by Travis Casey

Created on: January 18, 2007   Last Updated: June 13, 2010

It may have been a good idea, but it is a bad practice. The concept is to create a United States of Europe. But there are centuries of pent up hatred in the various European countries toward other European countries. America, which the E.U. is trying to copy, was built on a completely different premise. The forefathers did not like they way they were treated or the direction England was going. So they founded a new country with the rules of that country agreed upon at the date of inception. Europe on the other hand, has centuries of history and tradition which will have to be stripped away in order for the new laws to be applied.

And no one really knows which laws apply to what area. Here is just one example of how confusing it is to be an Englishmen living under European directives and laws. January 2000, it became compulsorily in England to sell food in metric measurements. Many shopkeepers have since been in the courts on charges of selling a pound of potatoes. It is now illegal. Yet an Austrian pub in London had to change their beer measurements. They were selling beer by the liter and half liter, yet English law still prevails. Liquor is sold in 25 milliliter increments and beer is sold by pint increments (a half pint being 10 ounces). And wine must be sold in milliliter increments. You must now buy a meter of rope when in the old days 3 feet would do. But we still drive 70 miles per hour and it is still 60 miles to London. What hope do we have?

There are three major players in Europe. France, Germany and England. The Germans make up the rules. They love rules and a structured life. France is now pretty palsy with Germany so they just go along with it but have no intention of abiding by it. "Oui" and then do what they want. The English vigorously oppose ridiculous laws, lose (because the government has no backbone) and then enforce it to the letter of the law on what would otherwise be law abiding citizens.

Europe as a whole will never be completely unified, and I can use just Scotland and England to illustrate this point. If the Dallas Cowboys were going to play a game against the Frankfurt Galaxy in American football, I would bet that every American, football fan or not, would want the see the Cowboys win. It wouldn't matter if you were a Miami fan, it's Americans against Germans. But if England is playing in the World Cup, the Scottish would rather see Brazil win over their southern cousins. And it would be like that all over Europe. No unilateral support.

We all know that America had a big bust up after 100 years in the form of a civil war. Let's not take Europe down the same path.

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