Are brits more civilized than americans?

[Pure]

{assuming this is NOT an end to MacNeill's career in politics}


Honours MP apologises for 'drunken romp'


By Emma Henry and agencies
Last Updated: 1:11am BST 09/04/2007


An MP made a public apology to his family today after a newspaper revealed he had a "drunken romp" with two teenagers.


The SNP's Angus MacNeil admitted his part in an incident, where he was reported to have kissed and fondled the girls in a hotel room bed, describing it as "wrong and stupid".

The Western Isles MP, 36, whose complaint to the police sparked the ongoing cash for honours investigation, apologised for the "embarrassment and hurt" caused by his actions.

Judie Morrison and Catriona Watt told the Sunday Mail about the encounter in Shetland in July 2005 when they were aged 17 and 18.

It was reported to have taken place weeks before Mr MacNeil's wife gave birth to their child.

Mr MacNeil said in a statement: "I bitterly regret that this incident occurred, and I apologise to my family for causing them embarrassment and hurt.

"I also apologise to the young women involved and their families.

"I really should have known very much better."

He added: "Yes, some foolishness took place at a post ceilidh party, which was wrong and stupid.

"There is no allegation that anything further happened and I wish to make that absolutely clear.

"It was a lapse of judgement two years ago, for which I am sorry."

Mr MacNeil said he was "angry" with himself for potentially allowing his political efforts to be overshadowed by his private life.

But he said: "However, in the interests of everyone concerned I have nothing further to say on this matter."

 

[rgraham666]

Define 'civilized'.

 

[cloudy]

Define 'civilized'.

I prefer being proto-civilized, myself.

 

[Pure]

proto-bitch!

 

[cloudy]

proto-bitch!

. .

 

[Quiet_Cool]

More civilized?

Who cares?

Q_C

 

[cloudy]

More civilized?

Who cares?

Q_C

Roxanne.

 

[bluebell]

Meh. If you have an accent (especially a British one) you can get away with just about anything.

Or at the very least, people will think you're smart- even if your brain is busy playing ping pong on only one side of the table.

Edit: No insult is meant to those with fabulous accents.
I was aiming to say that, in my mind (especially given certain British family relations of my own), Brits are pretty fucking awesome.
And those that aren't quite as on the ball (and we sure have those in every country) still seem to be generally well thought-of, in my personal experience.

Again, my apologies for the mis-communication.
(I really have to learn to use those smilies more readily)

 

[3113]

Abso-fuckin-lutely they're more civilized! Just examine this apology:

"I really should have known very much better."

Now that is a very civilized apology. An American would have just checked himself into re-hab and let someone else make a statement for him. How barbaric is that by compare to this very eloquent mea culpa?

He "really" should have known "very much" better...I forgive him already

 

[Pure]

'civilized,' in the respect talked about here, means, 'secular,' where politics is based more on issues than personal sexual respectability; and free of authoritarian influence by religious leaders and their agendas.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Roxanne.

You see, I'm just not around enough any more. I'm entirely out of the loop.

Q_C

 

[R. Richard]

'civilized,' in the respect talked about here, means, 'secular,' where politics is based more on issues than personal sexual respectability; and free of authoritarian influence by religious leaders and their agendas.

Do you mean that a man who cheats on his wife [breaks his marriage contract] is then to be trusted to conduct the affairs of his governmental agency in a dispassionate manner and to the best interests of his constituents? That is, do you believe that a person can conduct his [or her] personal life in one manner and his/her public life in another manner? I don't believe this last.

Stangely, I am following a debate in the world of US pro football. The debate concerns the practical, long term effects of drafting physcially gifted but morally challenged athletes. The conclusions seem to be that a single incident or a very few, isolated, incidents need not be a disqulifier. However, several incidents and/or a general attitude of 'only I matter' is a disqualifier. [By the way, the debate is not about morality, it is about whether the athlete is worth the risk of the sports team possibly wasting a high draft pick on an athlete who will soon be cast out by the team.]

 

[matriarch]

Meh. If you have an accent (especially a British one) you can get away with just about anything.

Or at the very least, people will think you're smart- even if your brain is busy playing ping pong on only one side of the table.

*ahem*................

We Brits, are what we are. The accent is built in, and not a lot we can do about it. I don't expect you to think I'm smart. I do expect you to give me the benefit of the doubt.

 

[cloudy]

*ahem*................

