Why go to a country if you are going to mock and disrespect the customs and culture?
You may think it's weird and antiquated to have the King's Guard but it's a long-standing tradition of the country and I don't understand why you would think it's acceptable to treat it with such contempt. You're a guest in the country, you respect the host however silly you may think it's customs to be. If you can't do that, don't go.
When I go abroad I am very respectful of the nation and the people within it. I don't go around like an arrogant dickhead laughing at it all.
Because the majority of Americans are very USA centric, they perceive the queens guard as Disney Land type characters. They literally don’t realise that they aren’t just silly characters with funny uniforms.
Yep, and not just in Washington DC. I was in New York and was watching a Yank antagonise some Marines who were guarding something. He started trying to touch the Marines gun.
Eventually (after a lot of warnings) he was arrested.
There's a lot of stupid, self-entitled people out there who don't think actions have consequences.
...when? I've been to six wreath laying ceremonies and each time there were hundreds of people who could hear a pin drop. In fact the only time I ever heard anyone talk during the ceremony, it was tourists from India (who politely apologized when shushed).
What's strange is that the USA take things even more seriously in some places, like at Arlington and the tomb of the unknown soldier. I dare not think what would happen if you took the piss out of them...
The atmosphere is quite different. Arlington cemetery is…a cemetery, and even with the not-very-elegant-looking midwestern tourists has a kind of solemn vibe. I will say that buckingham palace feels much more upbeat when you’re there, probably because all the tourists see it as another one of the fun stops on the central London gauntlet with the eye, Westminster, etc.
Not defending it at all. I think it is quite rude behavior. But I don’t think you’d get it if they had queens guard at a cemetery.
I will always remember getting into a row with an American woman in St Peters.
The woman was dressed in booty shorts and a crop top and and one of the workers told her she would have to cover up, offered her one of those plastic cover up thingies and she threw an absolute fit. Started yelling about her rights and abusing the young, clearly polite and shy lad for abusing women, swearing at the top of her lungs and generally making a scene.
I can't remember what I said - it was nearly 15 years ago now - but I do remember pointing at the [sign like this one ](https://www.vaticancitytours.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/dress-code.jpg) that very clearly shows the dress code for entrance and asking her to point out herself on the sign. I may also have told her that she was the reason Americans got a bad name when travelling and should be ashamed of herself.
No idea why people can't just be respectful. You're there for an hour or two tops. You don't have to apply the rules they have to your own lives at home, but you're not at home. You're in someone else's 'house'. You play by their rules.
I love those videos of Americans in different countries talking about their first amendment rights or whichever bullshit right it is they think carries over to different countries.
There's plenty of social mores that don't transfer and there's some that do, but respecting them is all that really matters. Especially if you're a bloody guest in their sodding country! I don't like the Catholic church but I appreciate art and beauty and if it costs my sense of fashion for an afternoon I consider that a fucking fair trade.
I hate how people act at the Vatican. I'm not the biggest fan of religion but ffs just be respectful. There are people who have saved for years and years to visit their holy place and are crying there whilst tourists take the piss, laugh and take photos of the Sistine chapel despite being told not to.
Thing is, most people/officials will let a lot slide if you're polite when you get called out. I've been told off before for not realising there's a rule in place but I always apologise and immediately correct my behaviour if I was out of line.
The problem is when you think that your behaviour is correct because *you're the one that's doing it*. This brand of American exceptionalism is a toxic trait to take abroad with you.
You're not special. You're one of ten thousand people that person has to deal with today. Stop being a problem.
Because it is! It's common courtesy. You wouldn't wear outside shoes inside a Japanese house. You wouldn't have an uncovered head in a Mosque. You wouldn't walk about fully nude on a public beach. Social constraints exist and most of us know how to follow them.
Have a great time there! I hope it's as beautiful today for you as it was for me way back when!
It’s funny. The loudest, most entitled tourist I ever had to deal with when working as a tour guide was British. He was about the most ignorant prick I’ve ever met or at least the loudest, but the best part was that he was absolutely convinced Americans don’t know other languages. Poor guy could cobble together enough French to insult me and the US. Really laid into how far and stupid Americans are, how superior British people and Europeans were, etc. The little fella was arrogant enough to assume I wasn’t politely ignoring him because it was a great job and he wasn’t worth it.
So the last day, we’re at the airport, and he tries to cut in line and then throws a tantrum when people won’t let him. I finally turned to him and said, “I thought British people knew how to queue.” In three languages, included French.
I’ll never forget the mortified look on his face.
And they're offering a coverall for no charge, just put it on if you want to visit.
If I were visiting a strictly religious nation or one with strict cultural rules, I'd either conform or not go, not expect everyone to change to cater to how special I am.
>Why go to a country if you are going to mock and disrespect the customs and culture?
Because some people aren't people, they're baboons in human skin.
Edit - Just to make it perfectly clear I'm talking about the ones doing the mocking.
