Maple Leaf on baggage irks 'sensitive' Americans (671 hits)
Category: NewsRating: 1.28 on 14 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by King TwEE <Twee_666.at.hotmail.com> (View user info) at 2003-12-12 16:38:30 EST
Hello, what do we have here? Americans are getting upset at Canadians for showing national pride? (read the below news article) Now this I do not understand, especially from a country that is so overly patriotic at least in the shallow - buying a flag makes you a patriot - way.
Is it some kind of Superiority complex? "How dare Canadians not want to be mistaken for Americans, citizens of the greatest country on earth, especially since they live in America Jr" (not to put words in anybodys mouths). Is that it? I really don't see the logic in any of it, and I'm not just trying to be and ass or add fuel to the fire that is the ongoing battle between Canadians and Americans (which will eventually lead to WWIII, you know it will).
Or perhaps they feel betrayed by their cousins to the north, pissed off at them for being embarrassed to be mistaken for an American.
Is it the fact that Americans and Canadians are so much alike in alot of ways, yet American bashing is the new Canadian pastime.
I really don't get it, dose anybody? Are there any Americans reading this that would get upset at the sight of a Canadian flag on some tourist's luggage, and if so why?
http://www.canada.com/national/story.asp?id=D333BE79-44EE-407B-B960-BF1FA49CAE39
Jack Aubry
The Ottawa Citizen
" A group of Canadian climbers celebrate their ascent of Mount Logan by waving the Canadian flag. While such achievements warrant national pride, Americans express irritation at the habit of Canadians using the flag while travelling to express nationality.
OTTAWA -- 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.
"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 by 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 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."
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 base for the consulates to work to understand how much Americans understand about Canada and how they feel about their relationship with their northern neighbours."
User Reviews
Submitted by AlwaysAnEagle (user info) at 2003-12-13 10:22:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
The article, not the post. Post is a-ok. 'Nother plus 2 for you because I'm a moron.
Submitted by AlwaysAnEagle (user info) at 2003-12-13 10:21:51 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This makes me want to start hitting people.
Submitted by Creepy_guy (user info) at 2003-12-12 23:53:51 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm from Canada... Saskatchewan, actually. *freezing my ass off right now* I always have to laugh when I hear about stuff like this. It just seems so trivial. Who the hell cares about a flag on a backpack? When I travel outside of the country, the backpack (and suitcase) I use have Canadian flags on them. If I ever encounter someone with a flag problem, I'll tell them, "I love my country. You love yours. Leave me alone. Go bite nuts." Then I'll walk away. A pox on them.
Submitted by BuckeyesTHEGAME (user info) at 2003-12-12 19:00:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
I want to move to Canada.
So many things about it are better than the US...except their football. Their football sucks.
-1 for Canadian football.
Submitted by PWNstar (user info) at 2003-12-12 18:09:44 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm American, and I say "Canada rocks." End of story.
Submitted by beer-turtle (user info) at 2003-12-12 18:03:56 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
The real reason Canadians want to differentiate themselves from Americans...
They don't wanna be targetted.
Canada is seen as a much lesser target to extremist groups.
-Turtle
Submitted by William_Q_Percy (user info) at 2003-12-12 17:51:24 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Everybody says that Chretien was such an idiot, but he did stand up against Bush when pressured to go to war in Iraq. A lot of politicians and business leaders feared that this action would have reprecussions on future relations with the US, and put pressure on him to march to war.
These people might be saying I told you so now, with the recent developments in contract awards for restoring Iraq. But without a doubt, this is one of the best things to happen in Canadian history.
We have struggled for YEARS trying to find an identity and a culture growing up in "America Jr", and really do try to do everything to separate ourselves from our neighbours. Not just because of certain reputations, but also because we want to be ourselves, known for our own unique qualities and ideas.
Give it a few years and we will see how Canadaian-American relationships stand. No one respects a country that isn't willing to stand up for themselves, going along with something that a strong majority of the Canadian public did not believe in would've just made us look and feel like push overs. Which, in my opinion, is what a lot of the world views us as sometimes anyways.
I had to laugh at that WWIII comment, that will never fucking happen...
Submitted by LabRat (user info) at 2003-12-12 17:21:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
"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 ...."
Uh.. if yer Canadian, then whats the problem? Wear yer flag.
Oh, and I'm not sensitive about being rejected by the rest of the world... I haven't even met the rest of the world. What do I care what they think about me? Oh wait, they don't think about ME, they just don't like my government... Well, in alot of ways I don't either, so again, whats the problem?
Submitted by JinkyWilliams (user info) at 2003-12-12 17:12:11 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Boo on "sensitive Americans". How selfish, how idiotic, how hypocritical.
Pride in one's nation should be honored. Waving your national flag after you've climbed a freaking mountain isn't out of line in the slightest.
If these Americans are so concerned about Canadians putting flags on their backpacks, then they'd better take off all their insipid "United we Stand" flags, 'cause, dude, they're being nationist. What, are they trying to say that other nations DON'T stand united?
Yeah, anyway.
I had a friend who went to Europe, and he was so embarassed at how some other American tourists were behaving that he was about to grab a Canadian's flag-jacket who was nearby and be like "I'm not with them, eh!". There's a reason why Europe thinks Americans are loudmouthed pushy tourists.
Now, I know that there's a ton of American's who aren't insecure about their nation and don't mind other people showing their colors. But man... what crap.
Stay orange.
--JW
Submitted by Ingsoc (user info) at 2003-12-12 17:10:02 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
What's wrong with not wanting to be mistaken for an American?
And what's wrong with national pride?
Submitted by MisterCeltic (user info) at 2003-12-12 17:08:29 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Americans and Canadians will always have a tie, geography dictates that, but we are also a sovereign country of our own. We have our own history, politics, national identity which many of us are proud of and I think it's good to see more Canadians wearing that pride on their sleeve (or bag). I also believe that some Canadians are trying to distance themselves from their southern counterparts, and why not? Globally the US is not well respected right now, nor should they be. The US government thumbed their nose at some of the worlds most repsected countries, and the UN because they wouldn't blindly follow them to war. The US made it clear the neither wanted nor needed the global community to back them, no whining now. O Canada!!!
Submitted by hcp28 (user info) at 2003-12-12 16:52:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
WEll that is retarded. I say wear your flag proud you crazy canooks. When Americans travel to England we are always sure to mention how we saved their asses in WWII... and when you Canadians come to America you can say how you gave us great comedians and actors and whatnot... oh that and maple syrup.
I love America but sometimes I feel we are a bit too loving... if you know what I mean.
It sounds to me like America is being a bit whiny, "Oh come on Canada can't we just pretend to be friends... here wear my lucky scarf." "No, way man your freaking me out!" "Oh come on just touch it please..."
I think I could go on all day.... but I won't.
Submitted by Phinch (user info) at 2003-12-12 16:46:56 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Get the brooms.
I call shinanigans.
i love canada.
i am a perfect example of all american citizens.
Submitted by tech-junkie (user info) at 2003-12-12 16:44:56 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
I think its ok to show where your loyalties lie. Good post