Korean Job Discussion Forums

[GreatUnderachiever]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01c2y2b/Panorama_Poor_America/

[cwflaneur]

Oh good, we can do this again! I'll get the ball rolling: AMERICA SAVED YOUR ASS IN THE WAR YOU PINKO EUROTRASH WITH YOUR FREE COMMIE HEALTH CARE

(Those who would like to have a more 'nuanced' debate about WWII (military history, of all things! isn't the relevance obvious??) are welcome to do so. It will be even more effective in derailing attention from the topic at hand.)

(And any Mod who decides to delete the thread as a preemptive measure against an unintelligent, cliche-ridden flame war is even more welcome to do so)

[Italy37612]

Doesn't let us play the video in Korea.

[Kuros]

[Nowhere Man]

Yer, video unavailable...

IMO, the BBC documents America better than America does itself.

AND IF THAT RUBS YOUR RASH RAW THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULD CONTACT SAUDI ARABIA TO DOCUMENT THE UNITED STATES IN A NICE CONSERVATIVE-FRIENDLY MANNER

If only we returned the favor.

Not sure if it was the BBC, but a Granada Films production covered this crazy case in Tula, Texas where this police officer busted people for drugs, the people assumed they were screwed and plead guilty in fear of the system. They were serving sentences when it turned out that the cop involved "had the evidence written on his leg" or some such.

Cauliflower,

Whoaa....that's quite a statement. I'm not really sure at all what you're on about, but perhaps you could start a thread about it? Or point to where you've encountered the claims that set you off.

[cwflaneur]

[Captain Corea]

I watched the video and it didn't shock me at all. Some parts seemed a bit forced (the kid talking about eating a rat seemed off), other parts just seemed like part of a capitalist society (homelessness in general).

It was very interesting though to see the political divide on the issue. That one Republican Senator(?) seemed pretty cold at times towards the issue.

[rollo]

I mean I am laughing an insignificant country Britain and its decline and its 16% unemployment rate, its riots ruled by a magical person who through magic is better than other people. hasnt the BBC been in several scandals in recent years that cast doubt of its credibility. But young non Americans who have inferiority complexes concerning their country in comparison with the U.s. will enjoy. Hope this makes you feel better guys about your secondrate status.

[cwflaneur]

^ case in point

One would think that if being American were such a state of grace, there would be no motivation to post embittered comments online. To say nothing of the need to live and work in Red China instead of God's Own Country.

[Nowhere Man]

Fair enough.

Countries are like families. You're born into one without much choice in the matter. Shall we go about saying "My family is better than yours?" It's something akin to the kindergarten-esque "My dad could beat up your dad."

But what to do? Laugh that kind of pap off. Or make fun of it. Report it if it really bothers you, but DON'T take it seriously. If a comment is silly, then it's silly. If you take silly comments seriously, then you're, in essence, making them serious.

Rollo's analysis is that the BBC is reporting on poverty in America is to compensate for the UK's "secondary status" as a country. I myself find it unfortunate that America fails to report on itself in such a way and we have to have a "secondary country" shine a light on these issues.

That said, Rollo chooses to fling poo at the messenger rather than address the issue. The response? Tell Rollo he's flinging poo and not addressing whether the poverty issues reported on are true.

Did the Beeb report this accurately or not? In this case, I say yes. Rollo's armchair psychoanalysis of why they reported it is irrelevant....
UNLESS you take him seriously and start swinging at all Americans making arguments of a similar sub-par level.

Then, other people who are not Rollo arrive to defend America and the banter turns to fisticuffs.

I generally don't defend America. As a citizen, I'm highly critical of it. Some other "fellow" Americans have branded me a traitor for my attitude, BUT, at the same time, I'm not one to buy into other nationalists. I.E., I'm not so critical of America because some other country is better. I wish more people were the same way.

[Captain Corea]

[rollo]

yes a common assumption by many Brits and quite a few young Canadians, that Americans know little about the U.S. and must be enlightened by people who have never been there. But believe it or not we do have newspapers, t.v. and reporters. The question is why the focus on poverty in the U.S. not France or Somalia. I assume envy. But enjoy your state owned propaganda and its misdirection. Sad to see Britain tumbling into the abyss. Unemployment should hit about 18% soon, London will be burning this summer.

[Nowhere Man]

[Captain Corea]

[brickabrack]

"I generally don't defend America. As a citizen, I'm highly critical of it. Some other "fellow" Americans have branded me a traitor for my attitude, BUT, at the same time, I'm not one to buy into other nationalists. I.E., I'm not so critical of America because some other country is better. I wish more people were the same way."

I share your views, as a human being born on U.S. soil.

~ Nationalism ... is like cheap alcohol. First it makes you drunk, then it makes you blind, then it kills you. ~