Canada too patriotic for senstive Americans
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Wingnut1 @ Tue Feb 24, 2004 9:25 am
Mukluk Mukluk:
othello othello:
I think it is somewhat ironic that there is a thread on this when, in fact, we (Canadians) have a tradition of disdain for "over-the-top" US patriotism.
I hear ya 100%.
At the same time, I think it's funny that the article suggests that we suddenly started wearing our flags on our backpacks lol.
Wasn't there a thread about this article already? I feel like I am in groundhog day.
m
I go overseas. A lot. I've yet to see a Canadian flag on a backpack. One. I've yet to be hassled because I'm an American, except by a couple of drunken Canadians at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich. Canadians have ALWAYS pissed and moaned that Americans are too patriotic. For that reason alone, the title of this particular thread is a joke.
AdamNF @ Tue Feb 24, 2004 10:31 am
I like Tomatoes 
karra @ Tue Feb 24, 2004 2:29 pm
$1:
Canadians have ALWAYS pissed and moaned that Americans are too patriotic. For that reason alone, ...
Too true.
You folks have a government that encourages patriotism whereas we have one that has driven huge stakes through our patriotism and it all started with that poofter Pierre Elliott. Quebec talks of separating, the Western provinces and Natives talk about it. A piddling 30 million people spread across a huge land and we can't get along with ourselves let alone the greatest nation the world has ever seen.
Evan @ Tue Feb 24, 2004 2:37 pm
I say kick the nay sayers out. lol. or get a new gov't. too late. the damage is done.
Canadians are still patriotic we just took awhile to get there.
I dont know, I read the article and it sounded to me like they where complaining because they thought we where part of the US. Maybe not.
But one part said that someone said , its like they are trying to show us they arent a part of us. Perhaps I read it wrong.
AdamNF @ Tue Feb 24, 2004 3:00 pm
I dont like the idea of patriotism to begin with, first of all its as silly as hell. But its pushes everyone apart, why do people hgave to go around saying, hurray i was born in this part of the world, we are better then you. At this moment in history i would think unity should be goal, but people are drawing futher and further apart.
Evan @ Tue Feb 24, 2004 3:06 pm
But then you have the problem of a country like Canada not distinguishing itself between other countries like the US and then BAAM!! Noone knows where Canada starts and the US begins and visa versa. Then you have people thinking Canada IS part of the US. That is something that I really dont think is acceptable. But hey. Everyone else says its fine cause noone is patriotic.
Robair @ Tue Feb 24, 2004 3:29 pm
Back to the thread topic for a sec.
Wingnut1 Wingnut1:
I go overseas. A lot. I've yet to see a Canadian flag on a backpack. One. I've yet to be hassled because I'm an American, except by a couple of drunken Canadians at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich. Canadians have ALWAYS pissed and moaned that Americans are too patriotic. For that reason alone, the title of this particular thread is a joke.
Uh huh, sounds like something a 'sensitive american' might say...
othello @ Tue Feb 24, 2004 3:44 pm
Reasoned patriotism has strong value and purpose.
It gives people a sense of identity, belonging and community. It encourages people to take a more active role in their community (or nation), and to give back. It focuses on overcoming differences within a nation.
That said, patriotism needs to be informed and reflective. The true patriot understands both what is great and what is not so great about his/her nation. A true patriot attempts to work with others on the not so great stuff, while advocating the great stuff. A true patriot makes these judgements not relative to other nations, but relative to their vision of their own nation.
Patriotism isn't about being better than anyone else. It is about recognizing, valuing and contributing your community.
I should be a politician 
karra @ Tue Feb 24, 2004 4:21 pm
I would vote for you Othello.
But only if you pay me for my vote, but then I guess that would make you a liberal and I can't vote for them.
AdamNF @ Tue Feb 24, 2004 4:43 pm
Do you even like Canada Karra? I mean all you ever do is bitch and complain...seeing you a woman i guess its to be expected.
Rev_Blair @ Tue Feb 24, 2004 6:33 pm
There's a difference between patriotism and jingoism though. Canadians are patriotic, true. We tend not to buy into the "my country right or wrong" thing though. I don't doubt that Wingnut had some trouble with drunken Canadians in Germany for instance, but I do wonder about the sobriety of the American in question.
