Emily Blunt has been all over the place the past few weeks as she promotes her new film, Sicario, which has gotten some good reviews. During her interview blitz, Blunt has been discussing how she recently became an American citizen. Blunt is married to John Krasinski, an American, and she gave birth in America, meaning their baby is an American citizen too. Apparently, Blunt is sticking with dual citizenship, but she has been chatting about finally becoming an American and how she has mixed feelings about it. Some assorted quotes from the past week:
On Kimmel, Blunt discussed taking her citizenship oath: “I’m not sure I’m entirely thrilled about it. People ask me about the whole day. They were like, ‘Oh, it must have been so emotional.’ I was like, ‘It wasn’t! It was sad!’ I like being British.”
Rejecting the Queen: “It wasn’t specifically Queen E, but she knows. The thing that’s weird is I do get to keep both my British citizenship and this, but you have to renounce her. So, it’s kind of typically American — not to be rude — but I had to renounce her in the room but I don’t actually, technically renounce her. They were like, ‘Just say it. You don’t have to mean it, but just say it.'”
She became a citizen on the same day as the first Republican debate: “I became an American citizen recently, and that night, we watched the Republican debate and I thought, ‘This was a terrible mistake. What have I done?'”
First of all, I think Blunt has been trying to keep it light during the promotional trail and she’s been giving the same joke-y quotes about the GOP debate to a lot of different outlets. So, that doesn’t offend me. I’m not offended by her mixed feelings about having to renounce the Queen either. But the “I’m not entirely thrilled about it” thing bugged me a little. If you have those kinds of mixed feelings, why do it, especially when there are literally millions of people desperate to become American citizens?
Anyway, as you can imagine, Fox News has jumped all over her comments. Some FoxBot Blonde said “Well you know what, then why don’t you leave Hollywood, California, and let some American women take on the roles that you’re getting.” Someone said Blunt had just “Dixie Chick’d herself.” Welcome to ‘Merica, Emily!
Photos courtesy of Getty.
Emily’s going to have a rough road to Oscar.
Emily is about to break CB.
No kidding mimif!
I don’t check in for one day and come back to find this at 400+ comments! Madness! Ha!!
I’ll let this describe it for me…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JmzuRXLzqKk
Why would she ever win an Oscar, she’s terrible. I have never seen one thing she was in that showed she had any talent at all. Whiny B!tch.
Well that’s intense.
lola
But tell us how you really feel?
Tiffany
lol
I love her and I get that the comments were meant in jest but I didn’t find much of it particularly funny. I don’t find it offensive either though. Just a case of misjudging her audience.
I’m with you. I think becoming a citizen of a different country is always a bit bittersweet. I may have to get American citizenship to work which is wonderful, it’s wonderful that there are opportunities in the US to follow my dreams but also…. I’m Canadian. I’ll always be Canadian, you know?
So glad you said this; I think it’s bittersweet too. It would be nice if people were able to relax a little bit about these identities. Citizenship is just one aspect of a person having to do with legal status pertaining to this or that nation, and the rights and requirements thereof. It doesn’t make someone any better than anybody else and it’s quite possibly to have loyalty and affection for both, as dual citizenry is most likely to exist among nations that are on fairly good terms.
That’s very funny that she could keep her British citizenship but had to renounce the Queen. When Americans acquire citizenship in Canada, they have to take an oath of allegiance. So that door swings both ways.
If she was dismayed about the Republican debate, here’s the thing: Now she can vote! Emily, you have the vote!
I have to say, as a Canadian who became a British citizen as well, I didn’t find it bittersweet. Same Queen, same kind of Parliament, and it’s not like Canada and Britain really compete with each other (i.e. sporting rivalries) like Britain and Australia do. Sometimes it’s easy to have both.
I’m in love with Canada ever since I visited several years ago, don’t give up your papers.
She looks as botoxed as Nicole Kidman. Her left eye looks even weak
her left eye always looked like that.
Not here in 2007 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f7hv9UunEe8
google “my summer of love”. it’s from 2004 and her left eye always looked like that. maybe aging made it worse? I can’t see it in that video you posted, but maybe make up made it look better there, idk.
What’s with the Botox obsession here? Emily Blunt is 32-years-old and in good health. Why in the world would she need Botox?
She is gorgeous, I don’t believe she is botoxed, she clearly has little lines around her eyes.
In our world, she doesn’t “need” it. But the Hollywood definition of “need” is different from ours.
Uhhh ohhh! I feel a shit storm coming your way….it’s inevitable
I’m about to wade into the comments. Holy crap! They’re now at 300 plus. Lemme get myself a nice cold drink.
First she has to learn that one can’t joke about ‘murica. She’ll have the ‘muricans forming at the mouth.
This is true. In the 3 years that i lived there (just recently came back), i had to endure so many ~”jokes”~ about my “poor 3rd world country, do you guys still live in trees?” but as soon as i said something remotely critical of, like, even American foreign policy, it was “then f-ing leave you ungrateful biznitch.”
I still miss Boston though. I’ve been crying myself to sleep thinking about it 😭
USA’s foreign policy applies to jokes too? Damn.
I hear you. I used to have that all the time until I learnt to zip it.
Even here on CB. It took me a very long time to write anything that might me interpreted as critical of America. As i’ve come to know many of the posters, i’ve relaxed about it, and feel I can occasionally rib the Americans.
@LAK Are you bringing up ribs because we’re fat?!???
Abbot: ‘to rib’ is English colloquialism meaning to tease. Usually good humoured and affectionate. Nothing to do with the size of anybody.
Holmes: You are proving my point!!!!!
@LAK I know. I’m teasing you 😉
Abbott: got me!!! LOL 🙂
tifzlan, I hear you. As an American who has lived abroad, I used to get so upset by Anti-American comments. But what I eventually realized is that most of them are just what you say, regarding our govt. foreign policy, which I am now very critical of having been outside “the bubble”. But what I cannot abide are the constant comments and ridicule about E-Z Cheese! Every other country in the world has processed cheese products exactly like E-Z Cheese except not in the convenient can with the nifty applicator. Every country I’ve been in people scoff at the American “spray cheese”. LOL
I went to grad school in England and miss it all the time. The Mister and I went back earlier this year to see a friend of mine get married and I was reminded why I fell in love with it all over again. The first time I came back to the states for a visit I tried to help certain relatives understand how America was/is seen . . . and it just went over like a lead balloon. And forget trying to bring up gun control/lack of gun violence, especially here in Texas. I’ve literally seen people plug their ears to keep from having to be confronted with facts.
My husband is actually a dual citizen, as his mother was from Scotland, so technically we could move there with few issues, but we’ve got so much . . . life going on here. I actually have nightmares sometimes where I wake up crying at the prospect of living in the same city where I grew up . . . and then I wake up and realize that I do still live in the same city I grew up in. So, yeah. There’s a big indication as to why I’m still in therapy after all these years.
As a Canadian, we have Americans laugh at us all the time. Just recently, an American on a Canadian created blog (Lainey) started off an article with how Canadian money is like Monopoly money and how much it was a pain for her to have to use it while her trip to TIFF was being paid for by the Canadian blog site. Not all Americans are bad, but just another example of arrogance and ignorance not realizing that other countries may sometimes do things differently.
Other countries accept dual citizenship (although as I say this Harper wants to change that – basically for Middle East countries) and I never understood why the US can’t accept it too, especially with countries that have been allies for a long time. Emily Blunt shouldn’t have to renounce anything.
Fox News basically promotes jingoistic facism and unfortunately the Americans who watch that network don’t realize it is not different from what countries like Iran and North Korea do on their “networks”.
Nic919, I read that post and that stating paragraph made me cringe.
As a foreigner myself, I found it rude and insensitive.
What really made it tragic was the condescending tone.. I mean, she could have just written “Speaking of Canada, I love how their money is so colorful and plastic-y that it looks like cash I am not actually spending!”.
Very ignorant.
The US does allow dual citizenship with selected nations.
The 2-tier Canadian citizenship created by the Harper government might have been targeting Muslims but it can catch anyone in the net, including dual citizens with Great Britain and the USA. It dilutes the meaning of citizenship and I hope it can be overturned, either by the Supreme Court of Canada or a different Parliament.
Emily Blunt didn’t have to renounce her British citizenship, just her loyalty to the Queen as head of state. It’s really splitting hairs, and as she was told, it doesn’t really mean much. If she lost her British passport somewhere and went into the British consulate, they’re not going to say, “You bad girl, you hurt the Queen’s feelings and we won’t help you any more.”
I’m Canadian. I lived and worked in the USA for a few years and loved it. I live in a border city only 20 min from the USA. I have nothing but love for my neighbours…
When I lived in the states I had an opportunity to become a US citizen. I was born in England, so I am not only British but also I’m a Canadian citizen. When I was speaking with US imigration I was told flat out, give up your Canadian citizenship in order to become a US one. By birth I will always be a naturalized Brit, but no way was I going to give up my Canadian citizenship to become a US citizen. Being Canadian is a wonderful privaledge and goes a long way for me when I’ve travelled overseas. Again, no shade to the Americans but… no.
Nic919: Hmmm, did they take the offending comment out of the Lainey article? I don’t see it, although I can kinda guess who made it. (I tend not to read that person’s posts, so I guess that’s why I missed it.)
When I was a kid, I wanted to go and live in the States. I wanted to be a singer and thought the only way you could make it was to move to the U.S., and it just looked so much more spectacular and exciting in my childish young eyes than my own country.
As an adult, I appreciate and love Canada (my home country) much more and would never want to move or renounce it. I’m not a huge fan of the current PM, but I would feel sad to renounce QEll, I kind of love her. I can see why Emily would feel sad about that. I think she could have worded it much better, without being insulting to Americans, but hopefully she didn’t intend it that way.
Canadiangirlgirl, that’s odd that you were told that. Maybe it was before the dual citizenship treaties were drawn up? Probably not, it may go back as far as 1977. Of course if you don’t want or need dual citizenship, that’s fine and you’ll avoid the tax hassles, but there are thousands of dual US-Canadian citizens. I hold 2 passports myself and travel on whichever makes sense.
It’s taking an oath. I would have dual citizenship if I didn’t have to renounce allegiance to any other potentate (can’t remember precisely how it’s worded). I won’t do it. I think I can have allegiance to both. It does mean something. It’s an oath, and I’m not going to lie. So I’m still a resident alien and likely to stay that way because of exactly that so I totally understand her hinkiness about it.
Glad someone explained this!
I hold Dual Citizenship and my thoughts on her comments were immediately… Then don’t stop being british. And.. Why not be both?
Still, this is misreading her crowd as another said above.
And on the other side… Many people have made major sacrifices and continue to do so to become a citizen. I doubt she meant it as an ignorant comment so no grief. Still, let’s not forget this is a major issue. Didn’t Oliver do a LWT episode on this? It should be watched. As all his episodes. I <3 him
I have dual Can/US citizenship (naturalized US). It wasn’t a big deal. Said an oath..so what? Joined the US military too. Friends, those things are formalities. My favorite favorite military tattoo is Death Before Dishonor on a Marine with a dishonorable discharge.
Anyway, I naturalized two seconds before 9/11 so things got tighter after that. However, I’ve never been asked to give up my Canadian citizenship and like I said, active duty US military/spouse for 7-8 years (never could get a proper security clearance tho). All 10 people in my family have at least two nationalities, if not three, one of them being American.
But my friend in the US military was asked to give up her Canadian citizenship because she was only born in Canada. I became a US citizen at age 21. The length of time you lived in the first country matters.
@Canadiangirlgirl, what people tell you to do and what you actually have to do–per the paperwork–are often not the same.
She specifically said in the interview that she gets to keep her British citizenship. “The thing that’s weird is I do get to keep both my British citizenship” and the U.S does have dual citizenship with some countries. In fact, a significant number of our very high ranking government officials hold dual citizenship with Israel.
oh my. How ever will you get through a day without making nasty sweeping generalizations about an entire nation?
You mean kind of like the sweeping generalizations and stereotypes i’ve had to listen to about my country, my religion and my people from a lot of Americans over the years that i lived there? Of course, not everyone was a total git and pain in the arse but if i told you the types of “jokes” i’ve had to sit through, you wouldn’t even believe me.
Get back in your tree, tifzlan!
SARCASM
@mimif HAHAHAHAHA, you truly made me roll about in my bed, laughing like crazy.
My bed of leaves and sticks and twigs of course 😉
A commenter on this board – after an enormous and rude temper tantrum at my perceived criticism of the US, which was actually a statistic and nothing to do with a personal opinion of mine – once told me that if my ancestors had had the courage to get on a boat a century or two ago, I too could have been lucky enough to be just like her. Having just demonstrated why nobody in the world would have any desire to be like her. Most amusing.
But y’know. All countries have their share of obnoxious jingoists, don’t they? I know the UK does. And for some reason, they are always the ones who shout loudest and get heard most. For the most part, Celebitchy is an oasis of nice Americans. Is why I play here.
We call those “nests”, tifzlan. Speak ‘Murican darn-it!
@ Holmes. Just FYI, ‘Murican is not the same as American. Someone mocking ‘Muricans is only mocking those who fit the redneck, extreme-patriot stereotype … not an entire nation. LAK really wasn’t insulting America, she was mocking knee-jerk jingoism.
(And for the record, my comment is not intended to mock the entire nation of America either … just Sarah Palin.)
Sixer says:
“For the most part, Celebitchy is an oasis of nice Americans. Is why I play here.”
The Oasis Of Nice Americans is the place to be. There’s a pool. We serve mojitos to people of all cultural backgrounds. We discuss foreign policy and make jokes about ourselves.
I have learned more about British culture and slang here on Celebitchy than anywhere else. Not just British, but European, Asian etc. It’s nice to have a sandbox where we play nicely and learn from each other.
And I love your snark, Sixer– even when it’s directed at my CB lovers or silly Americans. DON’T EVAH CHANGE!
Reporting live from the oasis …
Americans in Canada come in for their fair share of abuse, too. No where’s perfect.
I think what people offering realistic criticism of the USA would like is some appreciation that they complain because they care. What’s more, any American is 100% entitled to criticize it and act for change. “Love it or leave it” is cheap, immature and counter to the health of a democracy. Self-criticism is the whole damn point.
Non-Americans are entitled to criticize because the USA is very powerful, very influential, and has a nasty habit of destabilizing the world order resulting in even more violence and chaos. And when its economy goes down, so does that of everybody else. Everyone has a stake in how the USA does, making it a big target.
And Mia4S below yes, you’re on to something — it’s just straight defensive tactics now. The shame of the Bush years lingers on and people want to feel proud again.
I am going to think of this post every time there is an anti-British Royal Family post in this site, & guffaw. The writers and this community is totally fine and dandy mocking British institutions and traditions, but you aren’t able to take a dose of your own medicine. HA!
Zavi – who on this site mocks British institutions and traditions in the royal posts? Some of the personalities involved get criticised in a mocking way, sure, but I’ve never seen anyone – except perhaps for me and some of the other Britishers hereabouts – mock the actual institutions and traditions.
In fact, I’d say Kaiser, who does the royal writing, and almost all the commenters have more respect for and interest in the institutions and traditions than most British people I know. Personally, I think they only exist to have the piss taken out of all the ridiculous flummery. No point to them otherwise.
— Sixer–
Flummery.
Officially my favorite new word– and surely must be accompanied by dismissive flittering of hand or fingers
Just an outsiders opinion but I think the lack of self-deprecation or ability to take a joke (on the part of many, not all) is a symptom of what has led America to its current problems. So many are convinced they’re “No.1!!!!” in everything that they don’t notice that they are actually NOT number 1 in almost anything (health, education, life expectancy). The response to falling behind other countries in America used to be “Yeah? Watch this!”. Now it’s “Shut up we are so the best!”.
Oh and I do think she was joking but the Republican debate was an embarrassment. Period. America is and should be better than that.
Speaking as an American, I really don’t get why many Americans are so insecure about the country – gotta be the best in everything, and if they’re not the best they’re going to be the best soon. It’s weird.
As for Blunt, I mean she did decide to get citizenship, it’s not as if she hates America.
I’ve found this as well. There’s a lack of humility and humor that really isn’t doing the U.S. any favors. Exactly as you state, it’s a nation that’s really not number one in anything except war. A lot of outsiders see it as a republic that’s heading the way of Ancient Rome. We see your problems as a sign of what’s to come. That Americans still shout USA! non ironically is so bizarre to me. The global perception to all except those in developing nations is that it’s a nation sinking fast. I’d never renounce my own citizenship in favor of the U.S. Never. Far too risky.
I know. Americans will lose their shit over these comments but do you seriously not see how your nation is sinking in education, healthcare and poverty? If you don’t start educating your electorate and getting your shit together you are rapidly going down. There is nothing stable about the U.S. and they’re going to take the global markets with them as they tank their economy for all but the 1%.
I’m an American and I’m not losing my shit. Why do you think Bernie Sanders is drawing the big (and under reported) crowds that he is drawing, talking about injustice and inequality? People know something’s wrong but some are better informed about the cause than others.
As for the lack of humility, depends on who you know. There is something in the American culture of enterprise and individualism that results in greater levels of risk-taking and an optimism/confidence that can when taken too far be perceived as arrogance and cockiness. There is swagger – the whole child-rearing system is imbued with competition and star-search. And the sports complex feeds right into the militarism.
The thing to remember about the USA is it’s big and regional with all kinds of influences and disparities. It’s really several nations – hence the Civil War, hence the current strong divisions. Your impressions would vary depending on where you go. Right now Texas/South is dominating, maybe due to the population shift to the Sunbelt. It’s a problem.
