How Many Americans Own a Passp
Table of Contents
A Heated Debate 1
The U.K.? 2
UK v USA 2
Canada 3
Field Work – the USA 4
The Ball Game 4
USA Customs Officers 4
The Big Sur 6
The Wild Bunch 6
A Conclusion 7
A Heated Debate
During my time as an FE lecturer, I collected random, but relevant, statistical facts – to throw into a lecture if I was getting bored – or they were! I also drove into work listening to Radio 4 – – it was my job -and there were lots of days when one comment might fill a relevant part of a -three-hour lecture. I did have a full programme if no news turned up, of course.
Always topical, of course. – and as they were all adults -there was often a range of opinions.
They were mostly to do with the cultural aspects of international trade – and therefore subject to opinion – really an exercise for them to just think about things – rather than just remember facts.
I was doing – ‘heated debates’ before Mrs. Merton.
If they were really unreceptive – a 6-9 pm lecture, after a full day’s work-tired me out – let alone them. i did have a back-up of bad jokes – which got worse if they didn’t buck up. But they were only for dire situations – I might throw some of them at you another time.
Split into groups of four – one of my diversions was – ‘what percentage of American citizens, have a valid passport?
15minutes to discuss and, basically, make a guess. (this was, of course, before the now ubiquitous – ‘smart phone’ which would defeat the object of any discussion.
The actual answer – in the 1980’s – was that only 38% of USA citizens. owned a passport.
My basic point was to reveal a widely held opinion that – the answer exposed the insularity of the typical U.S.A citizen – and to question its validity. It was actually a practical international market research project.
I have checked the current stats- in early 2023 and – a bit spooky –it remains at 38% – despite COVID – which might have been expected to reduce, at least – the issue of new passports. So, so no change in, what is over, forty years.
The open discussion which followed – revealed everything from ingrained prejudices against Americans to an admiration for them.
The U.K.?
I gave them – some sort of context – the percentage of UK citizens who owned a passport in 2022 (last available) was71.4%.
I say – ‘of ‘some sort of context’ – because it’s not much of a context at all – because we are not comparing ‘like with like’. When the session went well – some of them would start identifying why it was not much of a comparison –if they didn’t come up with it -I threw it in later.
UK v USA
The UK is different from the USA in many ways.
We are an island economy with a rich history of maritime trade and other overseas adventures which we are now, perhaps, less proud of.
The USA is huge in comparison – with a large percentage of the population living nowhere near the coast and having minimal contacts overseas.
There has been research – countering the ‘insularity’ theory –
• the socio-economic groups who had and didn’t have passports.
A clear distinction – those with passports were more likely to be from the higher income / professional occupation group and often well-travelled outside the USA for busines and/or pleasure.
Pretty obvious really.
If I was still leading the discussion – I asked who had holidayed in America – and asked them what they did – if I got two or three – you could get skiing, surfing, sailing, climbing etc. etc. sometimes on the same day!
• The other point being, that, if you lived in a country with a huge range of choice of convenient recreational options – and you can jump into the car and be in the Florida Keys in four hours – then you will be far less interested in long-haul-flights to countries which – speak a different language and have different food – and money and manners – and climate.
The lesson about research is that it can’t be done on the basis of supposition or worse – prejudice – particularly where that is combined with a lack of field work i.e. research actually in America with Americans.
The origins of the exercise were, in fact – my own experiences, having originally found the research and accepting the ‘insular’ assumption as reasonable.
That changed when I actually travelled in the USA.
Canada
My wife. Jean, when I met her – had an Aunty and Uncle who had emigrated to Canada soon after they married – and two male cousins. Steve and Phil. Born and bred there.
Before my time, both families had visited each way two or three times as the kids went through their late teens.
I was accepted as ‘family’ pretty quickly and we did get together in both Canada and the UK many times as the elders got older and the younger grew up.
In fact – you may have read a previous post of mine – called – ‘The Three Musketeers’ which covered the two cousins Steve and Phil, visiting me for a holiday, touring the UK.
I found the Canadians – probably. the politest race I had ever come across – and a very civilised country with – most the people I met – enjoying a very comfortable standard of Living.
With very strong historic connections with Britain, of course – a Brit accent was always well received.
I’m not sure I could have lived there – just too organised and civilised!
Field Work – the USA
When in Canada – we did a number of trips into America – Niagara Falls being notable – but my highlight was The Ball Game.
