We don't like them, they don't like us.

[anotheoldgit]

Since the start of all this "we don't like them", "they don't like us" criticisms over the French and Germans, I refer of course to the recent falling out over Cameron refusing to sign the treaty.

I have witnessed various TV and radio presenters making insulting remarks about these two nations, calling the French the smelly unwashed, and the Germans arrogant Krauts etc. and even on this site is seems quite in order to name call and criticise the Americans on other issues.

Why is this, when to make similar remarks against certain other nationals, would make one libel to be labelled racist or at the very least xenophobic?

[anotheoldgit]

Steve.5

Criticise us all you want if you must, but name any other country in this world, who are more tolerant than us.

[shaneystar2]

Haha ..the arrogant British eh ?
I've been married to one of these so called "arrogant krauts" for nearly 39 years.
I think I've done my bit for international relations :)

[THECORBYLOON]

anotheoldgit, who were the presenters then?

[boxtops]

AOG, who made these comments, when, do you have a link? Unless it was Jeremy Clarkson, this sounds very unlikely (unless of course they were reporting what someone else had said).

[DTCwordfan]

Isn't JC in the land that Phil the Greek insulted with his jocular remarks about their ocular systems.

Who were they - didn't hear anything xenophobic this morning on R4, more about the French isolating themselves and the Germans backing us now, and a potential face-saving concession to us to allow us back to the table, the City largely protected, which is what I forecasted would happen.

Monsieur Sarcastic, of course, is up for election in early 2012 and can not afford a cutting of their credit rating. Sacré Bleu.

[RoganJoshPete]

// Criticise us all you want if you must, but name any other country in this world, who are more tolerant than us. //

Ireland

[ummmm]

Ireland...hahaha...you are joking?

[NOX]

Roganjoshpete- I'll be laughing til February if you post anything else about Ireland and our ' tolerence'.

[horseshoes]

Queen Victoria' s DEAD!!!???

[andy-hughes]

I think there is a traditional dislike of Europeans, probably rooted in our 'difficult' history with almost all of our European friends at one stage or another in the past.

As far as the name-calling, it is rather childish, although i am not at all sure that professioanl journalists use these insults on air - although i am delighted to be proved wrong if you have a link AOG.

I think denigrating a national stereotype is unpleasant and unhelpful, when ever and where ever it is done.

As far a trading with Europe is concerned, if our exports are at the right price, we will find buyers who won't care how 'snobbish' we may appear - trade is trade, the bottom line is the price, not the nationality of the salesman.

[THECORBYLOON]

anotheoldgit, are you going to tell us the names of the radio and tv presenters or no?