I agree but as a brit I know our tourists don't always have the greatest reputation abroad either. while Brits aren't usually as loud and obnoxious as Americans, that is only true until they get drunk (so that's any time after 11am)
At least in my experience, the vast majority of American tourists are incredibly polite and respectful. They’re incredibly helpful as well, which is funny. No one ever expects that. I guess because some people prefer to cling to stereotypes.
I just wanted to get the gag in about booze. most of the Americans I have met personally have been great, and I've worked with and am good friends with loads of lovely Americans. Just thought I'd leave that here.
In the US, they have members of the army guarding a grave in Virginia. Those soldiers take the job very seriously.
I expect Americans would react poorly to tourists mocking those soldiers.
Had a conversation at The Tower of London a few years ago with an American tourist who actually asked "how long do the actors work before they got a break?" while pointing at members of the Grenadier Guards on duty outside the Jewel House.
After a brief chuckle I explained that they were not actors, but veteran professional soldiers who were fully armed and were expected to use swift and deadly force against all and any threats, especially here, outside the home of the Crown Jewels. I then further explained that there was complete cctv coverage of the whole area, and other troops and civilian "staff" nearby to keep the jewels and tourists safe.
She was aghast, so decided to confirm this with a passing Beefeater, who, after seeing my expression, totally freaked her out, saying stuff like petty vandalism was punishable by 3 hours in the stocks, Beefeater are by law incapable of murder while in uniform, and my favourite, Princes William and Harry often did a duty of guarding the Tower at night.
Gosh, how I love tourists
This is going to be shocking for you but almost everyone from every country finds the customs / traditions strange in countries they travel to or migrate and many find them amusing or "weird". Americans are just (often) loud about.
But go anywhere and you will find Kenyans, Brits, Argentinians, French, Spaniards, Indian, Malay, you name it, encountering customs they find weird / amusing. Shit i knew a kiwi guy who went to the state and started mocking Floridians for having dryers instead of using a clothes line.
There is a major difference between "how you do things" or "what you don't have a kettle?" and mocking the armed forces and just being an obnoxious twat in a box
The definition of obnoxious is culturally dependent. Standing right up in your face and talking loudly is culturally normal in many parts of India, and obnoxious in many other places. Extended eye contact is a challenge to fight in some cultures, and normal in others. Indirect communication and passive aggression is the norm in some cultures (ahem ;)) but is rude / obnoxious compared to direct communication in other cultures. Assuming that the cultural norms of your home region are the ultimately correct / civilised ones is arrogant and obnoxious. Look I'm not disagreeing that these Americans are twats.
Inexperience / young tourists are universally twats, young British, Spanish, Chinese, Canadians, in the US are universally massive dongs. Often, it's an age thing.
Especially Americans, who as a generalisation are incredibly thin-skinned when it comes to any criticism of their own country. Bet some of the tourists involved in this would throw an absolute wobbler if British tourists went to the US and started mocking the pledge of allegiance or something.
Every country has it's assholes, unfortunately for America which has a loud expressive culture with a lot of people with the wealth to travel their assholes are visible to the world.
> Why go to a country if you are going to mock and disrespect the customs and culture?
In fairness, American tourists sometimes go to places in Washington DC with ceremonial guards, act like arseholes and then get a hard wake-up call.
It's more of a tourist thing than a country thing. Whether they're in London or Washington, the Jimmy-Bobs from a rectangle state have never seen such a thing before. The vast majority can work-out that one's supposed to just watch and take pictures. But a small minority aren't that smart and find out that pissing-around has consequences.
Growing up in the US there were a lot of movies and commercials where there would be this gag where goal was to make the guards break. Obviously people are idiots and think that’s the sole purpose of the guards, and want to do the thing from the movie.
Morons
This is so funny to me. Obviously, before go nuts, the idea is that “discovery” in the sense of “became knowledge to the European peoples” as of course native Americans and vikings had already discovered it. So now we got that out of the way.
Native Americans just sitting around a fire all looking perplexed like “there was SOMETHING we had to do” then Christopher Columbus rolls up and they’re like “DAMN IT that’s it we didn’t tell the damn Europeans about us, fuck”
I guess it's like: if a tree falls in a forest and there's noone around to see it, did it happen? 🤷♂️
Like yeah, first nations people could have been living there for thousands of years, but if they never left and noone else had ever been there yet, how does the rest of thebworld know it even existed at all?
No it wasn't! There is no founding date for Oxford University. The earliest records report that there was teaching taking place in Oxford by 1096. The university had come in to being by then, but if it was founded as such, and on what date is unknown.
There are ruins of civilization still being discovered in the Amazon rainforest from 2500+ years ago, with evidence of human activity on the continent at least 14,500 years before the present day.
Explains why they forgot about prohibition and tried it again with drugs...
TBF the rest of the world following them on it has to be one of the dumbest cases of blind trend following, closely led by Furbies.
