John Cleese's Letter to America


  • name one person, Falk, one person of prominence, that other people on this board will know of/can find by looking up, who uses the term “USan”, besides yourself (someone on this board is not a person of prominence). please do. I welcome being corrected if you can do so. should i provide a list of people who use the term “American?” what else makes a term correct, but common usage? its even listed as the official nationality on the CIA factbook (you probably dont care though, since its a US government organization). but honestly, Ive never heard anyone other than you use the term. so please, name ONE other person who does.


  • Janus!,
    Drop the USan argument.  F_alk wont listen.

    I previously brought up the subject. He didn’t accept the fact that most Europeans accepted it and called citizens of the USA “Americans” long before before he was born.  Of course, high society Brits called us other things before and after WWII.


  • @El:

    I previously brought up the subject. He didn’t accept the fact that most Europeans accepted it and called citizens of the USA “Americans” long before before he was born.

    Once you accept that the rest of the world calls you arrogant and ignorant, and call yourself that as well ….

    You allow the “everyone does it” in one arguement, but not in the other.

    SUD:
    Point 1 of course with the “big picture” is no point of all. The letter is to the citizen of the USA. Noone disagrees. Nothing in your point 1 supports that he in fact equates the US with America. To think so,  would be like saying he supports the claim that USans are ignorant, as they can’t spell, and give strange names to things.
    Point 2 is something i have waited for, as it is the only use of America that looks like it is equating America with USA. Now, i say he just coined the name of the new colony. And when it comes to their empire, the Brits are not that humble :).

    Point 4 and Janus:
    I wonder why the “Organisation of American States” has made such an effort to sign the “American Convention on Human Rights” … do they not know that as American States they belong to the USA and whit its Constitution there is no need to sign such a convention?


  • Point 4 and Janus:
    I wonder why the “Organisation of American States” has made such an effort to sign the “American Convention on Human Rights” …. do they not know that as American States they belong to the USA and whit its Constitution there is no need to sign such a convention?

    you havent proven anything. all youve done is shown that there exists a context where “american” is used not referring specifically to the United States (although, its not even evidence against my point, since its used in an entirely different context (geographical region vs. nationality), so its really irrelevent). ive never disputed that other countries in the western hemisphere, belonging to north, south, or central america are referred to as “american”. their nationalities, however, are not “american”. the US nationality IS “american”. and youve as yet failed to produce any credible person who does not use it.

    also:
    go back and look at all the times he uses “american”. remove head from ass. then we can talk.


  • @Janus1:

    remove head from a**

    Do you still consider yourself a fascist btw?


  • This isnt even original :roll:…Its been done in various forms for decades…It doesnt even take a comedian to come up with material like this,let alone someone who is a has-been…The funny part is that some foreigner tries to point out things that we already know…


  • im still waiting falk


  • @The:

    This isnt even original :roll:…Its been done in various forms for decades…It doesnt even take a comedian to come up with material like this,let alone someone who is a has-been…The funny part is that some foreigner tries to point out things that we already know…

    ahhh
    well you see, we in Canada only were introduced to the internet this year.  Also we had never heard of this kind of humor before.  For me, it was quite novel.  One day we will be as sofistamikated as you “Americans”.


  • @Janus1:

    Falk, reread the initial reason i posted about this. you were responding to 221B about baseball, and the toronto bluejays. i was referring to the fact that John Cleese is speaking to Americans (from the US), not canadians, so 221B’s point was valid, and yours was not.

    Since you have abandoned to discuss the original point, why should i discuss your distraction?

    Well, i am too nice, even to you. Yes, there is noone else yet who calls you US’ans.
    Now, my will is to change that fact, and bring the world the enlightenment of proper nationality-naming. In fact, it seems to work on a smale scale, and all changes start on a small scale.

    Back to the original point:
    @221B:

    @cystic:

    Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an
    event called the “World Series” for a game which is not played outside of
    America.

    This must come as a shock to the Toronto Blue Jays.  All along they thought they were playing in Canada :wink:

    Now, is this ignorance, or arrogance,  or “just” another form of misuse of the term “America” ?
    Do you think that thinking your nationality is “american” could be a reason for this behavior?
    If not, what else?

    I repeat my stance once and hopefully for all:
    ( USamerican ===> American AND
    American =X=> USamerican )
    thus
    USamerican <=X=> American


  • Surely there are more productive things to do than argue about whether America = US?  :roll:


  • Never  :-D  :wink:


  • Well, i am too nice, even to you. Yes, there is noone else yet who calls you US’ans.
    Now, my will is to change that fact, and bring the world the enlightenment of proper nationality-naming. In fact, it seems to work on a smale scale, and all changes start on a small scale.

    thats all i wanted. the accepted nationality name for the United States is “americans”. this name can refer to other things as well, but when referring to nationalities, it means people from the United States. Falk, you can say it however you want. as long as you understand that that is your term, and not the accepted one. if you think it will bring change, more power to you, but dont tell me that that nationality of US peoples is not american, becuase you dont agree with it.

