Americans

I’ve never been to the USA, but other people in my family have, and one lived there for a while - he was working at Yale. I’ve known a few Americans, and they have varied from the loud and vulgar to the quiet and intellectual.

I do admit to a dislike of American accents. I’m not sure why. It’s probably connected to my dislike of much American popular culture and its powerful influence in this country.

The first thing that any Americans we or others have met recently overseas do is to apologise for Trump!

I even like the down to earth Aussies too.
EllanVannin

There are good, bad, and indifferent people in every country. Having been to America twice, and having an American pen pal for many years, I find them to be warm and welcoming and friendly. And they love Brits and show a real interest in our accents. I just love Americans.
(but I don't like Trump!)

I had a holiday romance once with an American serviceman that I met in Italy. He was a lovely Texan, but unfortunately we couldn't carry on the romance afterwards.
All other Americans that I've met have been lovely, generous, outgoing people. Their views wildly differed from mine in many respects, gun ownership being one, but apart from that, in the whole they were very nice people.

I’m so jealous Buffybee

I would LOVE to go. Have you been to Nashville by any chance?

I have visited the USA a few times and can honestly say that they are the most friendly, courteous, up-beat and lovely people that I have ever met.
If there is one country that I would emigrate to, it would be America.

I’ve not any negative posts to be honest but as others have said it is the Trump thing that upsets people. I’ve been to the USA and fou nd nothing but helpful kindness.
I have a few online American friends and they are mostly lovely I’ve seen their families grow up alongside mine and they aren’t that different. They do mention hunting, owning guns and God a lot but that’s their business I guess I’m sure there are things I say that they don’t approve of.

I would love to visit America as I am a huge country music fan and would give anything to visit Nashville just once in my life . Can’t see it ever happening in this life sadly.

As mimiro says America is a huge country, so there's no such thing as a typical American. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever met an American.
I enjoyed Michael Portillo's series where he went round America by train, showed the variety.
We have friends who have a house in Florida where they spend the winter. He's a big heavy fellow, says he feels thin when there .

There do still seem to be some vestiges of the post war anti-Americanism, both in the UK and even here in Europe. ("Overpaid, over-sexed and over here"). For many, their only experience was with the GIs, who were young and inexperienced and only here for the beer, not at all interested in where they were (there were anecdotal tales that some of them couldn't even point out on a map where they were posted.)

I have not found this to be the case and have often met Americans who know more than the locals about local history/culture. Or they have taught themselves some other specialist subject and are extremely knowledgable and a joy to talk to.

As has already been said, there are lots of them back home, though. Some are nice, some are not, just like anywhere else. I'm certainly doing my bit to stand up for them if needed, as I grew up with an extremely bigoted father who was anti-everything except Germans and Scots, and towards the end of his life he even started to turn against the Scots!

His attitude was so ridiculously extreme that it made it clear to my sister and me that it was really stupid to make generalisations and denegrate an entire nation or other random group of people.

Can't say I've noticed any anti American sentiment.

There is some antipathy to American 'imports' which strike many as over-commercialised or 'grabby' - e.g. all the Halloween merchandise and 'baby showers' , but that's rather different.

common language is NO doubt a factor.

I have been to America quite a few times and have always found them to be lovely people. I think Americans per se get associated with some of the more negative things from their country that have floated across the pond, fast food outlets, certain practices such as "school proms, baby showers etc that could be deemed excessive. America has an enormous influence in the world and parts of their culture are everywhere, so much so, that one can get fed up with it. My perception is that some countries in Europe, France and Italy are more resistant to being homogenized in quite the same way, but of course a common language is not doubt factor with us. McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut etc haven't been great additions to any town once you are over the age of 14.

I have met many Americans, been there a few times and am in a book club which has many USA members and have made lots of on line friends. I have had nothing but courtesy, friendship and fun with all.

I even like the down to earth Aussies too. And the French. It depends upon your attitude towards them and I've got on with many " foreigners " . I have no problem at all.

I agree Marylou I have on a couple of occasions asked posters not to generalise, this seems to happen only with Americans. It's not confined to Trump either. Comments have been along the lines of 'all Americans are loud and brash' All Americans are insular'
' Americans are generally less intelligent than other nationalities '.
There are people with faults and different ideals everywhere and we shouldn't generalise.

It seems that anything/anyone deemed American is met with eye rolls and disparaging remarks. I thought this was an international site. Why the nastiness

Would you like to give examples Marylou?
I am sceptical of your reasoning with the possible exception of a type of DIL/MIL from Hell anecdote of which there recently seem to be more than a few from across the Pond.

Marylou, here's hoping that the comments here reassure you that there isn't hate for Americans here in the UK or on gransnet. I haven't seen any respect or affection for Mr T here, or indeed anywhere in the UK. He's a loathsome, dangerous, narcissistic bully but somehow he has a fan base. Fingers crossed that the mid terms shake him up. I don't believe anything will put a dent in his self belief sadly. I also increasingly believe it doesn't matter what he does, his fan base will blame the Swamp or the Fake Media .

We had postings in two large Nato headquarters and had many American friends with while we kept in touch down the years. One couple particularly, who settled in Norfolk, we were very close to. They were all very sociable and hospitable. If I have a problem with Americans it is with their obsession with firearms. I’ve never been to America but my daughter and her family have just spent a week in New York and they loved the people there. Everyone they approached was very helpful. Try finding that in London these days!

I know one thing and that is that those who emigrated from here to live/settle in the States have done far better than if they'd stayed in this country !
My daughter has a friend who lives just outside Albany and has not long moved house to the most beautiful 5 bed home imaginable,with one b/room reserved for my daughter when she stays there.

Yep, it’s Trump!

And the followers at his rallies.

I’ve only been to the western side of the States, but loved it. Especially San Diego. I would say though that there are a lot of people in the Mid West who seem very naive and have a tendency to leave guns lying around in the back of their pickup trucks, but they’re still very nice people!

Americans and Trump are the least of my worries ! I have nothing against either.

We’re off to the States next week to visit DS and family. We love it there and the people are always so friendly and welcoming - apart from the Homeland Security guards at JFK when you arrive! I understand that there are a lot of Trump supporters in the rural areas but those we meet in New York and New Jersey definitely don’t seem in favour.

The Conservative party is in thrall to American business attitudes. Business is the God, wealth is wonderful and no time for the losers.

However nice individual Americans are, the political and social attitudes so many of them espouse are not.

I really hope that the mid term election gives Trump a big fright. However, with his talent for deluding himself I suspect he'll just call it fake news and carry on as usual. Good luck America!