Oh, Blunt didn’t have to renounce to add the USA.
“The thing to remember about the USA is it’s big and regional with all kinds of influences and disparities. It’s really several nations – hence the Civil War, hence the current strong divisions. Your impressions would vary depending on where you go. Right now Texas/South is dominating, maybe due to the population shift to the Sunbelt. It’s a problem.”
THIS. Why don’t people understand this? Is it just because they’ve never been to the US that they are so uninformed? Or is it just that they see a story about the US in the news like the one about Kim Davis and assume every American is the same?
It’s so odd the way some people here describe America/Americans as if we all subscribe to the same beliefs, culture, patterns of thinking or whatever. It’s as if people don’t have a true concept of how large and politically divided this country is. Foreigners talk about us as if what a conservative bible-thumper in Texas or Florida believes is somehow more representative of the US than how my friends and I think. I get so frustrated at the narrow-mindedness of that way of thinking.
Me too, Kitten.
Canadians are particularly funny, they visit a lot of Southern places in the winter for the warmth and then complain that Americans are all, like, Southern (undereducated and overweight). It’s like basing your opinion of an entire people on visiting Disneyworld on a hot day in July.
> Foreigners talk about us as if what a conservative bible-thumper in Texas or Florida believes is somehow more representative of the US than how my friends and I think. I get so frustrated at the narrow-mindedness of that way of thinking.
@Kitten, just to be fair here, do people in the US understand the subtle regional and political differences in such huge countries as China, India, Russia, Nigeria, Brazil, Mexico? Do they know the states that comprise those countries, the political parties? You’ll be lucky if they know at least who the president of a country is, and what is the capital city.
I am pretty sure majority of the world knows that the US has 50 states, but while there is a difference between those 50 states I tell you from the personal experience that diversity within just Western Europe (relatively tiny place geographically) is much bigger than within the US.
I see a lot of aggressive propaganda in the US against some countries and they are judged as a whole. Nobody pays attention to the differences. They are just declared an “enemy” and that is that. Like Iran or Russia, for example. And once that is done, what do you think the reaction of people in those countries? Do you think they are going to care that some 5% of Americans might disagree? I don’t think so. All Americans become an enemy. That is an extreme example, obviously. But this is why you get generalization because it is the state (the US) that those people are affected by, not individual Americans.
The GOP debate was an embarrassment. I am trying to brace myself for the 2nd one tonight.
The only thing worse than the things these candidate say are the millions of people who cheer them on. Sigh.
“I tell you from the personal experience that diversity within just Western Europe (relatively tiny place geographically) is much bigger than within the US.”
That seems like it was pulled out of the air. 224 languages are spoken in Los Angeles alone!
And why are all Southerners, like, undereducated and overweight? Again, huge states with a lot of people that are neither of those things.
> That seems like it was pulled out of the air. 224 languages are spoken in Los Angeles alone!
I’ve been to Los Angeles. It is diverse but it has 2-3 major cultures, not 224. How many people need to be speaking a given language for it to be considered “spoken”?
There are 780 languages in India, India is more diverse than the Los Angeles then ,by this definition. And there it is not just a couple of families who speak a given language.How much do people know about the regions and different ethnicities in India?
‘Murica F yeah! It’s nationalism which is a huge part of our identity. It is what we stand for despite our many problems. The American Dream and all that jazz. The belief that you can come from nothing and make something of yourself. I’m a Brit born naturalized U.S. citizen, served in the military, and while I miss England I have never been more proud. As to Blunt, I think she was half joking. It is hard, in the moment, to renounce your country. I actually got a little queasy.
“I’ve been to Los Angeles. It is diverse but it has 2-3 major cultures”
You might have been to Los Angeles, but clearly you do NOT know Los Angeles. 2-3 “major cultures” is laughable and absurd and flat out wrong. You realize India is a country and LA is a city, right? So not the best comparison to my numbers.
> You might have been to Los Angeles, but clearly you do NOT know Los Angeles. 2-3 “major cultures” is laughable and absurd and flat out wrong. You realize India is a country and LA is a city, right? So not the best comparison to my numbers.
Please, Tiffany, The US is not as diverse as you think it to be. And the fact that you arguing so hard over it just shows the blind spot you have . You expect others to understand the subtle differences in American culture, and yes, they are subtle to an outside observer, but you are unwilling to accept that other places are even more diverse , with even longer history and influences, and they are.
You just proved my point that you expect very high lever of understanding from others while you yourself don’t have it.
Just how long does one need to live in LA for them to qualify as “knowing” it sufficiently to discuss it? (I spent 3 weeks there, btw and I’ve lived in multiple US cities for several months each for work and I have lived in the US for 15+ years so I feel like I am fully qualified to judge the US culture).
And have you lived outside the US for sufficient amounts of time to understand where all those different people from different cultures are coming from?
Haha!!! So true!! I am a born lifetime American and that we think we are the bestest country in the whole universe while at the same time being so painfully sensitive to anyone criticizing us at all is the strangest case of cognitive dissonance I know. We are painfully insecure, it seems.
What is she talking about? Like Kaiser I’m wondering why did she become a dual citizen? Why not just get permanent resident status? I’m not offended, but I am really confused. I had a college professor who was from New Zealand, married to an American and had a daughter. The kid had dual citizenship and he was a permanent resident. Why not do that?
Absolutely – just what I was going to say. It’s not like they kick you out if you don’t become a citizen. You can be a permanent resident forever. I’m not a fan so I’m a bit biased, but I think her comments are ridiculous. No one is forcing her to become anAmerican citizen ffs.
OT — why does she only smile when she’s acting or otherwise working/promoting something. I know the paps can be a pain in the posterior, but regardless of the circumstances, she always looks as though she’s been sucking on lemons. You don’t expect maniacal ear to ear grins 24/7, but she can’t even manage a pleasant or at least neutral expression.
If you can keep your dual citizenship there some good arguments for going ahead and getting the US citizenship. If you have a green card you can potentially be deported for relatively minor offensives. I have family that work for US customs and they strongly urged my husband to get citizenship after seeing people deported who had lived in the US 30+ years. And my husband did, but I think he may have had a little sadness as well because his identity is also tied to his birthplace. One of his big motivations was because we have children. She had a fainter recently and perhaps that may have motivated her as well. Also there is he potential that laws will change down the road. We have so much anti-immigrant retoric that being an American can remove some of it (or not in Emily’s place).
I agree. She should’ve done that. Maybe there were legal/ financial reasons for becoming a citizen. Otherwise for any EU citizen it is better to keep their citizenship and only have permanent resident status in the US.
I am a British citizen and acquired American citizenship in 2011 so that makes me, like her, dual British and American citizens. The thing is that American citizenship does require you to renounce other citizenships but if I remember correctly, British Citizenship can only be truly renounced at a British embassy and not through the acquisition of American citizenship, confusing as that may sound. It is not so unsual to feel sad. This is tied up with identity although I do not even know why she mentioned it since she did not give up her British citizenship. So there was really nothing to be sad about. I think she was just making interesting conversation.
She may have gotten American citizenship because it relieves her of the burden of being out of the country longer than 6mths at a time and which can present a problem when you have only a green card. For instance, if she goes home to England and stays out longer than the 180 days she will be screwed. Bearcat will probably be able to answer that better as she is an immigration lawyer. I am also a lawyer who has dabbled in immigration law but I write from personal experience not expertise.
The tax benefit/burdens are the same whether you are a green card holder or American citizen.
The USA does NOT require new citizens to renounce citizenship in other countries with which they hold treaties. I just googled – and tho I don’t know this source, this is a list from one immigration firm: http://www.immihelp.com/citizenship/dual-citizenship-recognize-countries.html
I think she was just making conversation too. My interpretation is that she always felt 100% British, through and through, and the acquisition of a 2nd citizenship (USA or other) changes that somehow. It might not have been about ‘murica per se, just an unexpected shift in how she sees herself prompted by where life brought her.
I hope she enjoys her new right to vote.
> I don’t know this source, this is a list from one immigration firm: http://www.immihelp.com/citizenship/dual-citizenship-recognize-countries.html
This is the list of the countries that allow/ not allow dual citizenship, with the US or any other country, i.e. if you were become a citizen of the US, then that other country would demand that you give up their citizenship.
My kids nanny was from one of those countries, she had to give up her original citizenship because of her country laws, not the US laws.
I think she did duel citizenship for tax reasons.
Maybe?
Aren’t there tax rules where you have to pay taxes on properties abroad to America even if you file your taxes in Britain? I don’t know if her taking out the American citizenship would really benefit her tax-wise. She’d probably get less questions at the border when she crosses through though (that’s the only reason I can see as to why she’d take the citizenship if she doesn’t like the idea of it much).
I doubt it – Americans have to pay taxes on income made both in the US and abroad, unless the sum is less than some specified amount. There have been people who renounced US citizenship for tax reasons.
only if she wanted to pay MORE taxes. edit: i see others have already commented on that too.
US and Eritrea are the only countries that tax based on citizenship, not residence. Tax treaties ensure you don’t pay double taxes but you have to file all the returns. She’s rich enough to afford the specialized accountants/tax lawyers to take care of all this for her.
The USA has made renouncing more expensive and just plain harder to do.
Who ARE these people? says:
The USA does NOT require new citizens to renounce citizenship in other countries with which they hold treaties. I just googled – and tho I don’t know this source, this is a list from one immigration firm: http://www.immihelp.com/citizenship/dual-citizenship-recognize-countries.html
Pardon me, but did you miss the part where I said this was from personal experience. I was naturalized in 2011 and therefore, like Emily, had to swear to renounce my other citizenship. You prefer Google than recollections of personal experience ?
Bings, no need for sarcasm. All I was doing was pointing out that the citizenship possibilities vary depending on the countries involved. Sometimes it’s about who the US allows, sometimes about the other country. Sometimes the US forces renunciation, sometimes the other country.
I don’t prefer Google, I took a shortcut, so do we all, in service of a larger point.
I didn’t get why she didn’t just keep her permanent resident status either.
I’m not sure, but by having dual citizenship does she retain the right to work anywhere in the EU without a visa? Maybe it was a combination of tax and visa issues that swayed her decision.
I know my cousin never gave a hoot about being a UK citizen until he became an Australian citizen. He walked out of the ceremony and burst into tears and to this day he can’t say exactly why.
Being a permanent resident is a real hassle. That’s why a lot of people choose to become US citizens. But normally, it’s a hassle for people from specific countries because an American and British passport can get you pretty much anywhere around the world. Why Emily chose to become a US citizen is beyond me, but I can understand why she would feel sad about it.
That’s what I was thinking too. Her British passport is just as “useful” as her American passport, so in that sense it isn’t as necessary for her to become an American citizen. Although after watching the clip, I don’t know how serious she is about being sad. I think she was just joking, and the only media outlet that seems really mad about what she said is Fox News, who get angry about everything.
Her husband and child are US citizens, there are convenience and identity factors in that for her. And maybe she wants to have a say in the governance of her new home city, state and country? How often we overlook the role played by the vote.
I think her decision has more to do with finances than anything else. As an American, she would pay less income tax. I would imagine as a British citizen, she would pay taxes on her income earned in the US. So, if you don’t live there or work there, what is the point of paying taxes to a country you don’t reside in?
There are many reasons why remaining a lawful permanent resident over the long haul might not have been feasible for her. For starters, LPRs actually have to spend the majority of their time in the U.S. and risk having their green cards taken away if they are absent from the U.S. for more than 180 days consecutively or at any time if they are not maintaining sufficient ties to the U.S. (house, job, finances, family, etc.). While LPRs can get reentry permits (permission to leave the U.S. for up to 2 years consecutively – which is useful for people who want to study or take a temp job overseas), they are limited to 3 consecutive permits (6 years total). After that the LPR must remain in the U.S. for at least a year before s/he can apply for a new reentry permit. LPRs also face additional financial hurdles; it is quite common and totally legal for banks to offer less preferential mortgage interest rates or less favourable credit card terms to a noncitizen – even when the person has a long and positive credit history or significant wealth or family members in the U.S. I cannot even count how many times I have had to write letters to banks, loan officers, builders, and title companies explaining what lawful permanent residence really means and why my clients have the legal right to live and work indefinitely in the U.S. despite the expiration date on the actual green card. Plus, thanks to the Patriot Act and Know Your Customer rules, banks and financial institutions are way more strict about accepting noncitizens as customers and monitor their transactions very closely. I have had several clients complain that their banks routinely put temporary holds on incoming or outgoing wire transfers from foreign countries but never do so on domestic wire transfers.
While it sounds like Emily was trying to be funny when she made her comments, I think it is really very rude for people who have never had to immigrate to or naturalize in the U.S. to criticize and condemn her. Yes, there are lots of people who would love to be U.S. citizens and cannot do so, but that does not negate how she personally feels about her decision to naturalize. Frankly, it seems to me that she took the process seriously so I can see why she might be genuinely conflicted about taking the oath of allegiance to the U.S. which, for the record, reads as follows:
“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.”
Keep in mind too that a federal judge administered that oath to her in a small VIP ceremony in a federal courtroom, not in a huge, impersonal naturalization ceremony at an arena full of immigrants and spectators. I litigate plenty of cases, and even I still get intimidated in courtrooms and before judges. Her nerves may have been rattled by the significance of her decision and the pomp and circumstance of the court, not to mention the promises she was making to her new country.
Having worked as an immigration lawyer for nearly two decades, I have seen many, many immigrants have strong emotional reactions to milestones like getting a green card or naturalizing to U.S. citizenship or voting for the first time in the U.S. Some of my refugee clients have admitted to me that they never stop feeling guilty for being able to escape to the U.S. when they know so many of their fellow countrymen will never have that chance or have even died trying to get to safety. Others have pointed out that even though they love living in the U.S. and indeed have built their entire lives, careers, and families here, they never truly stop missing their home countries. They struggle with raising their U.S. born and raised children to appreciate their roots overseas as well as the challenges the parents faced in coming to the U.S.
Anyway, welcome to our American family, Emily, and thanks for choosing the U.S. As I write to my clients in my naturalization congratulations letter, “I know you will continue to positively contribute to the life and success of the United States of America.”
Thanks for this Bearcat, TONS of people don’t get any of this or why it’d feel onerous or intimidating or rankle someone from another country or why even while enjoying living in the U.S you might not want to opt for citizenship, or why in the other hand you might just have to do it out of purely practical/financial/travel reasons
Bearcat thank you so much for this — for taking the time and putting in the thought. We need your knowledge and perspective!
Put your feet up till the next Kelly Rutherford post.
You are awesome for taking the time to explain this. Really enjoyed your expertise re: the Kelly Rutherford matter. As far as Emily is concerned, I don’t think the 180 days would be an issue though as a) it’s doubtful she’d ever be away from Hollweird that long any way and b) she has ample resources to fly back whenever and however many times she needed to in order to ensure she met the requirement.
Awww. Aside from being informative, that’s the sweetest post ever. See? Oasis of nice Americans in these ‘ere parts.
Thank you for the explanation, Bearcat.
Probably because now that she has a child that’s American, she wants to be able to VOTE in America and have a say in her child’s future.
I was just about to ask the same thinkng. If she’s sad about being an American, why bother pursuing citizenship? Or is this just because America hating is du jour?
I’m not sure why GOP was in the headline either? As an avowed non-republican, I give the side-eye to anyone complaining about becoming an American citizen! As far as I know, no one is forcing anyone to become an American citizen, and there are plenty of people applying to lotteries in their home countries just praying and hoping to be chosen just for the chance to come to the U.S., let alone become citizens. I’m not one of those “git the hell out” kind of people, but honestly, to complain on national television about becoming an American citizen? Puhleeze. I’m something of an anglophile, and I’m the first one to say I love our British cousins across the pond, but the fact is she’s had 10x more work and made 10x more money in our film industry than in her own (which is why I suspect she got US c’ship, so that she doesn’t have to pay UK taxes) and the US has afforded her a lot of opportunity.
I don’t understand when we decided that no one in the world cannot tease or make fun of America. I swear, people will get mad, just for the sake of being mad. I watched this interview, as she was on Jimmy Kimmel. She was really cute and funny. It’s way easier for her to have dual citizenship, which is why she did it, but she’s a proud Brit. No reason to be upset.
@Allie …
This. Well said.
this. i think maybe some people aren’t used to emily’s humour, as she’s been fairly under the radar until recently. it was just emily being emily; it was a joke.
Actually, the US doesn’t allow dual citizenship. Not formally.
Not exactly correct. The US government does not “endorse” dual citizenship, but it does recognise it, the official position being that it “tolerates the mainetance of multiple citizenships” by US citizens. I am a dual citizen myself (US and Canada).
ETA: it depends on naturalisation versus dual citizenship by birth. At the swearing in, you have to “renounce” your previous citizenship, but some countries may not recognise that renouncement (esp, if it is the country of your birth) – so you are still going to be a dual citizen. Also, if you become a citizen of another country after becoming a citizen of the US, you automatically have dual citizenship. It is convoluted and confusing issue that I’ve been through with my husband . I was a dual citizen by birth, so it was much easier for me.
Well no one told me, because I’ve had dual citizenship since I became naturalized (US and Ireland)!
I think it depends on the country. I’ve heard that I have to renounce my Dominican citizenship because I became a US citizen, yet I hear people from certain countries like Germany and the UK are considered dual citizens and don’t have to choose.
> Well no one told me, because I’ve had dual citizenship since I became naturalized (US and Ireland)!
I am no expert, but here is my understanding.