A drive to Detroit for my first game of Baseball – Detroit Tigers v Boston Red Sox.
Driving through the centre of Detroit – looked like a scene from The French Connection – small gangs of lads on corners – apparently dealing. My lads made double sure that the car doors were locked!
The Ball Game
Once at the game. , Fantastic day and a great game – sat in the bleachers – low alcohol cold beer and a hot dog that was so hot – that I couldn’t see the game for my eyes watering -managed half of it – but I still think it was a joke for visitors.
Best behaved crowd I have ever been in – nothing like our football crowds.
But my opinion of Americans needed some archetypes to analyse.
USA Customs Officers
The Customs Officers at the border – had just reinforced my prejudicious. Wearing tailored uniforms and obviously self – important.
I walked up to the desk and offered my passport and visa and even the game ticket, he looked at me like I had breached all protocol. Ignores my documents and just points at a chair about ten metres away.
As soon as my bum hits it – he raises his hand and beckons – like ordering a dog to come forward – surprised he didn’t have a whistle.
I know that expressing any impatience, will not be appreciated and don’t want to delay the others – so I just silently obey.
I’m getting bored with this – I don’t know about you!
I got through about forty minutes later. Steve and Phil waiting but hadn’t been there long. They didn’t get through any easier than I did.
Do you know what annoyed me the most?
I’ve seen almost as bad from UK Customs Officers and I wasn’t particularly surprised by the attitude that I have to be grateful and honoured to be allowed into their great country – but the ‘made to measure’ uniforms – Pretentious – Moi!
I have to say that over my years of travelling – I found most Americans that I came across to be polite and considerate.
Some – particularly the older ones in groups – would sometimes see me eating alone – my preference.
Occasionally – one or more would ask if I would like to join them rather than sit by myself.
In my early days I felt obliged to go along with it – well twice anyway!
Regretted it both times – apart from the third degree about my life story – I did realise that they talk so loudly so you can hear them above their clothes.
I know they meant well, in their own way.
I developed a strategy – I always carried some sort of technical magazine preferably with a bold title, like ‘International Trade Bulletin’ and excused myself as I had to catch up. and pretended to read it – flipping a page, now and again.
Apart from ocean cruises, which stopped in the area – the most extended visit to the USA that, my wife and I did, actually didn’t involve the Canadians – but was a 3 – 4-week trip to Las Vegas as my 40th birthday celebration. – including stop overs in Los Angeles – a hire car trip (open top bright red sports) up the west coast – along the Big Sur -and stop-overs in Santa Barbara and Monterey Bay
The Big Sur
The incredibly scenic coastal road – hugging the sea, along the west coast of California (made famous in the Clint Eastwood film – ‘Play Misty for Me’.)
All with excellent service and unfailing politeness. Until:
The Wild Bunch
At one point on the Big Sur – we pulled into a service area – mostly for a drink and toilets.
A quiet car park – but – just as we got out of the car, a bunch of Hell’s Angels – wearing their colours – maybe eight of them- pull in -accompanied by a hell of a racket – and park up pretty close to us. At least they turned their engines off just as Jean and I were closing the open top.
Getting a closer look – they were the real thing but – all at least forty – some probably more -and all ‘well fed’ – most with long beards – a la – ZZ Top – and all riding expensive bikes.
Not your comfortable Honda Goldwing 1800 cc. (average age of owners – forty-two – according to Honda) – but the real Angel’s gear – mostly Harley Davidsons – some with the high front handlebars.
They could have all been in the film “The Wild Bunch’ – though, none of them looked like Warren Oates.
Jean and I are about sorted and turn towards the entrance – and one of them speaks – I had gone into a ‘keep your head down’ mode. He says – ‘Hey you’re Brits, yeah?’
Didn’t appear threatening – I replied – ‘Yeah – can you tell?’
‘Sure can – welcome to America’ – and we had a very pleasant and civilised chat with all of them – including tips for nice places for a night stop-over – they were right about Monterey Bay
‘m not saying that couldn’t happen in the UK- but we did find that sort of openness pretty standard wherever we went – in fact the opposite of – insularity. Maybe it was the accent – and generally – I have found them just as affable outside of America.
A Conclusion
Maybe a lot of Americans don’t have a passport because they will never need one – and you could argue that there are good reasons for that.
We can’t brand the whole population as insular and even xenophobic, on the basis of a misinterpreted and misleading statistic.