German flag @ olympic games

[Cyberowl]

When it's assimilate or GTFO it's still shit tons of countries, though again as I said previously I would mostly exclude the UK, and really just England.

There are plenty of similarities and differences... and most of our places have more varying cultures than each of your countries. There really isn't much arguing on that front.

What would those places me? NYC, SF, LA? Cool, we have Paris, London, Berlin too. It's not about how many people from all over the world are living in the US, it's about how those represent and show themselves.

Switzerland has 4 official languages alone, for Christ's sake. Belgium is divided into 2 parts. We have/had/will have separation movements in Spain and UK, because they aren't as monocultural as you would like to paint them.

[Themius]

What would those places me? NYC, SF, LA? Cool, we have Paris, London, Berlin too. It's not about how many people from all over the world are living in the US, it's about how those represent and show themselves.

Switzerland has 4 official languages alone, for Christ's sake. Belgium is divided into 2 parts. We have/had/will have separation movements in Spain and UK, because they aren't as monocultural as you would like to paint them.

So? Does official languae mean something? We don't have have an official language.

If I thought the UK was monocultural I wouldn't keep separating England from the UK and saying I look at England in a different light over the rest of the UK. I mean if I did view it as all the same I probably wouldn't not do that right?

[Macaquerie]

I don't care about your attempt to revise the argument; the start of this discussion is you saying "you Europeans".

You are also arguing super dishonestly. When it's about the people posting assimilate or gtfo, it's the whole of Europe. When it's about cultural diversity, it's single countries, when it's about political parties it's about Europe again. Give me a break.

And I didn't call black american culture extinct; I just doubted the distance between the average black american to the average white american is as big as the distance between let's say the dutch Belgian and French Belgian. Or the Irish and the British. Or the Welsh and the Scottish. Or Switzerland. Or the Balkan countries. Or Croatia. See, I can swap from continent to countries too if it fit's my narrative.

If not for the centuries of imperialism that forcibly drilled the minute differences between European nations into everyone's head, the notion that Europe is a diverse continent would be absurd. So called "native" Europeans all look pretty much the same, follow the same religion, and speak a related family of languages. The fact that some Europeans prefer wine and cheese while others like beer and sausage is really insignficant next to the dazzling variety of cultures that exist, and co-exist, in the rest of the world.

[Cyberowl]

So? Does official languae mean something? We don't have have an official language.

If I thought the UK was monocultural I wouldn't keep separating England from the UK and saying I look at England in a different light over the rest of the UK. I mean if I did view it as all the same I probably wouldn't not do that right?

Well, you can nitpick all you want, I just don't have to take the bait. Ignore Trump, GOP, England, the thing I did last summer and everything else that stands in my line of argument and voila! I suddenly have an argument.

You aren't multicultural because you have some 8th generation Irish in your neighborhood that gets pissed at Saint Patrick's day. That's tokenism for the sake of an argument.

[Themius]

Well, you can nitpick all you want, I just don't have to take the bait. Ignore Trump, GOP, England, the thing I did last summer and everything else that stands in my line of argument and voila! I suddenly have an argument.

You aren't multicultural because you have some 8th generation Irish in your neighborhood that gets pissed at Saint Patrick's day. That's tokenism for the sake of an argument.

What? I was thikning more so the number of first and second generation immigrnats we have.

[Cyberowl]

If not for the centuries of imperialism that forcibly drilled the minute differences between European nations into everyone's head, the notion that Europe is a diverse continent would be absurd. So called "native" Europeans all look pretty much the same, follow the same religion, and speak a related family of languages. The fact that some Europeans prefer wine and cheese while others like beer and sausage is really insignficant next to the dazzling variety of cultures that exist, and co-exist, in the rest of the world.

You are simply wrong. Irish, Swedish, Spanish, Romanian people don't look alike. Orthodox, protestant and catholic Christianity can't be thrown into the same hat, on top of that we have (or had) a big native Jewish population and many pagan influences are still common. We have a shitton of language trees, do you even have the slightest clue?

[Macaquerie]

You aren't multicultural because you have some 8th generation Irish in your neighborhood that gets pissed at Saint Patrick's day. That's tokenism for the sake of an argument.

And where would Ireland be today without the political and financial backing of wealthy Irish-Americans, or the influence of American mass media in spreading an affection and appreciation for Irish culture, albeit an artificial and romanticized variety?

[Cyberowl]

What? I was thikning more so the number of first and second generation immigrnats we have.

Again, the number doesn't matter, how it shows does. If someone from Chile moves to the US and immediately adapts to the "neighborhood" lifestyle, there is not much difference left.

Of course I will grant you that the "American lifestyle" indeed is the combination of many cultures that came together to begin with; never argued against that.

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And where would Ireland be today without the political and financial backing of wealthy Irish-Americans, or the influence of American mass media in spreading an affection and appreciation for Irish culture, albeit an artificial and romanticized variety?

I'm just gonna go ahead and ask you to tell me what the Irish culture is exactly. Answer without googling and don't say Guinness.

But we don't have to ask how wealthy Ireland would be today without the US, I don't ask what the US would be without the French, do I?

[Themius]

Again, the number doesn't matter, how it shows does. If someone from Chile moves to the US and immediately adapts to the "neighborhood" lifestyle, there is not much difference left.

Of course I will grant you that the "American lifestyle" indeed is the combination of many cultures that came together to begin with; never argued against that.

In america our culture tends to be "a bit of this and that" Like the entire art, food, and even architecture of the south west is completely different because it was influenced by Mexicans, part of their culture was simply completely borrowed by America. America borrows tons of other cultures and just melds it into it's own distinct culture. They adapt to that, but the adaption is more a merging.

