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[AndyRM]

Yeah...I've never seen a violent US film or TV show. You are quite right.

It's unheard of for people to try and emulate what they have seen on the screen.

I mean that shootout scene in 'Heat' looked nothing like what happened a few years later in North Hollywood.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Hollywood_shootout

You're stereotyping, it's bullshit, and you've been called on it.

Go and watch Trainspotting so you can reach the fully accurate conclusion that Scots are all junkies and thieves.

 

[Poacher]

I wonder if he’s a Christian? 🤔

 

[monkers]

View attachment 3492

Oh my!

 

[multitool]

You're stereotyping, it's bullshit, and you've been called on it.

Go and watch Trainspotting so you can reach the fully accurate conclusion that Scots are all junkies and thieves.

Always a shame when somebody steams into a thread and doesn't pause to think.

I've literally clarified twice for you, but still you persist, making yourself look ridiculous.

Nowhere did I say that US culture (and I explicitly mention film and tv) is an accurate representation of US civil society.

But I am saying that US culture (tv and film in particular) is replete with representations of violence.

If you want to argue against that, then be my guest. But currently you are arguing against your own straw man.

 

[AndyRM]

Always a shame when somebody steams into a thread and doesn't pause to think.

I've literally clarified twice for you, but still you persist, making yourself look ridiculous.

Nowhere did I say that US culture (and I explicitly mention film and tv) is an accurate representation of US civil society.

But I am saying that US culture (tv and film in particular) is replete with representations of violence.

If you want to argue against that, then be my guest. But currently you are arguing against your own straw man.

Except that it isn't.

Your exposure to US TV and film is clearly limited.

 

[multitool]

Except that it isn't.

Your exposure to US TV and film is clearly limited.

I wish you well

 

[mudsticks]

Interesting.

We in the UK have a perception that American Streets and bars are chock-full of people with concealed hand guns, that the schools and colleges are full of bullying gangs led by 'jocks'. We tend to believe that exactly because we see the presence of that in American film.

At the same time, we heard Trump saying that in England the cities have become no go areas where you take your life in your hands every time you take a walk.

What I do notice though is that America itself acknowledges there is a problem with gun culture. As Jon Stewart says, 50 000 or so gun related deaths each year is not an opinion, it is an open source fact.

There are campaigns within America to do something about gun ownership. Ex presidents have resented the power of the NRA. Women's group campaign because the number of women shot during domestic disputes is so high (they say - I don't know the number).

My observation is this, that the wording of the constitution is well-taught in America, people tend to know the amendments, often word perfect and in numerical order. Ask an English student about the UNDHR and they'll mostly know little, because it isn't taught beyond a one-hour lesson in all of school, and even then what is taught tends to be wrong.

I don't know so much about the American Constitution or culture having never visited the place. I know one fact that influences my thinking, that there is one amendment that for some at least is inalienable, the right to keep and bear arms. It's a paradox to me that the right to keep and bear arms is inalienable but the right to life is not.

I lived and worked in the US for several months when I was a young woman.

There were times when I felt like I was in a movie.

The casual racism, and sexism, the interesting 'characters' to be found on the long distance Greyhound buses, and plenty more besides.

What really struck me was the insularity towards, and ignorance of the rest of the world, f

A bit like here if you've been repeatedly told that your country is 'the best' your curiosity about other places and how things work elsewhere, will not be ignited.

Hence the idea that anywhere with crazy ideas such as universal healthcare is a communist hell hole etc.

Admittedly this was mainly rural Midwest.
The US is a vast place, it's impossible to generalise.

It would appear though, that The State's have become even more polarised since then between conservative and liberal, middle class urban educated and less well off.

'God fearing' gun toting 'good ol boys' keen on the Grand Old Party, who are a rather noisy (and scarey) bunch

And then the others.

 

[AndyRM]

I wish you well

I genuinely don't know what you mean by this.

 

[Deleted member 28]

Weird how some people seem to have interpreted my post as meaning that US streets are just constant shootouts, SWAT raids, sci-fi battles with aliens, Marvel baddies fighting Batman etc

Perhaps you need to 'dumb down ' your ramblings a bit, or just admit your talking b0llocks as usual.

 

[Deleted member 28]

Go and watch Trainspotting so you can reach the fully accurate conclusion that Scots are all junkies and thieves.

And ginger.......

 

[icowden]

Interpretation of gun ownership rights seem to deem registration of gun ownership illegal. To me it's a paradox that the legal status of the second amendment trumps the right to life.

And the really curious bit is that the same people who state that a foetus is a human life and should not be terminated at any cost, who are so keen to protect developing babies in the womb, seemingly don't give a monkeys that once born there is an increasing incidence that the child will be shot and killed.

 

[mudsticks]

And the really curious bit is that the same people who state that a foetus is a human life and should not be terminated at any cost, who are so keen to protect developing babies in the womb, seemingly don't give a monkeys that once born there is an increasing incidence that the child will be shot and killed.

It was never about the 'babies'

It's about keeping control of women, their sexuality and denying their autonomy.

 

[BoldonLad]

Some interesting numbers in this article,

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...merican-adults-own-a-collective-133m-firearms

and, IMHO, not aligned with comments so far.

Personally, I still see no sensible reason for public gun ownership.

 

[monkers]

Some interesting numbers in this article,

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...merican-adults-own-a-collective-133m-firearms

and, IMHO, not aligned with comments so far.

Personally, I still see no sensible reason for public gun ownership.

That's because the linked article is from 2017. The numbers I gave are from the official source (The ATF) that were quoted by Jon Stewart more recently.

 

[BoldonLad]

That's because the linked article is from 2017. The numbers I gave are from the official source (The ATF) that were quoted by Jon Stewart more recently.

I didn’t mean the “headline” numbers, I meant the distribution, and, the usual situation that the poorest are the most affected. But, yes, I accept the article is 6 years old, I doubt things have improved.

Like @AndyRM, I have spent some time in USA (one of my grandchildren was born there), and, although I would not want to spend my life there, I don’t recognize the picture painted here.