A Uniquely American Phenomenon

[BoltonBoy21]

the english ARE the true brits just like the scots, the welsh and the irish are the true brits. we are as british as the others.

england's size DOES confuse england with britain. we have 50 million people out of a 60 million population.

[Hirta]

Originally posted by BoltonBoy21
the english ARE the true brits just like the scots, the welsh and the irish are the true brits. we are as british as the others.

england's size DOES confuse england with britain. we have 50 million people out of a 60 million population.

I belive that BB may have a valid point. Many people do think that 'England' and 'Britain' are synonymous as the vast majority of the population are English - being 'Scottish' or 'Welsh' is seen as distinctive in it's own right as is often the case with an ethnic minority. When most people think of an American, one does not automatically think of a native American/'red indian', although this would be the most appropriate ethnic type to think of. The reason for this? The fact that that the Indian population of the USA is about 1%.

This confusion between England/Britain is often very frustrating for English people as one's own nationality does not seem to have the same definate boundaries as other ethnic groups in the U.K.

I remember reading an article not too long ago that stated that in a survey in the USA most people thought that the United Kingdom was in the Middle East! Maybe obligatory political geography lessons should be taken by all!

[Ulrikke]

Originally posted by Hirta
I remember reading an article not too long ago that stated that in a survey in the USA most people thought that the United Kingdom was in the Middle East!

In a survey in the USA, Hirta?

BBC News
Tuesday, 19 November, 2002, 17:56 GMT

'Americans think UK is in Mid-East'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2491509.stm

Numbers of overseas visitors to the UK are still down. Many Americans know all about London and England but think the United Kingdom is in the Middle East, Tourism Minister Kim Howells has told a committee of MPs.

Mr Howells explained the confusion the title caused as he told how efforts to get tourists out of London and into the UK's countryside and regional cities have "failed dismally".

He told the Commons culture select committee: "Very often people do not understand the title of the country...

"In America, people had heard of London, some had heard of England, no-one had heard of the United Kingdom - they thought it was somewhere in the Middle East."

A spokeswoman for the culture department said Dr Howells was making a "light hearted" comment to illustrate the need to use expressions in marketing which were familiar to customers.

Dr Howells said the UK also needed to give visitors a better welcome when they arrived in the country.

His comments came as the MPs committee examined the state of UK tourism in the wake of the US terror attacks and the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Tour operator chiefs said government attention to the industry was slipping and suggested there should be a cabinet minister responsible for tourism alone.

Dispersal problems

Dr Howells explained that London was the "great icon" of the UK tourism industry. Half of the people who visited the UK from overseas last year did not go out of London except for day trips, said Dr Howells.

In the past, it had been argued the capital ought to be seen as a gateway location, with the city's visitors encouraged to go to other areas.

"I am afraid that both London and the other tourism boards have failed dismally to do this," said Dr Howells.

Dispersing more people to areas outside London would not only spread tourism income but add to the country's attraction to potential visitors. But those hopes underlined the need to ensure hotels and guest houses were of good quality nationwide.

'Too laissez faire'

Earlier, Richard Tobias, chief executive of the British Incoming Tour Operators Association (BITOA), said UK visitor numbers were still down 4% in the wake of the US terror attacks. After the attacks and the foot-and-mouth outbreak, people recognised the contribution made by the tourism industry, said Mr Tobias.

"It is beginning to slip down the political ladder now," he argued.

"Because of the difficulties for the industry worldwide following 11 September, the industry is now being allowed to look after itself."

Ian Reynolds, chief executive of the Association of Travel Agents (Abta) also argued ministers were taking too much of a "laissez faire" attitude to tourism.

There were "insufficient focus and insufficient resources" from government, said Mr Reynolds.

Such concerns were put to Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, who stressed the amount of time spent talking to the tourism industry in the last 18 months.

"We need to be judged on the results of our efforts," said Ms Jowell.

"Certainly, so far they are efforts which I think because the industry has worked so closely with us broadly shared the confidence of the industry."

Particular efforts were being put into making the industry less fragmented and on building up skill levels, she said.

Devolution concerns

Ms Jowell last month announced plans to combine the resources of the English Tourism Council with the British Tourism Authority.

That has prompted worries that the new body's role in marketing the UK abroad could clash with its duties in promoting England to domestic tourists.

The culture secretary said "some offence" had been caused in the past by the perception that the BTA was an England-focused organisation.

The new body would "market Great Britain to the rest of the world" and be transparent about its English marketing responsibilities.