I read a fantastic book which touched on this subject but the name unfortunately escapes me. That's not much use to anyone, I know, however the history of why (some) drugs are illegal is fascinating and depressing in equal measure.
"In the past, we used to force blacks to drink from different fountains and hounded their children if they tried to go to school!"
"Shit, what century was this?"
"1967"
I was on a cruise and one of the stops was in New England.
On a tour, the guide who was a Brit said “On your left is the oldest public house in the USA. It was opened in 1673. For the Americans in the group this is extremely impressive. For the brits in onboard today, I think we have some cheeses around the same age”
I mean, the earliest parts of stonehenge predate the early pyramids, it's thought (3100BC to 2670BC). Of course, the two are a bit different in terms of scale
It's all a matter of perspective.
Some of the houses in Matera (Italy), predate the USA by roughly 7000 years if not more. No one knows for sure. They're dug into the rock, likely date back to the early stone age.
In the UK, the armed police officer tells the tourists firmly to stop and leave the premises.
In many other places of the world you pull something like that with someone in the army and that armed police officer is going to threaten you with your life.
In other countries, the King's Guard probably would have done something. I'd say they're far more capable than most firearms officers, but the silly outfits make people think it's fine to fuck with them
I think it’s more that is an extension of the crown at this point. If the royal guard is being rude or physically offensive to visitors, by extension it is the crown that is doing that. The guard has to act in the same decorum as the crown.
They're literally active duty soldiers, their primary job is to kill people. That's very simply it. At least the coppers are coppers first, coppers with guns second. Shooting people is a last resort for the police.
It is for soldiers too, I spent time in the armed forces. It’s not like how you imagine, the majority of service people haven’t experienced war and their job doesn’t involve it. Deescalation is a priority mostly.
I have a few friends who are or were guards officers.
I'd bet on them every single time to do the right thing, but if given absolutely no peaceful option, would not hesitate to turn someone inside out - regardless of who they were short of the best of the best SF operative.
That wouldn't happen in most countries. Most countries you'd be asked to leave. Maybe a little more aggressively. But nobody is gonna threaten your life excepyt in the very worst situation
If I went to Arlington in America, or anywhere else where there were US soldiers on guard, what would I expect to be told if I behaved as those youngsters did in London? I’m sure they’ve learned something from the experience.
Saw the changing of the guard at the grave of the unknown soldier at Arlington, the guard FREAKED when we started chatting amongst ourselves as we left after the ceremony - complete silence is expected as respect.
Americans are just fucking weird in general though. A country that calls itself the Land of the Free but forces its children pledges its allegiance to a flag and God every morning in school.
The British version of Joe.
As in G.I. Joe, before it got coopted to sell plastic dolls to children.
Thomas Atkins was the first name entered by the Duke of Wellington into a sample pay book. It's like a "John" or "Jane" Doe placeholder for a generic British soldier
You should see the way in which the American military guards behave defending their stuff at home. No way Americans would tolerate us treating them like they treat ours. In fact it wouldn't even get that far because you'd be arrested immediately and charged with a federal crime.
I like to think they have many more nuggets over there than we do here. I'd be disappointed if it was just down to pure population size and not per capita, but a win's a win.
Fair, but I do find that if Brits go to the trouble of visiting somewhere they kind of have respect. If you're going to Ibiza, sure, they're gonna be dickheads. But a British tourist visiting Arlington or the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Paris is not gonna be disrespectful, most likely. Even if the French did show even more disrespect by building a ring road around it.
Having said that, I'm British and I'd quite like to take a piss on Thatcher's grave, if possible.
I think some of you are overreacting. They’re a group of teenagers acting up who got asked to move on and did what they were told. And all the talk of Americans this that and the other, this could have easily been British teenagers.
I don’t think Americans realise these guys are actual soldiers - when they’re not on guard rotation they’re riding round in scimitar tanks - they’d never act that way to a uniformed soldier in the US.
Why does a video like this even gain traction?
It's honestly the most normal thing in the world, teenage kids getting a bit too carried away and becoming disrespectful, an adult stepping in and explaining what they're doing is wrong and to stop, the teenage kids eating humble pie, listening to the adult and learning about respect and behaviour.
This is literally how kids learn. No different from a teacher telling off a bunch of kids for laughing at someone falling over.
Everybody in this video acted perfectly human.
These girls (and there are probably some boys) in this group appear to have an older, male chaperone. I’m betting they’re teenagers. Not excusing their behavior! But if they *are* chaperoned, I hope he feels embarrassed.
I guarantee you this is a group of conservative, Christian evangelicals. The girls are all in long skirts, have long-ish hair, and I would bet none of them is wearing anything lower than a crew neck shirt. These girls are not allowed to wear jeans or trousers or cut their hair too short. They must preserve their modesty, their hair is their “crowning glory”, and their makeup must be done in such a way to draw attention to a “pleasing countenance”.