Nobody will come after you for not denouncing your original citizenship. But if you were a public figure that would’ve been a possibility.
You also can’t claim your other citizenship for any kind of preferential tax and legal or any other treatment.
Countries that officially recognize dual citizenship have special provisions for dual citizens.
In the US when you take the citizenship oath you swear that you have “no allegiance to any foreign prince”, that is actually means you have no allegiance to any other country other than the US, i.e. no other citizenship.
Yeah, I know all that. I’ve been a a naturalized US citizen for over 20 years. And no, they won’t “come after you” for having dual citizenship. It’s not formally endorsed, but it is tolerated.
I’m a dual citizen and it’s fine. It might be easier to hold US citizenship and then acquire another than the other way around if the first citizenship involves royalty, but apparently they just asked Blunt to say a little something and it was done.
Another good reason to dissolve these figurehead monarchies everywhere.
Sorry, EN, you are just incorrect about this. I personally know dozens of people (mainly Canadian, Australian, and Israeli) who have dual citizenship.
I’m not sure either, because literally all I see here is people ripping Americans to shreds, even on topics where it isn’t warranted. And if we dare to say one word to defend ourselves, we’re “thin skinned” and “foaming at the mouth,” and if we try to rib back, we’re rude. So we just have to sit here with our mouths shut.
Thank you!
+1 it’s all in tone and intention. I’m not ignorant. My parents are immigrants and I have family living abroad in several countries whom I talk to and visit. So maybe that invalidates my ability to comment as a typical American. But I have never made jokes about someone’s ethnicity, country of origin, or anything else. And I don’t know anyone who does that, at least around me. But while abroad I was on the reviving end of countless jokes about Americans. Which I just smiled off because, again- intent. They were doing their own ill-conceived jokes. But yeah, there’s a huge double standard for jokes with Americans from what I experience- I can’t make them about you (not that I care to) but you can make them about me. Shrugs.
@Homes *sigh* Always the fucking victim
Holmes, I’ve been a long-time CB reader and have spurts of posting when I get the chance. I have never gotten any sort of anti-American feeling from this site. I myself live in Europe and I always get the feeling that most of the posters are from the U.S. themselves, with a handful of us being overseas. In fact, I visit this site frequently because a great deal of the posters write well and give good, honest insight. I don’t doubt you have encountered some prejudice in some form, though — trolls and a-holes are everywhere.
On the whole, I can understand your frustration. Americans tend to have a terrible reputation in some countries. There are occasions when I’ll just say “yes” to locals where I live if they ask if I’m from the U.K. because I get crazy looks at times when I tell them I’m originally from the States. I also shrug.
Hope you’ll keep giving the CB site a chance because it’s a good crowd.
Pretty much this, and I agree with PinaColada that it’s all about tone and intention.
I have no problem with hearing well-formed, thoughtful criticisms about the United States’ culture or policies—I actually enjoy the debate—but I find the sweeping, ignorant generalizations and uninspired jokes about America incredibly tiresome.
Exactly! Or racist, god forbid you say anything about Mexico or any country where the majority isn’t white, all hell breaks loose. Give me a break.
“Ripping Americans to shreds”?
We’re saying she was just joking and her words are not meant to be taken so seriously. How is that insulting?
You Americans have such a way with language.
I’ve been hanging out here for a while and see very little ripping and shredding; we’re a fairly peaceable crowd.
Sometimes there is pointed criticism of the USA but some of it comes from within and some of it’s well deserved.
Of course if it were personal it would be over the line, but the USA is a political entity and as such will not feel a thing. We are completely in our rights to criticize its actions as a nation and express dismay about how it treats its people (because poverty, spotty health care, bad schools, rampant gun violence, racism: who can say these are things of which to be proud?).
Picking on Americans however and generalizing about them (they’re fat, they’re stupid, they’re ignorant) is as grossly unfair as it would be to pick on people of any other nationality, culture or ethnic group. And there are fat, stupid, ignorant people everywhere.
It used to be that when traveling, we could differentiate the people from their government. Governments come and go, sometimes people get the government they deserve and sometimes they don’t. It might help if we try to hold by that principle. Support people and support them in their attempts to improve how they are governed. And don’t make fun.
serrrrriously. People are bonkers. Is this the political correctness that Chris Rock was talking about on college campuses? Because it’s exhausting.
Why is it offensive that she isn’t thrilled to become American? With her husband and her child being American it seems like a rational choice on her part. That it is easier if she is American but wants to remain British and still is at heart. I can understand that it isn’t thrilling to renounce your home like that.
But why would it be easier? I don’t think it confers any benefits on her. I suppose there might be tax reasons.
I guess I don’t understand why you take citizenship when you are obviously still very British at heart. Just stick with that.
I don’t know about the USA, but in my country it is easier with parenting rights and spousal support if you have the same citizenship. This is very important in case of divorce. I thought that maybe things like that might be a reason.
Possibly to be able to have a say about what is going on in the country in which she resides the majority of the time and that her child is a dual citizien and will more than likely grow up and go to school in.
As a parent, it’s just an educated guess on my part.
I am British (actually a proud Scot) and married an American and had a son. I became a citizen when it became clear I was not going to go back to Scotland to live any time in the near future and I wanted to be able to vote and have a voice in the way the country I was living in was run.
It wasn’t about renouncing her British citizenship, it was about renouncing her allegiance to the Queen – she was trying to make a joke about that. Understandable.
What everyone else said about the practical legalities of her life. Plus, citizenship isn’t necessarily about heart feelings.
Because she now lives primarily in the US and wants to be able to VOTE.
And I, conversely, am an American living and working in Scotland. I did not, nor will I take British citizenship, even though I had to take the citizenship test for my residency visa. I can COMPLETELY relate to how she feels, and it isn’t meant to be personal or offensive. You DO miss your home country. And the GOP should spend a little more time cleaning the crazy out of their attic than on worrying about how Emily Blunt feels about being a citizen of the world. Not that any of them would even know that that is.
Ha ha!
It’s the renouncing your country of birth that is hard. You feel like you’re turning your back on it, even if you have dual citizenship.
Exactly, paranormalgirl.
It does raise mixed feelings and you can feel as if your loyalties are being questioned. It’s like having more than 1 kid and being asked all the time who you like better.
I felt very torn at renouncing Ireland. Glad Ireland chooses not to accept the renouncing. I became a US citizen because it was simply easier for my career.
She’s still a British citizen, still has a British passport, and is still culturally British. She just added on a second citizenship, that’s all. She didn’t have to renounce her British citizenship.
So, I don’t get it. What is there to be sad about exactly? She’s still British. I could understand her comments if she had to give up her Brit citizenship, but she doesn’t. Her comments were a little ungracious. If an American actor living in Britain took on dual British Citizenship, and went on a British talk show and said she wasn’t thrilled, people over there would be offended, lets not kid ourselves.
I think she had to renounce the Queen in the oath, but yeah, it doesn’t sound as though she had to actually give up the British citizenship. Giving up the actual citizenship would definitely be a sad moment for someone who considers herself British. But they let her keep it. She still gets to call herself British and everyone perceives her as British. I wouldn’t be surprised if even her husband and daughter perceive as more British than anything else. Maybe there was momentary sadness in having to say she’s ditching Queen Elizabeth, but even the citizenship people said she didn’t have to mean it (which kind of surprised me. I didn’t think they’d actually admit that, but maybe movie stars are lucky enough to get special words of advice from them). Thus, after it was said and done, with Matthew McConnaughey watching on, she went back to being happily British. So, yeah, there’s not really anything to feel sad about — she’s adding something on, not losing what she originally had.
I don’t know, but to give an unhonest oath is strange to me. I’m forbidden from it by my religion. So doing it would be really hard on me. Why do they insist on it if they know she is lying to them anyway? That makes the whole oath-thing a farce.
So yeah, I’d be more than a little upset about that. To say something I don’t believe in as an oath does hurt.
“Why do they insist on it if they know she is lying to them anyway? That makes the whole oath-thing a farce.”
Yeah, that part I don’t understand either.
“So yeah, I’d be more than a little upset about that. To say something I don’t believe in as an oath does hurt.”
I could understand it if this was her issue, but she didn’t seem to really mention that as her main issue, although maybe she could have been implying it.
I’m not American, but I truly don’t understand why you choose to work or live in a country and then express your contempt for that country. It sounds to me like choosing to spend time with a person and then telling him/her: “You know, I want to be your friend, but I’m too good for you”.
She didn’t express contempt, though. She said she liked being British. That is not contempt to me, that means she like some things in the UK more than in the US.
I can think of a few myself – the universal healthcare and maternity leave.
As ill-advised as it was to make jokes during such a divisive time in the US, I don’t think what she said even comes close to being contempt.
It’s hard to juggle two cultures and Emily has long-lived away from the U.K. As @EN says above, there are certainly things that she misses and perhaps she herself is bewildered to see how much of an American she has become in daily life. You obviously can’t live in both places at once.
She just answered the question honestly … I doesn’t sound like contempt. Emily and her husband are also huge jokesters. Neither mean any harm.
She was joking, and Americans in general have such an awful way to handle criticism for their country, when it comes from foreigners. No country is perfect, just because one day you decided to focus on the bad aspects and criticize them doesnt mean you see said country as hell. And seriously now… wouldn’t everyone lose a little faith in humanity after watching the Republican debate?
No contempt, just jokes.
Poor woman was probably trying to be funny on a late night talk show, and now has opportunistic politicians and Fox News breathing fire at her.
She probably did it for tax reasons, but I don’t think I would ever take citizenship of another country. An actor of ours did the same thing and now it says he’s Croatian-American on wikipedia and that bugs me for some reason.
But the Fox news comments – could Americans then not play any other nationality? Because they do that a lot.
I don’t think she meant it the way people are interpreting it. Being British has been a part of whom she is all her life and giving it up is sad because she probably feels like she is losing a piece of her identity. Kinda like I felt when I took my husband’s last name. I kept my maiden name as my middle name and I was a bit sad to let it go. To each their own.
Although she should really layoff whatever she’s doing to her face.
Totally agree with all you said.
I agree with you. I have always thought I could never say under oath that I renounced my country (happens to be America) to gain citizenship elsewhere. I love my country. I couldn’t renounce it – That sounds awful! She had to say that, and it was sad. I don’t blame her. And what you said about it being who she is, part of her identity.
And watching the Republican debates made me question whether or not I want to live on this planet, so I got that part, too.
GNAT, was it hard to renounce officially? I have dual citizenship but was allowed to keep my American citizenship, no problems. I was offered the opportunity to translate my family name into the local language but declined.
Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t make that clear. I meant I never would be able to renounce my country, or if I had to, it would really hurt. I didn’t have to, since I live in Delaware. Lol sorry – need more coffee.
LOL I’m drinking afternoon coffee now and it’s not doing a thing for me. Sorry about that confusion. My English skills are really going down the toilet if I can’t interpret written language. (I haven’t been back home in ages, clearly.)
She’s not giving up her citizenship though. She’s a dual citizen now. She gets to add another passport on, not lose the passport she originally had. No one, including herself, can stop calling her British. (Although maybe something about saying the actual words during the ceremony could cause an emotional reaction, either negative or positive, that is difficult to explain — I can concede that).
I never understand America’s fascination with patriotism and nationalism. As an immigrant myself I understand where she comes from, to me nationality status is much more about convenience. As someone who has to deal with complicated and EXPENSIVE immigration bureaucracy, changing nationality is simply the most convenient thing to do.
I also get “why don’t you go back ..” or ” why don’t you go live …” there and there, when I dare to talk about something I don’t like in the US.
And I keep thinking to myself – and spend another 10 years getting citizenship somewhere else? For what? It is not like changing citizenship is easy or even possible.
There is no perfect country, every country has something negative. Instead of being defensive about it , how about we fix the things we don’t like.
Yeah, Americans are very defensive about any criticism. Maybe because they criticized so much, but that obviously comes from being the ruler of the world. Everybody has an issue with Americans because everyone has to deal with them.
Maybe you should’ve thought about that before you spent ten years getting citizenship here, then?
@Holmes – Lol.
I’m a Brit and the American bashing when I was at Uni was so eye rolling.
No nation is perfect, but attacking the US, is one way to get in with the Notting Hill crew here.
Maybe because I have so many American friends but it was so annoying.
Especially cause most of them will then plug in hip hop music on their Iphone after yet another anti-US “US-Satan” diatribe.
> Maybe you should’ve thought about that before you spent ten years getting citizenship here, then
Maybe I should have but it was a very different country back then. It was during Bill Clinton’s years,
@Jegede-That reminds me of my French cousins. I feel like if you can’t stand American culture, then you should renounce everything that comes with it, including hip hop.
EN, is it just me of was that a perfect example of the point you were trying to make?
> EN, is it just me of was that a perfect example of the point you were trying to make?
It never fails. It is sad, really.
@Kitten
Lord Kitt.
I did a year at Sciences Po and as a black person who spoke English, its amazing how the white French would turn incredibly friendly cause they assumed I was American. (The French Arabs were the nicest in my experience)
And I tell you no lies when I went to the 4th arrondisment to buy groceries, once they heard my voice, I would hear Tupac or Cube in the background a few minutes later.
EN. We don’t all agree with a certain rude poster here. You make good points.
I think it’s obviously different for different people, and I’m not rabid about it, but I’ll try to honor honestly. We aren’t perfect. We fall short of many if not all of our goals. But we try to be the country we were set up to be – by and for the people. We think that’s the best system. We fought for it, and a lot of people have died to sustain it. We are proud of it. We are also the most generous country in the world, and everybody comes to us for help. So we help them. And everybody hates us, takes pot shots at us, tells us we are selfish, greedy, fat, evil, the devil, etc.. That gets old. It makes us feel like saying, fine, go back to your country where everybody is starving but the fat cats in office because you allow that corruption. You want to live here, where you have all the freedoms and benefits that our families died for, but you want to gripe about it. It would be sort of like someone marrying your favorite son and then spending all their time telling you what a jerk you raised. I think we need to lighten up, I really do, but everybody, everywhere, always, tells us what jerks we are. People who have governments much, much worse than ours. It’s tiresome.
“We are the most generous country in the world?” Debatable. And you usually go help there where you can profit from helping.
I aslo doubt she was starving in Briatin.
And the way you guys are portayed is nothing compared to the way Americans portray other nations.
And what country are you from, Franca? Let’s just google it and see how much money we gave to you last year. Because we probably did, whether or not we profited from helping. And btw, I was not speaking of our government only. When there is a crisis in the world, Americans donate their time, money and necessary items, from their own pockets in droves. And we don’t ask for anything in return except maybe you don’t accuse us of things that aren’t true. Which you do anyway, but we still give generously.
> And what country are you from, Franca? Let’s just google it and see how much money we gave to you last year. Because we probably did, whether or not we profited from helping.
American imperial mindset at its best is demonstrated right here.
Just so you know, most of the US foreign “help” comes in the form of the military equipment. And that means jobs for the Americans.
American don’t help as much as they are led to believe by their politicians.
Actually going by OECD data from 2013 Norway is the most generous with an official aid/gni of 1.07%, Sweden comes second with 1.02%. The US came in 20th place with 0.19%. I’m not trying to be rude but saying the US is the most generous country is not really fair to those who actually give more (in relative terms).
Bravo @GoodNames, bravo!!!!!
You know, people, I was trying to do a good thing here. An honest question was asked about why we are so sensitive to criticism and I was trying to give my honest perspective, from my point of view, about why the constant America bashing hurts. This was my opinion. I stand by it. When there’s a flood or an earthquake in another country, I see 10 people I know at Target buying Lysol and towels and socks and blankets to send whatever country along with a check. I get asked if.i want to contribute money at every cash register at every grocery store checkout, and I do. You can quote statistics and you can find statistics that prove anything you want to prove. I maintain that there is not a more generous country on the planet. And you can call me whatever names you want, EN. You want an imperialist attitude? Here’s one – I couldn’t care less what some bitter, rude old crank has to say about me or my country.
Wow, GNAT, was that condescending. Quite surprising coming from you.
I’m from croatia and I’m honestly not sure wheter and hiw much money you give to us.
And when there’s an earthqueqe or similar emergencies people in my country do the same. Innother countries too. That’s not exclusive to The US.
I will paraphrase a quote from the history class I am teaching, “the only true freedom is the freedom to dissent.” By expressing unpopular opinions, Blunt is engaging in the most American of activities. Among many other things, being American means the right to offend, be rude, even hateful.
Yet the cure for speech is always more speech. Fox pundits and commenters (no one specifically) have every right to disagree with Blunt, but personal attacks on her character and “Americanness” lower the level of discourse and ignore the fundamentally American nature of her free speech.
@Franca
I have feelings, too, you know. My remark may have been condescending but yours was insulting. We don’t give anybody anything unless we get something back for it? How rude and unfair is that? So we’re just a bunch of takers who never think of anyone else but ourselves? How would you like it if I said that about you? And of course we aren’t the only country who gives generously, I never said we were. I’m sorry I tried to answer the question. I should know by now that you can’t say anything positive about America without a bunch of people telling you how evil really are. And yet it always surprises and hurts me.
@gavin, I have no problem with what Emily Blunt said. I think it would be sad to have to say you renounce your country, too. I just have a problem with a few of the comments made in response to her statements, on both sides of the issue.
I wasn’t talking about the average Joe, I was talking about your government and the American foreign policy which is questionable.
Yu sad MOST generous – I just said that that is debatable, and @SBS just proved that it is.
I’m not quite sure what was so rude about my response.
