Well, this is a pet peeve (I dislike that phrase but that’s been pitted before).
There’s an idea embedded in this culture which is regularly expressed on the SDMB: “This is America. We have democracy and freedom of speech. We’re fucking great. We’re the best. Woohoo!”
I am not going to offer specific cites but this is a sentiment echoed everywhere. I see this repeatedly on TV, in films, in real life, and definitely on this board. I was reading a few threads today where this sentiment popped up (which finally reminded me to post this thread).
Look, there’s nothing offensive about these posts in particular. (In fact, I don’t think they are good examples). But, I think they do reflect my pet peeve to an extent. There are many Americans who have a chip on their shoulder by incorrectly thinking of US as the only democratic country in this whole wide world (or one of the few elite) with free expression of speech. Even US citizens with a strong global perspective slip into the “This is America, man” rhetoric. I particularly find it frustrating when someone compares America to ruthless dictatorships and repressive regimes when expounding on its greatness. Jeez, are our standards that low?
I wish the whole “This is America, man” phrase went out existence. It gets on my nerves… I am particularly curious to know what international Dopers think.
Could this just be a mix of “historical” and cultural inertia, what with America having established the first successful complex democracy?
Generally, “This is America” isn’t so much a “We’re so great” sentiment, but a criticism. When somebody says it, they’re saying that a specific action doesn’t live up to our national values.
“That guy’s a traitor. He’s criticizing the government.”
“This is America. Everybody has the right to saywhat he wants”
“I say we just lock him up and throw away the key.”
“This is America. Everybody’s innocent until proven guilty”
Obviously, America’s not the only country that respects free speech and presumption of innocence, but we do respect that, and historically have. What’s more, they’re part of our national mythology.
Well, you’re gonna have to do better than that. Most of the posts I see here—from Democrats and Republicans—are complaining bitterly about the government, the war, etc.
My post was not meant to convey “We’re the best, woo-hoo!” but rather that the defining principle of American public discourse has always been freedom of speech and that the muzzling of dissent favored by the RadCons would be more at home in a despotic regime like that of Saudi Arabia or North Korea.
“THis is America” is not meant in anyway to denigrate any other country, but to reitierate the values that our nation has always held dear.
Saying that my wife is pretty is not a reflection on any other woman’s beauty. Similarly, uphoplding my nation’s core values is not a reflection on those of any other nation (well, except for Saudi Arabia and North Korea.)
I think the OP is missing the most egregious example of “this is America”. Namely, when they encounter someone in public who doesn’t speak English, and complains to their companions, “this is America - we speak English here”. My step-father does this, and it pisses me off whenever I visit. He refused to go to a particular church because they have a seperate Hispanic mass that is said in Spanish. :rolleyes:
Like the posters before me, I think (and use) “this is America,” as a way of saying, “listen, chump, you’ve forgotten a basic principle of our nation,” and occasionally, “we have it pretty good here, all things considered.” It isn’t to suggest that other countries don’t have those principles or don’t have it pretty good, but I’m not going to say, “this is Norway,” because it’s not, it’s America.
“This is America” is also used extensively in a positive context, especially in the context of national pride. Example: comparisons to other countries, cultures etc. But, your examples are strong too and I admit I didn’t think of that angle. In any case, it validates the OP because the values expressed in the sentiment are not merely American national values and that is precisely the point. America doesn’t have the copyright on democracy and freedom of speech but this phrase seems to embody that idea.
And, you hit the nail on the head calling this part of the national mythology. It definitely looks culturally ingrained to me. The way it pops up in casual talk, in the media… it is part of the national mindset, and it does have the “chip-on-the-shoulder” vibe.
gobear, I suspected you weren’t drawing comparisons to other nations (other than Saudi Arabia and North Korea;)) but my larger point is that the values you speak of aren’t exclusively American values but that phrase strongly suggests that and I know you don’t think that but I suspect many Americans feel that way. The comparison to other nations is therefore implicit.
and ** Munch **, that’s more the “I am an American” mindset
It reminded me of a stand-up routine where the comic goes to Turkey… “What the fuck do they speak here, man… (exasperated tone) speak English, man, speak English!”
Finally, Eve, it’s not a Dem/Republican/govt thing. It’s cultural and national. I’ll see if I can find better cites.
But this is America and we do speak English here–what’s the problem with that? They speak Swedish in Sweden; Chinese in China; French in France, and we speak English here. It’s not the law or an official language, but this is an English-speaking country.
Well, we may or may not be the best, but I actually pretty much agree with this sentiment. We * do * have it pretty good here. It’s been * ages * since I had to face down a tank in the local town square in order to speak my mind.
There are certainly other countries with equivalent personal freedoms, but we’ve done a pretty good job of maintaining and increasing human rights over the last 200 years. We may screw up a lot, but I think we’re genuinely well-intentioned.
So let me offer a counter-peeve – it’s all too frequent to encounter the idea “America sucks. The administration is trampling on our rights and we’re raping the planet.”
My humble opinion is that this view shows less perspective than the first.
I don’t think America has a monopoly on idiotic patriotism; perhaps a substantial franchise, but not exclusivity. We get the same sort of thing here in the UK and I have been sharply criticised in the past for not going along with some people on their flag-waving, chest-thumping, unthinking ‘British is best’ crusade. I refuse to be proud of something just because it happens to originate in the land of my birth.
I like some aspects of the place a lot and others less so; I didn’t choose to be born here, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I’m itching to leave either - I just think the ‘mine is best’ thing looks like insecurity.
It’s a fact: most democratic countries, even those with a tradition of free speech rivaling ours, also have reasonable laws limiting speech. Hate speech, sedition, official secrets – many types of speech are prohibited that can’t be prohibited in the U.S. The constitutional barrier is just too great. Honestly, I sometimes wonder whether this is really a good thing – whether we wouldn’t be better off with some limits on things like Klan rallies, racist literature, and web sites that track the murders of abortion providers.
Of course, what we really need is a civil populace that knows when to keep its collective mouth shut, and for the most part, we’ve go it. The U.S. is the only place I know of that makes a virtue of this incivility, though.
And neither do citizens in numerous other countries around the world.
I do understand what some posters have mentioned here. I believe them when they say they don’t imply exclusivity. Strictly, there is no explicit comparison but I think some US denizens believe that America has something special re: free speech and democracy. The more I think about it, the part of the phrase that is bothersome is “This is America, We’re a free country”, spoken with a chip on the shoulder. And, that’s special, how?
I also realized that one other issue which suggests exclusivisty and unwarranted pride is the constant talk onandon about free speech and democracy for even little, irrelevant and unrelated things.
Generally speaking I don’t get irritated by people who say “this is America” as a way to express pride in their country.
However, when they act like what they’re proud of is exclusive to America, I am somewhat disturbed.
My pet peeve example of this is the Brooks and Dunn song “Only in America”, which was released in 2001, and then played incessantly on the radio (it especially bothered me that they were doing this on my - Canadian - radio station). The song seems to deliberately pander to that segmet of the American populace that thinks the United States is the only free/great/[insert superlative here] country in the world.
