In honor of 4th of July. "It's uniquely American"

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Elvis Presley
Walt Disney
Annette Funicello
George Clooney
Brad Pitt
Julia Roberts
Aerosmith
Oprah Winfrey
Texas chili
Georgia Peaches
the banana split
key lime pie
Coca Cola
Dr Pepper
7 Up
Whataburger
Chick-fil-a
St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital
Mount Rushmore
Old Faithful
Grand Canyon
Broadway
San Francisco
Hilton Head
Cedar Park
Winning the summer Olympics
and, of course, Walt Disney World

 

[CaliBear]

Maybe because some of the things being touted as "uniquely" American aren't?

Sure, have threads about how great America is, list your favourite things about America etc., but if you're going to state something as fact when it isn't, expect rebuttal. This is a DIS message board after all - rebuttal is almost expected!

The post by JennaDDD did not say that was uniquely American. She said it was something she loved about the U.S. and several posters concurred that they love it too. And a couple of posters came in to argue the point. Why? Does it make them feel better to argue a point that wasn't even being made? Are people going into the Happy Canada Day thread to argue with them and put down Canadian things? Of course they aren't, but yet it should be ëxpected" in a thread about the U.S in honor of our national holiday. One poster said she was going to stay out of the thread, but she could not contain herself after 6 posts. Seriously?

 

[luvsJack]

Barq's Rootbeer

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I just read today that peanut butter was invented in Canada. Maybe Americans love it more though.

I thought peanut butter was invented by George Washington Carver but apparently not. In fact, peanut butter goes back to the Aztecs.

 

[lizabu]

I thought peanut butter was invented by George Washington Carver but apparently not. In fact, peanut butter goes back to the Aztecs.

Lol...good point. I bet anyone who could chew peanuts invented peanut butter. There was something in my FB newsfeed today that listed "things you didn't know we're invented in Canada" and it came to mind when I saw the peanut butter post. I don't want to take away from the awesomeness of USA so hopefully I didn't offend.

 

[pigletgirl]

In N Out Burger -- Simply the best!

 

[suzanna1066@comcast.]

Oh I'm sure my ex knows all about it and he was born here. He's about as country as Larry the Cable Guy I came to Atlanta at 31 and seriously have only met about 10 people FROM here. Nearly everyone here is from somewhere else.

I am an Atlanta native and can trace my lineage back to before the Revolution in South Carolina so I think I qualify as a southerner. I have never spit watermelon seeds---competition or otherwise. If I had been caught spitting anything, I would have been whacked upside the head for acting unladylike.

Not sure if I can think of much that is uniquely American. I have visited many countries and have always found more similarities than differences.

 

[minkydog]

What about unique language? I can't speak to other parts of the US, given that I am born and bred in the South, but we have a lot of unique language, such as:
Y'all
All y'all
Fixin' to do something
Bless your heart
Jeet jet? (did you eat yet?)
livin' in high cotton
livin' high off the hog

We eat grits, fatback,chit'lins, collard greens, and sweet tea, sometimes all in the same meal.

New Orleans invented rhythm & blues.
Country music, sung by Appalachian dwellers
The Carter Family, the first country stars. Saved a lot of old bluegrass,gospel , and traditional folk songs from extinction.
Square dancing
Hip-hop

 

[mommasita]

The post by JennaDDD did not say that was uniquely American. She said it was something she loved about the U.S. and several posters concurred that they love it too. And a couple of posters came in to argue the point. Why? Does it make them feel better to argue a point that wasn't even being made? Are people going into the Happy Canada Day thread to argue with them and put down Canadian things? Of course they aren't, but yet it should be ëxpected" in a thread about the U.S in honor of our national holiday. One poster said she was going to stay out of the thread, but she could not contain herself after 6 posts. Seriously?

Since you mentioned it, have you read this thread Canada from my in-laws perspective...?

Because YES, people are/were going in putting down food, and commenting on Canadian things, and nobody got mad, and all this ON CANADA DAY! Not just the week of... People disagreed, and I even joked on the thread, but nobody took offense..

 

[kimblebee]

Since you mentioned it, have you read this thread Canada from my in-laws perspective...? Because YES, people are/were going in putting down food, and commenting on Canadian things, and nobody got mad, and all this ON CANADA DAY! Not just the week of... People disagreed, and I even joked on the thread, but nobody took offense..

Exactly. There are quite a few things I could say are uniquely American, but not in a good way. I don't want to ruffle feathers so I won't.

 

[CaliBear]

Since you mentioned it, have you read this thread Canada from my in-laws perspective...?

Because YES, people are/were going in putting down food, and commenting on Canadian things, and nobody got mad, and all this ON CANADA DAY! Not just the week of... People disagreed, and I even joked on the thread, but nobody took offense..

There is literally ONE post putting down a non-US candy bar, and it is done so good-naturedly and jokingly, as opposed to the comments in here. Most of the comments about food in that thread are putting down Hershey bars, not anything Canadian. There's also the lovely post calling American kids stupid on page 1. Yeah, the two threads are not comparable at all.

 

[CaliBear]

Exactly. There are quite a few things I could say are uniquely American, but not in a good way. I don't want to ruffle feathers so I won't.

Why even say this at all then?

