*was

America = Corn Syrup

I thought it was quite ironic, and characteristic of Jeb's misfiring campaign, that he thought a photo of gun would be a positive symbol for America, in contrast to the Obama presidency's position that the wanton spread of gun is symbolising America's endemic problem with public shootings.

it was an ironic but also depressing image -- the political equivalent of a desperate dick pic.

America = Independence
Spain = Family
Germany = Burdened
Israel = Fear

Hahaha. Yes, that's a very apt analogy. Jeb's campaign has been a series of misjudgements.

That's an interesting list, Octavious.

I can definitely see the appropriateness of your word for Israel.

there are so many guns in the u.s. it is ridiculous. i've personally witnessed 4 gun shootings in my life, which is an absurd amount for a supposedly peaceful country. There are also so many guns that even though I never wanted any, I've somehow acquired 3 without even trying (due to inheritances and so forth.)

Germany = optimum

Japan = loneliness

Singapore = competitive-individualism

Spain = carefree

Netherlands = liberal

Now depending on how you view guns, you could argue that they are a symbol of independence. It is an odd thing how different weapons sit in the minds of different nations. We Brits see the American love of guns as very odd, yet have a similar love of swords, longbows, and Lancaster bombers of all things.

Hell, there has even been a lot of reverence in recent years for the Vulcan bomber, which took me somewhat by surprise. Compared to that the love of a rifle looks decidedly sane.

Monaco = bourgeois haven

Octavipus, you may have a personal interest in armoury and planes, but I can't agree that this is a consuming national phenomenon; our country doesn't have widespread public ownership of swords (or jet bombers for that matter) and possession is often criminal.

Knife crime is a big problem, though, you're right. In Manchester, someone dies every day from knife crime, always in poor outer city neighbourhoods. Our local newspaper recently ran an issue that had a photo for every teenager killed by knife crime in the first month of 2016.

Out of curiosity wjessop:

Netherlands = liberal by American or European definition?

Octavipus sounds fun, but was just my phone auto correct :)
Yours,
Lady J

@steephie: I grew up in Europe, Africa and Asia. I currently live in Britain.

(So I'd go with European, but national/regional attachments aren't particularly relative to me.)

Walking around an English armory was quite an experience. I already wondered whether you could just buy a sword or you needed all kinds of papers and what not..

You need a licence for pretty much anything bigger than a kitchen knife.

Is it easy to get one though? Can you just say you collect them, buy one and go nuts?

As in, say you collect them to whoever you go to for the licence.

As to my knowledge, no.

We simply don't have knife and sword stores like you can find across America for guns. That is a complete fallacy.

Maybe some fancy towns in wealthy areas of outer London like Chipping Norton might have an expensive sword shop for collectors, but this is not something for the common market.

@steephie, what would your word/s for Netherlands be?

To be honest, now I read it again, I think Octavipus was just being ironic saying that Britain has a problem with swords and longbows.

We haven't had that problem here for a number of centuries :)

I think (European) liberal works, actually, but only in the sense of allowing all religions, some drugs, limited sex industry and the like. While social policies are in decline from our perspective, I'd say that's a part of the Netherlands you can't really ignore either.

My conclusion would be liberal with a decent amount of socialism :-)

The UK has no shortage of gun shops.

C'mon, wjessop, think of popular British heroes and tell me how many don't have statues of them with swords or are depicted in films having a dramatic sword fight? Our national creation myth has some chap proving his worth by pulling a sword out of a rock. Our most honoured citizens are rewarded by the Queen waving a big sword around their heads. The crown jewels of Scotland have such a ridiculously huge sword you can't quite believe it's real. Our military officers are all given a sword at graduation despite them not being useful weapons for a hundred years or more. The song most popular for English National Anthem sings about your sword never sleeping in your hand. We really like swords.

Yeah, exactly. When I use the word 'liberal' I think social policies (equality and freedom), I don't think about economic policied (which I'd refer to more as 'neoliberal').

And, wjessop, I never said we had a problem with swords or longbows. You imagined that one :)

Well by that definition, you nailed it.

Octavious:

I absolutely agree with your most recent post. The sword is used heavily as a symbol in British culture. The examples you give and more. Excalibur. The Sword in the Stone. The Old Bailey and the Statue of Justice, with scales representing balance and the sword representing punishment.

All of that history is undeniable.

Where I disagree with you is the suggestion that this equates in any way to a modern gun problem. We simply don't have that in the UK.

The last attack in the UK using a sword was 1996, the Wolverhampton machete attack.

Octavious :) : I didn't imagine it, you typed and entered it: "We Brits see the American love of guns as very odd, yet have a similar love of swords, longbows".

It is misleading to our American and Dutch friends.