People talk about America the most because there is no country on the global scale as present as The US. At least you guys are big enough to have your voice heard, Most countries don’t have that,
Maybe take a deep breath GNAT? Everyone loves you, but your argument here is not good. Look, how would you feel if I said: “Australia is the most generous country in the world and I don’t care what stats you have saying otherwise”? You’d be a bit miffed, right? Think I was obviously wrong … perhaps slighting the generosity of the US? That’s how the non-Americans are feeling. But it’s a silly thing to argue over. Let’s change the tone …
My “most generous people” vote actually goes not to my own countrymen, but to the Balinese. (Sappy, tear-jerking story ahead … you’ve been warned!)
The locals struggle at the best of times (average monthly wage is about $120 US dollars … the poor earn much less). After the Bali bombings, those who depend on the tourist industry were really hurting. My mum goes to Bali a couple of times a year. (We’re in Perth, it’s cheaper to fly to Bali than to Sydney) and has a regular taxi driver there that they know quite well. She wanted to help him out, but in a more personal way than just giving cash, so she got him to drive to a local (non-tourist) supermarket, where she filled up a trolley of groceries (mostly rice, some veggies and some meat) and then gave them to him.
Rice is the staple food in Bali. It’s the base of every meal, so it’s normal to have a large rice jar in each house that might hold 40-50kg of rice. This man had NEVER had his rice jar full before. They lived week-to-week in the good times, day-to-day normally, and in the bad times the adults would skip meals so the kids could eat. He’d never had the luxury of owning a month’s worth of food. He was in tears over my mum’s generosity. So then what did he do? Gave away over half the groceries to people in his street.
He had enough to feed his family for a couple of weeks, there were people worse off, so he shared.
It just blows my mind. Whenever I pat myself on the back for being generous, I remember that, think about how much *stuff* I have, and realise I’m actually a selfish git.
It’s an enormous American misconception that “we” help others the most – if by that it’s meant the government, most Americans would be surprised to find out the less than 1% of the budget goes towards foreign aid. On the other hand, when it comes to private donations, Americans donate the most in times of international crises. I doubt that there’s a similar culture of philanthropy in Croatia, but I’ll happily be proven wrong.
Also, if you watch those kind of cultural product (shows, movies) that stereotype others, Franca, your time was already lost, because you willingly engaged in consuming subpar stuff.
I hate Pavlovian anti-Americanism. It’s as stupid as any form of bigotry. Wanna talk specifics, that’s how you change the world, not by flinging prejudice.
I am sure we don’t participate in such philanthropy as much as America because up until recently, we were on the receving end of foreign aid .
But that was my point. If my entire country stopped engaging with these cultural products it wouldn’t have an impact because we are so small.
I honestly don’t see “Pavlovian anti-Americanism” in simply doubting that America is the MOST generous country in the whole world.
Being small and prejudiced is as equally wrong as being grand and prejudiced. And I wasn’t referring to you when talking about Pavlovian anti-Americanism, there’s other lazy voices on this thread.
I don’t know where the idea that the US is generous comes from . I know it’s prevalent with an older set, maybe it comes from the ‘boat people’ era.
I just said that it’s debatable wheter or not you guys are the most generous country. I don’t think that makes me prejudiced. I don’t believe any other stereotype about Americans that gets thrown around.
I think it’s important to separate out government donations from those of the people. The US is tied with Myanmar for No. 1 in charitable generosity in the 2014 World Giving Index. But that hasn’t always been the case – in the first World Giving Index in 2010, the US was 6th, behind Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada and Switzerland.
I don’t think it particularly helps anyone to say that one country is “the most” generous, forever and ever amen. There are lots of countries that are generous in the world, and the US is certainly one of them.
Your comment is why people get frustrated with Americans. We are the most generous country in the world? Not with our own people. We are like 39th in health outcomes, 1/4 of our children live in poverty, 1/5 of our families have to decide on food or rent each month. People who work at WalMart, the god of American consumers, overwhelmingly have to go on welfare and/or receive some government benefits. The politicians and corporate overlords tell us how great we have it, when “socialist” countries like Sweden and Denmark cream us in happiness surveys all the time. The propaganda that is pumped out of the teevee and radio is strong and effective in America.
The problem with using the World Giving Index is that it is skewed against social democracies with strong welfare states. People there don’t give so much money or volunteer so much time because they don’t need to: taxes are higher and there are enough people to work with those in need employed by the state.
It would be interesting to see which country’s citizens gave most to international disaster relief appeals, but I couldn’t find any reliable data.
Thanks @GNAT, I totally get where you are coming from.
Pff, it’s the same in Canada, Germany, Austria to mention only countries I know well. Boxes at cashiers in the supermarkets, boxes collected in the foyer of our building, kids raising money, buying aid and packing at school, what are you even talking about Good Names etc??? How many countries have you lived in to say that Americans are personally most generous? I call BS on it and total disrespect towards all people in other countries who share their much or little to help others!
@Sixer, that’s an interesting point. I actually think that it’s not necessarily something to be proud of that people in high tax, high welfare countries don’t give or volunteer their time as much. I would like to see a balanced approach, where people both pay a reasonable amount of tax and also donate their money and their time. There’s a greater sense of responsibility towards others when you give something personally as opposed to having it taken off automatically, IMO.
I stand by my statement that it’s a silly argument. It’s just impossible to measure because there are so many different types of charity/aid. Every stat you look at is skewed in some way.
Sixer said “It would be interesting to see which country’s citizens gave most to international disaster relief appeals, but I couldn’t find any reliable data.”
I’m sure that data would be skewed too, because people are more likely to help those they have ties to. Who gave would depend on where the disaster happened. Australia gave more than it’s share in regards to the Boxing Day Tsunami because we have ties to the region. I’d bet England stands out for their response to Indian earthquakes because of historical ties. Even the international response to the Ebola crisis was split by historic ties: UK took responsibility for Sierra Leone, the US for Libya and the French focused on Guinea.
I live in one of those high tax high welfare countries and I don’t feel like we give less because our government give high rates of aid. If you take a look at the train station in my home town you’ll see large groups of volunteers helping newly arrived Syrian refugees right now. I don’t think being generous is a nationality trait, people from all over the world are generous. But I did feel miffed at seemingly being written off as less generous simply for being not American. Maybe that wasn’t the intent but it seemed like it.
SBS – sorry, didn’t intend to imply that. Was more pointing out that much American charitable giving may be in place of what is welfare provision elsewhere, so we may be comparing apples and oranges and the World Giving Index may not be a reliable indicator.
Lucrezia – in the UK, we have a govt organisation, DEC, that co-ordinates main charities into one appeal for public donations to major humanitarian disasters, so it’s possible to get an idea of what Brits give most to (although clearly, it’s not the full picture of donations as people don’t ONLY give via the DEC appeal). Interestingly, region doesn’t seem important. Brits give more to natural disasters than they do to conflict disasters. Eg: £392m Boxing Day Tsunami, £107m Haiti earthquake, £95m Philippines tycoon; but £27m Syria (that’s the appeal from a couple of years ago, not the current one) £10m Congo, and £19m Gaza.
@Sixer No worries! I meant the first few posts of this conversation, not yours, should’ve made that clearer. I completely agree with you. 🙂
@ sixer – That’s interesting. We don’t have anything like your DEC here, so it’s hard for me to find equivalent data.
I did find an official report listing government and private donations to the Tsunami Appeal for the top 10 countries. (Better than the list on wiki.) Seems to roughly match your DEC result for the UK (it’s got $663 million US, which sounds about right for 392 million pounds, in 2005???).
It’s a really weird mix. The US, Canada, Germany and UK gave about twice as much in private donations than in government donations. Australia and the Netherlands had a roughly 50/50 split. The Japanese government almost 5 times as much as their citizens.
I was right in my claim that Australia really stepped it up for the Tsunami appeal. We donated the 2nd highest overall sum, and we’re a tiny country. Per capita we were out in front by a long-shot. Meanwhile, I heard hardly anything about Haiti, and I’d be willing to bet our effort there put us waaaay back in the ranks (couldn’t find the same kind of handy report to double-check).
I could easily believe it’s region dependent for us here in Oz, and context-dependent for you in the UK. Or perhaps it’s that you haven’t had anything that’s occurred close enough to really yank on those regional ties? I’m sure that England would be the #1 source of donations if something happened in Ireland or Scotland. I’m not sure what the UK equivalent of the Australian/Indonesian relationship would be. Perhaps UK/France, or UK/Spain?
@Sixer, in Portugal, when filling in your IRS, you can choose a charity entity (Unicef, Red Cross, etc, out of the local/ national / international) and 5% of your taxes go straight to the bank account of that entity, which is actually nice.
@GNAT, I’m pretty sure americans are very charitable people, but so are other people from other countries. There’s no x is more than y. Charity is everywhere, sometimes it’s just small things, like buying a sandwich for a homeless person, or your neighbour helping out because you’ve lost your job.
@Franca, sorry, but you also came out a bit strong, let’s all talk peacefully. You all seem like such nice ladies /gentlemen…
eh, i’m a Naturalized citizen and I totally see that cringey jingoistic flag everywhere stuff and barf at it (nevermind the fact that this is the sole province of White people, cause that “murica” pride is not and doesn’t embrace, Asian Americans, Blacks, Native Americans, Poor People… these are always and forever Othered and Marginalized in the “America Fuck Yeah” circles) I basically invited no one to my ceremony, didn’t wave the flag or sing along to that Horrendous “and I Proud to be an American…” as I was ACTUALLY TOLD TO DO ( because let’s take our last hurrah at infantilizing you, herding you like cattle while we still can LOL) , then went back to the office, First of it was an utilitarian thing to me to be able to vote and not keep renewing my residency, second I kinda went through it kicking and screaming after very many mishaps that included Immigration taking my money twice, doing my prints and declining to proceed the day of the interview on the grounds I was In Germany too long ( in a Military base, married to an american soldier FFS!) so I already see it as a super scammy system, Third The Bush Years Coded Language rhetoric never made me feel like this was a Country I wanted to be part of or that wanted me either, I cam e around after Obama won and i thought WOW He really Made it!, that is really something I want to be a part of… LOL Joke’s on me judging by the current climax.
All that to say when she says this: “I’m not sure I’m entirely thrilled about it. People ask me about the whole day. They were like, ‘Oh, it must have been so emotional.’ I was like, ‘It wasn’t! It was sad!’ I like being British.” I feel her and understand her to the max, Im a Black Hispanic woman, from Venezuela born to Dominican parents and I’m superproud of that Melange of things, I wasn’t exactly thrilled even in the name of Lip service to be saying some of those things when I was already paying good money and studying and whatever else( for the third time!) to get to that point
QQ, not trying to be rude, but why did you choose to reside in America? It sounds like from your background you could have chosen from many places.
Also, I don’t agree with your statement that ‘Murica mentality is only for white people. I have a lot of friends of different ethnicities who are damn proud to be American and fly their American flag just as much as my white friends. They even sing along sometimes to that awful song “I’m proud to be an American…” 😉
My mother brought us here as teenagers after a bad divorce and then we just stayed after we finished high school and Venezuela sank into a dictatorship, food scarcity, rolling blackouts and we adapted and stayed in Florida, which is sorta ideal weather year round and enough of our immediate family withing minutes of one another. So not particular tender feelings but this is an advanced, mostly safe, feasible place to live ( when for example most of my peers back home have either emigrated to basically all over the map or still have to live with their parents cause home ownership and rental even is THAT difficult), where you can get some stuff DONE and your money can actually get you goods and services in an expedient manner, no one is denying Americans or USA that this is an easy to live in, efficient country, it the extra “God Bless America and no Place else” stuff I can’t with but even after all these years I long to be able to go back to Venezuela ( dream about it often) , see my dad and sisters, travel freely to them, Still consider myself a Latina, a Venezuelan, Still have the BIG ASS ACCENT to back that LOL but i’m also a practical person and a pragmatist.
As for the other thing what I mean By that is: Are Black Americans in USA treated the same as white people? Not Really, Are Asian Americans, Hispanics here Not always Asked “where are you from and when the answer is like, Michigan, do they not get asked by and large, NO, No where are you REALLY from”, and Let’s not even touch upon Native Americans, one of my NA friends said to me once that to some of her folks The American Flag is Just as offensive as the Confederate Flags and It was such a WOKE moment for me
“Third The Bush Years Coded Language rhetoric never made me feel like this was a Country I wanted to be part of or that wanted me”
Sounds like a personal problem.
Fair enough. I am proud to be American and I love this country (though not so much lately!) but I have traveled enough to know that it isn’t necessarily the best country out there. It also isn’t the worst, not by a long shot.
I understand the criticisms, but it could be so much worse!
And totally you are right. POC aren’t always treated the same, I think/hope we are getting to a point of realizing it though, and hopefully can progress.
I understand dreaming of moving back to Venezuala, it’s beautiful there. I have a dream of retiring to somewhere in South America and living off the land…. 😏
I don’t agree at all with your first point. A lot of Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, etc I know are also some of the most patriotic. And can I just say that a huge portion of poor people ARE those jingoistic flag wavers. Or are you just trying to say that every white American hates all other races and ethnicities and everybody hates poor people, even the flag waving poor people?
Because that what it sounds like you’re saying.
I’m American, and I’ve definitely dreamed of heaving off to various other countries, especially after my medical bills came in. I make fun of “Proud to be an American” every single time I hear it. Yes, America has it’s faults. No denying it. But I really hate when people generalize about the entire country’s people as being racist, homophobic, fat idiots. If you really believe that 318 million people are all exactly the same then….I just can’t even….
Thanks for Using critical thinking and Understanding what I wrote for what exactly it was and all Mrs B.
Bridget: By saying ME I thought Personal Opinion is Implied But…maybe you use different rules? Either way Is not a sentiment I don’t share with lots of Immigrants
Ab Fab: Do Kindly point me out to where in the fuck did I say “every white American hates all other races and ethnicities and everybody hates poor people” or where I said “the entire country’s people as being racist, homophobic, fat idiots.” as I’m pretty damned sure I didn’t and Haven’t *eyeroll*
nevermind the fact that this is the sole province of White people, cause that “murica” pride is not and doesn’t embrace, Asian Americans, Blacks, Native Americans, Poor People… these are always and forever Othered and Marginalized in the “America Fuck Yeah” circles)
Unless I’ve misunderstood the words sole, always and forever.
If I can interrupt … Ab Fab, I think you might’ve slightly misunderstood “murica” and “America Fuck Yeah”.
They’re memes, and they have a very specific meaning. Think “flag-waving, crazy, gun-toting, obese, barely-literate, anti-liberal, redneck trailer-trash”. It sounds like you get the basic gist, but somehow missed the fact that you can complain about ‘muricans without thinking all Americans are ‘muricans. (No-one thinks that).
Maybe re-read and insert “redneck” for “murican”? Makes it more obvious that QQ was not talking about Americans in general, just complaining about one tiny subset of people who are really, really vocal about a specific (and scary) form of “American pride”.
If that’s what she meant, then I apologize QQ, I would understand that more. However, I still stand by the fact that poor people make up the majority of this demographic, and that not all of them are racist.
Sorry, it makes me crazy when people generalize about huge swaths of people.
The level of patriotism among Americans is so bizarre to me as well. Why is it so difficult to just try being objective and honest, rather than getting defensive in the name of pride, as if being born in a certain country is some kind of grand accomplishment and proof that your country is the greatest ever?
Well, technically, she didn’t have to become a citizen if she didn’t want to. But I guess because her daughter is, it made sense.
If I were her, I wouldn’t have become an American. I would’ve stopped at the green card.
The US has double-taxation and as an American citizen she will find it very hard living or working in the UK or even sharing finances/ accounts/ property with her family in the UK.
She’s still a British citizen, shes duel with America. Brits dont get taxed on money they earn abroad, so she wont be using the US taxation system but will be keeping her money in the UK.
I don’t the specifics for the UK, but I know that my mother is trying to become a dual American citizen because the tax benefits are much better than with a green-card. She and my father jointly own property both here and in her home nation, and she’s mentioned that the tax relief is substantial in their case. I think these things vary by case.
> She’s still a British citizen, shes duel with America
No, the US doesn’t recognize dual citizenship. For all legal purposes in the US she is an American citizen only.
Yes, she will be fully taxed on what she earns abroad.
That’s not entirely accurate, EN. As an American expat, you don’t have to pay taxes on income up to something like 90 grand if you can prove that you pay taxes to a foreign government. While she herself may have to pay a little more out the the US government because she is likely earning celebrity money, she will have access to incredibly adept financial people who know how to move the money around to maximum benefit. For the rest of us “normal” people, its fine.
Wouldn’t America tax her on her properties in Britain even if her taxes are filed in Britain? There are those FBAR forms to fill out…
US doesn’t have double taxation. What it has is the requirement of filing returns where ever an American citizen lives around the globe. Tax treaties make sure you don’t pay double though. That would be such an easy legal challenge anyway.
It’s still a pain the arse to have to file though.
US DOES have dual taxation if you make over 92k a year. I live in Canada now and hate that I am monitored by the IRS every year. I worry when I inherit a large sum of money, will I be taxed up here and thus forced back to the states.
Andrea, hey yup thanks for clarifying that one. Ditto on this situation. And with inheritance tax, it’s kind of hard to predict, eh?
the inheritance tax in the UK is shocking. When I first moved over here, I could not BELIEVE how much they tax inheritance. It was made back in the day, when 100K was a lot of money to people (it still is, just not in the way it used to be). It seems to me that they basically never actually raised the bar for the inheritance tax, leaving it set at the same place is has been for YEARS, and thereby making it a penalty on working, middle class people. People who have assets to pass on, but can’t afford to “hide” the money ion diverse, far-reaching foreign portfolios.