Americans usually arne't all that resistent to it either.

[luxz]

I'm german and I don't mind that flag at all. He is obviously tightly bonded to his roots and also likes germany, so whatever. There could be a giant dick on it and I wouldn't mind. A lot of you guys have no idea about germany, german culture or german politics in any way. You don't seem to have any idea about politics and stuff in general.

But it's the internet so nobody gives a rats ass about anyones opinion but his own. Stay classy guys.

[Cyberowl]

In america our culture tends to be "a bit of this and that" Like the entire art, food, and even architecture of the south west is completely different because it was influenced by Mexicans, part of their culture was simply completely borrowed by America. America borrows tons of other cultures and just melds it into it's own distinct culture. They adapt to that, but the adaption is more a merging.

Americans usually arne't all that resistent to it either.

Yes, that's exactly what I meant with the latter. Glad we have at least one thing to agree on, I'm off to sleep. :P

[Macaquerie]

I'm just gonna go ahead and ask you to tell me what the Irish culture is exactly. Answer without googling and don't say Guinness.

But we don't have to ask how wealthy Ireland would be today without the US, I don't ask what the US would be without the French, do I?

Leprechauns, riverdance, Enya, the IRA, Conor McGregor, Ulysses, potatoes, unpronounceable names, etc.

EDIT - I feel like what some Europeans may not grasp is that the reason that Americans gravitate toward this fictionalized conception of Ireland (or any other European country) is that it sort of matches up with what their parents and grandparents told them of the old country where life was hard but people were tough and looked out for each other and so on. Modern Europe, or at least the stereotypes Americans have of it, seems shallower and less authentic by comparison.

[Tackhisis]

He is obviously tightly bonded to his roots and also likes germany, so whatever.

His roots are incompatible with Germany.

[May90]

His roots are incompatible with Germany.

Not enough Aryan blood, huh?

[belfpala]

So? Does official languae mean something? We don't have have an official language.

If I thought the UK was monocultural I wouldn't keep separating England from the UK and saying I look at England in a different light over the rest of the UK. I mean if I did view it as all the same I probably wouldn't not do that right?

We have a movement calling for an official language. Meanwhile, I navigate my day speaking various forms of English, Spanish, Thai, Somali, and more. Right in the heart of the US.

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Not enough Aryan blood, huh?

Wisconsin should join the movement.

[Macaquerie]

Not enough Aryan blood, huh?

It does sort of beg the question of who exactly do Europeans consider good enough to be worth associating with? If your family emigrates from Europe then you're just a clueless American, and if your family immigrates to Europe then of course you're a filthy terrorist incapable of assimilating into European society. And God help you if you're a native of a country where a European decides to move to, because then it's like your very existence is a daily reminder of how backward and primitive your culture is compared to his, and you should be grateful he even deigned to allow you in his presence.

[MeAjur]

such a Griffon is really cool, also the left supporter ( it is left position, trust me ) of the arms of Baden-Württemberg.

Just wanted to clarify why the griffon really IS on the left side.

The left and right sides of coats of arms are the way they are because originally they were painted on shields. The left is on the side it is because the guy holding the shield would be facing you and HIS left would be on that side. The right side is called the dexter side (where the word "dexterity" comes from), and the left is the sinister side. Some coats of arms do carry extra meaning by placing elements, charges, and supporters on either the dexter or sinister side.



There's an old nursery rhyme that goes: "The lion and the unicorn fought all around the town. / The lion beat the unicorn all around the town." Take a wild guess why the Scottish unicorn is on the sinister side.



Ever notice Slytherin's on the sinister side, and Gryphondor is on the dexter side?

[Stelio Kontos]

It does sort of beg the question of who exactly do Europeans consider good enough to be worth associating with? If your family emigrates from Europe then you're just a clueless American, and if your family immigrates to Europe then of course you're a filthy terrorist incapable of assimilating into European society. And God help you if you're a native of a country where a European decides to move to, because then it's like your very existence is a daily reminder of how backward and primitive your culture is compared to his, and you should be grateful he even deigned to allow you in his presence.

Americans aren't any better.

Went into a bank once in Greece, this was back before the Euro, and an American tourist was in line at the bank, and when a Greek woman walked in and went straight to the merchant teller that was separate from the other lines, Miss Americana starts screaming about how that is unfair and how she is being discriminated against because she's American. It was a local bank branch, so there wasn't much English signage, and she was ranting about how rude it is that there's not English signs and English-speakers everywhere to cater to her.

The bloated cow kept screaming until she had to be escorted out.

That's just an anecdote, got plenty of other fun ones from working at various bars and clubs in Greece before I moved abroad. And not just about Americans. You get to see the worst of everyone at bars and clubs.

[Eggroll]

Oh noes some people combined the Turkish and German flag. Doom! Oh wait the the world's still turning, water is still wet and things are like always and most of you need to stop being such drama queens and act like men.

Amen to that. I don't know what the story is here. Turkish people in Germany are often more patriotic towards Germany than the Germans themselves . (I live in Berlin)

[Fyersing]

If you're going to take issue with somebody utilizing unofficial flag variants, or combining elements of a national flag with other ideological symbols, you're going to find yourself against millions of individuals and thousands of products; if you're going to find offense, find it in the fact that your elected officials are bringing people into your homeland who are entirely incapable of peaceably co-existing with you.

Edit: The source of the problem isn't foreign people wanting to bring foreign behaviors, that's to be expected. The source of the problem is the government not having the balls to tell all immigrants to leave their gutter-cultures in the third world countries they're coming from.