Douchebags who think it's the USG's job to save them (Ukraine Edition)

[peterb]

It's been my experience in western Europe that attempts to speak the language politely tend to get you much better treatment. For one, they realize they can't talk trash about you if you can sort of speak the language.

But more importantly instead of, "I'm here in your country speak my language!" It says, "I'm a visitor try to respect your culture."

It’s amazing what you can do with a very small vocabulary, a guidebook, expressive handwaving, a good attitude, and a lot of smiling. :-)

[Coyotesfan97]

It reminds me of those Americans you hear about who wind up in prison after hiking in Iran or North Korea. C'mon, there are so many other places in the world to hike.

Or here is an account of at least 40 San Diego students and parents are stranded in Afghanistan after summer trip abroad. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com...in-afghanistan

At least 40 San Diego students and parents are stranded in Afghanistan after summer trip abroad. At least 24 students (ranging from preschoolers to high schoolers) and 16 parents of the Cajon Valley Union School District in El Cajon, California are among the many thousands trying to escape the now Taliban ruled country after a summer vacation abroad to visit relatives."

My reaction: Summer trip abroad to Afghanistan with school children? I guess Yemen was all booked up. WTF? Don't get me wrong, I think the US is doing an abysmal job of trying to remove its forces and people from that country, and that all efforts should be made to rescue all American's there, but I question the Wisdom of scheduling a school trip from the US to Afghanistan--especially at a time when the US is supposed to be withdrawing.
Or Tehran
I guess in April of 1975 there was some people taking kids on a trip to Saigon for spring break.

It reminds me of the Chris Rock comedy bit on Martin Luther King Blvd:

Or Tehran in 1979

[Ed L]

I think I could negotiate the situation with the students and parents are stranded in Afghanistan situation quickly. I would ask the Taliban if they would be willing to let everyone go if I gave them the identity of an informer to the Afghan police. When they said yes I would point at the trip organizer and say, "Him! He is the secret police informer!"

[1slow]

A lot of people think that their are no consequences for being an asshole and starting shit.
The younger you learn not to do this the less you get hurt. You may still get hurt but it is less likely if you are not being an asshole.


If you are in another county you are in someone else's house act like a polite guest. Same can be said for any venue that you are not sure of the rules and customs.

As has been mentioned, arrogance, entitlement, bad manners are never welcome.


I had in some ways a sheltered polite upbringing but still received lessons in behavior from others.

Going to school taught me that if you get in somebody's face you may get an educational beatdown. Been on both ends of that education. Learning Occurred !

I stopped once to help 3 guys with car trouble and ended up on the ground getting kicked in the head etc... when your head moves and you don't feel impact things are not going well. This encouraged more awareness, care and training and a attitudinal change.

Working construction with very nice(to me) but very hard people when I was 16. Head of our crew held the bare knuckle championship in his home county. Guy on another crew had survived buckshot to the body. I saw the scars. I had no trouble getting along, they paid me, I did the work.

Some of the old mountain guys I knew, the last warning was " son if I was you I wouldn't do that" some times said with a slight smile and sometimes with a flat affect and voice tone. when these guys ran into the mouthy set it got abrupt.

Ran around with the streetracers in my teens. Rural deputies would say " If you take your ass home and I don't see you for a week you won't go to jail."
My response was thank you sir, have a good week. They were tolerant of a certain amount of foolishness but if you gave them any shit they would hit you with a flat sap and you would go to jail. This was understood by me and I passed the attitude test.

All in all I try to be as polite as circumstances permit, and make amends if i mess up. It seems to remove a lot of anger if you own your mistakes and try to fix them.

[Cheap Shot]

[JDD]

So they also do that in the US? I've seen them do it in BC. I think they're used to it in BC.

I was on a US flight one time with a couple from Montreal, seated next to them. They kept speaking French to me even after I told them I didn't speak French. I overheard the woman speaking English to the flight attendant. They play a lot of games.

I am not saying that the appropriate response to this is to "attempt" your best french; but as a vaguely coherent french speaker, I have found that people who actually speak/love the language rapidly find any other possible way to communicate with me just a few short exchanges in any conversation with me...

Regarding U.S. citizens overseas: when you are in another country, unless you have diplomatic immunity, you are subject to their laws (regardless of if you are aware of them). I have explained this, at length, on many occasions to any number of U.S. citizens who are having a "bad day"(tm). Also: the world is not like epcot center, when you die overseas, you die in real life (and a poor ACS officer is going to have to do a death notification, and work through the disposition of your remains with your family). You don't have the option of strolling 20 yards to the beer garden in the next country around the reflecting pool.

[Joe in PNG]

There is a lot of media that does play into the Epcotization of those Exotic Foreign Lands, and generally speaking, most of the people in most of the world aren't horrible and bad.

But, if one wants the people overseas to be friendly & respectful, one has to act that way themselves. Which means respecting the customs, and that means knowing the customs.
That means knowing the ground, or at least knowing someone who knows the ground. And that means saving the drunken yahoo stuff for the tourist hotels and resorts. If one is going to go Anthony Bourdain around town, one really should do it prepared and sober.

I could go on.

[Poconnor]

I am shocked that ass clown did not get the welcome to Ukraine beat down with nightsticks. When I travel to Europe I really try to dress local and blend in. I avoid American labels, ball caps, camouflage and sneakers. Buying local clothes; especially hats and shoes works for me. I always try to learn a few phrases especially thank you . Local tour guides are often worth the money. I also try to research the area I am in and pick out shops and restaurants the night before along with map familiarity. It’s fun to wander the old city but I don’t want to be the tourist with his face in his phone or staring at a map. I will make a pocket strip map with a list of stops. Experience has taught me that if you wait until you are hungry to find a restaurant you might luck out and find a great one or a really bad one. Even Anthony bourdain had local guides whether he showed them or not.

PS- Americans smile too much. In some places the locals will think you are mentally handicapped; or so I heard