How Will I as an American be Precieved in the UK

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I used it as a slur because I am an American and that's how the word is used here. When I am not using the word in an american context it can mean something different because the word is used differently in Europe.

The only people that use liberal as a slur are teabagger idiots. Most Americans are able to use political labels like "liberal" and "conservative" in intelligent conversation and don't consider them to be insulting. I'm not conservative, but I don't consider "conservative" to be an insult. I don't know many intelligent conservatives that consider the word "liberal" to be an insult in and among itself.

Original post by Made in the USA

It's a different society and I don't think there are many people living in rural areas in Britain where the nearest police station is 30 miles away. In the US, there are a lot of rural areas that police can't get to in less than 1/2 an hour and these people need the right to protect themselves.

*******s. Britain is just as rural as the United States is. There are plenty of areas that are remote. Ever heard of the Scottish Highlands? North Wales? Cornwall? These areas are just as remote as rural areas in the United States.

Furthermore, you make a terrible point, as rural areas have far less crime than urban areas and therefore you would be far less likely to need to "protect yourself." Also, the Constitution doesn't mention anything about self-protection in protecting the right to bear arms. It was considered a liberty issue. The Founding Fathers did not approve of the British Crown's attempt to restrict them from forming militias. Individual personal protection had nothing to do with it. The Founding Fathers did not wave their guns around in public and encourage the government to try to take them, as they were generally intelligent and rational men rather than delusional idiots.

Original post by Made in the USA

Maybe so, but a lot of republicans are very supportive of gay rights. Rudy Giuliani is one of them, and many republicans are more supportive of gay rights than some democrats. You'll never see Obama making a speech like this:

Rudy Giuliani is far from the mainstream on social issues within the Republican Party. If he were representative of the party's views, you'd have a case, but he isn't. You cite a dying breed--moderate Northeastern Republicans, just as the conservative Southern Democrats who were the Democrats who were more opposed to gay rights were almost entirely wiped out in 2010. Both parties are becoming more and more homogenous, with the Democrats a center-left party with some members who are center-right, and the Republicans a right-wing party with some members who are center-right.

Reply 121

scotttb

im not gonna lie, you will probably be the lolcow and everyone will milk you for your lol's

Reply 122

Made in the USA

Original post by the_lone_ranger

Then why will no US politician admit to being a liberal?

You'll find it difficult to find a politician who is willing to admit to being a liberal. Even Obama wouldn't admit to being a liberal and he has the most left wing voting record, even to the left of "socialist" Bernie Sanders

Conservative politicians have no problem calling themselves conservative though. They often argue in debates over who is or isn't the "true conservative"

Reply 123

Bella_Gail

Original post by momoso

Hey,

I am seriously considering going to the UK for postgraduate study and one of of my biggest fears is not fitting in. I have a feeling that has kind of been reinforced by some of the responses on this forum that Americans are not well received in the UK especially those from the south. I'm from Texas and there have been many disparaging remarks made about Southerners and Texans on this site. Am I wrong in thinking this or does this feeling hold weight.

Thanks :smile:

Some people are *****, but they're not as common as they seem to be on here. Most people don't care where you come from. :smile:

Reply 124

paddyman4

Original post by momoso

Well I can guarantee that I am not a republican. I have voted democrat sense I was able to vote. Also I am black and female so it's not like I am some "good ole boy" praying to secede from the north. Also I am from Houston which is a large multicultural city that is the first city in the U.S. to elect an openly gay mayor who happens to be close friends with my parents so I am very much liberal. I just want people to know that the south is not a monolith, we are very diverse and in the cities very liberal it has been a long time sense the civil war and things have changed.

Then I'm sure you'll be fine and if you meet someone who assumes you are a homophobic hick then it's a good thing you met them because you can correct their ignorance.

I know some Americans doing postgrad here, from different parts of America, and they are fitting in fine, have made loads of friends and haven't mentioned any social problems.