Conservative MP Michael Fabricant was among those on the committee worried that it was England which was losing out.

The government currently spends 20p per head on tourism in England, compared with £8.28 in Wales and £5.50 in Scotland.

Dr Howells said the results of that spending drew little relation to such discrepancies.
Overseas visitors spent last year £9.9bn in England, £250m in Wales and £760m in Scotland.

[-Sigurd-]

Jambo_03 - exactly what are you right about in your first post? You dont say anything as such; you merely exude bitterness and resentment towards America and England.

Do you attack fellow Scots because of their lack of knowledge of South East Asia, or the Chinese for their ignorance of the geography of South America? Are you some kind of obsessive 'geography nut'? I doubt it...I think it is evident that you just have a problem with America. You may as well admit it...there is no other possible conclusion.

A simple omission like that does not deserve the bitterness of your response, that much is obvious. Not unless you do indeed have a large chip on your shoulder, as Ulrikke indicated. Btw if your teachers in America were all so stupid, why did you choose to be educated by them, 'on and off for 5 years'? That seems like a greater stupidity to me.

"How do you know exactly what this board stands for? You've made one post!"

Any new member could have been reading the site from day one for all you know. And a how many posts had you made when you wrote the above? One! Unless you are someone else other than you claim to be.

"Your last paragraph is utterly laughable, on the one hand you talk about how nice the Scots are etc but then someone dares to criticize you they are not welcome on "an AMERICAN board" "

Are you sure the poster is American? It doesnt say that anywhere. Prejudice and bitterness are not welcome on any forum, unless there is a special "Prejudice and Bitterness" forum out there somewhere.

"P.S. If you would like to try again and put a reasonable argument to me without sweeping generalizations and insults I may be prepared to listen to you."

Show me one 'sweeping generalisation' made? It seems to me that the whole point of Ulrikke's post was to criticise YOUR tendency to stereotype Americans.

Lastly...it is hypocritical of you to call anyone else 'sensitive'. Your spite filled post was triggered by the writers mere failure to mention Scotland. To make you feel better, I will take the liberty of rewriting the part of the original piece by 'Freethinker' that seems to have hurt your feelings so much. Maybe then you will stop whining:

"American football grew out of the English sport rugby...just one more example of the profound cultural influence of our Mother country (which is actually Britain and includes Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales) and closest ally."

There...is that better now? LOL!

[jambo_03]

Priceless! This guy replies for the other person who doesn’t seem bothered by my previous reply lmfao!

Sigurd you deserve to be locked away and studied closely after that last post MATE!

I notice you never even gave credit to the person who ACTUALLY wrote the article originally? hmmm

You are welcome to assume what you like about me, I wont lose sleep over it LOL!

I could waste my time answering your pointless allegations but it would serve nothing and wouldn’t change your mind. Frankly I couldn't care less.

Here's some advice for you 1.Keep taking the pills and let other people answer there own critics and Write your OWN articles...or are you too dumb to!? loooooooser!!!!

[Ulrikke]

Hey mate:

I see you have successfully answered and realized all by yourself that you actually did not have an argument to put forth here, what you do have is a biased position ready to be fired up at the first mention of America [or England] in any light other than the pejorative one.

You have managed to attack not only America but also England [and everyone else] in one post flat.

It is too bad that people are not properly educated — oh! the examples…— and it surely does not help to have the media distorting information. If in the US the big sin of the media is to portray England as the sole representative of the UK, in the UK it is to motivate people to develop biased views against the US. Which one is worse?

As for the American schooling system… I somehow highly doubt that you are indeed concerned about it. It is known that schooling systems worldwide are far from what is desirable but remember that the US system is comprised of international professionals, including British.

On a last note… you took a post about Sports out of context [going off topic!] so that you could spread your bigotry then you proceeded to offend everyone, this seems to me the work of a one agenda person. And the mention of Moderators here is quite 'suspicious.' If you do have an interest in this board other than to show off your agenda, by all means use it adequately, even to educate! or else I really do not see how anyone can benefit from your posts.

About your P.S. – Thanks, but NO thanks.

Sigurd am sure can speak for itself… but your latest is beyond all expectations and indeed offensive!

[-Sigurd-]

Jambo : "I notice you never even gave credit to the person who ACTUALLY wrote the article originally? hmmm"

Excuse me? I began the post with the attribution:

From: Freethinker

And again in my next post:

"I will take the liberty of rewriting the part of the original piece by 'Freethinker' that seems to have hurt your feelings so much."

As for the rest of your post...I will leave the gutter to you. You are welcome to it.