Why is this tolerated?

[Riku3220]

It's because you people call yourselves American. Once you stop thinking you own the entire continent people will start cutting you some slack :mrgreen:

What are we supposed to call ourselves? Our country is the United States of America so unless you can come up with a good ending for United, States, or Of then we'll be American dammit!

[Alexpop11]

The only places I hear "rasism" to americans is on X-Box live, and in school.

But, So what?

Almost every nationality has a sterotype, Canadians say Eh alot, live in Igloos, and ride polar bears to school, Middile eastern guys blow things up, germans are evil, ect

NONE OF THEM ARE TRUE

1% of canada ride polar bears to school

0.0001% of middle eastern peps blow themselves up

and 0% of germans are still nazis

Don't take offense to people calling americans fat. I admit, some are, but in the whole, its all about having an insult after your [cabbage] gets kicked or you kick someones [cabbage] on MW2

 

In the end, the americans ARE the ones with all the nukes.... soooo......

Lets keep the fighting down, before we go fallout 3 on ourselfs :P

[Alg]

It's because you people call yourselves American. Once you stop thinking you own the entire continent people will start cutting you some slack :mrgreen:

Well "United Statesian" doesn't roll off the tongue quite as well... We're a badass enough country that claiming a whole continent is justified, as long as it saves us some much needed breath for out horribly obese bodies. :lol:

 

But seriously, being an American/whateverian who enjoys jokes about his country, I just have to say as long as it's all in good fun it's fun. And it's likely that other countries make fun of themselves too...

[indy500fan]

American isn't really all that good of a word to use, but there really is nothing else easy to call us so it is what we are left with. I don't think any Canadians or Mexicans or any of the other central+south American countries mind that we use it.

[Giordano]

I don't think any Canadians or Mexicans or any of the other central+south American countries mind that we use it.

In Latin America (or, at least Argentina) America is the continents North and South America together. So they're also "Americans" and we're just norte americanos.

 

Or gringo, either one. :mrgreen:

[fastortoise]

It's because you people call yourselves American. Once you stop thinking you own the entire continent people will start cutting you some slack :mrgreen:

What are we supposed to call ourselves? Our country is the United States of America so unless you can come up with a good ending for United, States, or Of then we'll be American dammit!

Uniters is good. But you're too cool of a population to use such a high class word :rolleyes:

 

Just think aboot it. Nobody can say "Those damn Uniters are the most selfish and annoying people in the world" without sounding like a sillyhead

[mcneilp]

Can't beat some friendly banter with the yanks over xbox live.

[Dizzle229]

Can't beat some friendly banter with the yanks over xbox live.

 

Define "friendly".

[depresins]

It's fine as long as it's not serious. 90% of the people that make American jokes don't actually hate Americans.

 

And it should be socially acceptable to make fun of us as long as it's still ok for us to make fun of people from the middle east.

 

If it IS serious the people should still have the right to say it. And hell yes it should be socially acceptable to poke fun at anybody.

 

"Friendly banter" Is when we give them [cabbage] about their accents, their patriotisim, their military, their government... Hell, you need me to keep going? Americans (another stereotype here) are generally the most fun to pick on.

[unkn0wnwarrior]

But seriously, being an American/whateverian who enjoys jokes about his country, I just have to say as long as it's all in good fun it's fun. And it's likely that other countries make fun of themselves too...

I know a lot of Canadians who make fun of Canada all the time. I know some Chinese who make fun of China, and the same with people from Spain, Mexico and USA. The only thing I find wrong with any of it is if somebody keeps going knowing somebody else in the room is offended. And that only bothers me if the person isn't offended by everything said against their country.

[warri0r45]

It seems wherever I look that people gather and talk, racism is always tolerated and enjoyed even against Americans. Be it Forum boards, Runescape public chat and clan chats, Xbox LIVE, even television, everyone can make fun of Americans whenever they want and however they want and no one really seems to give a rat's [wagon].

