"Dear Limey Assholes" -- Guardian gets responses to its Ohio letter drive

[Newsjock]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/story/0,13918,1329858,00.html

Last week G2 launched Operation Clark County to help readers have a say in the American election by writing to undecided voters in the crucial state of Ohio. In the first three days, more than 11,000 people requested addresses. Here is some of the reaction to the project that we received from the US.

... Have you not noticed that Americans don't give two shits what Europeans think of us? Each email someone gets from some arrogant Brit telling us why to NOT vote for George Bush is going to backfire, you stupid, yellow-toothed pansies ... I don't give a rat's ass if our election is going to have an effect on your worthless little life. I really don't. If you want to have a meaningful election in your crappy little island full of shitty food and yellow teeth, then maybe you should try not to sell your sovereignty out to Brussels and Berlin, dipshit. Oh, yeah - and brush your goddamned teeth, you filthy animals.
Wading River, NY

... KEEP YOUR FUCKIN' LIMEY HANDS OFF OUR ELECTION. HEY, SHITHEADS, REMEMBER THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR? REMEMBER THE WAR OF 1812? WE DIDN'T WANT YOU, OR YOUR POLITICS HERE, THAT'S WHY WE KICKED YOUR ASSES OUT. FOR THE 47% OF YOU WHO DON'T WANT PRESIDENT BUSH, I SAY THIS ... TOUGH SHIT!
PROUD AMERICAN VOTING FOR BUSH!

... Real Americans aren't interested in your pansy-ass, tea-sipping opinions. If you want to save the world, begin with your own worthless corner of it.
Texas, USA

lots more

[Rose Siding]

1. Oh, God I'm so embarrassed

:cry:

edit, not entirely! Some of those letters are sweet.

[vetwife]

6. We are the laughing stock of the world. Dumb and Dumber

These people want their prez to be as dumb as they are. Intelligence frightens them. Thats why they want Bush and we all know the Brits are very very intelligent.

[Robbie67]

2. And people wonder...

why I'm ashamed to be an American.

[Emboldened Chimp]

57. I'm not ashamed of my nationality...

but I am pissed that these asshole dare call themselves Americans.

[blackcat77]

3. B-b-b-but these are our brave Brit best buds

The pResident himself said so. How could these loyal Bush supporters possibly talk that way?

[Mojambo]

4. I could have told them they'd get responses like that

It was a bad idea.

Americans (and really any countries' citizens) hate the idea of other nations meddling even remotely in their election process.

I am sympathetic to the reasons why they would want to do this, but it was a bad idea.

[vetwife]

18. These morans don't even want Americans meddling in our elections

They want to steal it all ! What is up with the teeth comments. Did one ass write every comment? Claiming yellow teeth? Right..Like we don't have toothless hillbillies. I am from Georgia..Trust me we have toothless hillbillies and just plain toothless people, especially some who pull their own teeth because they don't have healthcare !

[nolabels]

38. Us Hillbillies are really just entrepreneurial folks deep down

Why spend the big bucks when you don't have to :shrug:


http://www.kakahead.com/funnypics.htm

Posted on Thu, Oct. 14, 2004

MARGATE

Around Broward County

'Root canal' sting

snares local couple

A husband and wife who allegedly ran a traveling dentistry operation without a license were arrested Wednesday after an undercover officer met with them under the guise of needing a root canal. Pedro Ortegon, 73, and Esperanza Carrillo, 52, of Margate, were taken into custody on charges of practicing dentistry without a license, possession of drugs with the intent to dispense and possession of dental tools, police said
Investigators with Margate police and the Florida Department of Health's Unlicensed Activity Unit started probing the case several months ago after someone called in an anonymous tip to Broward CrimeStoppers, according to Margate police Sgt. Andy Zettek. He said detectives believe the couple has been offering dental care for at least a year.

Ortegon made house calls, performing work at a patient's home. His wife served as medical assistant, police said.

On Wednesday, the undercover officer had arranged a visit. The couple arrived in the 3300 block of Pinewalk Drive with dental tools and medication
(snip)
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/states/florida/counties/broward_county/9912654.htm?1c

[sr_pacifica]

19. I agree n/t

[Journeyman]

21. Politically, a very naive act. . .

in addition to being a very bad idea.