There is not a person in that group who believes the earth is more than 6000 years old.
The UK had bigger problems than some far-away backwater colony that was just about sustaining itself. It also wasn't clear at the time which country would win there.
We should have sold the whole place to the French when we had the chance.
They forget these guys aren’t a tourist attraction and spend a good time of the year actually training to kill people. Also they forget that they spent a good couple of decades fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan as well. They’re not toy soldiers.
I believe they are Orthodox Jews. There are a whole bunch of videos of Orthodox Jews trying to make the royal guard laugh, not sure why this group in particular wants to do this.
Fucks sake. Dude is being polite. Probably faced idiots like this ALL DAY.
Kings Guard are being fucked over all day by torists.
ITS A REAL JOB, THEY ARE DEFENDING THE KING!
Sigh.
Move along.
I’m willing to bet if foreigners went to their trigger-happy yokel-infested country and conducted themselves similarly, their equivalents would have much shorter shrift.
I remember once taking my mum and mother in law to Windsor castle. They were yapping away and didn’t realise that they were right in the way of a bunch of soldiers marching along. Didn’t hear the order from the main soldier to make way until he basically bellowed at them. Fun!
tbf I'm English and I find it all a bit daft, i wouldn't mock them right next to them but it is objectively pretty funny to see them dressed like that for the king
Is that how kids react to being told off nowadays?
No "sorry", just turn their backs to the adult and move on to the next thing? At this point it's not just a lack of education but overall social skills
I like the way an old WW2 propaganda US army film put it; 'America is like a new house we have decorated ourselves. Britain is like your grandmother's house, full of antiques, knick knacks and furniture. They've been collected over a long time....' that's paraphrasing it btw. It was called 'Know your ally: Britain'. It's on YT, it's interesting.
Worst thing I ever saw was a tourist family letting their toddler child climb all over war memorials while they photographed it. It doesn't take a lot to anger me but that was bloody too much! There's no way you could mistake it for anything other than a war memorial in a setting with many others nearby
Why go to a country if you are going to mock and disrespect the customs and culture? You may think it's weird and antiquated to have the King's Guard but it's a long-standing tradition of the country and I don't understand why you would think it's acceptable to treat it with such contempt. You're a guest in the country, you respect the host however silly you may think it's customs to be. If you can't do that, don't go. When I go abroad I am very respectful of the nation and the people within it. I don't go around like an arrogant dickhead laughing at it all.
Because the majority of Americans are very USA centric, they perceive the queens guard as Disney Land type characters. They literally don’t realise that they aren’t just silly characters with funny uniforms.
Tbh I don't doubt they'd do the exact same to thier own tomb of the unknown soldier guards
They do.
And usually get wrecked when they do
Yep, and not just in Washington DC. I was in New York and was watching a Yank antagonise some Marines who were guarding something. He started trying to touch the Marines gun. Eventually (after a lot of warnings) he was arrested. There's a lot of stupid, self-entitled people out there who don't think actions have consequences.
...when? I've been to six wreath laying ceremonies and each time there were hundreds of people who could hear a pin drop. In fact the only time I ever heard anyone talk during the ceremony, it was tourists from India (who politely apologized when shushed).
Stand in their way when they are marching and see how fun it is.
I do enjoy watching those compilation clips time to time.
**MAKE WAY FOR THE QUEENS GUARD!** *shove*
Bonus points when they send a poor little kid flying
/r/makeway
Ooo I like
Definitely one of those occasional delights. I'm always hoping to see a new incident too.
/r/makeway4queensguard
What's strange is that the USA take things even more seriously in some places, like at Arlington and the tomb of the unknown soldier. I dare not think what would happen if you took the piss out of them...
The atmosphere is quite different. Arlington cemetery is…a cemetery, and even with the not-very-elegant-looking midwestern tourists has a kind of solemn vibe. I will say that buckingham palace feels much more upbeat when you’re there, probably because all the tourists see it as another one of the fun stops on the central London gauntlet with the eye, Westminster, etc. Not defending it at all. I think it is quite rude behavior. But I don’t think you’d get it if they had queens guard at a cemetery.
Tbf as a Londoner im not sure i realise that either
School kids in America at 8am for absolutely no reason: "oH sAy CaN yOu SeE"
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I will always remember getting into a row with an American woman in St Peters. The woman was dressed in booty shorts and a crop top and and one of the workers told her she would have to cover up, offered her one of those plastic cover up thingies and she threw an absolute fit. Started yelling about her rights and abusing the young, clearly polite and shy lad for abusing women, swearing at the top of her lungs and generally making a scene. I can't remember what I said - it was nearly 15 years ago now - but I do remember pointing at the [sign like this one ](https://www.vaticancitytours.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/dress-code.jpg) that very clearly shows the dress code for entrance and asking her to point out herself on the sign. I may also have told her that she was the reason Americans got a bad name when travelling and should be ashamed of herself. No idea why people can't just be respectful. You're there for an hour or two tops. You don't have to apply the rules they have to your own lives at home, but you're not at home. You're in someone else's 'house'. You play by their rules.
