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question to american people

hello all

i was just wondering if that for you american people u was considering yourself first of all like a represent of the state where u live or where u are from before to feel american
like do u consider yourself first "californian" and then american?

i ask u that cuz our teacher yesterday said "keep in mind that US is 50 states living together so people in each state have their own habits " since yea your country is a federal country but do u really have this feeling ?i mean that your state is really a own kind of country by itself?even if the federal state has established rules for everyone?


and an another question is it really true that in some schools in the US like elementary schools some are using books of history where it just says that the universe has been made in 7 days by god and it only explains the creation of the world through religion and not for example as well proposing others theories like the darwin theory ?

thank u

I think a lot of people consider themselves a representative of their state first and foremost. BUT like your teacher said, each state has it's own habits so it probably varies from state to state. I remember went I went to Ibiza a few Europeans that I met were making fun of me because I was from America. When I told them I was from California they though 'OOH OK that's different then'...weird

About the creationism vs science in schools, however, I'm not sure. I know that there are Catholic schools and private schools versus public schools. As far as what's taught in each one I'm not sure. I know that because of separation of church and state, technically, it's illegal for public schools (schools owned and run by the government) to teach religion. Catholic and private schools (not run by the government) can pretty much teach whatever they want.

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i was just wondering if that for you american people u was considering yourself first of all like a represent of the state where u live or where u are from before to feel american like do u consider yourself first "californian" and then american?

It depends on where I am. If I am traveling within the U.S. (in other states), then I kind of feel like a "representative Texan," but if I am outside the U.S., then I feel like I am representing the U.S. as a whole.

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i ask u that cuz our teacher yesterday said "keep in mind that US is 50 states living together so people in each state have their own habits " since yea your country is a federal country but do u really have this feeling ?i mean that your state is really a own kind of country by itself?even if the federal state has established rules for everyone?

People do have their own habits, and there are a lot of regional differences and even hostilities between regions, but I don't quite think of each state as its own country.

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and an another question is it really true that in some schools in the US like elementary schools some are using books of history where it just says that the universe has been made in 7 days by god and it only explains the creation of the world through religion and not for example as well proposing others theories like the darwin theory ?

Some private religious schools do this, but none of our government (public) schools do this, as far as I know.

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Originally posted by dj_bas I think a lot of people consider themselves a representative of their state first and foremost. BUT like your teacher said, each state has it's own habits so it probably varies from state to state. I remember went I went to Ibiza a few Europeans that I met were making fun of me because I was from America. When I told them I was from California they though 'OOH OK that's different then'...weird

that doesnt surprises me lol california has its own image hollywood....the surf, the hippies lets say a cool image while a lot of people think of US in general with a fat person eating a burger and drving his van with a cowboy hat

thank u for the reply bas

Re: question to american people

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Originally posted by CranberryJuice hello all i was just wondering if that for you american people u was considering yourself first of all like a represent of the state where u live or where u are from before to feel american like do u consider yourself first "californian" and then american? i ask u that cuz our teacher yesterday said "keep in mind that US is 50 states living together so people in each state have their own habits " since yea your country is a federal country but do u really have this feeling ?i mean that your state is really a own kind of country by itself?even if the federal state has established rules for everyone? and an another question is it really true that in some schools in the US like elementary schools some are using books of history where it just says that the universe has been made in 7 days by god and it only explains the creation of the world through religion and not for example as well proposing others theories like the darwin theory ? thank u

1. Does each state have it's own cultural identity apart from the entire nation?

In sports, economics, politics, etc. there is some friendly rivalry between states, such as, 'who can get the lowest crime rate?'. Individually, yes, there is some pride about what state you come from. But we all think of ourselves as american, first and foremost, than floridian, or californian. Nobody really notices the line between state and federal government unless you were to care. Most of the states have been states over 100 years, and have had that much time to integrate into our union. Every state is american in its own way.

Federal laws are above state laws, but generally, each state is allowed to make laws as if they were a commonwealth state. Kind of like Great Britain had commonwealth states like Canada, Australia, S. Africa, India, etc. But america is obviously on a different dynamic.

2. Do American public school use creationist text books?

No, no american public school even teaches creationism, though there were several court cases that were decided in favor against teaching alternate 'origin of life' theories.

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while a lot of people think of US in general with a fat person eating a burger and drving his van with a cowboy hat

Even a lot of people in the U.S. have that image of people from my region.

Re: question to american people

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Originally posted by CranberryJuice i was just wondering if that for you american people u was considering yourself first of all like a represent of the state where u live or where u are from before to feel american like do u consider yourself first "californian" and then american?

I've lived in 5 different states in the last 3 years, so no. Some people around here certainly do, though.

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and an another question is it really true that in some schools in the US like elementary schools some are using books of history where it just says that the universe has been made in 7 days by god and it only explains the creation of the world through religion and not for example as well proposing others theories like the darwin theory ?

Not any public schools. Specific regulations regarding private schools varies from state to state.

I don't consider myself much of anything.

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Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles Even a lot of people in the U.S. have that image of people from my region.

That's because you're from Texas

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Originally posted by Krypton 2. Do American public school use creationist text books? No, no american public school even teaches creationism, though there were several court cases that were decided in favor against teaching alternate 'origin of life' theories.

mmh ok our teacher told us about a case concerning tennessee and i guess it sounded like it was still up going on in some part of the country

I guess I'll go chow down on some burgers, put my cowboy hat on, and drive into the sunset in my crappy old van while listening to country music...