We Brits, are what we are. The accent is built in, and not a lot we can do about it. I don't expect you to think I'm smart. I do expect you to give me the benefit of the doubt.

And you, love, are not only intelligent, but quite civilized, to boot.

 

[Darkniciad]

'civilized,' in the respect talked about here, means, 'secular,' where politics is based more on issues than personal sexual respectability; and free of authoritarian influence by religious leaders and their agendas.

So someone going on a drunken binge and feeling up teenage girls while his wife is within weeks of delivering their child only two years ago shouldn't be relevant when considering someone's qualifications for holding office?

I find several reasons to doubt his integrity and ability to make sensible decisions there. It's not like this happened while he was in college twenty years ago - it was two years ago.

I don't think you need to be a religious zealot to think something stinks about this.

 

[Pure]

hey, dark, sure he's a little sleazy and likely hypocritical in his 'repentance.'

my point was that in Britain, this did not, i suspect, fatally wound his political career.

rr Do you mean that a man who cheats on his wife [breaks his marriage contract] is then to be trusted to conduct the affairs of his governmental agency in a dispassionate manner and to the best interests of his constituents?

yes, i do; it's an American tradition. (that said, no one can be trusted with great power, access to funds, etc.).

 

[matriarch]

And you, love, are not only intelligent, but quite civilized, to boot.

Why........thank you, ma'am. *curtsy*

 

[bluebell]

*ahem*................

We Brits, are what we are. The accent is built in, and not a lot we can do about it. I don't expect you to think I'm smart. I do expect you to give me the benefit of the doubt.

Woops! Sorry Matriarch! I guess that came out wrong.
I was typing it in admiration, scout's honor.
I'll mend it. It's easy to forget that what you're thinking when you type things can be vastly different from how others read them.
Again, my apologies.

 

[oggbashan]

So someone going on a drunken binge and feeling up teenage girls while his wife is within weeks of delivering their child only two years ago shouldn't be relevant when considering someone's qualifications for holding office?

I find several reasons to doubt his integrity and ability to make sensible decisions there. It's not like this happened while he was in college twenty years ago - it was two years ago.

I don't think you need to be a religious zealot to think something stinks about this.

Sexual scandals do not have the impact here that they do in the US but LYING about them is likely to end a political career. John Profumo was the prime example. If he had admitted his relationship with Christine Keeler and Mandy Rice-Davies he would have lost his ministerial position for a while but would have survived as a politician. He lied about it to his party and to the House of Commons. Those lies ended his career. He then went on to have an admirable second career working for charities and did a lot of good work - but he is remembered mainly for the scandal.

As with all generalisations the real truth is that some Brits are civilised and some Americans are civilised. Both countries' politicians have to exist within the rules that apply to them. Those rules, written and unwritten, are very different. What would be heinous in the US might be acceptable in the UK and vice versa.

Og

 

[elsol]

Before I decide that... I'd like to know what the wife said behind closed doors after she found out.

That will be the deciding factor.

 

[TheEarl]

I just love the fact that this has 'mysteriously' been exhumed as the cash for honours scandal, which he revealed, has started gathering pace.

The Earl

 

[matriarch]

Woops! Sorry Matriarch! I guess that came out wrong.
I was typing it in admiration, scout's honor.
I'll mend it. It's easy to forget that what you're thinking when you type things can be vastly different from how others read them.
Again, my apologies.

Accepted.
I'm just a tad touchy about my supposed accent....all the Literati I have met, and the wife, are continually taking the piss out of how I say things.

Bless.

No need for admiration, its just the way we talk.

Mat.

 

[matriarch]

I just love the fact that this has 'mysteriously' been exhumed as the cash for honours scandal, which he revealed, has started gathering pace.

The Earl

Indeed.
Do they think we were all born yesterday.
Silly arses.

 

[oggbashan]

I just love the fact that this has 'mysteriously' been exhumed as the cash for honours scandal, which he revealed, has started gathering pace.

The Earl

Do you think it might be because there is an election in Scotland that Labour could lose?

Og

 

[OhMissScarlett]

I'd love to hear a good scientific argument for why The Brits may be more civilized. Genetically, like a lot of Americans, I'm probably just as British as the folks native to the UK, so how is it that we're less civilized here? Did it take three centuries or like five minutes in this country for us to completely lose it? Is our new culture a complete lack of culture? Fascinating. Does anyone have a theory?