2001-12-17 I am very curious as to the response of the UKIP and the anti-EU British tabloids concerning the Laeken Conference and the British committment to European nationhood. I can imagine their response.
John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Davis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, 2001-12-17 18:37 Subject: [USMA:16705] Re: I don't understand American attitude! > Jim, I find this paranoia that everybody who criticizes the USA must be > jealous of you and hate you to be rather tiresome!! > > It sometimes seems to me that large US cannot accept criticism in a mature > way and react badly to almost any perceived suggestion that in some ways you > might be less than perfect!! > > Many anti-EU movements tend to react in the same way, citing any criticism > of this country to come from unpatriotic, English- hating leftists who > wouldn't be happy till we were under some type of communist type rule!! > > America is largely perceived as arrogant and insular largely because of the > actions of your Governments, not necessarily the American people!! > > The tearing up of the Kyoto agreement and the breaking of long-standing > nuclear weapons agreements are just two things that spring to mind!! > > If people, rightly or wrongly, perceive America as arrogant and > self-centred, why can't that be accepted as opinion and not as some left > wing plot to destroy the very fabric of American life?? > > Regards, > > Steve. > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jim Elwell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Monday, December 17, 2001 3:46 PM > Subject: [USMA:16681] Re: I don't understand American attitude! > > > > Marcus: > > > > Unfortunately I do not have the time right now to address your lengthy > > email point by point, so please forgive this brief response. > > > > Some of what you say may be true (e.g., what others think of Americans), > > but it is also totally beside the point. > > > > What some German or some Frenchman or some Canadian (or a whole group of > > them) think of the USA and the metric system has very, very little to do > > with when and how the USA actually metricates. You do not have to like > > that, and you can call us names if you want, but that is the reality. > > > > And if you want to help the USA metricate, I suggest you start trying to > > understand what motivates Americans, rather than just berating us for not > > thinking like you do. Because we do NOT think like you and that is NOT > > going to change. > > > > Whether or not you agree with the reality (or even the philosophy), > > Americans think of themselves as individuals. NOT as cogs in some > > super-governmental system. And many of us get our dander up at the thought > > of ANYONE telling us how to run our lives, except in very restricted > > circumstances (e.g., public safety). > > > > THAT IS THE REALITY OF MANY PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY!!! As I said, you do > not > > have to like it, you do not have to agree with it, but if you ignore it, > > you will be far less effective (or even counterproductive) in helping us > > metricate. > > > > Wizard's and Kilopascal's posts are perfect examples of lack of > > understanding of Americans. If those were widely distributed, do you think > > half of this country would wake up one morning and say, "Golly, we've been > > terribly arrogant, and we really should switch today to a much nicer > > measurement system." > > > > Far more likely is that a huge number of Americans would read Kilopascal's > > posts and think, "That German SOB can take his metric ruler and shove it > > where the sun don't shine!" > > > > So I ask: are you non-Americans on this forum just to have some Americans > > to berate, or are you here to actually help us metricate the USA? > > > > Jim Elwell > > >
