Posted on 06/28/2005 8:06:39 AM PDT by veronica
Canada, to me, was always that mild-mannered nation to the north, full of friendlies who liked Americans and admired America.
I've been there several times and always felt welcomed.
The streets were scrubbed. The gardens were radiant. The people beamed.
Watching TV at a Toronto hotel bar, I recall seeing a local news broadcast where the street reporters wore matching polo shirts and carried tiny video cameras (which they pointed at themselves) as they rushed about the city delivering news on ribbon cuttings, check passings, dropped candy bar wrappers and such.
"This is paradise," I thought as I lit up a Cuban cigar, which, unlike Toronto, didn't live up to its hype.
But then came teenager Travis Biehn, the Canadian citizen living here in Bucks County.
Cops say Biehn spent the spring plotting to blow up his high school, Central Bucks East.
Since I wrote about Biehn, I've been dogged by a creepy e-mailer with a Canadian Yahoo! address bearing the enigmatic handle "antiamerikan2000@yahoo.com.ca."
A sample:
"When I consume, I now make a conscious effort to minimize my purchase of AmeriKan-made products. When my family travels in the winter, we go to Cuba instead of Florida; in summertime, it's Europe (which pleases my wife as she's European and you folks generally disgust her)."
And this:
"Today, on our way home from work, we were following an old couple from Texas. At every stop I yelled at them, "[Bleep]Bush!" ... a half dozen times at least.
"I yelled loud and, judging by their movements, they indeed heard me. (Every time I screamed, they turned to each other).
"When it came time for us to pass them, I gave them the finger and yelled into their open window, "[Bleep] You Iraqi Children Murderers!"
Here's one from last Thursday, commenting on terrorists killing American soldiers in Iraq: "I suppose you won't be surprised when I tell you that I'm overjoyed every time an AmeriKan Invader is killed by the resistance."
Crackpot stuff, right?
Maybe not. I recall my experience with several Canadian journalists last summer in Boston at the Democratic National Convention.
One afternoon, Michael Moore, the lefty mockumentary director, and Howard Dean, a former Democratic presidential candidate, were on a double bill to speak at a hotel outside of town.
The first five or so rows in the hotel ballroom were media.
Reporters all around me applauded both men. In fact, when Moore finished, some media members joined the ovation.
On the way out, I struck up a conversation with three enthusiastic media applauders. They told me they were covering the event for several Canadian news outfits.
I asked why they applauded. One told me she hated Bush. Another said Americans are warmongers and "jingoistic."
How widespread is this attitude in Canada?
Last year, a survey of Canadian teenagers found 40 percent see America as a force of "evil" in the world. More than 60 percent of French-Canadian teens said the same. (French. It figures.)
I don't know if my e-mailer is French-Canadian. When I asked him to reveal his name, he wouldn't. This is because he owns his own business and many of his accounts are in the United States, he said.
I guess if his clients knew he adores the island paradise of Cuba, shouts obscenities at old folks from Texas and cheers the death of American kids in Iraq, he'd jeopardize all that evil AmeriKan cash he pockets.
Yeah, I've actually been on Free Dominion many times before, so that's why I know its not all Canadians who act like jerks.
Surprisingly enough, while my roomie was from Ontario, she was from rural Ontario (Timmins). I could tell, however, that she was pretty much the way she was because of the combination of what she was being fed from the university she attended (I think it was in New London, but I don't remember) and what she was hearing from the news media.
"upset that he never gets invited."
Until recently he never realized he was already invited.
I'm proud of being Canadian . And the existence of the USA or Americans have absolutely nothing to do with it . Being American , like Canadian ,does not disqualify anyone from being stupid , ignorant or violent. As a point how many posts on this thread are stupid ? Show ignorance toward Canada ? How many suggest violence as a reaction to the article? On the other hand I notice that on FR a huge % of the articles posted regarding Canada are taken from Canadian sources and if the subject is in any way connected to the US then some opinion , positive or negative , is offered about the American connection . Maybe, to some that comes across as being a lecture . But it sure doesn't mean we think about you all the time .
Canadians here are told we depend on the US. You are a good market place. But we take 23 % of your exports. That's 32 million people taking 23 % of the exports produced by 300 million Americans. That fact alone is deserving of some thought .We sell you 80-85 % of our exports , a huge percentage of which are raw materials and power that demand world prices in a world market . Only it's more convenient to ship to the US, The USA happens to be closer .
As for protecting us. From whom? Americans are the only ones who have ever invaded us. Not once but four times . Maybe that has something to do with us not wanting to be American.
Canadians brainwashed by anti-American MSM on both sides of the border, plus a big problem with the green eyed monster.
I do. And a lot of times I have to turn it off.
Canada has losers; the States have losers. We're not that different.
