That would royally suck
December 19, 2006People (especially Americans) always wonder why Europe is so hopelessly divided, and why even the European Union fails miserably in creating a culturally united Europe. Aren’t all Europeans the same? Aren’t European countries in the Union similar to the states of the United States?
No. Not by a long shot.
European states are much older than the American states; however, more importantly, each country here has its own people, culture, language, music, food/kitchen, national anthem, royal family/nobility, you name it. American states do not have this (mostly), since the original inhabitants of America are delegated to zoos reservations and play little to no role in contemporary American culture. You guys across the pond are fairly similar to one another (differences exist, but not as big as i.e. the difference between Poland and France).
You guys also all share the same set of core values. A Democrat might differ from a Republican, but your core values are the same; you are all bound under the same flag, by the same constitution.
Today, in the newspaper, a study revealed that the majoirty of Europeans are against same-sex marriage, liberal drug laws, euthanasia, and more of those typically Dutch things, things we Dutch hold in high regard. Hence, were we Dutch part of some United States of Europe, we’d lose everything we value (equality, true freedom of the individual, regardless of sexual orientation, right to decide over one’s own life), simply because a majority of the Europeans don’t care for things like this.
And that would royally suck. Hence, I will never allow my country to succumb to the will of Brussels or anything other than our own Constitution, elected officials, and Royal Family.
I’m not a European. I am a Dutchman.
>People (especially Americans) always wonder why Europe is so hopelessly divided
I never heard anyone wondering this. At least no one with at least 6 years of school.
Comment by Eugenia — December 19, 2006 @ 10:44 pm
“yoI’m not a European. I am a Dutchman'’
Well, you can say whatever you want ignorant sonny boy, stillyou are an European (though an stupid and racist one probably).
And you are a Dutchole too !!!
Comment by popi — December 20, 2006 @ 8:31 am
This sound logical and convincingly but i think that there is a little misunderstanding about the eu constitution. Have you red it? I haven’t. Untill today. And guess,..
I did’n find anything restricting here:
http://europa.eu/constitution/en/lstoc1_en.htm …it all about extending the rights.
You are right in many points, but i just thing you miss the basis a little.
I actually agree with you, in a few days my country will join the european union (i’am bulgarian) and a lots of people here are afraid that we’ll be forced to lose our (very strong) identity. The fact is that our culture is (much) older than the countries in western europe, and we have a lot to lose. It’s funny how people frim the EU think that we’re dying to join them, but the truth is that it’s almost 50/50 for yes/no.
EU is primaly economical structure, and this is nice (for us). As fas as they don’t restrict us or injure our identity, it’s okay. We’ll see.
Comment by Блум — December 20, 2006 @ 9:36 am
“No one is deprived of anything now. It’s called assimilation. You are freee to teach your children anything they want in America.
If you value the old way then by all means teach your kids about where they come from”
============================
No sorry, you are NOT free to do it…
First of all because of the widespread social xenophoby and racism etc
But this is not the most important! The parmount thing is to give legal frame and rights in the administration, educational system etc., to use Indian aborigin, Spanish, French languages and cultures at the same level and legal status as English…
Just because they have the right to… You broke into their territories conquered them, stole their territories, and forced them to adopt english language and culture…
But in the imperialistic, agressive, male chauvist driven USA culture, all this is difficult to understand, not to say assimilate and put into practice…
And I say USA, cause your cauntry is not America, is the USA…
America is also Mexico and Canada, Brasil, Argentina, Colombia, Peru etc…
You are not so Brave and not really Free, sorry. Although, you are that more than many countries worldwide…
Comment by popi — December 20, 2006 @ 10:17 am
If you want to send your children to a private school you can. They can teach them religion or language of your choice.
English is the defacto language, that’s all there is to it.
Most everyone speaks it, so it’s taught in schools.
To teach something that’s not to be put to use is just stupid. Why not teach eveyone Latin ? Where would they use it ?
“Just because they have the right to… You broke into their territories conquered them, stole their territories, and forced them to adopt english language and culture…”
I did no such thing.
I am not responsible for the acts of my ancestors, sorry. I am not imperialistic, agressive, or a male chauvist either.
I don’t have much of a voice in my government, but I won’t just give up on it either.
Even though it is taking away freedoms, I won’t go without a fight.
Comment by mikesum32 — December 20, 2006 @ 11:17 am
From Блум
“I did’n find anything restricting here:
http://europa.eu/constitution/en/lstoc1_en.htm …it all about extending the rights.”
Perhaps it’s extending the rights in YOUR contry, but in mine (France), it just sucks so much.
That’s why France say no to this piece of crap.
Comment by duffman — December 20, 2006 @ 12:14 pm
From Блум
“I did’n find anything restricting here:
http://europa.eu/constitution/en/lstoc1_en.htm …it all about extending the rights.”