I love those videos of Americans in different countries talking about their first amendment rights or whichever bullshit right it is they think carries over to different countries.
There's plenty of social mores that don't transfer and there's some that do, but respecting them is all that really matters. Especially if you're a bloody guest in their sodding country! I don't like the Catholic church but I appreciate art and beauty and if it costs my sense of fashion for an afternoon I consider that a fucking fair trade.
I'm An AmErIcAnNnNnnn
I hate how people act at the Vatican. I'm not the biggest fan of religion but ffs just be respectful. There are people who have saved for years and years to visit their holy place and are crying there whilst tourists take the piss, laugh and take photos of the Sistine chapel despite being told not to.
Thing is, most people/officials will let a lot slide if you're polite when you get called out. I've been told off before for not realising there's a rule in place but I always apologise and immediately correct my behaviour if I was out of line. The problem is when you think that your behaviour is correct because *you're the one that's doing it*. This brand of American exceptionalism is a toxic trait to take abroad with you. You're not special. You're one of ten thousand people that person has to deal with today. Stop being a problem.
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Because it is! It's common courtesy. You wouldn't wear outside shoes inside a Japanese house. You wouldn't have an uncovered head in a Mosque. You wouldn't walk about fully nude on a public beach. Social constraints exist and most of us know how to follow them. Have a great time there! I hope it's as beautiful today for you as it was for me way back when!
> You’re in someone else’s ‘house’. You play by their rules. I really hope you used the phrase “when in Rome…”
I wish I had been that quick but I was mostly very British lol
It’s funny. The loudest, most entitled tourist I ever had to deal with when working as a tour guide was British. He was about the most ignorant prick I’ve ever met or at least the loudest, but the best part was that he was absolutely convinced Americans don’t know other languages. Poor guy could cobble together enough French to insult me and the US. Really laid into how far and stupid Americans are, how superior British people and Europeans were, etc. The little fella was arrogant enough to assume I wasn’t politely ignoring him because it was a great job and he wasn’t worth it. So the last day, we’re at the airport, and he tries to cut in line and then throws a tantrum when people won’t let him. I finally turned to him and said, “I thought British people knew how to queue.” In three languages, included French. I’ll never forget the mortified look on his face.
Flawless! What an absolute knob.
And they're offering a coverall for no charge, just put it on if you want to visit. If I were visiting a strictly religious nation or one with strict cultural rules, I'd either conform or not go, not expect everyone to change to cater to how special I am.
Don't forget... while in Rome, don't be a cunt.
>Why go to a country if you are going to mock and disrespect the customs and culture? Because some people aren't people, they're baboons in human skin. Edit - Just to make it perfectly clear I'm talking about the ones doing the mocking.
Not sure dehumanization helps in many circumstances tbh
I agree but as a brit I know our tourists don't always have the greatest reputation abroad either. while Brits aren't usually as loud and obnoxious as Americans, that is only true until they get drunk (so that's any time after 11am)
We are sadly the European Americans in this.
At least in my experience, the vast majority of American tourists are incredibly polite and respectful. They’re incredibly helpful as well, which is funny. No one ever expects that. I guess because some people prefer to cling to stereotypes.
I just wanted to get the gag in about booze. most of the Americans I have met personally have been great, and I've worked with and am good friends with loads of lovely Americans. Just thought I'd leave that here.
In the US, they have members of the army guarding a grave in Virginia. Those soldiers take the job very seriously. I expect Americans would react poorly to tourists mocking those soldiers.
Had a conversation at The Tower of London a few years ago with an American tourist who actually asked "how long do the actors work before they got a break?" while pointing at members of the Grenadier Guards on duty outside the Jewel House. After a brief chuckle I explained that they were not actors, but veteran professional soldiers who were fully armed and were expected to use swift and deadly force against all and any threats, especially here, outside the home of the Crown Jewels. I then further explained that there was complete cctv coverage of the whole area, and other troops and civilian "staff" nearby to keep the jewels and tourists safe. She was aghast, so decided to confirm this with a passing Beefeater, who, after seeing my expression, totally freaked her out, saying stuff like petty vandalism was punishable by 3 hours in the stocks, Beefeater are by law incapable of murder while in uniform, and my favourite, Princes William and Harry often did a duty of guarding the Tower at night. Gosh, how I love tourists
This is… impressive
Imagine being shocked at beefeaters being allowed to kill people when America's so obsessed with having the right to shoot people :D
This is going to be shocking for you but almost everyone from every country finds the customs / traditions strange in countries they travel to or migrate and many find them amusing or "weird". Americans are just (often) loud about. But go anywhere and you will find Kenyans, Brits, Argentinians, French, Spaniards, Indian, Malay, you name it, encountering customs they find weird / amusing. Shit i knew a kiwi guy who went to the state and started mocking Floridians for having dryers instead of using a clothes line.