 

[Suzie13]

Your big houses and lawns. In the uk if you own a house you don't get them as big and planned out as that. The letter boxes with the flags, your summer camps for kids. We don't have that over here, your friendless. Root beer (miss that) your huge food portions, your gun ranges, Rhodes your wide avail of sports, having your national flag everywhere, huge food portions In fast food places and chain restaurants, the amount of fast food chains there is in the usa, your tv shows taking breaks for weeks and then restarting(we just start a season and finish it straight through, not take breaks from the season) school marching bands and bands playing before sports event. I could think of more if I tried but that's just off the top of my head.

A perspective from someone across the pond.

 

[mommasita]

There is literally ONE post putting down a non-US candy bar, and it is done so good-naturedly and jokingly, as opposed to the comments in here. Most of the comments about food in that thread are putting down Hershey bars, not anything Canadian. There's also the lovely post calling American kids stupid on page 1. Yeah, the two threads are not comparable at all.

I see you are heated. I was never one that interrupted an American thread, and I certainly never will now.. All countries are patriotic, one must expect and respect that...

That other thread had just as much potential, which was my point, we all joked and people from all over joined in and were welcome.. So yeah, I do think they are comparable if someone wanted to take issue, but nobody did, we were all quite friendly and welcomed everyone.. and on this thread I don't see anyone besides yourself upset....

 

[CaliBear]

I see you are heated. I was never one that interrupted an American thread, and I certainly never will now.. All countries are patriotic, one must expect and respect that...

That other thread had just as much potential, which was my point, we all joked and people from all over joined in and were welcome.. So yeah, I do think they are comparable if someone wanted to take issue, but nobody did, we were all quite friendly and welcomed everyone.. and on this thread I don't see anyone besides yourself upset....

Agreed. I am aware I've been very sensitive about the U.S. this week, and I was never even much of a patriot at home. I've been living abroad for almost 2 years and am extremely homesick at this time. So yes, I am sensitive about this and probably moreso than usual this week in particular. However, that doesn't change the fact that someone called Americans stupid in the other thread, people have argued with our positive perceptions of our country in this one, and one person kinda passive-aggresively implied that the things that are unique about the US are all negative. Is it so strange that I think that's rude? Believe me, I'm aware many people hate the U.S. I don't come to the Dis to verify that. Quite the opposite, actually, which is why it's so disappointing.

 

[CaliBear]

Your big houses and lawns. In the uk if you own a house you don't get them as big and planned out as that. The letter boxes with the flags, your summer camps for kids. We don't have that over here, your friendless. Root beer (miss that) your huge food portions, your gun ranges, Rhodes your wide avail of sports, having your national flag everywhere, huge food portions In fast food places and chain restaurants, the amount of fast food chains there is in the usa, your tv shows taking breaks for weeks and then restarting(we just start a season and finish it straight through, not take breaks from the season) school marching bands and bands playing before sports event. I could think of more if I tried but that's just off the top of my head.

A perspective from someone across the pond.

 

[eliza61]

So every morning I wake up at the ungodly hour of 4:30 and I immediately turn on KYW1060. It's one of those new radio stations every city has that promises to give you all the news, weather, traffic etc etc in 30 mins or less.

And for 22 of those minutes it's a daily barrage of bad news.

there is not a person in the USA who could complain about what's wrong, lol. Its like a learning a foreign language, you learn the cuss words first.



Some times it's ok to laugh at oneself taking a pie in the face.



On that note, I had a coworker from one of our offices in India come over for training and all she wanted to do was go to AC to see......

The Taj Mahal!!! Donald Trumps, gift to tackiness.

She absolutely loved it and I had to drag her away!!

 

[ronandannette]

Agreed. I am aware I've been very sensitive about the U.S. this week, and I was never even much of a patriot at home. I've been living abroad for almost 2 years and am extremely homesick at this time. So yes, I am sensitive about this and probably moreso than usual this week in particular. However, that doesn't change the fact that someone called Americans stupid in the other thread, people have argued with our positive perceptions of our country in this one, and one person kinda passive-aggresively implied that the things that are unique about the US are all negative. Is it so strange that I think that's rude? Believe me, I'm aware many people hate the U.S. I don't come to the Dis to verify that. Quite the opposite, actually, which is why it's so disappointing.

If it will help cheer you up while you're feeling low I will sincerely apologize for the Kinder Surprise comment. It was actually a reference to the over-reach of government into regulating private life, but I am sorry that you took such offence. I don't hate America - far from it, and I don't mean you or your kids any ill will either. Happy 4th!

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Agreed. I am aware I've been very sensitive about the U.S. this week, and I was never even much of a patriot at home. I've been living abroad for almost 2 years and am extremely homesick at this time. So yes, I am sensitive about this and probably moreso than usual this week in particular. However, that doesn't change the fact that someone called Americans stupid in the other thread, people have argued with our positive perceptions of our country in this one, and one person kinda passive-aggresively implied that the things that are unique about the US are all negative. Is it so strange that I think that's rude? Believe me, I'm aware many people hate the U.S. I don't come to the Dis to verify that. Quite the opposite, actually, which is why it's so disappointing.

For what it's worth, you are/were not alone in being irritated and/or annoyed.

 

[ronandannette]

For what it's worth, you are/were not alone in being irritated and/or annoyed.

Apology extended to you too, then.