It’s over a year until the election, and as terrifying as it may seem to her, opinions contrary to her own will be aired…she really needs to get over herself.
…
What? She did not express terror of any kind. She was completely within her rights to opine whatever she wanted about whatever she wanted. Saying she didn’t like what some politicians are doing doesn’t make her conceited; it makes her observant, involved and forthright.
Good American traits, if you ask me.
Ugh, I just think her comments show a complete ignorance of her extreme privilege.
Exactly. It shows that and her need to either a publicist or fire the one she has. Get some media training, girl. She can express the context of her opinion in a much more sophisticated manner than an attempt to self deprecate that comes across more like degrading the American culture.
This is nonsense. She is allowed to express her reservations about the US being so insecure despite being the remaining superpower in the world, that she has to renounce citizenship from a country that has been an ally with the US for over one hundred years.
Besides she is going to be paying a lot of taxes to the US government because of her citizenship so really it is not a privilege for her, but for the US treasury.
Except that she didn’t really express any of that, apart from the renouncing thing. She only expressed a feeling of sadness and trepidation about becoming a citizen of a country that’s not her own. Anything else that is being extrapolated from this is coming from the mind of the reader.
Anyone who takes issue with her comments, I encourage you to move away from your home country for a period of time with no end in sight. If effects you in ways you never would have expected it to, even when you are happy to move there. Trust me on this one.
I’ve been in the US now longer than I was in Ireland and a citizen for a little over 20 years. I still get a little misty over my native country. I hold dual citizenship and I really do like living in the US, but it doesn’t mean I don’t love Ireland less or miss it. I can fully understand what Emily meant.
Here we highlight one of the biggest differences between American and British humor – other than a second ‘u,’ that is – and that’s that sarcasm (and self-depreciation) is only acceptable coming from men when talking about serious subjects.
People are so quick to jump at anyone for every little thing they say. If I were a public person, I’d be afraid to discuss anything of substance with media outlets. We have no way of knowing what she really meant, but I imagine that making that final official step made her realize that her her British home is far, far away and that can be sad. She chose to live in America, marry an American and give birth in the US and she probably wouldn’t want to change it and is happy like that, but nostalgia usually hits during such moments. I can relate, because I chose to leave my hometown and my country and now I live in a lovely German town, in a house with a beautiful mountain-view, I’m surrounded by great people and I’m at peace here, but at the same time I’m sad when I’m doing anything that makes it real – like signing any long-term contracts. I want to succeed here, but I’m also sad and it will stay that way, because I can’t live here and there at the same time. I imagine she had similar things in her mind. But for GOP and FoxNews people she should have dressed in an American flag, set her British passport on fire and shout “I’m an American citizen!” after every sentence, to gain their approval.
I agree, best to stick with topics that are as innocuous as possible, as I do with my family. The problem is it doesn’t take long before you run out of things to say. Hence the accusations that some celebs always talk about the same things, I guess.
I agree with you that people are too easily offended these days.
This doesn’t offend me but I also don’t feel bad for her for any backlash she may get because it was just a stupid thing to say and it wasn’t very funny if she was joking. I had to live very far away from home for awhile because my husband was in the military and I was so extremely homesick and I did not enjoy living where I lived. But, I was smart enough not to say anything like that to the locals. I might tell them I was homesick, but I never insulted their home in any way.
Also, like Kaiser said, many people would love to have an American citizenship, why even get one if you aren’t happy about it?
As a ‘Murican, I’m not the least bit offended by what she said. Any backlash is ridiculous in my mind.
I feel you Emily; the GOP and religious fundies we’re known for don’t make me want to shout out my nationality from the rooftops either.
I agree with all of you. I tend to be (perhaps overly) sensitive when people start with the unfair generalizations of the US, but I find nothing wrong with what Emily said here.
Hell, I already stated that if Trump gets elected I’m moving to France!
It’s Canada for me!
Canada is a gorgeous place and most of my fave people are Canadians.
But it’s France for me because I have dual-citizenship 🙂
I had no problem with what she said, either. Some of the commenters, yes. And if Trump is elected…maybe London, or Provence, or Canada or Italy for the food. But honestly, I might just stay here and try to help clean up the mess, because it’s going to get messy.
I just remembered – aren’t we all getting an island in the Hebrides, with David and Aidan reading poetry to us? Paradise.
Hokey everyone who wants to move to Canada: gonna get serious now (sorry!). Make sure you line up a good job in a government-defined demand area that’s going to move you up here first. Immigration policy has changed considerably in the past few years. Canada is not the USA’s backyard.
Also there are paperwork backlogs due to government cutbacks.
Would love to have more lower-case liberal-minded people though.
You would be welcome here.
I can go back to Ireland or live in the Bahamas with my family. My husband has a lovely property in the Bahamas.
Jeez, paranormal, if Harper gets another gov’t I’m going to the Bahamas with you!
“To FoxNews people she should have dressed in an American flag, set her British passport on fire and shout “I’m an American citizen!”
Cross-reference: Reese Witherspoon!
I don’t think America should be immune of jokes at them but these comments could be kept private, at least within her early years of citizenship. I think most countries’ citizens would at least frown at such comments, and at most be up in arms. It’s also really bad PR considering that she does act in American-produced movies. I’m not even American. She could have just said something like having this dual citizenship doesn’t make me less English.
Believe me, most countries are able to laugh about themselves. US-Americans are not.
Yep. I mean, they spend so much time telling everyone they can yet prove time and time over that they can’t. And thats fine, but they really need to admit it and move on.
Not at all! I’m a dual citizen of another country, and I get jumped on immediately if I say the tiniest critique. Suddenly, an innocuous comment like “gee, I wish some stores were open after 7pm” becomes an endorsement of “American workaholic culture and unfair labor practices.”
Trust me, other countries are just as sensitive to nationality as Americans are.
I believe you Ana but I don’t think the specific topic of giving citizenship to a new citizen is taken lightly these days. Not to the extent of being on Fox News but at least a frown with a meh. True I cannot claim this for other countries. In my Asian country at least, she would be taken apart for this Brit humour. Anyway, I think this will pass for her. I don’t think her comments were mean. It’s just really bad timing.
Yeah, other countries love it when you make jokes about them. Especially the ones who then bomb movie theaters and burn your flag as a response. It cracks them up.
“Yeah, other countries love it when you make jokes about them. Especially the ones who then bomb movie theaters and burn your flag as a response. It cracks them up”
Wow, what a close-minded and offensive answer.
@GNAT – Yup!
Again — let’s please differentiate between the government of a nation and its people.
Writing from Canada, we have a government elected by a minority of voters ruling as a majority without opposition. Canadians as individuals: their fault (apathy, refusal to accept Parliamentary coalitions, victim of a bad voting system)? Or not?
Things are rarely black or white.
Bit rich talking about movie theatre shootings coming from an American, just saying.
@BAE, that was my first thought. Someone is talking about bombing movie theaters in their DEFENSE of America? Sheesh. We have more violence in movie theaters than any other country in the world. In fact, we have more violence against each other than any other country in the world that is not engaged in a civil war right now.
Think about that, my proud fellow Americans.
OH COME ON, she’s clearly joking. she’s married to an american, lives in the US and her own daughter is american, she must like it. she’s just playing, and as a brit I find it quite funny.
Exactly 🙂 Shes sad about not being considered 100% Brit anymore, which is totally understandable since its something shes recognised as since birth.
THANK YOU. As an American in the UK I can completely relate to her. I love and appreciate how welcoming Scotland has been for me, the fact that I have a good job, it’s beautiful (mostly…when its dry)…but it will never be my true home, no matter how much I nest. That’s is what I call an honest assessment. She could have just given the thumbs-up and smiled, and I think that a lot of people somehow think that it is her job to do so, but I find this type of honesty refreshing.
My Mom has been on the citizenship waiting list for ages, despite a strong 25+ year marriage to my American dad. It just shows very little awareness of her privilege in skipping the line. Moreover, it sort of suggests that she’s adopted citizenship to take advantage of the tax benefits instead of actually caring about being apart of the country.
Immigration is a very sensitive topic, especially now. It’s not the right time to make light of it.
You really dont need to lecture Europeans on immigration.
Why not? Europeans come on here and lecture us about literally everything.
LITERALLY?
I don’t think saying its a sensitive topic, which it is, qualifies as a lecture. God, Europeans are so sensitive about everything. 😉
@GNAT-lol
There are more than fifty states in Europe- how can one generalise about them? Knee jerk anti-Americanism and unthinking “my country right or wrong” are equally immature.
“There are more than fifty states in Europe- how can one generalise about them”
@ Anne Tommy-Very true and the US is also a huge country made of 50 states, but that doesn’t stop people from making it seem like American ideals are homogenous across the board. I’m not as defensive as I may sound here, I’m simply trying to point out that many seem to think that there’s some sort of prevailing American attitude when in reality there’s a vast and varied range of cultures, nationalities, political/religious beliefs and social attitudes that vary from region to region. It frustrates me how often people from other countries seem to ignore this very basic fact.
Entirely agree Kitten, not ignoring that diversity.
Kitten it’s because they don’t know that very basic fact.
It’s a mental shortcut to generalize in the absence of information.
People do it all the time, and hellooooo bias!
“Very true and the US is also a huge country made of 50 states, but that doesn’t stop people from making it seem like American ideals are homogenous across the board. ”
No, you can’t equate a *continent* consisting of different countries with different political, educational, and cultural background to *one* country no matter how many states it has. Many other countries also have provinces, states, etc. It’s still one country and it has one political direction, one educational system in centralised terms which works with the same keywords, and one cultural joined background regardless how many national backgrounds have itertwined to create it, it’s one now. So no matter how much you dislike us generalizing Americans, we are still closer to the truth than you trying to equate one country to a continent! Would you say that USA is … like Asia? Africa? Doesn’t fit, does it? Very simple consideration, really.
“it sort of suggests that she’s adopted citizenship to take advantage of the tax benefits instead of actually caring about being apart of the country” – of course she did it for the taxation. I doubt most people take citizenship because they care about the country.
> . Moreover, it sort of suggests that she’s adopted citizenship to take advantage of the tax benefits instead of actually caring about being apart of the country.
When it comes to taxes, the American citizenship is a disadvantage not an advantage.
I don’t know what her reasons were but unlikely it was taxes.
No offense, but if your mother has been waiting 25+ years to naturalize to U.S. citizenship, there is something seriously wrong. Either she was given majorly incorrect information/legal advice or there is something else in her past that makes naturalization impossible.
Spouses of U.S. citizens also should not be waiting 25 years to get green cards. Of course, there may be ineligibility issues that prevent them from getting green cards right away (or permanently bar them from getting one at all), but as immediate relatives they are not subject to the preference system for immigrant visas. They do not have a place in line to wait for an immigrant visa to become available – immediate relatives skip the line completely.
No, sorry if it was unclear. She didn’t apply for citizenship after marriage because she was happy with a green-card. It was only more recently, with looking into taxes and particularly estate laws that she decided to become naturalized. As New Yorkers, I can imagine our field office is overflowing with applications, and it shows as parts of application have been “lost in the mail” twice. It also doesn’t help that the govt website has not been updated since last January.
Sorry, I realized later that I had misread your comment upthread. The New York field offices are horrible, both in losing documents and scheduling appointments. And USCIS almost NEVER updates their website. The processing times they show are basically flat out lies.
Good luck!
I have a friend who has lived here since age 2. She grew up here. Married an American. Has had two children here. And every year, she goes through the initial process of filling out the citizenship application, pulling together the necessary documentation and then not filing it because in her heart she still is and will always be Canadian because her parents are. There are pros and cons for her of one or the other. As it is now, she pays huge property taxes but has absolutely no say in the government of her community, her children’s schools, her state, or country in which she lives – and yes, when you call your city counsel representative or mayor’s office, they do check the voting rolls to see if you vote. A co-worker was brought here as a child from Tunisia via France. He became a citizen in the early 90s, after never having visited his France or Tunisia since childhood. But he has became very disgusted and disenchanted by how politics here changed so he feels very melancholic now .
Unless a person is fleeing oppression, the decision to change citizenship can be a difficult one and yes, as an American citizen, Emily now gets the right to criticize this country, just like every other US citizen.
+1
Well said.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING SOME SENSE TODAY LILAC! IT IS EXCRUCIATING and a Big Life decision Trust me I was Achy and sad and none too thrilled about having to do that myself and I hadn’t even been here as long as your friend so imagine those misgivings amplified!
So much yes!! All I heard in her comment was she’s sad at denouncing her British identity (by way of denouncing the Queen). Seems perfectly understandable to me. I wouldn’t be able to denounce my American identity! I love the good in America and try to work to improve the bad.
My husband is British and has yet to start the paperwork for citizenship, even though he can. He lloves the people and the opportunities the country have granted him. But he’s not ready to become American. I can understand that. I’m sure it was a complex decision for Emily too.
Ouch, she did not have to denounce the Queen! She had to renounce her allegiance to the Queen. Denounce = insult, put down, especially in public. Renounce = stop what you did before, reject.
Hey America, you are very proud to be American but other nationalities are also proud to be where they are from too. Shocker, I know. She lives in the US, her husband and child are US citizens and she has the right to choose. The US media are clearly looking for something to be offended over, as always, but there really is nothing here aside from a joke they didnt get. That seems to be the base of so much confusion for Americans: not getting the humour of others. Emily isnt going to suffer from some comments made by intellectually challenged Fox news presenters, but its cute that people think she’ll care what they think.
> Hey America, you are very proud to be American but other nationalities are also proud to be where they are from too
This!
Of course other nationalities are proud of where they come from. The people I know that have gained American citizenship did so because their opportunities at life are so much greater here than where they were from. The day they were given citizenship was a day of celebration, excitement and pride.
Which begs the question, why exactly did she choose to apply for citizenship?? It doesn’t sound like she’s extremely proud to be here and she doesn’t gain any work advantages, so why??
She didn’t say she wasn’t extremely proud to be in the USA either. Likely she applied because her husband and daughter hold US citizenship, and it just makes life easier and gives her the vote. Applying for citizenship isn’t about popularity. It’s often a pragmatic decision.
Yep other nationalities are very proud to be where they’re from and that’s cool, but if an American is proud then it’s “what an arrogant, self-centered, imperialistic mindset!”
Man the contradictions on this thread are hilarious.
Maybe it depends on what the pride is based.
Dunno – I deal with this often myself, keeps life interesting.
You know what’s “typically American”, Emily? Not to be rude, of course. What’s typically American is being part of a country that hundreds of thousands of people are literally dying to become part of. What’s typically American is offering these grateful and aspiration people an opportunity to better their lives, for themselves and their children. What’s typically American is leveraging a political process that is open to anyone, not just the wealthy or titled, and displaying that imperfect process right out there on the front porch for everyone, including ungrateful Brits, to watch. What’s typically American, Emily, is our regard for your Queen, who costs your citizens millions and millions of pounds a year, just to swan around in jewels and in sleep in expensive palaces and has no real political power except to offer her ‘subjects’ (a phrase which makes this typical American snort just a bit at the ridiculousness of it all) an unattainable and dusty example of a life they will never have. What’s typically American is that despit the fact that this system which we struggle to understand or value, of birth right over any real achievement, occasionally offends our hardworking sensibilities, we respect your right to have and maintain that system.
All we ask, Emily, is that you’re sure you want to declare your loyalty to the so very different “typically American” bylaws of our country, in so doing, you express that fact –explicitly– for all to hear, before we award you, a foreigner, all the rights and glorious associations of being, well, typically American.
So, Emily, I hope you think very carefully before renouncing your Queen, in this very typically American request. Because if you have any hesitation at embracing our typically American country wholeheartedly — you know, the one who gave you a career and made you rich? Yeah, that one– we’d like you to take your rude self right back to England. I hear there’s a space left where you can press your face against the wrought iron gates and watch the Queen’s changing of the guards with the rest of the non-royals.
Sincerely, one typical American who is no longer a fan of yours
Yeah hi, hello, people also cross continents for the privilege of becoming British.
@Greenie: Lol!!! People are drowning in the Mediterranean Sea just to get to Britain, Germany and Denmark!!! Merkel expects over 800,000 of them in a year.
On the news not a single one is asking to go to the U.S and the U.S has not said it will take a single one despite the fact that it has a lot to do with the mass exodus of the refugees/migrants….”glorious associations and all” …
Major eyeroll at: “What’s typically American is offering these grateful and aspiration people an opportunity to better their lives, for themselves and their children.” Wonder what the Mexicans have to say about that (I mean all the Mexicans in the sense of Trump-speak…even the ones from Venezuela, Guatemala, Honduras, etc….)
Yeah, I’ d take an American passport but like Blunt I’d be sad about it too…for many reasons.
Shots fired…… now am heading for cover.
@saywhatwhen: THIS.
According to latest figures, Germany will take in 1 million refugees by the end of the year, my country (Austria) 100.000.
And here are the US figures (announced last week after pressure increased on the US for not taking in Syrian refugees): “…The White House announced Thursday (10th Sept., 2015) it would take in as many as 10,000 Syrian refugees next year…,” “…Since the Syrian Civil War began in March 2011, 1,584 refugees have been relocated in the U.S….”
http://time.com/4029719/syrian-refugees-us-relocate/
Considering that the US played a big role over the last decades in destabilizing the Middle East, I join @saywhatwhen in a major eye-roll. Sorry, not sorry.