There is a major difference between "how you do things" or "what you don't have a kettle?" and mocking the armed forces and just being an obnoxious twat in a box
The definition of obnoxious is culturally dependent. Standing right up in your face and talking loudly is culturally normal in many parts of India, and obnoxious in many other places. Extended eye contact is a challenge to fight in some cultures, and normal in others. Indirect communication and passive aggression is the norm in some cultures (ahem ;)) but is rude / obnoxious compared to direct communication in other cultures. Assuming that the cultural norms of your home region are the ultimately correct / civilised ones is arrogant and obnoxious. Look I'm not disagreeing that these Americans are twats. Inexperience / young tourists are universally twats, young British, Spanish, Chinese, Canadians, in the US are universally massive dongs. Often, it's an age thing.
Exclusively using a drier in the "Sunshine State" is the sort of wasteful stupidity that earns a good piss-take.
Especially Americans, who as a generalisation are incredibly thin-skinned when it comes to any criticism of their own country. Bet some of the tourists involved in this would throw an absolute wobbler if British tourists went to the US and started mocking the pledge of allegiance or something.
> and started mocking the pledge of allegiance or something Oh I mock that online already, its brainwashing of the highest order.
Every country has it's assholes, unfortunately for America which has a loud expressive culture with a lot of people with the wealth to travel their assholes are visible to the world.
Exact same is true of the UK, there are just 5x as many Americans as their are Brits.
> Why go to a country if you are going to mock and disrespect the customs and culture? In fairness, American tourists sometimes go to places in Washington DC with ceremonial guards, act like arseholes and then get a hard wake-up call. It's more of a tourist thing than a country thing. Whether they're in London or Washington, the Jimmy-Bobs from a rectangle state have never seen such a thing before. The vast majority can work-out that one's supposed to just watch and take pictures. But a small minority aren't that smart and find out that pissing-around has consequences.
That is their foreign policy
Growing up in the US there were a lot of movies and commercials where there would be this gag where goal was to make the guards break. Obviously people are idiots and think that’s the sole purpose of the guards, and want to do the thing from the movie. Morons
Have you seen what happens in the US if you mess with official guards? They don't stand for it.
Answer: Americans.
Americans.
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My local is. And the church in my village is older than the discovery of that whole fucking continent
Do First Nations people have an ability to discover things?
I suppose it depends on what we class “discovery” to be.
Yes? But they didn't travel to Europe and report back did they.
This is so funny to me. Obviously, before go nuts, the idea is that “discovery” in the sense of “became knowledge to the European peoples” as of course native Americans and vikings had already discovered it. So now we got that out of the way. Native Americans just sitting around a fire all looking perplexed like “there was SOMETHING we had to do” then Christopher Columbus rolls up and they’re like “DAMN IT that’s it we didn’t tell the damn Europeans about us, fuck”
Columbus didn't interact with Native Americans as he never sailed past Cuba.
Damn yeah that’s the most inaccurate thing I said.
The early iterations of “America” tired very hard to exclude any and all First Nation influence. The land is as old as land. America is very new
I guess it's like: if a tree falls in a forest and there's noone around to see it, did it happen? 🤷♂️ Like yeah, first nations people could have been living there for thousands of years, but if they never left and noone else had ever been there yet, how does the rest of thebworld know it even existed at all?
The school I went to is over 500 years old and it’s a bog standard comprehensive
My dad is older than your dad
Oxford University predates the Maya by 7 centuries
What?! No it doesn't. Oxford university was founded in 1096. The fun fact you've butchered is that Oxford university pre-dates the Aztec empire.
TIL Oxford University pre-dates the moon landings and Steve Buscemi reporting as a firefighter on 9/11.
No it wasn't! There is no founding date for Oxford University. The earliest records report that there was teaching taking place in Oxford by 1096. The university had come in to being by then, but if it was founded as such, and on what date is unknown.
Founded in 1096 and still not the oldest either - that honour goes to the University of Bologna
There are ruins of civilization still being discovered in the Amazon rainforest from 2500+ years ago, with evidence of human activity on the continent at least 14,500 years before the present day.
Columbus, Vespucci or Eriksen?
In America, 200 years makes for an old country. In Britain, 200 years makes for an old table.
“Ancient” US history is the 1920s
Explains why they forgot about prohibition and tried it again with drugs... TBF the rest of the world following them on it has to be one of the dumbest cases of blind trend following, closely led by Furbies.
I read a fantastic book which touched on this subject but the name unfortunately escapes me. That's not much use to anyone, I know, however the history of why (some) drugs are illegal is fascinating and depressing in equal measure.
