's restaurant in the USA.

The MacDonald's mantra, SVQC (Service, Value, Quality, Cleanliness), surpasses "power to the people."

[singfreedom]

We went last in 2000. It was so crowded you couldn’t see the sidewalk, let alone eat off of it. Honestly, the population of Germany has just exploded. No parking spaces, no seats in restaurants, etc.

We were there during Christmas and it just may have been tourists, but I’ve never seen it like that before.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

people from ticket salesmen to immigration officials are rude

This is something I've noticed every time I leave the US - customer service is apparently not encouraged or rewarded in any way in most of the world. What's more distressing is that the US has not been able to spread it's old tradition of good customer service to the rest of the world but instead is increasingly providing and getting used to lousy customer service too.

[gr8eman]

You tend to think correctly. Unfortunately I am one of the few people who do not care what others really think about me, so I can expound on the reasons why you go to the hood and it is 3rd world, and then down Main St. and it is normal. It is then easy to see why it is the 3rd world dwellers who are normally in an offended state.

[kipita]

It is then easy to see why it is the 3rd world dwellers who are normally in an offended state.

Well I have a Reggie White inspired view of the world. I tend to think modern day Western Civilization includes the best of white, yellow, brown and black society (many thanks to Elvis). If your life doesn't include all of the colors, you're missing an important element from the human family. For whites who think blacks have nothing to contribute, just visit Finland. For blacks who think Africanism is everything, just visit Africa. For those Americans who think Islam is superior, just go to live there as an average citizen. Most Asians are smart enough to know life is best lived in Western Civilization. And who suffers in Western Civilization? The folks who don't accept its values. So race isn't an issue.

[July 4th]

I’ve seen this in other places in Europe. They just don’t put the same emphasis on bathroom facilities that we do here in the US. Plenty of European restaurants, bars, etc. still think a Turkish toilet is acceptable. The best bathrooms are the ones you have to pay for.

[singfreedom]

I agree the best bathrooms are the ones you have to pay for. Many of these also have a full time attendant, which helps a great deal with cleanliness issues.

[bajabaja]

I am glad to find a Brit who wishes Yanks think well of her country. Visiting the Brit papers’ online comments sections frequently, I see many hold a contrary view. It is we who are despised. One commenter on a Brit site noted approvingly of Islam “flexing its muscle” in coming decades. That attitude will get Britain into more problems than just dirty “Water Closets.” I wish them well.

[gr8eman]

I agree...it is culture and values that decide the society. I had the unique experience of living on 2 isolated islands, one in the Atlantic by Africa, the other in the Pacific. Similar economic situations but the people were direct opposites in their values. On one island no one locked their doors and kept their keys in the ignition on their cars...on the other, anything that was not nailed down was stolen. Pretty interesting.

[Pontiac]

I see that a think-tank is proposing the anniversary of the creation of the NHS for a “British Day”, which the Prime Minister has long hankered after to remind us of our common communist values

fixed

[Moonmad27]

I used to fly from Houston to Gatwick yearly, until 15 years ago. It is so sad to read about this, and other things that have changed in Britain since my last visit. I feel like I got to see classic England just before the end of it.

[aroundabout]

I spent several years in the UK in the early ‘60’s and it sure has changed if any of this is true.

It seems as if we are about 10 years behind Britain in our day to day social behavior and trends. Maybe what is there will be here soon.

[aroundabout]

I spent several years in the UK in the early ‘60’s and it sure has changed if any of this is true.

It seems as if we are about 10 years behind Britain in our day to day social behavior and trends. Maybe what is there will be here soon.

[SMARTY]

See Britain before the Brits destroy it.