Harper has taken a hit in Canada for the poor response to the refugee crisis too. Canadians like to think of themselves as world citizens and so far only about 2000 have made it. And it did not help that little Alan Kurdi’s aunt lives in Vancouver and was trying to get his whole family over here. This is an election issue now because former PMs of all parties have condemned Harper’s refusal to try to improve the response.
And while I normally like Obama, his government hasn’t really responded any better.
> What’s typically American is being part of a country that hundreds of thousands of people are literally dying to become part of.
They are not dying to come to the US. They are dying to get away from whatever mess their own country is in.
In other words, these people are not willing to die for the American citizenship, they are simply trying to survive. Not obvious, but very significant difference.
Both of our statements are true. I travel for business all over the world, and many, many people want to emigrate specifically to the U.S., who are not refugees, simply because they believe in the opportunity our country presents; these people are not necessarily disenfranchised. Likewise, many are fleeing a bad situation to any country that will take them.
The problem was your use of the word “literal”. If they just want to immigrate to America for economic reasons, they’re not “literally dying”.
I’m sure you didn’t mean it to be offensive, but it’s really quite insensitive to talk about people “literally dying” to make it to the US when there are thousands of refugees who HAVE literally (really!) died crossing the Mediterranean this year. It definitely made me do a double-take. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Euro posters tell you to shove a sock in it.
I will translate this for non Americans: `MURICA FUCK YEAH!
Yeah, I think the response is not so much that she’s putting down America (the beauty of the 1st Amendment – we all can do it!), it’s that she’s coming off as ungrateful for the opportunity to become an American citizen.
Becoming a citizen of another country — any country — is a privilege; no country owes you citizenship. In recent years, and especially this month with the mass refugees in Europe, we’ve seen just how truly fortunate we are that we do not to have to flee our homeland and make the dangerous trek with our families to America or a European country. Juxtapose the people fleeing for lives (with some dying along the way) with Emily’s comments – this is what people are reacting to, not some lack of sense of humor about one’s own country.
Not just ungrateful, but disparaging.
.
“We” do not all ask that of her or anyone else
+1
+ 2.
As long as she makes decent movies, I’m good.
I don’t see anything ‘typically american’ in your essay.
I don’t think I’d ever be able to do it.
Then don’t?
What exactly is your problem?
Holmes seems to be the embodiment of the “well if you don’t like it then, GIT OUT! MURICA!!” mentality that is part of why people are so quick to criticize Americans in the first place. The lack of awareness would be more comical if it weren’t so pathetic.
I think rather than “America – love it or leave it” it should read “America – love it or do something about it.”
I bet the native Americans wish they had been able to maintain an ” if You don’t like It then go back where you came from” stance….
Or black people whose ancestors never wanted to be brought here in the first place.
Second that.
Come on, guys. I don’t make jokes about other countries and I don’t take offense if jokes are made about America. I imagine many fellow ‘Murican posters on this board are the same. Maybe you could qualify statements by saying “many Americans” or “lots of Americans” blah, blah, blah, instead of lumping us all in with the Fox herd. Thanks.
There are a lot of comments from other Americans on this site showing a lot of ignorance. While it is not all Americans, in particular those running this site, there seems to be an overeaction to Emily Blunt admitting that she had sadness in being forced to renounce a big part of her life.
I understand her feelings perfectly. I would feel sad, guilty, a mixture of feelings if I applied for citizenship to another country. I just get a bit tired of the attitude that “ALL Americans yada, yada, yada”. I’m not Kim Davis or Sarah Palin or Rush Limbaugh or Donald Trump or a talking head from Fox or any of those other Ugly Americans. Just saying “many” or “most” or “some” Americans would help. Just because some Brits, Germans, Chinese, fill in the blank, etc. might say something stupid, I would never blame all their countrymen.
Not really that complicated. Of course ppl have mixed feelings about assuming an identity that threatens to subsume your existing one. You do it so you don’t have to enter/live on a green card. Do you know how many scholarships are limited to US citizens only?–just one example of the ways in which it benefits you to be a citizen wherever you reside.
Some government grant work will only go to resident citizens. Not even to citizens residing outside the US. Of course citizenship is usually superior, that’s why people go for it. The tricky part can be the multiples, but most people decide ‘more is better’ and many people manage that kind of status quite effectively.
I lived in the US on a green card all through my undergraduate years…what a pain.
NEVER qualified for scholarships. I have multiples and that’s also a pain but I maintain each for a reason. Honestly, I hope visas/passports are just a peculiarity of our time. Several centuries from now, it’ll all just be complete globalization anyhow.
JC, Americans take everything so literal. This was obviously a joke because of the GOP debate and D. Trump.
No most of us don’t. Most of us know a joke when we hear it.
SERIOUSLY? SHE HAS TO KEEP HER THOUGHTS TO HERSELF? Isn’t the first ammendment of the Constitution precisely to guarantee the opposite? First of all, learn to take a joke. A very one-point joke that is, who wouldn’t feel embarrassed after those GOP debates? Trump wasn’t the only clown there.
If we, “the rest of the world”, criticize and joke about the US so often, both in and outside your borders, being well aware of our own problems, maybe there is something you need to think home about.
Time for a government lesson: the 1st amendment gives you the right to say whatever you want without the fear of repercussions from the government. It does not protect you from criticism from the general public.
The GOP Clown Car was full that night – and tonight too, God help us!!!
I totally agree with you Kaiser, I mean I do get where she is coming from (my mom became an American citizen about 5 years ago, and she had to go through the same process), but I was slightly miffed thinking about those who are desperate to become citizens and she made that comment.
There was nothing offensive about what she said. People need to relax. I love this country and would never want to live in any other or be a citizen of a different country that being said we have a lot of problems and endless things about America to make fun of. I also can’t imagine how hard it would be to give up my citizenship so I can see where she is coming from.
Honestly 24 hour news has done more damage to this country. Nothing she said is worth getting upset about and frankly these 24 hour channels have made it so instead of talking about our problems and solving them (or trying to) we just go on TV and attack anyone that points out they exsist or makes a joke.
And finally lets hope for her sake she Dixie chick’d herself because after they spoke their opinion they had their most successful album and chose to retire for family. Hardly hurt them.
24 hour news would be great if it were news, but most of the time, they fill those hours with commentary and opinion, not reporting and facts while pretending there is no difference
Exactly nothing more is happening now then did in the 60s so instead of just giving us facts they are filling it with conjecture and its dividing the country and making things not get done. Think of how often elected official as are on tv complaining about policy or votes vs. on the floor debating or writing policing or actually voting bills into law.
We need to know what is happening in our country but we don’t need opinions and pundits we need facts.
And seriously jokes are healthy. If you can’t laugh at yourself you can’t move forward.
Very well said, K.
Very good point about the 24hr news K.
The internet “news” isn’t much better. My local “news” site that I have for a homepage used to give actual news. If you wanted gossip or human-interest you had to click to another page. Now everything is lumped together, regardless of importance.
Yesterday the page went something like this:
– Diplomat threatens to have journalist killed
– Biker has kitten that rides in his vest
– Shooting at US university
– Jarryd Haynes to find out if he has NFL career
– Australia has new Prime Minister
– Social media reacts to Turnbull’s leadership challenge with #putyouronionsout [don’t even ask]
– A photo of a cup of coffee spilled by a politician [leadership “spill” get it?]
– Turnbull challenging PM for leadership
– Game Show winner guess 8 questions in a row
– Melbourne reseachers investigating sleep apnoea
Not all “news” is created equal.
Gave it some thought and I think 24 hour news is not a bad thing. The world is a big place, you could talk about different countries, cultures, their history, their policies, the geopolitics and fill all 24 hours with useful information.
When I travel to Europe and turn their news on , a large portion of the news is about the neighboring countries, their events, politics etc.
In the US it is like Mexico and Canada don’t exist, we never hear anything about them. Never mind the rest of the world.
We get snippets of information fed to us, may be just 5 minutes of information repeating over and over for 24 hours, It is like brainwashing. No context, nothing, just repeat and repeat.
Next day, start over.
24 hour news doesn’t do that. We aren’t getting comprehensive factual information about what is going on all over the world we are having 26 talking heads ripping Emily Blunt apart about a joke, or complaining about a bill or policy in order to stop it from going forward. We are getting opinion and conjecture not news. If we got news and facts from around the world great but we aren’t.
I love Emily. People need to relax and lay off her back.
She was being her usual funny self, and I like her deprecating, sharp humour.
God forbid a woman who’s beautiful, talented, witty and funny as well.. jeez.
Did someone twist her arm and force her to become a citizen? Yes, I know people are saying maybe it’s to protect herself because her husband and child are American, but my god, maybe if she despises America that much, she shouldn’t have married and procreated with an American?
Please point out where she uses the word “despise”. Yeah I thought so.
She never once said she hated America or Americans. You made that up in your head.
It was tongue in cheek humour. I watched the interview, it was all said in fun. If an american actor came on a british talk show and said the same about the UK I doubt it would be an issue. This is not the first time I’ve noticed the difference between american and british humour.
Counting down to the apology, which she shouldn’t have to do, it’s ridiculous. Very sad when there are so many serious problems in the world and people are deeply offended by a couple of jokes.
Where in her quote did she say she “despises” America? She has every right to feel sad about renouncing the Queen, while still wanting to be a US citizen. She obviously had her reasons, which is why she went ahead with it. Your comments throughout this thread make you sound really butthurt and xenophobic.
She didn’t say she despised it. Calm down.
Typical Fox News watcher mindset. If you don’t love us unconditionally then you hate us. If you hate this country so much (meaning you made one innocuous criticism) then get out. Yay ‘Murica! Actually, if Fox News criticized something I’d said or done, I’d take it as a compliment, considering the source.
You need to calm down. She said it was a little sad to give up being British, that is it and honestly think about giving up being American it would be hard. Doesn’t mean you wouldn’t do it because it made sense for you and your family but it would be hard. And seriously no one is attacking America, but as a proud citizen you are embarrassing me. You and the behavior you’ve displayed on this thread are what gives us a bad name.
America makes me sad sometimes: http://www.vox.com/2015/9/16/9335793/ahmed-mohamed-irving-bomb-not?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=voxdotcom&utm_content=wednesday
That’s heartbreaking Ferris, poor child, this will stay with him for the rest of his life. As I said above there are much more serious problems in the world.
So people can’t have an option on both? I mean Your here on this site instead of a new site commenting on serious issues.
Well, it’s Texas. You gotta make allowances. In some parts of the state, science is an abomination. Oops, make that an Obamanation. The only science they recognize in them thar parts is Jesus magic.
I saw that too. Really bothered me.
Sometimes I get the feeling that when you’re talking about Texas you’re referring to a whole other planet. This is the state where people are absolutely certain that Obama is going to invade them and cart them all off to FEMA camps.
I love my president! He just tweeted an invitation to Ahmed to bring his clock to the White House!
http://abcnews.go.com/US/istandwithahmed-president-obama-invites-ahmed-mohamed-white-house/story?id=33804323
We may have our faults but dammit we’ve got the coolest president on the planet!
This story made me so sad I bawled for two hours. My poor husband is seriously reconsidering whether having more children was a good idea or not.
I’m a scientist who lives in Texas. Yes. I know. Fortunately for my (non-exsistent) arrest record, I’m a 5’1″ white blue-eyed redhead. It’s things like this that make me re-think not moving to England. Or New York. Or Seattle. Or Canada. Or Australia. Or Sweden. Or . . .
Come to New York!! We like science here!!! Waving!
@Jib I LOVE New York. I’m a giant theater nerd (as in I did a lot of regional theater productions as a child and almost decided to become an actress, not a scientist) so Broadway is a big lure for me. The same with the West End in London, which is I went to grad school.
We’re about to have our third and fourth (!!) children, so we’re not really in a “moving place” at the moment, but we question often if we want our children to grow up here. We always settle pretty firmly on “no,” but then life gets in the way . . . you know how it is.
Also, I hate the f@#king heat. Hate it. Despise it. So why I’m still here really is a mystery.
The kid wants to transfer to another school. Can anyone blame him?
Anyway, I love how this story is panning out. The President has invited him to the White House on October 19 for Astronomy Night and he has accepted the invitation. And his parents very graciously passed out pizzas and soda to the dozens of reporters who invaded their front lawn.
Never has a society enjoyed the freedoms and liberties that America offers today. It is a tremendous privilege to be an American citizen, and BILLIONS would give anything to be in her place. She should check her privilege.
I actually think Canada has U.S. beat ! Sorry. Actually nope not sorry !
Having lived in both US and now Canada, as a woman I have far more freedoms in Canada than the US.
Canada makes it possible for women to choose to be in relationships with far less regard for whether those relationships (marriages) provide health insurance, and while abortion access is still not where it should be, it’s a damn sight better than in the USA. Maternity leave is also superior.
Women are working their way up in government. The premier of the heavyweight province of Ontario is not only a woman, but a gay woman and it was a non-issue in the election.
Women could stand to be better represented at the federal level and at the higher levels of business though — the US seems to be a little more ahead that way.
And it’s a safer country with a lower crime rate and higher gun control, which factors into domestic violence. However, aboriginal women have a different experience and many rightful reasons to protest the current government.
It’s a more secular country and that probably has a lot to do with some of the differences for women.
Such nonsense. Have you even heard of the Patriot Act?? That the NSA can spy on you, listen to your phone, without a warrant??
The issue with Fox News watchers is that they are the most uninformed people on the planet. I feel like there are two Americas: the ones who actually know what is going on on this planet and those who watch Fox News. And never the twain shall meet.
^^this.
There are third and fourth options as well: 3) those who don’t watch FOX but live with/know those who do and have no desire to find out whether what they’re saying is true or not & 4) those who just don’t care at all, in any way.
“The NSA simply does not spy on US politicians or American citizens” ~ James Clapper (the Director of National Intelligence, in case you were wondering). If you disagree, please elaborate you direct knowledge of NSA.
That must’ve come from the social studies book. The things my kids bring from home, I tell you…
I have to re-educate them constantly.
Maybe you should send them to a better school.
You should go watch Michael Moore’s new film Where to Invade Next? It shows tons of great ideas in other countries that are not in the U.S. shocking I know.
It’s not shocking, and I wasn’t implying that other countries don’t have great ideas. It’s just simply a fact of life that many people all over the world try very hard to become American citizens, for whatever reason that may be.
America is THE reason blogs like this exist
In many countries this would be a reason for punishment
I’m in support of her leaving
Bad joke or not
Please, this just screams “propaganda”. The world is not that scary.
That is another thing about Americans – the media (and the puppet masters) scare Americans so much, they make them think the world is this dangerous evil place. Then it is easier to justify all the wars to “protect” Americans.
@E MAXX – Agreed. As I wrote earlier.
And no other powerful nation will embrace divergent views and opinions, to benefit the bash America crowd to engage in.
And no other powerful nation will embrace divergent views and opinions – yeah, that totally doesn’t exist in Germany or The UK. Just in America.
@E MAXX- I repeat – Spot On!
As I wrote earlier from my days at UCL with the tiresome hypocritical “America/ Satan BS”.
And please, when the topic of powerful nations in political discourse come up its usually the US, China and Russia government or people ( no longer the British Empire or checking for Gemany, even though its the EU’s engine.)
Just to be technical, in the US freedom of speech is a tad more expansive than in Germany.
But really Americans should get over superlatives: the “best” the “freest” blah blah.
American isn’t the reason why these blogs exist. America surely makes it easy to have such blogs, but it isn’t the reason.
“America is THE reason blogs like this exist
In many countries this would be a reason for punishment
I’m in support of her leaving
Bad joke or not”
In other words, *America is great because of freedom of speech but the American government should reject this new citizen because she spoke freely.*
Well that makes sense.
Put yourself in her shoes, and imagine how much it means to you to be American (or insert any nationality here). However, you choose to take your partner’s citizenship so that it’s easier to live together legally in that country, among other things. Wouldn’t you feel slightly sad at an oath for that ‘other’ country? I know I would, because I like being where I’m from and while I’m very careful about how nationalism can be kinda racist, I do feel proud of how much my people have endured and survived.
And this whole: “But so many people want to come to America” comment is useless. So what if people do? It’s not because it’s just so great, it’s more so because they have so much to lose and have it so hard in their countries. And that’s a burden we should all share if we want a just world. Blunt’s comments probably have nothing to do with being ungrateful for the States. It doesn’t matter where she would have assumed another citizenship, it’s about her wanting to stay British. And my bet is, you too would feel the same if you had to renounce your American (insert other nationality here) citizenship during an oath. I’m getting the sniffles just thinking about it…. Juuuust kidding. Going to console myself with a cup of tea now…
I don’t know if you listen to podcasts but I really recommend that you listen to This American Life: Abdi and The Golden Ticket.
And the thing is, she did NOT renounce her British citizenship, only her specific allegiance to the Queen.
Who is now going to come after her with both barrels …
I’m not American so I can’t comment on what she said but PLEASE- if she goes on another talk show or does another interview can it be NOT about her becoming an American citizen? This got really boring. Like with Keira Knightley telling in few separate interviews in a row about the origins of her first name. Although considering that Emily’s comment was quite controversial maybe she will stop now.
When my dad became a citizen in 1998 I don’t remember him having to renounce anything at the ceremony. Why even have that word in there at all? That’s incredibly stupid wording. And yes my dad still kept his French citizenship and is proud of his country.
Also Americans don’t take jokes about the US very well. I can and I don’t mind but some people are way too sensitive. Our country has issues and it is not the greatest country ever, despite what all the politicians say. I can see Emily taking US citizenship as losing part of her identity especially if she had to say the word “renounce” which is just dumb to include in the ceremony.