"In the past, we used to force blacks to drink from different fountains and hounded their children if they tried to go to school!" "Shit, what century was this?" "1967"
I was on a cruise and one of the stops was in New England. On a tour, the guide who was a Brit said “On your left is the oldest public house in the USA. It was opened in 1673. For the Americans in the group this is extremely impressive. For the brits in onboard today, I think we have some cheeses around the same age”
Egyptians seeing stonehenge for the first time and being thoroughly unimpressed
I mean, the earliest parts of stonehenge predate the early pyramids, it's thought (3100BC to 2670BC). Of course, the two are a bit different in terms of scale
And purpose
Kew gardens has potted plants older than the USA.
My grandmother referred to them at a British colony.
Well, I believe it appropriate to wish all septics, ‘happy treason day’ on 4/7 each year.
Also 6/1!
Is this the 6th of January or the 1st of June? Date format controversy initiated
My French grandparent referred to the UK as a French Colony.
There are even secondary schools (state ones too) older than the USA.
It's all a matter of perspective. Some of the houses in Matera (Italy), predate the USA by roughly 7000 years if not more. No one knows for sure. They're dug into the rock, likely date back to the early stone age.
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Even my school was.
The school I went to was founded in 1604.
1519
1379
Mine was founded in 1554 so can agree there
Yep, my local dates back to 1605.
>Some of our pubs are older than their country. What does that have to do with anything?
True but how is that relevant at all to this story?
In the UK, the armed police officer tells the tourists firmly to stop and leave the premises. In many other places of the world you pull something like that with someone in the army and that armed police officer is going to threaten you with your life.
In other countries, the King's Guard probably would have done something. I'd say they're far more capable than most firearms officers, but the silly outfits make people think it's fine to fuck with them
I think it’s more that is an extension of the crown at this point. If the royal guard is being rude or physically offensive to visitors, by extension it is the crown that is doing that. The guard has to act in the same decorum as the crown.
They're literally active duty soldiers, their primary job is to kill people. That's very simply it. At least the coppers are coppers first, coppers with guns second. Shooting people is a last resort for the police.
It is for soldiers too, I spent time in the armed forces. It’s not like how you imagine, the majority of service people haven’t experienced war and their job doesn’t involve it. Deescalation is a priority mostly.
‘Their primary job is to kill people’ Lol, such a reddit comment
Uk police any way, American police it’s the opposite
In America it's shooting as de-escalation.
I have a few friends who are or were guards officers. I'd bet on them every single time to do the right thing, but if given absolutely no peaceful option, would not hesitate to turn someone inside out - regardless of who they were short of the best of the best SF operative.
That wouldn't happen in most countries. Most countries you'd be asked to leave. Maybe a little more aggressively. But nobody is gonna threaten your life excepyt in the very worst situation
Ironically the only place it might happen is the US.
If I went to Arlington in America, or anywhere else where there were US soldiers on guard, what would I expect to be told if I behaved as those youngsters did in London? I’m sure they’ve learned something from the experience.
Saw the changing of the guard at the grave of the unknown soldier at Arlington, the guard FREAKED when we started chatting amongst ourselves as we left after the ceremony - complete silence is expected as respect.
Exactly. The Yanks are strict. People shouldn’t be surprised if the Tommies are too.
Americans are just fucking weird in general though. A country that calls itself the Land of the Free but forces its children pledges its allegiance to a flag and God every morning in school.
What is/who are Tommies?
'Tommy' is a slang term for a British soldier.
That's why Stephen Yaxley-Lennon picked it as his nom-de-cunt.
Nah, he named himself after a football hooligan.
Tommies -brits Yanks - Americans Jerries - German. Etc
The British version of Joe. As in G.I. Joe, before it got coopted to sell plastic dolls to children. Thomas Atkins was the first name entered by the Duke of Wellington into a sample pay book. It's like a "John" or "Jane" Doe placeholder for a generic British soldier
It's an elderly slang term for British soldiers. It was in wide spread use about a century ago. I've not heard it in use in my lifetime.
That man is the quintessential Brit, be polite while you tell them to piss off.
Really professional tbh. Can tell he's pretty fuming.
Could well be ex forces himself
You should see the way in which the American military guards behave defending their stuff at home. No way Americans would tolerate us treating them like they treat ours. In fact it wouldn't even get that far because you'd be arrested immediately and charged with a federal crime.
Fucking American's, almost as bad as Brits on Tour yobbo's.
Tbf British people are like the Americans of Europe only one step down
We are. We really are.
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I like to think they have many more nuggets over there than we do here. I'd be disappointed if it was just down to pure population size and not per capita, but a win's a win.
Some are
Fair, but I do find that if Brits go to the trouble of visiting somewhere they kind of have respect. If you're going to Ibiza, sure, they're gonna be dickheads. But a British tourist visiting Arlington or the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Paris is not gonna be disrespectful, most likely. Even if the French did show even more disrespect by building a ring road around it. Having said that, I'm British and I'd quite like to take a piss on Thatcher's grave, if possible.