Perhaps it’s extending the rights in YOUR contry, but in mine (France), it just sucks so much.
That’s why France say no to this piece of crap.
Comment by duffman — December 20, 2006 @ 12:14 pm
I thought that France said “No”, because Chirac said “Vote Yes”…
Comment by Блум — December 20, 2006 @ 3:00 pm
As a fellow Dutchman I have to say your naivity, ignorance and superiority-complex keeps baffling me… If you don’t want people generalizing ‘us’, then don’t generalize ‘them’.
Also…
Today, in the newspaper, a study revealed that the majoirty of Europeans are against same-sex marriage, liberal drug laws, euthanasia, and more of those typically Dutch things, things we Dutch hold in high regard. Hence, were we Dutch part of some United States of Europe, we’d lose everything we value (equality, true freedom of the individual, regardless of sexual orientation, right to decide over one’s own life), simply because a majority of the Europeans don’t care for things like this.
You do realize that neither the CDA nor the Christen-Unie are into most of those ‘typical Dutch things’ you claim ‘we Dutch hold in high regard’ (CDA moderately against ‘em, CU totally against ‘em)? Considering they’re 2 out of the 3 parties that are currently talking about forming a coalition, I’d say you are pointing your finger in the wrong direction.
Comment by Edwin — December 20, 2006 @ 4:29 pm
“I will never allow my country to succumb to the will of Brussels ”
EU member states : Netherlands
Currency Euro (€)
I guess you missed that one … What are you going to do now ?
Thom the European Dutchman …
Sorry to burst your Bubble , and those who think they said no , most of Europe is already part of the EU , its not a cultural division or geographical division but a Political and commercial division , its not there to change the country laws its there for protectionism and bigger representation against the USA and China and probably India down the road in the global market.
Your letting yourself be scared by the newspapers agenda and the people who fear changes. Your study as probably a 95% margins of errors.
Comment by Moulinneuf — December 20, 2006 @ 4:46 pm
“simply because a majority of the Europeans don’t care for things like this”
Well, forgive me when I say, as an European who’s not Dutch, that speak for yourself, sir Dutchman, and let us be. I assure you, we don’t want to have anything to do with you either.
Comment by l3v1 — December 20, 2006 @ 5:25 pm
“simply because a majority of the Europeans don’t care for things like this”
To be precise it should have been “simply because a majority of the people they asked don’t care for things like this”. You’ll find people like that everywhere.
From time to time in Germany people who wanna activate a certain group of people have questions like that about foreign people. Someone with a brain would not bother to talk to them, only retarded fascists and the like express their dislike.
Those public question thingies are always about pushing an agenda, they have absolutely nothing to do with what people generally think.
Apart from that the whole “Europeans are bad but [insert own country here]” thing gets pretty boring (In Germany people use the same kind of argumentation whenever it comes in handy).
The concept of national states is so last millennium, it’s not even funny. A state or “nation” is just a random set of people that are (for some retarded reason) told that they are so different from the rest. Mankind should long be past that.
I have a German passport (one of the reasons is that I could not even return it if I wanted to), but I have no so-called “nation”. That is one of the things that living in a post-fascistic society can teach you.
Comment by tante — December 20, 2006 @ 8:15 pm
You seem intent on embarrasing yourself.
True, Americans don’t often understand Europeans. But don’t make the mistake of thinking we Europeans have Americans weighed off, either.
After all, as a Brit, I find it next to impossible to understand a Republican, or a Texan ;-)
Seriously, even if there were a United States of Europe, it is *highly* unlikely that the dividing line between national and continental interests would be the same as the dividing line between national and state interests.
Indeed, it already isn’t.
I also find it highly unlikely that “a majority of Europeans don’t want to see same sex marriages”. If a Catholic country like Spain can do it, why not the rest of us?
Comment by Jeff Rollin — December 20, 2006 @ 10:56 pm
tante - well said!
Comment by Jeff Rollin — December 20, 2006 @ 10:59 pm
Wow, judging by the comments here, the only hope for Europe is coming from the states in the former east :) At least they still have some common sense LOL
Comment by Stefan — December 21, 2006 @ 4:03 am
Well well, for once a post I can definitely support.
I’m not european either, I’m a Dane. And definitely not a Dutchman, though we share many values of obvious reasons (mostly due to close co-existence through uncounted centuries).
I’m worried though about european majority being agaist same-sex marriage, as the right to marriage (og registered partnership) is something I’d consider a human right.
I have often met this “you’re all Europeans”-mentality, which is problematic since there is no Europe, considered as a nation and a state.
Comment by Kristian Poul Herkild — December 21, 2006 @ 9:14 am