From the mouths of babes

[starrkers]

Son, 11 yr old (viewing a dumb beer ad): Americans are so stupid they probably thought the sky was falling.
Son, 8 yr old: Are Americans really that stupid?
Daughter, 16 yr old: No. Only the loud ones.

 

[Chantilyvamp]

and is this supposed to be amusing somehow?

 

[cloudy]

Yeah, we're all really stupid and really loud. Good on you for raising kids with no biases against people they've never met, and that live in a place they've never been.



And, yes, I can say quite honestly that I have never heard even one of my children say anthing remotely like that.

 

[starrkers]

Nope, not meant to be funny. Scarily, a reflection of the wider community view here, but definitely not funny.
Perhaps you could stop and think, Cloudy. I do not raise my children to be biased against others, and yet they still have this opinion.
An America that can seriously raise Sarah Palin as a viable candidate for the position of heir apparent to the presidency; or that has community members willing to kill another strong candidate merely because of his skin colour might just have a couple of problems with its international image.

The ad (and this is a major Aussie brewery, with a national campaign) that sparked these commments: http://www.fortheloveofbeer.com.au/carbrelief/#/relief/video/uCqpvrR7eJ0/

 

[cloudy]

Nope, not meant to be funny. Scarily, a reflection of the wider community view here, but definitely not funny.
Perhaps you could stop and think, Cloudy. I do not raise my children to be biased against others, and yet they still have this opinion.
An America that can seriously raise Sarah Palin as a viable candidate for the position of heir apparent to the presidency; or that has community members willing to kill another strong candidate merely because of his skin colour might just have a couple of problems with its international image.

The ad (and this is a major Aussie brewery, with a national campaign) that sparked these commments: http://www.fortheloveofbeer.com.au/carbrelief/#/relief/video/uCqpvrR7eJ0/

I dunno....I do this thing when I hear my kids say something stupid. It's really crazy, but believe it or not, it works! It's called "teaching them that what they've said is wrong."

 

[Guest]

Nope, not meant to be funny. Scarily, a reflection of the wider community view here, but definitely not funny.
Perhaps you could stop and think, Cloudy. I do not raise my children to be biased against others, and yet they still have this opinion.
An America that can seriously raise Sarah Palin as a viable candidate for the position of heir apparent to the presidency; or that has community members willing to kill another strong candidate merely because of his skin colour might just have a couple of problems with its international image.

The ad (and this is a major Aussie brewery, with a national campaign) that sparked these commments: http://www.fortheloveofbeer.com.au/carbrelief/#/relief/video/uCqpvrR7eJ0/

And my kids would probably think that all Australians wander around their territory, believe that Crocodile Dundee is a political figure, that everyone says G'day a lot, that kangaroos are family pets and most residents drink Fosters all the time and get into fights in bars.

At least, that's what they've seen on TV.

Isn't it our job as parents to educate them about different cultural-isms, and to not allow stereotypes such as this to prevail?

Anyway. I thought the commercial insulting, of course. Laugh at the fat Americans, send them our carbs!

 

[cloudy]

And my kids would probably think that all Australians wander around their territory, believe that Crocodile Dundee is a political figure, that everyone says G'day a lot, that kangaroos are family pets and most residents drink Fosters all the time and get into fights in bars.

At least, that's what they've seen on TV.

Isn't it our job as parents to educate them about different cultural-isms, and to not allow stereotypes such as this to prevail?

Anyway. I thought the commercial insulting, of course. Laugh at the fat Americans, send them our carbs!

Agreed. Perhaps we could add "deluded" to the desciptors of all Australians, since they don't realize that the whole dustbowl thing was back in the 1930's. They're horribly out of touch with reality.

 

[starrkers]

Yep, I agree. The ad, and the several others of the same ilk are insulting. But it got approval and is still on the air.

And I applaud you Cloudy on raising perfect children than never, ever repeat anything controversial or vaguely off colour that they may have picked up from the wider community. You thnk I should've said something? What makes you think I didn't?

My point was not how children should be raised, but what incredible bilge children pick up away from home.

 

[Guest]

It just makes me sad. And weary.

 

[cloudy]

Yep, I agree. The ad, and the several others of the same ilk are insulting. But it got approval and is still on the air.

And I applaud you Cloudy on raising perfect children than never, ever repeat anything controversial or vaguely off colour that they may have picked up from the wider community. You thnk I should've said something? What makes you think I didn't?

My point was not how children should be raised, but what incredible bilge children pick up away from home.

I call bullshit. You posted it because you thought it was funny. You got called on it.

My children aren't anywhere close to perfect, but I've never heard any of them say something that ignorant. And if they did, I wouldn't think it was funny.

I'm done here.

 

[starrkers]

Nope. Thought it sad that the US has sunk so low in popular opinion here. Thought you folk would understand that.

Obviously I misjudged.

 

[Chantilyvamp]

Nope. Thought it sad that the US has sunk so low in popular opinion here. Thought you folk would understand that.

Obviously I misjudged.

We might not have misjudged if you would have said in the first post something along those lines.

But you didn't, you just posted what your kids said. Nothing to say if you were just posting because you thought it was amusing or if you were horrified by them saying it. Or why they may have said it other than they were watching a dumb beer ad.

And I am sure you have the most perfect politicians over there and just a smashing country image... not... so why bring shit like that up? No country is perfect and we all have people we aren't proud of or others would like to shoot. Right now our news is big news but that doesn't give the overall country image. That gives the political ho-down image.

Your a friend darlin but it still came across as insulting and with no other explanation until later and then some of that explanation went on to further insult Americans. Intentional or not.

And yes children can pick up the most stupid things outside of the home and none of us would argue that. And I daresay mine will spout something at some point that she will be grounded over for a month or two. And she will be getting firm lectures on why you do not insult other people from different countries or presume that all are the same based on what they have heard or seen on tv.

Anyway have a nice rest of the day

 

[SensualCealy]

And I applaud you Cloudy on raising perfect children than never, ever repeat anything controversial or vaguely off colour that they may have picked up from the wider community.

Wait until they are teenagers- they say what they want, not necessarily what they were taught!

NO one has perfect children nor does anyone raise a perfect child-even Christ was crucified!!! (not to be taken as sacreligious)

C