Re: Re: Re: question to american people

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Originally posted by CranberryJuice mmh ok our teacher told us about a case concerning tennessee and i guess it sounded like it was still up going on in some part of the country

Don't judge the US by ANYTHING that happens in the south...please lol

Re: Re: Re: Re: question to american people

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Originally posted by dj_bas Don't judge the US by ANYTHING that happens in the south...please lol

yeah but most of the cases we've been speaking of were actually from southern states

Re: Re: Re: question to american people

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Originally posted by CranberryJuice mmh ok our teacher told us about a case concerning tennessee and i guess it sounded like it was still up going on in some part of the country

Actually, it is a continuing debate in Georgia. In fact, biology books in Cobb County here had a sticker placed on the outside that was there to reiterate how evolution is merely a theory and that there are other ideas out there other than evolution. Thankfully, I believe those stickers have been removed from the books.

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Originally posted by CranberryJuice mmh ok our teacher told us about a case concerning tennessee and i guess it sounded like it was still up going on in some part of the country

Yes, the creationists went back to their private schools, and the evo's back to the public schools.

They put stickers in some books though just to inform students of the ongoing nature of the 'origin of life' debate.

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Originally posted by dj_bas That's because you're from Texas

Pfft, they drive white pickup trucks here, not vans. Yes, white specifically. I'd say white pickup trucks make up 50% of the traffic in Houston and the surrounding areas. I don't know why, and don't want to know.

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Originally posted by Arbiter Pfft, they drive white pickup trucks here, not vans. Yes, white specifically. I'd say white pickup trucks make up 50% of the traffic in Houston and the surrounding areas. I don't know why, and don't want to know.

do the black people drive black trucks?

anyway im off to school good nite everyone

Econolines are pretty popular here, too, though. And GMC Suburbans / Yukons: oh the legions of them!

heh, it's 1.28am here

I think personal identity depends in part on the state. Texas and California seem to be much stronger identifiers than say, Indiana or Iowa. I'd think of it more as neighborhoods within a city. They're all more or less equal, but there are nice areas that people are proud to be from, and also barrios that people are proud to be from (New Jersey comes to mind). The middle seems to get lost somewhere -- I suppose there is less neighborhood pride in the average states.

As for teaching creationism in school, there are some school districts in the United States that have tried to teach it, but at this point, the federal government has never allowed it. As for the thing in Tennessee that your teacher was talking about, I'm guessing it's the Scopes Trial.

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The "Scopes Trial" (Scopes v. State, 152 Tenn. 424, 278 S.W. 57 (Tenn. 1925), often called the "Scopes Monkey Trial") pitted lawyers William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow against each other (the latter representing teacher John T. Scopes) in an American court case that tested a law passed on March 13, 1925, which forbade the teaching, in any state-funded educational establishment in Tennessee, of "any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals." This is often interpreted as meaning that the law forbade the teaching of any aspect of the theory of evolution. John Scopes, a high school teacher, was arrested for teaching evolution from Darwin's Origin's -Of Species.

(Wikipedia.org)


Scopes was found guilty, meaning that he was not allowed to teach evolution. But note the date (1925). Since then, this case has more or less been overturned, and the opposite is pretty much true. Now it is illegal to teach creationism and standard to teach evolution.

Maybe I am wrong, so you could correct myself, but is state representation very important for like Texas since they were an independant republic before joining the Union??

Re: question to american people

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Originally posted by CranberryJuice hello all i was just wondering if that for you american people u was considering yourself first of all like a represent of the state where u live or where u are from before to feel american like do u consider yourself first "californian" and then american? i ask u that cuz our teacher yesterday said "keep in mind that US is 50 states living together so people in each state have their own habits " since yea your country is a federal country but do u really have this feeling ?i mean that your state is really a own kind of country by itself?even if the federal state has established rules for everyone? and an another question is it really true that in some schools in the US like elementary schools some are using books of history where it just says that the universe has been made in 7 days by god and it only explains the creation of the world through religion and not for example as well proposing others theories like the darwin theory ? thank u

well if you want to go even further, i think of myself as a new yorker. not even new york state, but new york city. it's just a function of where you involve yourself most of the time. i think if i'm traveling to another country, that's when my nationality comes to the forefront of my mindset.

hope that helps!

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Originally posted by Zeiter Maybe I am wrong, so you could correct myself, but is state representation very important for like Texas since they were an independant republic before joining the Union??

You'll have to specify what you mean by "important."

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Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles You'll have to specify what you mean by "important."

I'm no expert on the subject...but...I read somewhere a few years back that some groups want Texas to be independant again if they don't get more representation in political power and stuff like that...and Texas's pride is high because of somehow their nostalgic idea of an Independant Texas...or something..

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Originally posted by Zeiter I'm no expert on the subject...but...I read somewhere a few years back that some groups want Texas to be independant again if they don't get more representation in political power and stuff like that...and Texas's pride is high because of somehow their nostalgic idea of an Independant Texas...or something..

There are a few groups who want that. My mom is a prosecuting attorney and actually prosecuted a woman who claimed that she was "out of U.S. jurisdiction" because Texas was still its own country. But those people are considered nutcases and aren't very common.

Many Texans do have a lot of pride. You'll see the Texas flag, the same size and height as the U.S. flag, flying at banks and car dealerships and all sorts of places. This probably has a little to do with formerly being an independent country and a little to do with the sheer size of the state: it is larger in land area than many countries (France or Germany or Spain, for example), so it seems big enough to be a country by itself.

I don't consider being a Texan a very big deal, but quite a few people take a lot of pride in it.

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