 

Now, most people know the standard things people say, they say Americans are fat, lazy, and/or stupid among other things. Say it wherever and most people seem to join in with the laughs and the haggling. Now, go into any of the aforementioned places, or into public with real people and make a racist comment against Blacks, Jews, Mexicans, Asians, or any other race you can think of. In any form of online place (no, im not counting 4chan or any other board such as that, keep that filth out of this topic) you would instantly be kicked or muted. If you say something like this in public most people will look down upon you. Now, say something about Americans, and everyone has a nice old laugh, but why?

 

I really would like to know why this is tolerated. Don't just say "Because everybody hates Americans lololololol" because I could easily make an ignorant generalization like that right back at you, it doesn't make it any more valid.

 

Please try to keep any flaming out of this topic.

 

No, it's not racism. American isn't a race.

 

Having said that, generalising Americans for being fat/stupid/whatever isn't that smart, especially when it's based on anecdotal evidence.

[pegpenguin]

Honestly racism should never, ever be accepted. now lets define racism

 

rac⋅ism  [rey-siz-uhm]

noun

1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.

2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.

3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

 

So if you say anything with hate, it seems to me that it's racist. If you're just kidding around, I think it's fine. Honestly, I wholeheartedly agree with the whole Americans are Fat stereotype, because honestly it's kind of true. Seriously the seniors of my high school my freshman year were pretty healthy looking, and the freshman my senior year were about...75% chubby. So america it seems is getting bigger and bigger.

 

And seriously, why does it matter if we call ourselves Americans? It's where we live...and honestly we should totally take over Canada and Mexico, cause I'm sick of hearing of this illegal immigration, and that way they'd all be citizens, and they'd all be where they want to :P

 

See now, only a true jack [wagon] would embarrass himself with being offended with that statement, it wasn't racist at all because I don't hate mexicans or canadians. And I actually EXPECT people to make fun of me and everything about me, makes life easier.

 

And that yogurt joke was hilarious!!! so freakin true :P

 

BTW you can't spell embarrassed with out [wagon], just like you won't be embarrassed unless you make yourself look like an [wagon] >.<

[sees_all1]

Lets see, I live in Indiana. We make fun of people from Kentucky, as I'm sure the rest of America does too. I'm also sure that they like to poke fun at Indiana as well. Nothing wrong with that, unless you actually believe it.

I like to poke fun at Canadia. Its not that I hate them, it's just in good spirit. Eh. And the only reason I do is because some of my best friends on RS are Canadian. Eh!

 

Its ok when you don't actually believe what you say, and the other party understands that as well. If you can't have a sense of humor about yourself then you're in a bad position to have a sense of humor about others.

[Obtaurian]

I deal with a lot of anti-Americanism in the clan chat that I spend time in while I play. It's annoying, but I make the best of it by doing the same thing right back. For example, there's a lot of Kiwis (people from New Zealand; I have no idea what you would call someone from New Zealand other than a Kiwi) that hang out in the chat. When one of them starts going on about Americans, I just ask them how the weather is in Australia this week.

 

People from New Zealand hate being called Australians. It's very effective.

[Wizz]

You know what, Imma try this out! Imma go insult Americans!

*Heads off to the Army Recruiting table*

Hey you know whats the good thing about pizza in USA?

 

 

Point I'm trying to prove is, no matter what there will always be someone who is offended, unless you know Americans secretly hate themselves....

[Jeffwilson99]

I deal with a lot of anti-Americanism in the clan chat that I spend time in while I play. It's annoying, but I make the best of it by doing the same thing right back. For example, there's a lot of Kiwis (people from New Zealand; I have no idea what you would call someone from New Zealand other than a Kiwi) that hang out in the chat. When one of them starts going on about Americans, I just ask them how the weather is in Australia this week.

 

People from New Zealand hate being called Australians. It's very effective.

 

New Zealanders... I don't think we hate being called Australians, we just don't like being mistaken for them.

[archimage_a]

Well consider why racism is racist...The white man is offended by other white men calling black men a name that other black men call the black men. The white men would much prefer the other white men to call the black men by the name that the white man calls the black men.