I was born in the US and served in the military for 15yrs, so I do love my country and was willing to die to defend it. As a military musician I have seen some of the most amazing displays of patriotism–I have even performed at citizenship ceremonies, which are some of the coolest gigs I have ever seen. I have done parades in tiny towns with flags on every home, and I’ve heard thousands (and thousands) sing our National Anthem. But, that doesn’t mean I think ‘Murica is the bestest at everything and every American is the most awesomest. America is a huge and diverse country–I simply don’t think it’s fair to say “America is (this)” or “Americans are (that)”. As a nation we have some great qualities and…not so great qualities. We have an infinite variety of peoples and religions and ideals–lumping is all together as “Muricans” is just silly and grossly inaccurate.
All that being said, I do have a bit of a love/hate relationship with my country now. Maybe I’m becoming jaded as I get older, or maybe it’s our current political climate, but I am saddened by the increasing hatred and intolerance that seems to be everywhere here. We’re becoming our own worst enemy.
I don’t blame Emily Blunt for being a bit torn on becoming a citizen (especially in our current era of Kim Davis & Donald Trump). My husband and his family lived here for years and years before finally becoming citizens, and while my husband appreciates being an American citizen he still seems a bit…sad…about having to renounce his Dutch & Canadian citizenships, and will probably always identify as Dutch-Canadian. I think he can just go to either of those countries & request a new passport. But I think it was more the principle of the thing–having to say “I am only American now and no longer Canadian.” So I totally get where she’s coming from.
I tried to get across this point(not ALL Americans, etc) upthread, but you have stated it so much better and more eloquently. Thanks!
Excellent comment and I appreciate your perspective.
Thanks, and also thank you for your service.
I am kinda annoyed with celebrities and them giving their opinions on politics. Not a republican, but the democratic party has some pretty awful candidates too. Hilary recently was praising Kim K and said she was a role model to women or something. I mean, how low can a politician stoop in order to praise a Kardashian porn star? Its bad enough the current POTUS wastes his time with celebrities too much. I don’t want another Hollywood obsessed President. Bernie for POTUS !
I find it hilarious that whenever a Brit makes a joke about America, people take it so literally…
I like Emily a lot. I enjoy British humor and I don’t find anything wrong with what she said.
I take more offense to some of the asinine comments on this thread TBH.
+1000
Yup
I saw that interview and understood what she meant. Anyone who has gone through a citizenship ceremony knows how it feels. She didn’t say she hates being “American” she was sad at the part where they made her “denounce her queen”. I think in all she was kind of joking. People need to stop finding sh*t to talk about. There is no story here.
Um, maybe it’s a language difference, but she did not have to denounce her queen (insult her, put her down). She had to renounce her queen, or rather, her allegiance to the queen.
Criticizing backwards policies or making jokes shouldn’t offend people. But I can see how her comments about citizenship might strike people as a little over-privileged. When people are fleeing countries in droves to obtain safe haven somewhere (anywhere other than where they were originally living) or other people are waiting a long time to obtain even just their green-card status (more than a decade in some cases), I can also see how her comments would make others go “I’ll take your American citizenship if you don’t want it!”
Reading her comments over again I can see the British humour aspect coming in though. Her comments probably sound better when you hear it in person rather than in print. The part about Queen Elizabeth was kind of funny. And I a GOP debate would freak anyone out who isn’t actually a Republican.
And the reaction shows why she may have mixed feelings. I mean, overly sensitive much? I’m a proud American and I do get defensive and a wee bit angry when I read people make blanket criticisms of the US or indulge in stereotypes we’d be excoriated for if we made about other countries. And my hubby has served in the US military for 20+ years and I’ve ‘followed the drum’ so I’ll put my patriotic bona fides up there with anyone. But at the same time, chill out. America isn’t the end all and be all. Would they feel the same about an American adopting British citizenship and having mixed feelings? No, they’d probably say it was an indication they made the wrong choice! LOL I won’t shade someone who is proud of their country of origin but also makes the decision to take on citizenship in a country she lives in, to which her husband and child belongs and which supplies her the majority of her living. Same as I won’t if she’d made the decision not to renounce. It reminds me of the Kelly Rutherford situation–God forbid her children not have their German citizenship acknowledged–it’s only the American one that counts and should supercede all. Grow up.
I don’t see this as teasing or making fun of America. I see this as a person coming from a place of privilege and cavalierly making an insensitive joke. People are literally risking their lives to get to the United States (and Britain too, for that matter) and are desperate for citizenship. Emily Blunt is in an extremely fortunate position in that she has been able to obtain it. She is certainly entitled to her opinion, but why publicly pooh-pooh something that so many are desperate to have? It strikes me as very “let them eat cake.” Is she also upset about the hassle of having to schlep to a polling site because women (and men, for that matter) in her countries of citizenship have the right to vote? Would owning a huge mansion irk her because it’s more to maintain than a simple apartment? She is very fortunate and has a wealth of options; pick one and don’t bitch about it. I have really liked her in the past, but this statement is a huge fail.
Lol…I like your attitude. Best comment.
As an American who has lived the last 7 years in England and who is a naturalised British citizen, I know exactly where she’s coming from. I love the UK and don’t want to live anywhere else, but being American is part of my identity. I was thrilled to naturalise but also sad. It’s hard to balance attachments to different places, especially as each have both good and bad. I am thankful every day for the NHS, but it drives me crazy how early things close here. I miss the idealism of America but not the jingoism. Perhaps Emily Blunt could have expressed herself in a more nuanced way, but she was joking. I’m certain she feels much more positive than negative about her new citizenship. Not everything has to be 100% one thing or another.
PS, to any Americans who were deeply offended by something so very mild, do yourselves and all the rest of us a favour and don’t travel. You might learn some things you won’t find pleasant, or even worse learn nothing at all. Your lovely happy bubble of ‘Murica is the best place for you.
I didn’t think she was criticizing America so much as exposing, without realizing it, that she’s privileged enough, both through accident of birth and then marriage, to get to be a citizen of two fairly “safe” countries. She’s pretty lucky.
Edited to add:
I saw the clip just now on Youtube. Her comments do sound like she was joking around and teasing, not critical of anything at all. I don’t even think she was that serious about being “sad” or distressed about having to renounce the Queen. Her tone wasn’t defensive or rude. But in print, I think her comments did make me aware of how lucky she is in comparison to other people going on boats to find asylum in Europe.
She said something about Matthew McConaughey which was pretty funny and made me laugh. His wife was being sworn in on the same day. Do rich celebrity wives all get sworn in on the same day?
“I didn’t think she was criticizing America so much as exposing, without realizing it, that she’s privileged enough, both through accident of birth and then marriage, to get to be a citizen of two fairly “safe” countries. She’s pretty lucky.”
THIS.
I, too, see nothing offensive about her statement. She said the sadness was over not being British (or perceived as such,) not that is was sad to be American; generally when you gain one thing, you lose something as well. I adore the man I married and was happy to vow my life to him but I won’t ever say that I did not mourn the loss of being single for a spell; in no way was it a commentary on my husband, I just really loved my life prior as well.
God forbid a women make a joke concerning a clown car primary and their views from the 50. Nope, we definitely can’t have that in ‘murica. If I were staying in this country full time with my husband, I’d apply to become a dual citizenship as well just to avoid any potential immigration nightmare down the road, and yes, she’s allowed to feel ambivalent about renouncing her home country.
This thread is a blast! lol
Why are some of you acting like she burned the US flag? She said she still feels British, has a bit of melanchony about it and made a joke about “politicians” like Trump who are often ridiculed here in the comments.
I won’t make generalizations, because I’ve met many Americans who love their country and are still able to be self-deprecating and objective about it. I’ve also met some Americans who put nationalism and patriotism to the extreme (like some of you in this thread) and as long as you say something remotely critical of the US they go “THIS IS A PRIVILEGE.NO PLACE IS AMAZING LIKE THE US.GO BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT!!”. And all this in response to a person who expressed a normal feeling about her native country and joked about politicians most Americans joke about.
We are all citizens of the world and children of God, first.
I agree with the “citizens of the world” part ( but I don’t believe in God).
We are all human and that is it, and we should all have the same human rights.
I don’t want to be a citizen of any country, frankly.
I see the world as one place, with good and bad.
I see the good and bad as a struggle between the light and the dark.
Nothing to see here besides a little dry humor – or humour – and some mixed feelings. I would feel weird if I gained a new citizenship in addition to my American citizenship, it must feel strange initially.
I think this is such a tempest in a teapot. Emily made these remarks as a private citizen, not as a politician, and it is her right to do so. Compare this story to the ones we are seeing daily of desperate people trying to find refuge because their own country has been decimated by war, and it becomes the small story it would be without Fox News jumping on it and bleating about insult to national pride and tender feelings. It absolutely does not make sense to believe that Emily Blunt made the reasoned decision to become a citizen, and then decided to trash the U.S.
She was just talking, as you do, and expressed her mixed emotions, and yes, her sadness. She did not say she was devastated and regretful over her decision. I think I’ll reserve my outrage for situations that merit it.
Thank you for your sense of proportion.
Some people in this thread need to relax! You can joke about US politicians without being ripped to shreds and being called ungrateful b*tch.
Oh and while the US is a great country it isn’t the only country in the Western world where there’s freedom, justice and all that. If you traveled a bit then you would know that.
The problem with some celebrities is they talk too much and share too much. Emily Blunt is not getting an Oscar this year.
Oh come on. The millions of people desperate to become an American citizen have very different reasons than Emily. There are also millions of people desperate to become a British citizen. Or a German citizen. Or a French citizen. So she should be chomping at the bit to become a citizen of everywhere?
She just grew up British and likes identifying as British… has a British accent.
Since she first came on the scene, I have thought she is snobbish, arrogant, and pretentious to the hilt. Nothing about her impresses me. She clearly thinks she’s above it all and I’m not going to hear that it’s British play or joking that we just don’t get. No, she’s an a$$hat.
Wow I will take my oath to become and American citizen next Tuesday. My husband is American and my kids are American. I will keep my other passport but I am so proud to be called American and have the same citizenship as my family. What’s wrong with her?
Nothing is wrong with her. She is likely very happy and proud to add this additional citizenship in her chosen country. She was only expressing a bit of mixed feelings about this change in her life, in the context of an entertainment show that expected her to come prepared with a few little jokes.
That’s okay.
Welcome to your new citizenship, please do vote, and don’t be surprised if your feelings are a bit more complicated than you might foresee at the moment.
=
My feelings about gaining (any) citizenship are cut and dry: with citizenship come rights and obligations, and in some cases, significant privileges. It can happen that a person applies for citizenship for practical yet relevant reasons, such as family. But please, when you gain citizenship, instead of criticism, keep it zipped. Kaiser says it right, how many people are desperate to become US citizens? And I will add, how many people want to become citizens, period? Statelessness is a serious and tragic reality.
PS Hope I am not reading too much into this. And I think Emily is very decent and talented.
I totally agree. This is about basic politeness.
Ok she was and still is a U.K citizen. She was not desperate to become a U.S. citizen. Her home country is just fine. The only reason most of these celebs become U.S. citizens is for tax reasons. They get tired of paying income tax in two countries ! That’s really the only reason. She is not from some war torn country for God’s sake. Her comments were perfectly fine and she was mostly joking. People are ridiculous and it must be a slow news week.
Me, do you personally know her reasons for becoming an American citizen? I’m not being facetious; I’m genuinely curious. If I became famous in another country, made a lot of money there, married a citizen of that country, gave birth to a citizen of that country, and gave public interviews in that country, I would absolutely still feel like an American and still maintain a sense of pride in my home country. I would also speak publicly of my adopted country with nothing but respect, whatever my reasons for obtaining citizenship. Obtaining new citizenship of ANY country is a choice and a privilege, and it’s common decency to let the ink dry on your citizenship before you start tossing around barbs about that country on late-night TV. Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode about converting to Judaism for the jokes; being newly-minted and self-deprecating doesn’t sit right, and that’s because it’s just plain rude.
I watched the whole interview and I’m pretty sure she hinted the reasons for citizenship had to do with income tax, etc. I could be wrong but that’s the reason most celebs do it or because they want to be able to vote. Also, why is it so much worse for a person who wasn’t born in America to complain about something “American” than it is for someone born in America to complain about it? Americans complain about their country ALL the time. At least those who took the oath had to actually learn about the country before becoming a citizen. I say those that take the oath respect the country much more than those born in it. That’s my personal experience.
@ UmamiMommy
Could you please demonstrate how anybody who knows that 1+1=2 can speak with respect of the GOP candidates!
As far as I know as soon as you are American you should behave like one. I didn’t know that criticising the GOP candidates was somehow rude? Would it be rude for somebody born in the USA to criticise GOP candidates? Are US Americans who were born as US Americans somehow more entitled to criticise than US Americans who were born with a different citizenship? Do you seriously suggest to discriminate the non-born US Americans?
I couldn’t care less what she said about the GOP and never said that I did. I can also understand having mixed feelings about citizenship, or even saying her experience was bittersweet. My issue is that she said, “not to be rude, BUT…” and then stated that it was “typically American” or something like that to be told to take an oath she didn’t really mean; I found that offensive. I suggest she crack open her old British history text and read up on Sir Thomas More. Also, nobody asked her to elaborate on her experience; she brought it up herself. She said people kept asking her if it was emotional, and she said it wasn’t, that it was sad. Sad sounds emotional to me. She could have graciously, honestly, AND minimally discussed this rather sensitive topic and moved on.
This is not about ‘Murica. This is about being rude. Would you ever DREAM of going on, say, Spanish television right after getting Spanish citizenship and describing a negative experience as “typically Spanish”? Sorry, but that’s just assy.
Pumpkin Pie, she doesn’t have to “keep it zipped.” Like all Americans, she enjoys the privileges conferred by the Bill of Rights, including the First Amendment. Instead of superficial, drooling gratitude, I find it much more impressive when those who emigrate actually learn the substance of America’s fundamental principles and embrace it’s bedrock values, like free speech and expression. I say that as a child of immigrants who love this country but aren’t too dim-witted or delusional to understand its shortcomings.
She get worser treatment than Ariana Grande, after she proubly proclaimed she America and Americans.
Because she’s a dirty foreigner.
I’ve lived in Britain since I was two. But when I renounced an old citizenship to get a British passport, I felt sad. It is sad. It’s a recognition that your life is now overseas. It’s hard to explain but I get what she means.
Stupid to say as much openly, though. Nationality is like family: you can bitch all you like to whoever you like, but any kind of outsider starts, and the hackles rise.
No kidding. And she’ll learn.
Well put.
So I admit, I don’t love her comment about it being “typically American” that she had to renounce the Queen when getting citizenship. Really, is any statement that’s followed by “not to be rude” ever not rude?
But more than that, Fox News saying to let American women take the roles she’s getting–she is an American woman! That’s what citizenship is.
(Just to clarify, she’s obviously also a British woman, I was just adding American as a description of her, not replacing anything).
I think she was trying to jest a tad about it, and I don’t think it’s necessarily abnormal to have misgivings about renouncing your previous nationality. I imagine it’s hard for many people who came to America to completely abstain from any longing for their personal cultural background. It shapes who you are, after all.
This being said, I agree that it’s a tad thoughtless in light of the immigration crisis currently going on in America. A wealthy, white woman with a high public profile was never going to encounter roadblocks on her way to citizenship.
I cherish my citizenship! I went through a long process ,followed the rules and waited years for it. It was a BIG deal for me the day I took the Oath and I celebrate it every year as the day when my dream came true.
I’m an American and I work for a company based in London. They know how to do the election season right over there! They have restrictions on how much candidates can spend, the campaign lasts one month, there are no attack ads, and the debates are short. I’m sure it was a shock for someone like Emily to see that Republican debate – it was a joke! I live in NH so the candidates have already been here for months. I wish they’d leave!
There’s nothing particularly problematic with Emily’s comments. The reactions to it are more interesting than anything.
Why would anybody be surprised if she experienced sadness at relegating a part of her identity? It’s normal. I mean, I felt sad when I moved from a neighborhood I liked, just to trivialize the issue a little.
One of my best friends is a naturalized citizen initially from Europe. She had an easy naturalization story, with her being well-educated, with a marketable specialization, and Caucasian (cause that helps). She told me there’s a permanent sense of loss and traces of sadness for having to leave her country of birth, even with easy communication nowadays. She had a few years of tough adjustment, though it was never that visible to me. She also told me you have to chose mentally what you want to be, because being an inbetweener was not healthy.
That’s very interesting. I liken being dual national sometimes to having one foot in each country — it feels a little unstable.
many turkish people here in germany tell you how sad it is to feel like a foreigner. They feel like a foreigner in germany and they feel like a foreigner in turkey because they grew up here and have a different mentality. It`s in between.
Only when they really decide to be one nationality ( german or turkish) it will be better and they feel home. I think it`s easier when you have parents with 2 nationalities but you feel torn in many other cases.
I can understand her. It`s british humour.
I also think “the world” is torn what to think about america. I think most people know there`s a difference between politicans and many americans.
But from a european point of view… maternity leave, gun control, social net and health insurance, death penalty, Bush`s OLd Europe, patriat act ….. we do not criticize americans, we criticize some american views and politics.
She just sounds dumb. I don’t get why she’s a thing anyways so not a fan in the first place. Academy Award for her? loooool
And comments such as looool are the antithesis of dumb.
She doesn’t like the Republican candidates from the debate she watched on TV. She seems both smart and decent.