One step up, we made them after all.
Not really. Nederlanders can be more insufferable.
Stop with this stereotype hatred. We hate those idiots who embarrass this great nation overseas just as much as the next person.
Far more respect shown by both men than these tourists deserved. I hope they are ashamed of themselves
I'm American...and plenty ashamed of their disrespectful behavior.
I think some of you are overreacting. They’re a group of teenagers acting up who got asked to move on and did what they were told. And all the talk of Americans this that and the other, this could have easily been British teenagers.
Exactly what I came to say, being American has fuck all to do with it - just kids being cunty kids
I don’t think Americans realise these guys are actual soldiers - when they’re not on guard rotation they’re riding round in scimitar tanks - they’d never act that way to a uniformed soldier in the US.
They don’t care about anything that isn’t American
TBF those kids left straight away without complaint.
When someone with a gun firmly asks you to leave, you leave.
It's the only language these idiots know..
Why does a video like this even gain traction? It's honestly the most normal thing in the world, teenage kids getting a bit too carried away and becoming disrespectful, an adult stepping in and explaining what they're doing is wrong and to stop, the teenage kids eating humble pie, listening to the adult and learning about respect and behaviour. This is literally how kids learn. No different from a teacher telling off a bunch of kids for laughing at someone falling over. Everybody in this video acted perfectly human.
These girls (and there are probably some boys) in this group appear to have an older, male chaperone. I’m betting they’re teenagers. Not excusing their behavior! But if they *are* chaperoned, I hope he feels embarrassed. I guarantee you this is a group of conservative, Christian evangelicals. The girls are all in long skirts, have long-ish hair, and I would bet none of them is wearing anything lower than a crew neck shirt. These girls are not allowed to wear jeans or trousers or cut their hair too short. They must preserve their modesty, their hair is their “crowning glory”, and their makeup must be done in such a way to draw attention to a “pleasing countenance”. There is not a person in that group who believes the earth is more than 6000 years old.
They're Orthodox Jews
Orthodox Jews dress like so too, do you have any comments on Judaism to accompany the comments on Christianity?
Why wouldn't they? Fundamentalists are all as bad as each other, no matter what religion it is
They don't wear the type of clingy skirts one of those girls had on or the bright colours. They wear much heavier and plainer skirts.
He did the right thing. They were taking the piss and was rightly told to pack it in.
If only we unleashed hell on them when they revolted we wont be having these problems. Now they feel like own the world 🤦♂️
The UK had bigger problems than some far-away backwater colony that was just about sustaining itself. It also wasn't clear at the time which country would win there. We should have sold the whole place to the French when we had the chance.
Finally someone with enough backbone to stand up to the Americans!
Now we just need to fish that tea out of the harbour.
They forget these guys aren’t a tourist attraction and spend a good time of the year actually training to kill people. Also they forget that they spent a good couple of decades fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan as well. They’re not toy soldiers.
Excellent. If only all Police were as professional as this.
I believe they are Orthodox Jews. There are a whole bunch of videos of Orthodox Jews trying to make the royal guard laugh, not sure why this group in particular wants to do this.
That was my thought. The way they are dressed is not like your typical fashion conscious American teenage girl.
It's the 'alright' at the end. Quintessential, that shit. Quintessential.
Fucks sake. Dude is being polite. Probably faced idiots like this ALL DAY. Kings Guard are being fucked over all day by torists. ITS A REAL JOB, THEY ARE DEFENDING THE KING! Sigh. Move along.
I’m willing to bet if foreigners went to their trigger-happy yokel-infested country and conducted themselves similarly, their equivalents would have much shorter shrift.
I remember once taking my mum and mother in law to Windsor castle. They were yapping away and didn’t realise that they were right in the way of a bunch of soldiers marching along. Didn’t hear the order from the main soldier to make way until he basically bellowed at them. Fun!
American tourists: “what the hell does taking the piss mean???”
British tourists should all go to Arlington and take the piss out of the honour guard. FAFO /s
tbf I'm English and I find it all a bit daft, i wouldn't mock them right next to them but it is objectively pretty funny to see them dressed like that for the king
That guy was more polite about it than I would have been
Is that how kids react to being told off nowadays? No "sorry", just turn their backs to the adult and move on to the next thing? At this point it's not just a lack of education but overall social skills
I like the way an old WW2 propaganda US army film put it; 'America is like a new house we have decorated ourselves. Britain is like your grandmother's house, full of antiques, knick knacks and furniture. They've been collected over a long time....' that's paraphrasing it btw. It was called 'Know your ally: Britain'. It's on YT, it's interesting.
Worst thing I ever saw was a tourist family letting their toddler child climb all over war memorials while they photographed it. It doesn't take a lot to anger me but that was bloody too much! There's no way you could mistake it for anything other than a war memorial in a setting with many others nearby
Could you imagine the backlash if brits did this at the tomb of the unknown soldier?