Comparatively the black man calls the white man by the name that they so chose without this complex nightmare.

 

 

Its due to the fact that white men, generally, don't see the need to protect other white men because they believe that white men can look after themselves. Where as minority groups, who are 'obvouisly inferior', need the white men to protect them.

It is only when the white men(or whichever group is dominant...or sees itself as dominant) becomes offended by it that it becomes racist, in truth the minority group has very little say in whether or not they find it offensive.

 

 

Racism isn't half as Racist as thinking you need to protect other races because they can't do it themselves....

 

 

(That and they make a mockery of the English Language with Zees where the should be Zeds, Z where the should be S, nothing where the should be U...and then just inventing words when they can't think, or can't be bothered to think, of an adjective, verb or connecting word....eg:

Incentivication - As opposed to 'To give an incentive')

[jemathonical]

If anything you'd prefer to be Aussies :P. But I suppose it's 'acceptable' for Australians to pay New Zealanders out instead of Americans. We only much around, Americans sometimes are dead serious when they think Kiwi's are Aussies.

[Furah]

Lighten up man, lighten up!

[Nadril]

make a racist comment against Blacks, Jews, Mexicans, Asians, or any other race you can think of. In any form of online place (no, im not counting 4chan or any other board such as that, keep that filth out of this topic) you would instantly be kicked or muted.

 

Just throwing this out there but in a lot of online game communities (HoN, Lineage II private servers, few others) there is a lot of "hate" against BR's (Brazilians) and Russians. (There was a "polish zerg" too on one L2 server that everyone hated, won't go into that though).

 

 

So yeah. As far as the American thing goes, America isn't a race so I don't see a big deal. I mean sure it does seem like hating America is a pretty cool thing to do currently so it might be why you see it a lot. I don't see it as actually being harmful though.

[i_love_burritos]

make a racist comment against Blacks, Jews, Mexicans, Asians, or any other race you can think of. In any form of online place (no, im not counting 4chan or any other board such as that, keep that filth out of this topic) you would instantly be kicked or muted.

 

Just throwing this out there but in a lot of online game communities (HoN, Lineage II private servers, few others) there is a lot of "hate" against BR's (Brazilians) and Russians. (There was a "polish zerg" too on one L2 server that everyone hated, won't go into that though).

 

It's because those [bleep]wits lag too [bleep]ing much. Just kidding.

 

Anyway, I dont know why it's become "acceptable". You can blame anyone, Hollywood, popular media, Bill O Reilly, Glenn Beck, especially Glenn Beck ... but I think it's because "everyone" does it. Now to find out why everyone does it.

 

But to me, the intelligent Americans [i'm talking about ages 16 - 25] are literally leagues ahead of other peoples the same age. [i gather this from reading some science journals, olympiads etc...].

 

Maybe that's unfair though. To selectively categorize a whole people into "superfreaking intelligent" and "redneck hillbillys" is not acceptable. And then there's Glenn-[bleep]ing-Beck.

 

I'm guessing he's the root cause of the problem.

[Sbrideau]

Americans are the only people to insult you for small things like not speaking english, and it's happened to me a lot of times. No, I know it's not all of them, but I've not seen anyone from anywhere else do something like that.

[____]

So other than being a right media donkey... what exactly does this Beck guy do to cause so much trouble?

 

 

Edit:

 

Americans are the only people to insult you for small things like not speaking english, and it's happened to me a lot of times. No, I know it's not all of them, but I've not seen anyone from anywhere else do something like that.

But Canadians don't speak English.. it's some form of moosish.

[i_love_burritos]

So other than being a right media donkey... what exactly does this Beck guy do to cause so much trouble?

 

When it comes to uneducated, ignorant fools, HE'S #1, HE'S #1, HE'S #1.

[Danqazmlp]

It isn't just America that gets these kinds of comments. It all stems from national identity, and finding reasons other nations are not as good as your own. Its rarely one way traffic either, i'm sure Americans do the same about some other nations. I would also say though, that your last President didn't help the stereotype from the rest of the world point of view.