A better example might be that when it was discovered that US troops may have been involved in war crimes in Afghanistan...I'm thinking about people dying in a shipping crate here...one of the main concerns in Canadian papers and news broadcasts was if we had been involved. The US press' reaction was to deny that it ever happened and state that if it did no Americans had knowledge or if they did that the poor bastards in the shipping crate likely deserved to die like that.
We had a debate about whether CF members on exchange programs should be recalled from Iraq. We still worry about Rwanda, where we did all we could, and Somalia, where we failed miserably.
Canadians don't say, "My country right or wrong and everybody should be like us or do as we say." Instead we say that Canada is a great place and we'd like to make the world a little better if we can.
othello @ Tue Feb 24, 2004 11:58 pm
karra karra:
I would vote for you Othello.
But only if you pay me for my vote, but then I guess that would make you a liberal and I can't vote for them.
But only if you pay me for my vote, but then I guess that would make you a liberal and I can't vote for them.
How 'bout a patronage appointment instead?
Johnnybgoodaaaaa @ Wed Mar 17, 2004 8:47 pm
Canadaka Canadaka:
$1:
Canadians should be careful not to appear "boastful" to Americans, who are insecure because of the war in Iraq and admit they are annoyed by northerners showing off the red maple leaf on their luggage when they travel, a recent federal report warns.
In focus groups held this fall in four U.S. cities where the federal government is opening consulates, Americans acknowledged they don't know much about Canadians and have low awareness that the country had not supported the U.S. in the war in Iraq.
"Some participants expressed a certain amount of annoyance at what is perceived as a systematic attempt by Canadians to make the statement that they are not Americans by sporting the maple leaf," said the recently released report.
"This underscores the American sensitivity at feeling rejected by the rest of the world . . . ."
A front-page story in the New York Times this week, which declared that Canada's stance on social issues is opening rifts with the U.S., is unwittingly confirmed with the earlier findings of the report.
Canadian comedian Rick Mercer said at a recent Toronto show that being attached to America is like "being in a pen with a wounded bull," joking that between gay marriage and pot smoking, "it's a wonder there is not a giant deck of cards out there with all our faces on it."
The report says even Americans who blame the Bush administration to some extent for the country's poor relations with the world do not seem to understand why friendly countries and neighbours such as Canada would want to distance themselves from Americans.
For instance, an American from San Diego is quoted saying: "What bugs me about Canadians, if I may, is that they wear that damn patch on their bags, the Canadian flag patch. That way, they differentiate themselves from us."
Another one from Raleigh, North Carolina, notes that Canadians are "very patriotic," freely acknowledging they are from Canada while abroad. "Americans will tend to not even want to tell people because they think they'll get bad vibes from them," added the participant.
The report is based on eight focus groups conducted in September by Millward Brown Goldfarb in San Diego, Raleigh, Denver and Houston where Canadian consulates are in the process of opening.
Pierre Bechard, a spokesman for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, said Millward Brown Goldfarb was paid $49,543 for the October report and focus groups.
He said the findings will act as a baseline for the consulates to work to understand how much Americans understand about Canada and how they feel about their relationship with their northern neighbours.
From the findings, federal employees opening the consulates will have their work cut out for them. Most participants said they were "shocked" by a fact sheet about Canada that they were presented during the focus groups.
"A few express some concern over the U.S.'s implied dependence on Canada for energy . . . However, Canada should be careful not to appear "boastful," which could backfire, as Americans do not like to be reminded of any kind of dependence on another country," the report warned.
It says while there is definitely some resentment at Canada's refusal to join the Americans in the war with Iraq, it is currently tempered by "a feeling of uncertainty as to whether the war should have been waged at all.
"Also, unlike France, which is viewed as having forcefully opposed the States, Canada is viewed more as having stayed on sidelines. This suggests that, as long as there are no more harsh and strong criticisms of the U.S. by Canadian officials (there was one mention of the incident where U.S. President George W. Bush was called a "moron" by an aide to Prime Minister Jean Chretien), the American public will not bear a strong grudge against Canada," said the report.
It says most participants felt the current Chretien government has been somewhat hostile but they surmise "that it does not reflect the opinion of the majority of Canadians -- especially Western Canada, which they see as closer to the U.S. in terms of values."
