Careful!
They can dish it out but they can’t take it.
Americans in the UK have been warned to “keep a low profile” during this week’s visit of their president, Donald Trump, as the US embassy in London says demonstrations against the event could turn violent.
Oh yes, definitely, and when they do turn violent they will attempt to exterminate Americans. Furthermore, all Americans in the UK are visibly unmistakably American, thanks to the neon YANK sign they are required to have permanently screwed onto their heads as a condition of entry. It’s a scary scary scary time to be a person of USitude in the UK.
“Be aware of your surroundings [and] exercise caution if unexpectedly in the vicinity of large gatherings that may become violent,” the US embassy warned.
WATCH OUT
Stay home.
Lock the doors and windows.
Hide under the bed.
In their warning on Tuesday, the embassy told American citizens to expect the largest demonstration in central London on Friday 13 July, when organisers hope tens of thousands of people will be on the streets. A “Trump baby” balloon is also due to fly over central London that morning.
And it will probably be dropping bombs on the people it detects as American.
US officials in London added that, besides keeping their heads down, people should also keep an eye on local media and heed any police advice. “Several of the events are expected to attract large crowds and there will be road closures in connection with those events,” they said.
Really they’d better nip over to the Continent for a few days.
(Laughs…)
… I figure, among other things, ’tis the usual double-dealing of liars like Trump and his regime. They tend to attempt to conflate themselves with their nation. And thus imply: those appalled by Trump will be hostile to all Americans. Any opening they see to attempt to confuse ‘rally ’round the flag’ with ‘rally ’round _me_’, they’ll try, anyway.
… when I’d expect the reality is: a solid marjority of expatriate USAians in the UK probably think Trump the utter wank he utterly is. And would have generally made this known to those around them, by now. So people who know who they are _also_ know they’re no friend of the Tang-tinged would-be emperor. _And_, I expect, most of those who are appalled by Trump also know full well the depths of divisions in the US electorate. And thus that there’s no particular reason to assume anyone of US citizenship is actually onboard with his brazen boosting of authoritarians and authoritarianism, nor brazen efforts to fracture Western alliances.
It bears repeating, all the same, mind: Trump isn’t America. Nor is Trumpism.
Most Americans can hide just fine in England if they follow a few simple rules. Don’t wear baseball caps. Don’t wear USA t-shirts. Don’t say “soccer”. Don’t ask where the local McDonald’s is. In fact, keep your mouth shut so your accent won’t be noticed. Don’t ask for ketchup. Don’t insist on having ice in your drink. Don’t drink cold beer.
Should be fine. They’ll fool all those hooligans that would kill all yanks without mercy.
I’d say the vast majority of Americans here will be supporting the protests, and I know plenty of them will be protesting themselves–but I often forget there’s a sizeable number of American military personnel still stationed here.
And whatever you do, Americans, stay out of all those “no-go zones” in London!
:) I still remember the Twitterverse reaction to the announcement on American news that Birmingham was a ‘no-go zone’–I wish I’d saved my favourite, an image of a car with a cover on it, one of those ones with netting over the windshield, and the caption ‘in Birmingham even the cars must wear burqas.’
This announcement, having been made, can be reported on right-wing news outlets as needful advice, reinforcing the us vs. them mentality of their watchers/listeners/readers/sheep.There will also likely be anti-US (not anti-Trump) riots reported, too, whether any occur or not. Look what happened in Sweden!*
*No, nothing out of the ordinary happened in Sweden. I just remember a similar Trump allusion to Sweden during the campaign or early in his occupation of the White House. It’s all started to blur together…
Maybe they should wear head-scarves?
YNNB,
Don’t forget the Bowling Green Massacre.
Everybody knows that we Brits have been itching for revenge since 1783!
Yes, but what about the World Cup? If England plays in the World Cup on Friday…will the protestors fail to show?
iknklast,
No World Cup games on Friday. England plays Croatia in the semi starting in a half-hour from now, and then either the third-place game (Saturday) or the final (Sunday).
So on Friday, England will either be partying or really really angry, either of which seems good for protesting Trump.
Partying.
Of course you can say “soccer”, iknklast. I’ve known the word for nearly 70 years. The important thing is not to say “saahkerrrr”, because that will really upset us. After all, who ever heard of Cornish football?
Now, ketchup: well my younger brother and I have maintained a feud over ketchup for six decades and I am certain that anyone who does not ask for HP Sauce ought to be immediately deported, along with him. But we all have our little ways.
Cold beer: yes, that’s a difficult one; the thing is, beer was always cold until recently, and now it’s a warm pint called “ale” for some reason. “Beer”, on the other hand, is now that metallic-tasting foreign fizzy stuff maintained at artificially subarctic temperatures even in English pubs with proper cellars. The Germans have won, after all. Americans have no idea.
McDonald’s: ah, well now, McDonald’s. Just don’t tell any of my young pupils. Perhaps it’s the assumption of “locality” that enrages. Well, I might commit murder, but then again I probably wouldn’t be bothered, and in any case none of my ten-year-olds would ever forgive me. “Let them eat chips”. “But!! they’re not even proper chips!!” Oh, to hell with it.
Aw, not partying.
Sorry, UK friends.
As usual, the take-home message from this is that MAGA types are made of cheap, thin glass.
Oh and the correct term for a sauce made primarily from tomatoes is ‘tomato sauce.’ Australian English wins again!
Yes, Holms, but tomato sauce can be used to make edible dishes. There is literally nothing edible about ketchup; I think it really works best to grout tile. I avoid it at all times, because there is no way to prepare ketchup that doesn’t ruin whatever it coats. For that reason, I choose to use two separate words for the edible and the inedible.
Alright, here’s the serious response. The embassy is talking rubbish, of course, and they surely know that. The point is to plant an idea in people’s heads. Like Trump blaming the Democrats for his own treatment of migrant families: it’s absurd, outrageously so, but it’s now something in the head. An association, an excuse, possibly even true, then… The constant barrage of ridiculous lies has its effect, in the end.