Hey, I think Tony Blair is a wuss, and Krasniewski, the Polish President (who can forget Poland?), is a Pimp who sells his countrymen like so many cheap hookers, but no matter what my opinion of them, I'd never think to interfere with their politics. I don't want outside influence on my country, and I extend the same courtesy to others.

[Steelangel]

5. ROFL

Please be advised that I have forwarded this to the CIA and FBI.
United States

I cannot help but laughing at that retard.

[Scoopie]

7. Dear God!!

What a bunch of assholes we have in this country!
I went to England last November and was not accosted or looked upon as being ignorant - of course I wore Clark '04 buttons on my coat the whole time (the English LOVE Wes Clark).
The funniest thing that happened to me is when I stopped a sweet old lady to ask her directions. She told me where I needed to go and then looked at my buttons and said, "My Deah..., you're voting for Clark in your elections. You have made a wise decision and you're from the Southern United States, too!!
LOL!

[alvis]

8. Does Poland have a letter writing campaign

You know, so we won't forget...

[Catt03]

9. What is it with all the references to "teeth."

[apnu]

50. the people of the British Isles have bad teeth

And it's involved into, basically, a racist joke. Sorta like: The French smell, and Pollocks are dumb. That sort of thing.

Ignorance is the curse of America, and the rest of the world knows it. They think we are dip-shits, and these meat puppets responding to letters from the UK prove it.

[Blue-Jay]

51. Didn't you just do the same thing that

you're accusing others of doing?

French: smelly
Brits: bad teeth
Americans: ignorant rubes

[Carni]

56. Karen Hughes has a MISSING TOOTH

And these bushbot hillbillies want to talk about teeth? LOL!

Next time you guys watch Hughes talk... check out her teeth she has a missing one about four teeth back on the right!

[requiem99]

10. Look at this one.........

"Consider this: stay out of American electoral politics. Unless you would like a company of US Navy Seals - Republican to a man - to descend upon the offices of the Guardian, bag the lot of you, and transport you to Guantanamo Bay, where you can share quarters with some lonely Taliban shepherd boys."

I'm ashamed to even be LIVING here.

[derby378]

15. Jesse Ventura was a SEAL, you moran!!

Does the term "Reform Party" ring a bell, FReeper?

I ain't ashamed to be an American - just ashamed that America has been subjugated by these Neolithic diaper cases.

[pacalo]

26. US Navy Seals? Doesn't the writer have delusions of grandeur --

part of the "kick ass, take their gas" crowd who wants to live in a Rambo movie.

[vetwife]

35. You're right but only if they didn't have to fight for real ! Like Rambo

[pacalo]

61. That's the truth!

[sandnsea]

11. Those are the worst

There's some rational letters in there too, explaining that this was an incredibly dumb idea. Which it was.

[vetwife]

25. Thats the best photo op I have seen of King George yet !

[janx]

12. Whelp, I guess we know why the term "ugly Americans"

was created...

And look at this one:

As a US citizen, I want to advise you that you and anyone that participates in subverting the US presidential election can be criminally charged and perhaps even charged as spies.
California

SPIES! :scared:

[pacalo]

28. They better start surrounding the fundemental churches, then.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

13. Someone should show * where the capslock key is

[NewYorkerfromMass]

14. Best one:

Dear British friends,
I think you have an interesting idea to encourage international grassroots efforts, but I sincerely doubt most Springfielders are going to be influenced by letters from a country they probably can't even point to on a map. I wish you luck with your campaign, but I warn you that you're not likely to accomplish much.
Dayton, Ohio

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

16. What a terrible idea

What were they thinking?

Dumb, just dumb.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

17. Best idiot freeper comment

As a US citizen, I want to advise you that you and anyone that participates in subverting the US presidential election can be criminally charged and perhaps even charged as spies.
California

(and what is it about the "teeth"?)

[Mojambo]

22. Brits are notorious for less than stellar dental health

Very sugary diet over there.

Or so I've heard.

[Zuni]

34. poor dental care

[SemperEadem]

20. well, now we know where all the mature, intellegent Americans skulk about

give you such pride in the good ol' US of A to know we've got such intellectual heavies on our side (/sarcasm)

[eriffle]

23. it was a bad idea

It was a bad idea, will it sway undecideds one way or the other, probably not, but it is a press story and it keeps the media off of issues. The media here is capable of coming up with those on their own, like the lesbian of which we do not speak of. But it is telling of American hypocrisy if you were to take this poll. Is it OK for America to meddle with the Iraq election to make sure that our guy wins? Is it OK for the UK to meddle with the the US elections to make sure a guy they like wins?

