[shmerek]

Article

[Evan_11]

Anger leads to defeat.

[dialo]

Originally posted by Evan_11:
Anger leads to defeat.

What is with you people that treat elections like a war?

[Dudaev's Corpse]

I know quite a few Yank ex-pats. They're wankers, the lot of them. It's like a virus has infected their minds, eating away at all reason, logic, and perspective.

[Meneldil]

Originally posted by Dudaev's Corpse:
I know quite a few Yank ex-pats. They're wankers, the lot of them. It's like a virus has infected their minds, eating away at all reason, logic, and perspective.

Oh, goody. It's back.

I wouldn't quite call myself an expat - in all, I'll be away a little under two years this time if my plans work out. However, even out here in the boonies (a small industrial town on a mountain) people don't like Bush. Ordinary Chinese people - a factory worker I know, for instance - have pretty sound opinions on why they think Bush is bad. This is the same thing I hear from most expats, including some Republicans, who have decided to vote against Bush because of what he's done to our international standing. This is just China, but I hear the same thing every time I read foreign newspapers, talk to people online, or anything else that puts me in contact with the world outside America. Despite what a few nutjobs may think, we're not going to make it alone. Pissing off the rest of the world is just going to cause more problems later on. Trying to ignore that is incredibly short sighted and foolish.

[voodoo]

Originally posted by Dudaev's Corpse:
I know quite a few Yank ex-pats. They're wankers, the lot of them. It's like a virus has infected their minds, eating away at all reason, logic, and perspective.

What is an ex-pat?

[Troll]

Originally posted by voodoo:
What is an ex-pat?

An ex-patriate. A US citizen who lives in another country.

Note: you need to actually own a passport to become an ex-pat

[Nicko]

Originally posted by Troll:
An ex-patriate. A US citizen who lives in another country.

Note: you need to actually own a passport to become an ex-pat

I'm an ex-pat from canada, so you don't technically have to be a yank

IMO most people just hate bush (or military, or foreign policy ect), but love america. Atleast that is what I find

[SimeyTheLimey]

I grew up in the UK and visited there last August. Given how hostile much of the population overseas are at present, I'd say it would take a lot of guts for an ex-Pat to stand up and say they are for Bush. I suspect that Bush supporting ex-pats are probably a bit quiet right now, but not necessarily smaller in numbers. On the other hand, Democrats abroad probably feel rather empowered by the prevailing anti-Bush attitude.

I found a similar effect when Reagan was running for election in 1984 at a time when I lived in the UK. If you even politely suggested supporting Reagan, it was a guaranteed way to start a roaring argument with all your friends, or any random stranger in earshot. That gets exhausting, so you learn to keep your mouth shut for the sake of a quiet life, or you learn to curry favor by bending to local prejudices. Personally, I didn't do the latter, but I knew ex-pats who did. But that doesn't necessarily reflect the way they voted (if they voted -- most ex-pats don't).

On the other hand, I was shocked by my ex-pat father, who currently lives in the UK. He's never been a ra ra, wave the flag kind of guy, and he's very pro-EU. But after the appalling coverage of Bush's visit to the UK, and the obscene amount of anti-American sentiiment in the UK last fall, he asked me to send him an American flag lapel pin "like the one the President wore." I don't know that this indicates he's supporting Bush, but I do know that he's disgusted by what passes for intelligent debate on the issue there at the moment. Who knows, he may even vote this year.

[voodoo]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
I grew up in the UK and visited there last August. Given how hostile much of the population overseas are at present, I'd say it would take a lot of guts for an ex-Pat to stand up and say they are for Bush. I suspect that Bush supporting ex-pats are probably a bit quiet right now, but not necessarily smaller in numbers. On the other hand, Democrats abroad probably feel rather empowered by the prevailing anti-Bush attitude.

I found a similar effect when Reagan was running for election in 1984 at a time when I lived in the UK. If you even politely suggested supporting Reagan, it was a guaranteed way to start a roaring argument with all your friends, or any random stranger in earshot. That gets exhausting, so you learn to keep your mouth shut for the sake of a quiet life, or you learn to curry favor by bending to local prejudices. Personally, I didn't do the latter, but I knew ex-pats who did. But that doesn't necessarily reflect the way they voted (if they voted -- most ex-pats don't).

On the other hand, I was shocked by my ex-pat father, who currently lives in the UK. He's never been a ra ra, wave the flag kind of guy, and he's very pro-EU. But after the appalling coverage of Bush's visit to the UK, and the obscene amount of anti-American sentiiment in the UK last fall, he asked me to send him an American flag lapel pin "like the one the President wore." I don't know that this indicates he's supporting Bush, but I do know that he's disgusted by what passes for intelligent debate on the issue there at the moment. Who knows, he may even vote this year.

Anyway. I know a few ex-pats here in Iceland and none of them supports Bush. Never did in fact. They don't go around flaggin it or wearing pins. I think they realize they actually live in *another* country than the US.

If you are an american living abroad and find yourself in constant argument for Reagan (in '84) or Bush now you are either surrounded by looneys or are one yourself.

Picture this:
Australian in the US: I vote for John Howard.
American: WHAT!!??! Are you nuts man! Howard is bla bla

or

Icelander in the US: I vote for Framsókanarflokkurinn
American: WHAT!!??! Are you nuts man! Framsóknarflokkurinn is... bla bla

Brit in the US: I vote Labour.
American: WHAT!!??! Are you nuts man! Labour - let me tell you about the Labour party!!



That just isn't a real situation no matter how you turn it. Norwegians don't care or know about Swedish politics and don't attack Swedes and get into arguments for voting Socialdemokraterna, Brits don't give a hoot for French politics and don't attack French in the UK for voting this way or that.

Bizzarro world you must have lived in.

[voodoo]

Bless your father for him being an ex-patriate patriot

[Meneldil]

Framsókanarflokkurinn

Is this a real party? Obviously I should have gone on that program to Iceland instead of going directly to college.

[voodoo]

Originally posted by Meneldil:
Is this a real party? Obviously I should have gone on that program to Iceland instead of going directly to college.

www.framsokn.is

U bet