© Copyright 2003 Calgary Herald
In focus groups held this fall in four U.S. cities where the federal government is opening consulates, Americans acknowledged they don't know much about Canadians and have low awareness that the country had not supported the U.S. in the war in Iraq.
"Some participants expressed a certain amount of annoyance at what is perceived as a systematic attempt by Canadians to make the statement that they are not Americans by sporting the maple leaf," said the recently released report.
"This underscores the American sensitivity at feeling rejected by the rest of the world . . . ."
A front-page story in the New York Times this week, which declared that Canada's stance on social issues is opening rifts with the U.S., is unwittingly confirmed with the earlier findings of the report.
Canadian comedian Rick Mercer said at a recent Toronto show that being attached to America is like "being in a pen with a wounded bull," joking that between gay marriage and pot smoking, "it's a wonder there is not a giant deck of cards out there with all our faces on it."
The report says even Americans who blame the Bush administration to some extent for the country's poor relations with the world do not seem to understand why friendly countries and neighbours such as Canada would want to distance themselves from Americans.
For instance, an American from San Diego is quoted saying: "What bugs me about Canadians, if I may, is that they wear that damn patch on their bags, the Canadian flag patch. That way, they differentiate themselves from us."
Another one from Raleigh, North Carolina, notes that Canadians are "very patriotic," freely acknowledging they are from Canada while abroad. "Americans will tend to not even want to tell people because they think they'll get bad vibes from them," added the participant.
The report is based on eight focus groups conducted in September by Millward Brown Goldfarb in San Diego, Raleigh, Denver and Houston where Canadian consulates are in the process of opening.
Pierre Bechard, a spokesman for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, said Millward Brown Goldfarb was paid $49,543 for the October report and focus groups.
He said the findings will act as a baseline for the consulates to work to understand how much Americans understand about Canada and how they feel about their relationship with their northern neighbours.
From the findings, federal employees opening the consulates will have their work cut out for them. Most participants said they were "shocked" by a fact sheet about Canada that they were presented during the focus groups.
"A few express some concern over the U.S.'s implied dependence on Canada for energy . . . However, Canada should be careful not to appear "boastful," which could backfire, as Americans do not like to be reminded of any kind of dependence on another country," the report warned.
It says while there is definitely some resentment at Canada's refusal to join the Americans in the war with Iraq, it is currently tempered by "a feeling of uncertainty as to whether the war should have been waged at all.
"Also, unlike France, which is viewed as having forcefully opposed the States, Canada is viewed more as having stayed on sidelines. This suggests that, as long as there are no more harsh and strong criticisms of the U.S. by Canadian officials (there was one mention of the incident where U.S. President George W. Bush was called a "moron" by an aide to Prime Minister Jean Chretien), the American public will not bear a strong grudge against Canada," said the report.
It says most participants felt the current Chretien government has been somewhat hostile but they surmise "that it does not reflect the opinion of the majority of Canadians -- especially Western Canada, which they see as closer to the U.S. in terms of values."
© Copyright 2003 Calgary Herald
I could care less if a Canadian wears a flag on his backpack. Just more obnoxious patriotic people to deal with. We have enough patriotic people to deal with in the US, and weither you are an American with a flag on your backpack, or a Canadian, I will most likely look at it the same way I look at Nazi soldiers or any other country with their little symbols.
Oh, I soooo resent Canada for not joining the war, and I'm soooo jealous of them and their patriotism.....hahahahahahahaha, this makes me laugh. What is this, an article that is trying to make people jealous? Most Americans don't even know anything about Canada, let alone care about their patriotism and flags. You people forget, Americans=ignorant of the world.
Johnnybgoodaaaaa @ Wed Mar 17, 2004 8:51 pm
karra karra:
I would vote for you Othello.
But only if you pay me for my vote, but then I guess that would make you a liberal and I can't vote for them.
But only if you pay me for my vote, but then I guess that would make you a liberal and I can't vote for them.
Hmm, you hate liberals?
Liberal: one who is openminded or not strict in the observance of orthodox, traditional, or established forms or ways.
Hmm, can't say I agree with your point of view of being anti-liberal, which would make you a close-minded person.
Some famous non-liberals would be Hitler, Stalin, and so on, so I guess you envy them right? I can't think of any really bad liberals in history, but I can think of alot of non-liberals who were pretty bad.
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