Most Americans will say ok to the first one, and not ok to the second.

[BMJ]

24. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! These responses are simply pathetic!

[DBoon]

27. I want to emigrate!

I can't stand being associated with such stupid people

[Still_Notafraid]

29. sheesh

I thought it was funny when one of the letters pointed out that some of these people in Ohio would probably not be able to point to Briton on a map much less listen to what Brits have to say.

Notice all the stereo typing with the teeth and tea comments,Its amazing how Republicans can sum up the world in only a few stereotypical comments.

[vetwife]

33. Can't stop laughing. This is our # 1 ..only combat friendly of size

ally. If they think this of Great Britian, what in the world would they write to Bum----k Egypt or one of the other teeeny countries helping in the coalition.? My Lord ! The paper probably thought ..Let them eat cake ! The country is full of morans ..Than God I am British. I bet that is what they thought. Those poor poor liberals ! I surely hope they don't think we are all this stupid !

[Philostopher]

30. Funny thing is ...

these aren't responses, by and large, from people who live in Springfield. Look at the addresses -- Texas, New York. These FReepers -- and in this case, I feel safe in saying they probably are -- aren't getting these letters. The one lower in the thread, from Dayton, probably expresses my thoughts on it well enough. People in Clark County don't give a flying fart through a fat rat's ass what the British think, even if they're already voting for Kerry -- and plenty of them are. It was ill-advised, at best.

Oh, and the "teeth" thing -- most of the FReepers typing these letters probably have beautiful teeth that they put in a glass on the nightstand and are paying for on a payment plan, so they better watch making fun of Brits' dental hygiene.

[mitchum]

31. None of those idiots even had the wit to refer to England as...

"USS Britannia- Our Largest Aircraft Carrier!"
Just the same old tired lines about sissies, bad dental hygiene, etc...

[expatriate]

32. Zowie

I do agree that the Guardian email drive was not a good idea - but still, the image projected of Americans as vile-mouthed, threatening jerks is humiliating. The Ugly American indeed.

What's worse - having yellow teeth or being a foulmouthed know-nothing who is determined to vote for the most destructive President who has ever held office?

[shraby]

36. Hmmmmm apparently they don't want

anyone from another country messing in our election...how come they don't mind messing in Iraq?????

[RafterMan]

42. And the flip side of the coin

Europeans are always lecturing Americans on the virtues of noninterference -- you'll only create a backlash, they say -- but they just couldn't help themselves here.

What a dumb idea this was. I hope the effects aren't serious.

[chookie]

37. Feel the love between us and our closest ally

Let's see -- John Kerry gets dissed by His Chimperial Majesty for pointing out that the Coalition of the Killing is a big joke, "bringing on" a tirade from Bush about our brave allies which he must respect.

But the flying monkeys think its okay to insult them and call their nation worthless and, using Bush's phrasing, "denigrate" those yellow-toothed filthy animals fighting and sacrificing alongside Americans in Iraq.

Logic and consistency -- like Bush's.

Also gotta love the irony that they are screaming that NO ONE has a right to even comment on US elections -- whereas they hold the US has a sovereign right to decide what regimes are legitimate and that we can not only seek to influence this stuff but impose military action if denied.

I guess they're a little shaken up because it turns out the French and Germans were right, after all those displays of pouring wine down sewers and insulting them -- remember how they did not join the Coalition because they did not think the evidence against Iraq was strong enough to justify a military response on the scale Bush was planning?

Yes, Europeans, many Americans ARE nuts. We, the sane, are standing shoulder to shoulder with you to build a future we want to survive to see.

Bush? Or Chimp?

Iraqis think he looks like a chimp too. It's a small step towards healing the world.

[CBHagman]

46. That comment and picture made my day.

"Iraqis think he looks like a chimp too. It's a small step towards healing the world."

LOL!

[zulchzulu]

39. Dubya uses ALL CAPS to write the Guardian

Meds...Chimpy is on meds.

[Guaranteed]

40. Most of these folks probably didn't even get letters.

And they're jeeeeaaaalousss.....

