Yep there are clear parallels between you and Charlie Chaplin, above the waist at least.
Indeed.
Cruz is now attacking Trumps credentials as a person who has āNew York valuesā which basically means he isnāt a republican at all or a very weak one as its a City dominated by the left and liberals.
Itās always going to be difficult to land those ānot a real Republicanā charges. First off, the two parties are such broad churches that trying to come up with a precise definition to work against is close to impossible. From our own experience in the UK, we know that there isnāt a great deal of difference between the Labour right and the human element of the Conservative Party (small, though it is).
The other thing is that the Republican Party is having something of an identity crisis itself, finding itself having to face up to Americaās changing demographics. The last two Presidential elections have both featured pundits claiming that the Republicans need to engage the minority vote for long term survival.
Really though, Cruz is taking a political identity knife to personality cult gunfight.
The demogpraphics of America is a strange one as there are many republican Mexican Ameicans its just that they are not shown on the news, its not newsworthy and doesnāt fit the agenda, the US is a nationlist Nation and even their demoncrats are centre tory, I have a few American freinds from different backgrounds and they are all similar in one thing, they love the stars and stripes regardless, we canāt understand that as we arenāt a patriotic nation.
In short the republican party isnāt gping anywhere and the shift will probably come from the democrats to the right not the other way round.
The demographics are interesting. Iāve discussed this at nauseum before, but there are interesting things going on in the US with regards to people.
Barry mentions the Mexicans. Iād like to widen that to Hispanics for the purposes of this point, but itās a rapidly increasing proportion of the population. A colleague of mine, formerly of Maryland, noted that 40% of the children enrolling in Maryland schools were of Hispanic origin.
If the US is a nationalist nation, itās an artificially constructed one. Using the example of the love for the stars and stripes, I wonder about a few things. First, would the love of the stars and stripes have anything to do with the fact that elementary children need to stand up and pledge allegiance everyday? Iām not singling the US out; the French brainwash their nippers too, making out that France is the greatest nation in the world. Perhaps Marine Le Penās resurgent Front National is the result.
I have probably spent a year of my life in the US. I donāt see a nationalist nation when I visit. I see a fragmented one. I see WASPs commuting into high-paid jobs from communities full of people just like them, their perceptions never challenged, their prejudices sustained and the general attitude toward people that are not like them ranging from indifference to hostility.
I once met a chap from San Diego, mentioned its proximity to Mexico and asked whether he spoke Spanish (hablo poco). He replied āif they come to our country, they should speak our languageā, not really recognising the dubious ownership of either.
I was once given a tour around a plush US office in a putting-names-to-faces effort. From my perspective, the tour abruptly finished when we skipped over the Indian lads. The explanation, āer no, I donāt know any of the Indian guys. They do their own thingā.
I have met first generation immigrants that have been resident for 25 years, but are still sporting the thickest, most unintelligible version of their accent. Over here, Jan Molby became a convincing scouser within a couple of years and closer to home, my Karachi-born grandad has a very mild accent compared to his pals that married Pakistani girls. Like Molby, he was immersed in the local culture in a way I suspect his pals, and many Americans are not. The tensions between the US authorities and the black community are also well documented.
The question that I frequently ask is what binds the people of this nation? I really donāt see much. The Federal Government & itās authority, corporate culture, the media, poorly remembered sports and a shared love of consumerism are all obvious examples. Iād argue that the news reports we receive from over the Atlantic suggest that isnāt enough.
Very little genuinely binds this nation now, we are one of the least patriotic nations on the planet thatās why we shit ourselves when we see a skinny skinhead, we are incredbly tolerant probably the most tolerant nation on the pkanet or close to it no natter how extremities say otherwise.
i suppose the Royal Family is the only thing to a degree, the dilution of our identity will lead to a adverse reaction soon I feel and to the detriment of all.
We never comment when we see others flags being waved but we hate to see our own and openly mock it, opponents say its racists waving them or its divisive but I disagree wholly, what makes little England so āright onā on this issue and the rest of the World (and I mean the rest of the World) wrong?
Our PC attitude is 40 years behind the times.
Not sure what your point in continuing with these mini-diatribes is, Bazza. If the purpose is trying to convert people youāre wasting your time here. Either change the record or just turn it off. Itās clear where you stand - we get it.
Time to move on.
2 Likes
WASPS? Loose term and very outdated, Wasps lost most of their power when Kennedy was elected, it could be argued it was wasps who got rid of him though, he was deeply hated by the establishment for the bay of pigs and his olive branch to the Soviets.
On the flag and brainwashing I agree but everyone could walk under the Union flag or St George Cross of entrance to a school? In New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the US, and many parts of Europe they have this, in many parts of the World as well, we are backward as I say not progressive on this.
Converstion? No, I wouldnāt want that nor could I do it.
I wouldnāt agree with Barryās opinion that there is little that binds us. Weāre an ancient nation by any modern standard, we have shared values that others respect, such as a sense of fair play, politeness. Our second and third generation immigrants are better integrated into society than many social groups have ever been in other Western nations. In addition to all that, most of us live on 6% of the landmass of a relatively small island, so in the main, we get on. We canāt not.
I really donāt like the priorities of this countryās governments, but I utterly reject the idea that we donāt get on. I think we arguably manage it better than anyone else. Sixty years on from our first big wave of post-war immigration, we can look at a country where all of those communities have made their mark and established themselves, indelibly changing our culture for the better. To the immense credit of the vast majority of the āindigenousā (what a laugh, eh?) population has allowed that to happen and made newcomers feel welcome.
I think weāre a fucking miracle. Casting my eyes at the debacle unfolding over the pond does nothing to disabuse me of that notion. Could our setup be refined? Damn right. The EU could do itself massive favours by bunging infrastructure cash at us commensurate with demand. That would be a far better option than erecting borders, repatriating people and all of the dark effluence that ultimately flows from nationalist policy.
Comes down to what we want to be, but Iād rather see us become New Babylon than old Berlin.
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Most Nations and peoples think they are fair that is nothing new, why a new babylon? That place has been desecrated by all faiths of the false book.
Lordy.
Lyrics
Cowardice
Are you serious?
Apologies for freedom, I canāt handle this.
When freedom rings, answer the call!
On your feet, stand up tall!
Freedomās on our shoulders, USA!
Enemies of freedom face the music, cāmon boys, take them down
President Donald Trump knows how to make America great
Deal from strength or get crushed every time
Originally posted by @pap
Lordy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPRfP_TEQ-g
Lyrics
Cowardice
Are you serious?
Apologies for freedom, I canāt handle this.
When freedom rings, answer the call!
On your feet, stand up tall!
Freedomās on our shoulders, USA!
Enemies of freedom face the music, cāmon boys, take them down
President Donald Trump knows how to make America great
Deal from strength or get crushed every time
WTF?!?
Good fucking grief.
Gary Glitter has a stiffy and song writers are spinning in their graves.
Just wrong, wrong, wrong!
On EVERY level.
Oh dear but as I have been saying all along this is obviously what republicans want to hear, its fucking awful, tacky, divisive and 250 late but its what the punters want.
As a Trump buff how has this affected your opinion of his candidacy? More or less suitable?
Trump and buff in the same sentence. Thanks for that image, Pap.
1 Like
Originally posted by @TheCholulaKid
Trump and buff in the same sentence. Thanks for that image, Pap.
Blame George Carlin. He used to describe Christians as Jesus buffs.