I’m late to the conversation but I would like to say my 2 cents. I’m not American and I don’t live in America. Seriously guys, you all need to find a middle term between the “Murica is the best” mentality and the whole “I’m so ashamed to be American, I will lay here and you can step on me”. This is not healthy. All nations have flaws, It is not America exclusivity. Ignorant people and religious nuts are everywhere. Are you guys not watching the news???
This is not about Emily but I have to ask. Why is always a british celebrity? UK is the European version of America.
Wars? UK is always with America on this one.
Imperialism? A history book can explains this subject better than me.
America has Trump and Palin? UK has Farage and the BNP.
Religious nuts? UK has sectarianism, the Orange Order etc.
Merica mentality? What about the new Little Englander mentality?
See? All countries have problems, it is not just America (or UK btw).
When I read people here talk about how Americans are the worst when it comes to examine their own flaws, I keep asking me If they are being obtuse on purpose or they just like to ignore the international news.
@ Administrator: I would merely like to criticise and improve Dalia’s comment as she (in my humble opinion) ignores many important points and forgets to achieve a somewhat more coherent description.
@ Dalia
I would like to contrast your opinions with a few home truthes about Europe. Please accept my criticism of your descriptions as we should all try to understand each other better. So we need to listen (read) what others have to say (write).
Here is your list, I dared to improve it:
Wars and imperialism is thouroughly rejected by most Brits and unlike most US-Americans the Brits know that there are politicians who support these things.
The USA were the driving force behind the latest wars in the middle east and the rise of ISIS. But now the USA deny any kind of responsibility and even refuse to accept refugees who flee their war torn homelands. That is an utterly disgusting and utterly irresponsible attitude.
Trump and Palin are way worse than Farage and the BNP. In contrast to some of the redneck white supremacist stuff going on in the USA the British BNP is harmless and pretty well controlled within the UK legal system and the UK political party system. In contrast the USA still don’t manage to integrate and control smaller parties into their political system: there is GOP and Democrats and that is about it.
The USA is blessed with a healthy amont of sectarianism and some other precious religious thinking like teaching in schools that God created the world in six days. The UK doesn’t have anything that matches up to certain US religious leaders nor their influence in education.
The USA have Glenn Beck who gets airtime, seriously.
Little Englander mentality is based a fictional TV series for the purpose of entertainment. They over-exercise everything in order to make it funny. It is not reality. The US match is the attitude among trailer park people and rednecks and likewise. In the US these people aren’t integrated nor are their ambitions supported in a healthy way but in the UK the “Little Englanders” are actually supported: the UK still has a social net which catches those who would end up under a bridge otherwise. The latter can’t be said about the USA. If you get hit by hard times in the USA there is nothing and nobody who catches you. (Except friends and family perhaps.) This part of the attitude of US citizens has always baffled me: there are lots of pet lovers in the USA and nobody would seriously oppose a pet shelter. But plenty of people in the USA oppose shelters for humans who get hit by hard times. The USA was the only western country where people slept in their cars during the financial crisis because they couldn’t afford anything else. Think about that for a moment before starting the anti-communist anti-socialist McCarthy style preaches of the ill-educated indoctrinated about free market economies. Think about how the USA treat their poorest and unluckiest citizens and have a look at Great Britain or France or Germany. The poorest and unluckiest are better off in Europe and we are proud of that
The problems in the USA are usually denied by US citizens or played down. I dare say you treat homeless pets better than homeless people. And that is what the USA are judged by.
Now I would like to re-phrase Dalia’s last paragraph:
“When I read (US American) people here talk about how Europe are the worst when it comes to examine their own flaws, I keep asking me If they (US Americans) are being obtuse on purpose or they just like to ignore the international news.”
Well you created a excuse for every single point that I made, and ALL the points that I made was with a genuine intention of highlight how ALL countries (including Emily’s country) has the same problems (on different scales) inside their own territories. I chose UK because is Emily’s country (and others actor who made similar comments), and because you guys share so much in common that I was genuine surprise why British people believe that UK is so much better on pretty much everything than US.
Still, you played down every single bad aspect of UK. I bet to examine your country own flaws is not easy for you.
“Wars and imperialism is thoroughly rejected by most Brits”
Of course, and yet every time US says: Let’s make war !!!. UK answers is: Where ? When? How? The fact that your nation is made of pacifists don’t change the fact that UK is the main US partner in war.
“Trump and Palin are way worse than Farage and the BNP.”
Farage and the BNP exist. If they are better or worse is matter of opinion. Farage showed opinions that could easily be confused with Trump ones. I will give you that the america far right is more dangerous because they are more rich and more outspoken. So is more easy for them get what they want.
“British BNP is harmless and pretty well controlled within the UK legal system and the UK political party system.”
I don’t like how you call such a hateful group harmless, but as you say UK has a good legal system that will keep then harmless. No irony, good for you.
“The UK doesn’t have anything that matches up to certain US religious leaders nor their influence in education.”
Never said that UK has. UK still has problems with sectarianism. Incidents in Glasgow and North Ireland show this.
“The USA have Glenn Beck who gets airtime, seriously.”
USA is a huge country. It’s more easy for nuts find their niche.
“Little Englander mentality is based a fictional TV series for the purpose of entertainment.”
Daily Mail readers and their comments. Obvious they are not the majority of the population or represent the population on any matter, but they exist. They are not fictional characters. Little Englander mentality exist. It is up to you deny , of course
“the UK still has a social net which catches those who would end up under a bridge otherwise.”
Better than US? Probably, but…
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/number-of-young-homeless-people-in-britain-is-more-than-three-times-the-official-figures-10366229.html
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/feb/04/homelessness-study-welfare-reforms-crisis
“The poorest and unluckiest are better off in Europe and we are proud of that”.
Again… Probably, but US is the country that have the biggest immigration population in the world. It cannot be that bad.
“I dare say you treat homeless pets better than homeless people. And that is what the USA are judged by.”
So full of arrogance and prejudice this comment. How do you know how I treat homeless people? Btw did you read the part that I said that I’m NOT American. You were so fine until here…
PS: No one thinks Europe are the worst. I didn’t even mention Europe.
I felt a bid sad whenever family & friends would address me by my married name.
I’m thrilled to be married and I’ve kept my maiden name legally but people still address me by my husband’s last name.
When I’d correct them and say “I’m keeping my last name,” of course a busybody replied “then why did you get married if you are rejecting his name?”
Sigh. I’m not rejecting him or his name. I’m just grieving the lost of my name.
I never changed my name upon marriage and some holdouts still try to turn me into someone with my husband’s name. So I never felt like I lost my name but it has been super-annoying when traditionalists decide they know better what I should be called, when addressing envelopes or describing us as a family. I’ve made my status clear so it feels as if they’re still needling me to conform to their choices. It’s patronizing all over again, as if as a woman I don’t know what I should be called, or don’t have the right to self-determination.
How strange it must be to be asked why you married if you reject his name. You chose the man not his name! For some reason the USA seems particularly to harp on this, but it is different in other cultures and languages.
I am an American living abroad (Canada) for the past three years now and my quality of life has improved greatly. I got really tired of the hyper nationalism throughout the states and the comments I got when I said I was moving to Canada were appalling and ignorant. Sadly though, I haven’t been able to find any close friends and have been contemplating moving back to the states to be close to my friends despite the severe downgrade in quality of life (half the pay, half the time off, poor healthcare, nickel and dime to death with copays etc). My best friend is now encouraging me to teach abroad in Europe instead. I am at a loss about what to do.
Oh Andrea, if you read this, I feel for you and hope it works out. Where in Canada are you?
I don’t want to generalize based on one experience only, but there seem to be differences in the ways people socialize. There may be more clannishness; there’s more reserve. It depends on where you come from and what you’re used to — someone who grew up near the border in the USA might find it familiar; someone from the neighbourly South might find it cold and formal.
It may be a ‘northern country’ thing or it could be a big-city thing, depending on where you live. The only place I’ve heard called outright “friendly” in Canada is Newfoundland, and most newcomers are not likely to settle there. There’s also anti-American bias among Canadians, for various reasons (some of them justified, some just plain old bigotry) and that can be a barrier, depending on who you hang out with and how well-traveled they are.
It takes time to adapt, to figure out the rhythm of events and making plans, to adjust to the greater “social distance.” Canadians are great about working in community groups and getting out for civic participation, but it seems to take longer to make that transition to personal friends. Have you tried clubs and volunteer work? Are you able to relocate within Canada? And if you went back, would you move to a different part of the USA that you might like more, that has better work and healthcare opportunities?
If you try Europe, you would again be starting over again, just bear that in mind.
Friendship networks are incredibly important and I wish you luck. It’s one of those big intangibles in making these decisions.
I am living in Toronto and I joined a meetup group (bookclub) and a few of us managed to form another bookclub, so two bookclubs. I sadly only see the people in the second bookclub 1-2 times per month and no one seems willing to get close to the way I am used to. I also am volunteering helping a older woman with her memoir. I’ve grew up in NY (hour or so north of NYC) and lived in NC for 10 years+ during my 20’s, then moved to Buffalo which I found to be VERY friendly, then Toronto. I couldn’t get over how cold and clannish people were/are up here. I’m used to in NY or NC having a convo for 20-30 minutes, exchanging numbers and leading to long term close friends. That was my experience with people I’ve now been close friends with 5-20 years now (I am 34). I’ve had several experiences up here where I have lively conversations with someone over several different occasions and then when I propose doing something, they seem too busy. It’s so odd to me. It seems like native Ontarians have 3-4 friends from high school and/or college and are thus done. They don’t need anyone else in their friend group. I tried expat groups and befriending expats, but they all seem transient, like this is just a stopover. Which is why I am considering moving too. The issue is the majority of my friends(who are like family to me) are still in NC in a college town where there is a lot of unemployment and low wages. I will figure it out hopefully.
Hey, you are not the only one. I live in upstate NY and I am also having a hard time. Weather is a factor and people do have a tendency to hang out with their family and high school friends. They do not seem to welcome newcomers. Try and do activities that you like to meet people with common interests. Good luck!
Man, I hear you. I left the US around the time of the first Obama election and over the years, it’s just been like a depressurization. I was SO SICK of US politics/society, etc. Don’t get me wrong–I can keep the long view. I do think that the US is historically exceptional in terms of the strength of its rule of law, and I can get behind any country with a strong rule of law. And there are thing I admire about the US; I like the professionalism, the quality of work, and some other aspects. But man. The socioeconomics/politics. OVER IT. I am done with angry Americans, memememe Americans, who’sgettingwhat Americans, CHRISTIAN Americans (oy vey. Oy vey). I was raised in Canada but haven’t lived there as an adult and every time I find myself listening to CBC Radio, I feel so strongly that these are my freaking people.
TL;DR, I occasionally feel my work pulling me back to the US but the quality of life elsewhere–the distance and the relative calm…could be priceless.
Well Emily why do you come to the US? No work in the UK. Can only speak for myself, but quite frankly I don’t who the fuhell you are and would not miss you a bit. Like they used to say back in the hippie days, America, Love it or Leave it. Bye
And here, Folks, is the worst of American attitudes displayed. Love it or leave it?? Are we five??
Not to mention the appalling grasp of basic grammar and language.
Back in the hippie days we also used to say, “Hell no, we won’t go.”
You know, the people who said, “Love it or leave it” also saw their president leave office in disgrace after provoking a constitutional crisis. They also didn’t do much to help the veterans of the war that they ostensibly supported.
Sadly, I see this attitude even in Canada now – “If you don’t like it, why don’t you leave?” Living in a democracy is not a “take it or leave it” proposition folks. Democracy is an *experiment.* You have to *struggle.*
Also known as “my way or the highway”.
Except the hippies never said America, love it or leave it. That was the Nixon republicans.
Oh thanks Carmen. I was so, um, overwrought, I had to respond before scrolling down.
Hippies: peace and love. Good stuff.
rude.
This whole thread is reminding me of a joke by Al Franken, about the different way in which liberals versus conservatives love their country. According to Al, a conservative loves his country like a five year old loves his mommy: *foot stomp* You can’t say that about my mommy! But a liberal loves his country like an adult loves their mother: You see her faults, yet you love her anyway.
Please do honour her for her honesty. Some creepy US citizen who lies with everything he can say is certainly not preferable, is he?
Speaking generally western Europeans (GB, FR, GER, Ital.) aren’t as die-hard nationalist patriotics as most US Americans seem to be. US Americans appear to be rather pathetically slimy about their countries achievements as they believe there is none greater. They tend to associate any kind of criticism of the USA as blunt terrorist acts. RELAX. Other countries are great, too.
Blunt was merely frank, get over it.
Blunt didn’t like the debate of the Republicans? GOOD!!! I ADMIRE her for that. Is there anybody who doesn’t admire her for that?
“US Americans appear to be rather pathetically slimy about their countries [sic] achievements as they believe there is [sic] none greater.”
Well, this statement, in your own words, tells me everything I need to know about your propensity for bigotry.
Exactly! And then we in the US lament why our politicians never tell the truth. Because of this – because we cannot handle the truth ! People want to be lied to.
PR disaster. Why didn’t her people tell her Fox News would crucify her? And that dress was obviously sewn from recycled upholstery materials.
She probably didn’t give a sh*t what Fox News would say. I know I wouldn’t.
Why should everyone be orgasmic with gratitude just to be on American soil? This country isn’t perfect. And she’s not a Syrian refugee; she’s British. Great Britain is an industrialized country, no better or worse than the U.S. Citizenship makes it easier for her to work here, and it was probably something she also felt was necessary to do for her family. It’s really not her problem if millions of others want to come here. That argument reminds me of when my mother used to say “A starving Ethiopian child would love to eat the vegetables you refuse to touch!” It’s simple-minded and beside the point. I’ve had to live abroad a couple of times, and even though Italy and the UK are wonderful countries, I longed for my own homeland. I think that’s perfectly natural.
I’m not sure why such offense occurs when celebrities say they are disappointed to be American or mistaken for American. Did it occur to everyone that America may not be the best thing in the world? When you look at our rankings globally on things like education, clean air, quality of life, and see things like Ferguson and kids wearing clocks getting arrested for their background, and Donald Trump running for presidency, and the weird hangups Americans tend to have about sex and nudity but violence being OK, wars, attacks on immigration, “Home of the free” while we have NSA… to name a few things, I think it shouldn’t be surprising that our culture isn’t looked upon any more as the beacon of the free world it once was (if that was ever true). Just because some people still want to come here and live here doesn’t mean people are wrong if they don’t, our society has given people plenty of reason to be turned off. There’s this ethnocentrism permeating our culture where we just blindly go along with the idea that everyone wants to be American and we’re #1, but there are plenty of countries in the world that avoid a lot of the issues we’re facing and doing much better on the scale of prioritizing health, wellbeing, social ties, and any number of other factors. We are not a perfect nation and people of other cultures have just as much of a right to be proud of their countries and their identity.
I think this may be the most commented Emily Blunt post in the history of Celebitchy. She’s probably garnered herself more attention than any other time in her career. I’ve always liked Emily. She’s low-key and a very underrated talented actress. She’s much more talented than Jennifer Lawrence in my opinion, just not as young or conventionally pretty.
I am not offended by what she said. She definitely could have phrased her words better. It is important in any country to sound grateful (at least publicly) that you are now a citizen and acknowledge the benefits of your new country. There are definitely things to be ashamed of as an American. For me, it is the gun violence, religious conservatives, and racial strife. There are ways of criticizing the bad aspects of a culture while balancing those things with the benefits. Emily should be thankful for the chances America has given her, particularly her successful career in Hollywood. At the same time she has every right to criticize the bad aspects of American culture too.
I can relate to Emily’s point entirely. I’m applying for British citizenship as an American and I must pledge my allegiance to the Queen! im dreading it. But for logistical reasons it must be done as our (American) family resides and works here. Our children will probably stay here for University and beyond – they have no relationship with the U.S. The headache and expense of renewing visas means that applying for citizenship has become our best option. Also, we can’t continue to have our (only) passports taken away on a regular basis for indeterminate amounts of time during the visa process anymore as our parents in the U.S. are aging and we need to be able to travel in short order. This whole nationality thing is nothing but a bureaucracy & I feel sorry for anyone who has to say stupid things they don’t believe in order to negotiate the system. They should do away with it entirely and let people self-identify and just pay taxes wherever they reside.
I mean. I guess I’m immune to this because I came to the US on a green card and “pledged allegiance to the US flag” every morning in high school, despite having never in my life heard anyone recite that pledge before. Meaningless then, and it definitely didn’t take on new meaning after I naturalized.
While I totally understand her feelings, I also think it was not really the appropriate time/place to express that, at least without more diplomacy. To me, it would be the equivalent of making a toast at the wedding reception, saying “Well, I am happy to be married, but I have mixed feelings. It made sense for tax reasons and benefits, but I am not sure how I really feel about committing to never having sex with anyone else ever again.” You might think that. You might talk about your fears with your best friend, but you really shouldn’t say that at the reception in front of all of his relatives.
I don’t think anyone should be proud to be from that country, but if you are willing becoming a citizen you must be mad! She needs to shut her trap. Nobody made her do it, now she’s only making herself sound stupid.
I wish Emily would go back to England and take Rob Pattinson with her!!!
They love making $$$$ in America but are so unappreciative about how much this country has done for them.
Go back to England losers … we won’t miss you!!!
What a difference between loser Emily and Camilla Alves. Camila twitted how much she loves this country when she became a citizen, on the same day as Emily. Camila has class while the other one just shows her stupidity.
No one forced her to become a citizen so her behavior is disrespectful and inappropriate.