Author contrasts America with England after a visit to the USA in Spring 2007
A holiday/vacation for most of us is a welcome break from the repetitive monotony and stresses of the office or factory. Ideally a chance to unwind with family and friends, and explore new areas. Apart from the change of scenery, a holiday for me is usually an opportunity to learn something new about the world we live in, the nuances of other cultures, and even how I relate to the rest of the world as an individual. I say this because the way you’re treated abroad may differ than in your home country. That applies to me certainly, and is one reason why I don’t believe we’re all the same. Of all the nations in the world, The United States has remained a beacon of fascination to me since my student days. This trip was my seventh visit there since 1990. I chose to foray into the rural heartlands of Kentucky, and West Virginia, states I had never traversed before given they’re off the beaten tourist track. I drove a snazzy Chrysler rental car, covering roughly 1500 miles in a loop that took me from Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Ohio and then back up to Michigan. A highlight was a stop off at Mammoth National Park in south western Kentucky, which is home to the longest known cavern system in the world. Half the fun was getting there, meandering up the rolling hills with vistas to take in under the glorious basking sunshine. My overall impression of this particular chunk of America was favourable indeed, though I didn’t venture into any major cities. Driving across the wide open spaces of America is an exhilarating and even therapeutic experience for the mind and soul. It’s certainly roomy for my liking. The vastness of the land reminds you that you’re in a great nation with probably more miles of paved road than any other country on Earth. The United States has long shared a special relationship with the UK during the 20th century, which grew stronger following the aftermath of World War II as television and improved communications permeated mass society. The PC (computers that is) revolution also played it’s part in strengthening ties, and from the mid 1990s the Internet enhanced this relationship at a personal level. A fair number of Americans and Brits have met each on the net through a variety of interest areas. However, aside from the basic similarities that bond the countries together, this essay will later suggest that the rate of decay in Britain is leaving it less similar to the sprit and character of America. As far as patriots are concerned, Britain and the US are rowing the same boat by enduring the transitional side effect pains to enforced multiculturalism. In Western Critiques opinion Britain is faring worse, mainly as it’s smaller and densely populated. So after 5 years since my last visit I was keenly intrigued to see how England measured up to America. Nationalists on both sides of the Atlantic pessimistically assert they’re sinking ships. But despite whatever you read about another place, be it a city or country, it’s best to visit the place in person to experience it yourself. Usually you can’t beat first hand observation.
Throughout this part of the USA I observed the majority of Americans to be civilised and orderly. Not a new observation given it was my seventh visit. It just reinforced the more favourable perceptions of my previous visits, not all of which were necessarily as uplifting. Almost everyone was assertive and emotionally mature. There were fewer anti-social miscreants about and less litter in the streets of nearly everywhere I went. The standard of driving was commendable. Drivers stuck to the speed limit, and there was only mild bit of tailgating when I was passing through Detroit. Back home half the drivers on motorways think they’re on a Formula 1 race circuit, easily doing over 100 miles per hour in the brief periods of calm on the congested roads. Actually, I don’t mind putting the pedal down when the road is clear. Just a nuisance when I see arrogant drivers tailgating other cars or my own. Whereas speed humps continue to slowly proliferate in Britain in residential roads, I have not encountered these contraptions in suburban America so far. In Britain their installation by local authorities is done in the name of traffic calming. Maniac calming would be a more appropriate description. They have really been installed to prevent mad drivers doing 50 miles per hour in 30 mile per hour zones. Previous road signs pleading drivers to slow down have proved ineffective. At moments I succumbed to a mild sense of inferiority coming from a country where civility and formality in public conduct is increasingly disregarded. The national mood is certainly not upbeat or optimistic. Walk past people on the pavement in many towns in Britain today and your often greeted by sullen faces, frowns, or an unfriendly glare. That should be enough to gauge the state of the country.
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Although America may be enduring the bane of large scale immigration into its cities – both legal and illegal – I stand to the conviction that the nation is fundamentally a white country in its soul, as epitomised in the small towns. And although it has included a multicultural dimension to its character for some time it still retains an underlying bedrock of European culture as its core foundation. Oh America, please refrain from going as far as Britain on the degenerate path to a stale, mediocre society where white freshness and beauty is being extinguished. Preserve what makes you great.
http://www.westerncritique.org/tale_two_nations.htm