Tyger tyger burning bright

Theodoric · 12-11-2003, 18:53

It was reported on the TV news tonight that some woman in New Jersey is in trouble for keeping 24 tigers in her back garden (OK, it was a largish back garden). Then there was that case recently where a tiger was found being kept in an apartment in an American city. Apparently, keeping big cats is quite common in America and, in some states, this is legal; you can buy them over the Internet.

What is the matter with some Americans? Are they brain damaged or are they just born stupid beyond belief? If I was feeling charitable, I might put it down to there being more Americans than British, but I think its more than that. It's probably some sort of obscure cultural thing.

ntluser · 12-11-2003, 21:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Theodoric

It was reported on the TV news tonight that some woman in New Jersey is in trouble for keeping 24 tigers in her back garden (OK, it was a largish back garden). Then there was that case recently where a tiger was found being kept in an apartment in an American city. Apparently, keeping big cats is quite common in America and, in some states, this is legal; you can buy them over the Internet.

What is the matter with some Americans? Are they brain damaged or are they just born stupid beyond belief? If I was feeling charitable, I might put it down to there being more Americans than British, but I think its more than that. It's probably some sort of obscure cultural thing.

You forget that America is 'the land of the free' and law-abiding people are allowed to do whatever the Constitution permits them to do.

The rest of the people just do what they want..whether it makes sense or not!!

**Chris** · 12-11-2003, 22:16

Well, I think I ought to jump to America's defence seeing as Jerrek's not around just now ... I really think this is just a cultural difference. We tend to assume we know what America is all about because we see so much of it on TV and in films, and we think we ought to understand them because they speak the same language as us. But they are a foreign country, so we can't expect to understand all their habits.

peachey · 12-11-2003, 22:19

fair enough

but remember that America consists of lots and lots of other places than just the USA

homealone · 12-11-2003, 22:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by towny

Well, I think I ought to jump to America's defence seeing as Jerrek's not around just now ... I really think this is just a cultural difference. We tend to assume we know what America is all about because we see so much of it on TV and in films, and we think we ought to understand them because they speak the same language as us. But they are a foreign country, so we can't expect to understand all their habits.

one, admittedly, unsubstantiated, statistic was there are more tigers kept as pets in the US than survive in the wild?

ntluser · 12-11-2003, 22:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by homealone

one, admittedly, unsubstantiated, statistic was there are more tigers kept as pets in the US than survive in the wild?

That's probably true about panthers and pumas in the UK released onto the moors after they became too much of a handful for their owners. The Beast of Bodmin is probably the most well known example but nobody seems bothered about tracking them down.