[bush equals idiot]

41. Shut up freeps.

Or we'll send these comments to the CIA. lol.

[GreggDem]

43. Pretty stupid suggestion

I think the whole idea of writing letters to influence voters was just a very stupid idea from the beginning.

[newyawker99]

44. Hi GreggDem!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[NewYorkerfromMass]

45. I liked this thread better than the other one.

[Shadow30]

47. Not really a shock...

...brain dead Bush zombies think anyone that doesn't live for George W. Bush is a "pansy" or a "sissy".Kerry was in Vietnam,Bush chickened out but wait lets forget that Bush is somehow a tough guy and Kerry isn't and thats all there is to it,mindless fuckers.If Bush wins or more likely steals it I hope assholes like that are the first that get drafted and sent to Iraq.

[Blue-Jay]

48. Speaking as a resident of Clark County, Ohio....

I'll have to say that this whole idea of the Guardian's is just WEIRD. How in the Hell did WE get singled out of all the 88 counties in Ohio? Clark County voted Blue in the 2000 election (albeit barely), and will be decisively Blue on November 2. Guaranteed.

No, it's not a "liberal" area, but it's a "union democrat" county and will remain as such. Yeah, it was a stupid idea to begin with, but what made the Guardian pick us out specifically? I'd bet the farm that not 1 in 50 Springfielders have even heard of the Guardian. Maybe if the National Enquirer had their own Operation Clark County, more people would have responded with a less "WTF?" attitude.

Also: That link won't open for me for some reason. Too much traffic or something?

EDIT: Never mind. It just opened for me.

[Blue-Jay]

49. kick

Just because I'm allowed.

[RafterMan]

52. The underlying logic

"To maximise the likelihood of your efforts making a difference, we've zeroed in on one of the places where this year's election truly will be decided: Clark County, Ohio, which is balanced on a razor's edge between Republicans and Democrats. In the 2000 election, Al Gore won Clark County by 1% - equivalent to 324 votes - but George Bush won the state as a whole by just four percentage points. This time round, Ohio is one of the most crucial swing states: Kerry and Bush have been campaigning there tire lessly - they've visited Clark County itself - and the most recent Ohio poll shows, once again, a 1% difference between the two of them. The voters we will target in our letter-writing initiative are all Clark County residents, and they are all registered independents, which somewhat increases the chances of their being persuadable."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/story/0,13918,1326033,00.html

I'd say it's one of those ideas that looks good on paper, except it doesn't actually look that good on paper.

[Blue-Jay]

54. Trust me, Clark will vote for Kerry by more than a 1% margin this time.

Many of us have been working our asses off to register voters. A LOT of voters. The feeling around here is very confident & hopeful right now. I can't speak for the rest of the state, but Kerry has THIS area safely in the bag. Kerry signs outnumber * signs by a ratio of about 5:1, by my best guess from driving around the city.

[VOX]

53. Did they mention Poland? Clark County is dissing Poland!

Ya gotta have Poland (all 2,500 of 'em, and they're leaving Iraq next year) or there just ain't no coalition. :)

Jaysus, reading these "letters," the term "ugly American" **really** comes to mind. :grr:

[Carni]

55. Gee whiz! Good thing the Brits are their ONLY allies in Iraq!

Wonder how long Blair will last after the Brits get a load of all the love spilling out of bush's grateful rednecked base?

[Kathy in Cambridge]

58. The ignorance of the posts is truly astounding

I'd be willing to let England come in and monitor our elections, since were currently in the league of many banana republics when it comes to voter fraud.

[eyepaddle]

59. Wow,

That's pretty mortifying isn't it? As an American who occasionally travels abroad, I can only hope the readers of the Guardian know that this doesn't represent universal American opinion. And perhaps have a little sympathy for what WE are up against here in the US.

In a total self-pitying moment, I'm fairly sure I'm gonna get a complete earful on my next trip....oh woe is me....er, us.

[Angrillori]

60. 5/16 of an inch...

5/16ths of an inch is the distance you have to reach to turn caps lock off, yet, am I surprised that foaming-at-the-mouth * fundies won't make even that effort?

Or do they really think they're intimidating the entire sovereign nation of Great Britain by typing in all caps?

Sheesh. Color this American embarrassed too.

But also consider him happy to hear about other counties GOTV efforts!

Go Kerry!