I just returned from a trip to Canada (B.C.) a few hours ago. The Canadians there were very gracious and welcoming. They are alarmed by certain developments in the US, as am I, I have to confess. I live in a state (Georgia) which has the highest incarceration rate in the US. The US has the highest incarceration rate in the world. I have a young teenage daughter who developed bipolar disorder, and because of a series of minor events she was sentenced to 4 months in an unspeakable juvenile detention center, instead of a hospital wheres she would have received the appropriate care. My 18 yr old son, who confessed to a cop that he'd had a beer, was fined $1,300 and sentenced to six months probation. When I was in court with him I saw several young men who were constantly being sentenced to jail because they couldn't pay their steep probation fees, yet couldn't get a job to pay them because they were constantly being put in jail for not paying. A 17 yr old male in this state was sentenced as a sex offender for having relations with a 15 yr old classmate. We will soon need two forms of picture ID and proof of address to get a driver's licence--what about all the people who live with others, who don't have utility bills in their names? We are also keeping people in regular criminal prisons in this country without charges and without due process because they are immigrants who have been found to have old charges years previously, which they have already served time for, and many of them have been productive workers since that time, with families. The bottom line is that we are creating a large criminal class for the benefit of the lawyers and prison industry, and the politicians who ride on the backs of young men who have their lives ruined because they can't afford proper legal assistance. Jimmy Carter's grandson, who lives in my town, was caught breaking and entering, and stealing, and in posession of drugs. All charges were dropped for him. The Supreme Court has just ruled that large companies can seize private property for "public purposes." I'm proud to be an American, but we need to wake up and see what is happening in this country--or we will wake up soon and find no semblance of the America our fathers knew.
I think you're correct.
And I also think that antiamerikan2000@yahoo.com is a charter member of DU.
The good people of Canada will have by undying thanks for many things.
Most of all, they will have my thanks for welcoming in thousands of my countrymen (and people on their way to my country) on September 11, 2001, and for being most gracious hosts to all of them.
"They have a "little brother" complex they love our culture but love to hate us too. Its any easy position because they know that being our neighbor they don't have to worry about being invaded..."
Unless we invaded them. Sounds like easy money ;/
Holtz
JeffersonRepublic.com
Oh I know. Unfortunately one has to generalize quite often here.,
I've often said I'd like to take George W. fishing. For pickerel , I think you call them walleye. But he strikes me as a bass man.:)
I glad that you are amongst those who actually takes pride in their country. I'm the first to admit there is ignorance and bigotry amongst posters here at FR (after all, Freepers are notorious for "eating their own"). I too, believe that we economically depend on each other and if I gave you any indication that I didn't (which I don't think I implied by by earlier post), I do apologize. I also never asserted that you think about us all the time (I'm sure you have your own problems to worry about). I wasn't trying to offend anyone, I was merely trying to understand.
As for the protection issue, well I never brought that up either, but if we are going to go there... I highly doubt you really believe that the U.S. is ever going to attack Canada (at least I hope you don't), but you also can't ignore the fact that because Canada sends 85% of its exports to the U.S., terrorists would see Canada as a viable target--especially given their desire to bring down the U.S. economy. So, just as we rely on you economically, I think a case can be made that you rely on us too (for protection).
Quite frankly, I would love it if we didn't even need to have threads like these. :)
Please don't. You said nothing to apologize for. As I said in another post , it's necessary to generalize in order to make a point . Often not necessarily to the one you are replying to rather anyone who happens to be following the thread .
O Canada does not hate America , to do that in many ways we'd be hating ourselves.
I watched a poster from the U.S. enter unwittingly a Canadian website and the Canadians there could hardly wait
to get at him.
Much of the site expresses anti-American rhetoric but this link is the worst if you will just look at the topic headers they spend days discussing.
They seem to get off on their anti-American anger...like it gives them a purpose for living or something.
http://www.talkon.ca/forum/viewforum.php?f=2&sid=401ef80f487a9b17553e899c7e380e70
Whatever - I am not out to prove all Canadians are angry and all Americans are love bugs - quite the oppposite - we are all more alike than we give credit for.
I'm just not about to accept what they say about my new country and I have comparisons for both.
Close the border.
The US threw it's "Parent", Great Britain, out on it's ear. The Canadians slowly moved from territory, to Dominion to Commonwealth and have never had to grow up as a nation.
There are many fine Canadians, largely in the western provinces but a few in the east. The sort of envious crap that is making the news today is simply childish jealousy
I would be proud to be hated by the kooks depicted in this article.
What so you suppose the Canadian reaction would be?
I think they would change their outlook and America bashing ways in one helluva hurry and beg us to continue being their "protectors".
It's not the people of Canada that do this, it's the liberals of Canada.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.