    :mrgreen:

    anybody know why there is an afro smiley? or more importantly, why the txt for it is mrgreen?  :-o


  • What the hell is a US’an anyway falk? I have never seen this used by anybody but you… Is that what the French call Americans?  :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: afros rock out!  :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

    hey you like my new French Icon?? I am showing solidarity with my rebel Muslim brothers. Its the new flag of Muslim “Vichy” France.  :roll:


  • I thought the post was funny myself.  Don’t really care about, or for his political views, but it was funny.  I wonder though if the left can find equaly funny the jokes made about the French.  There are a lot of them in this country.

    "the last time the french wanted ‘more proof’ it rolled through paris singing “deutchland deutchland uber alles”.  I know some other ones, and find them funny too.  But I think many on this board might get offended at those kind of jokes.  People who take offense to cleese’s remarks or jokes like the ones I just made are way too sensitive IMO.


  • @Janus1:

    the accepted nationality name for the United States is “americans”.

    The accepted metal status of “americans” is “dumb” and the accepted behaviour towards other nations is “arrogant”.  ;)

    And of course, with you equating the two, then suddenly:
    (Canadian AND Brazilian) = nationality of the USA ?

    The synonym use is leading to contradictions. I thought you had a logic course not long ago, then you should know the difference between “=>” and “<=>”.


  • @Imperious:

    hey you like my new French Icon?? I am showing solidarity with my rebel Muslim brothers. Its the new flag of Muslim “Vichy” France.  :roll:

    And hey, look Janus … someone just “proves”  why USans are seen as dumb and arrogant.

    @Zooey72:

    I wonder though if the left can find equaly funny the jokes made about the French.

    Sure:
    Q: What is surprising about the burning cars in Paris ?
    A: French cars have problems with the ignition.


  • @Imperious:

    hey you like my new French Icon?? I am showing solidarity with my rebel Muslim brothers. Its the new flag of Muslim “Vichy” France.  :roll:

    Careful Imperious.  Remember what mom said.  If you keep making that French Icon, your face will get stuck like that  :lol:


  • honestly falk, you are the biggest hypocrite. you complain about Rune Blade’s comments about france, and you are a total dick toward the US. you want to hate Rune Blade, IL, Marine, etc. anyone else who has strong beliefs, fine. i dont particularly agree with them either, and unfortunately, they too often give the US a bad name. but you are just being a dick. (and an arrogant one, btw).

    did it ever occur to you that there can be multiple definitions of a term, that dont necessarily have to go together?

    cleave1    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (klv)
    v. cleft, (klft) or cleaved or clove (klv) cleft, or cleaved or clo·ven (klvn) cleav·ing, cleaves
    v. tr.
    To split with or as if with a sharp instrument. See Synonyms at tear1.

    cleave2    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (klv)
    intr.v. cleaved, cleav·ing, cleaves
    To adhere, cling, or stick fast.


  • The accepted metal status of “americans” is “dumb” and the accepted behaviour towards other nations is “arrogant”.

    Arent you speaking about the French? Arrogance is a typical France trait toward those nations that saved its arse time and time again from themselves. Their are countless examples of France starting a war, getting their arse whipped or conquered, then trying to pull everybody else down with them by their nifty “Alliances” that they created going into the conflict. lastly, somebody has to bail them out and within a few years the gratitute of France changes into "piss off we did it ourselves, how dare you influence us with your culture, because after all we are “France the worlds guiding light of wisdom” style motif. Then indignation sets in for the real arrogance yet to come. They all want to sit at the end of the table and make big decisions like their daddy Napolean used to make on Europe, and hate the fact that Germany and England run that show and have for some time. Thats why they frequently drop out of any EU arrangements for fear that they are acquiesce to the dictates of another. I find that arrogant and astonishing…


  • @Imperious:

    The accepted metal status of “americans” is “dumb” and the accepted behaviour towards other nations is “arrogant”.

    Arent you speaking about the French? Arrogance is a typical France trait toward those nations that saved its arse time and time again from themselves. Their are countless examples of France starting a war, getting their arse whipped or conquered, then trying to pull everybody else down with them by their nifty “Alliances” that they created going into the conflict. lastly, somebody has to bail them out and within a few years the gratitute of France changes into "piss off we did it ourselves, how dare you influence us with your culture, because after all we are “France the worlds guiding light of wisdom” style motif. Then indignation sets in for the real arrogance yet to come. They all want to sit at the end of the table and make big decisions like their daddy Napolean used to make on Europe, and hate the fact that Germany and England run that show and have for some time. Thats why they frequently drop out of any EU arrangements for fear that they are acquiesce to the dictates of another. I find that arrogant and astonishing…

    hee hee hee
    Imperial Leader is calling other people “arrogant” . . . that’s pretty funny. 
    Are you saying this as an AMERICAN?  Or as another citizen of the world?  (please say American, please say American)

Suggested Topics

Axis & Allies Boardgaming Custom Painted Miniatures

53

Online

17.0k

Users

39.3k

Topics

1.7m

Posts