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[threeplusfire]

I read an article about anti-Americanism in Canadian politics. Now I expect Europe to hate us, I expect large parts of Asia to hate us. But somehow I naively assumed our benevolent and nonviolent neighbor to the north would have a gentler attitude. But then 40% of Canadian teenagers desribe America as "evil" and that number jumps up another 20% in French speaking areas.

I am so tired of my country being hated.

I hate UPS with the burning passion of a thousand suns. For the love of god don't send anything to me UPS. USe the postal service or FedEx, anything but UPS. No matter what schedule I'm working they refuse to come at a time when I would actually be home to sign for the package, and so I have to deal with unpleasant mess of 183/290 interchange to wait in line in the horrible UPS center.

Comments

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[onezen.livejournal.com]

UPS truly sucks. They do seem to go out of their way to NOT deliver a package....1,000 reasons, "You weren't home.", "We're afraid of your dog." ..ad infinatum, ad nauseum...

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[tsarina.livejournal.com]

I know! They drive me insane.

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[amp23.livejournal.com]

Canadians resent being treated like America's little brother, and don't like being told how they should run their government.

Canada gets the same treatment that Mexico and South America get when it comes to Economics. Americans know best and Canadians should kick back and let America do what it wants, even when what they're asking for will hurt Canadian industry. They're under pressure from American pharmaceutical and insurance companies to stop providing healthcare to citizens for free, they're under pressure from american lumber companies to open up their forests to logging and to raise their lumber prices, they're under pressure politically to be more like the States which is something no Canadian wants.

In short Canadians want what every sovereign country wants, and thats self-determination. Unfortunately self-determination and the monroe doctrine are very difficult to reconcile with each other.

Canadians are also sick of Americans making fun of them at every turn, then coming north to take advantage of the good exchange rate (the media is merciless about this, even while taking shows north to save production costs). also Americans up here have the bad habit of acting like they do everywhere else outside american borders - that is they don't give a damn if they're obnoxious and rude because they're on vacation and act like the world was put here for their disposal.

Canada's media also plays a part. On our cable we have channels for the native people, indian and pakistani channels, BBC, CBC, european and asian news. and even an entire channel for Muslims broadcasting daily prayers and shows on interpreting the Qur'an. This gives Canadians a much more worldly perspective when it comes to news. Being someone who sought out foreign news in the states I can say firsthand that gettting off a diet of Fox/Viacom and getting more sources from around the world you get a much better perspective for what America is doing overseas and how people feel about those policies.

Really Canadians aren't that hard to get along with if you're respectful. I've never had someone treat me bad for being an american, but maybe that's cause I can sit and talk about what a fuckup Bush is with them. (a lot of them don't understand how this man came to power and are far too secular to be comfortable with the religious right's revolution)

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[amp23.livejournal.com]

and you hit the nail on the head. Benevolent and Nonviolent. America's foreign policy by contrast is Imperial and quite violent, backing up by force demands made of countries which America would never tolerate being told to do themselves. That kinda attitude rubs the rest of the world the wrong way. Especially when countries are invaded over lies, and Canadian military gets shot up by American planes with no apologies and no one held accountable for the crime.

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[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Self determination is all well and good, but founding your sense of nationalism on hatred for another group of people is a vile thing in my eyes. Not every American is evil, and it's just as much of a stereotype as the Canadian guy with the hat.

With all those varied and rich media sources, why would Canadians still hold prejudices common all over the world? That's a pickle.

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[amp23.livejournal.com]

they don't base their sense of nationalism on hatred for another group. they base their sense of nationalism on doing what they believe is right. on what is consistent with Canadian values.

US policy is not consistent with Canadian values, and so they come away with a distaste for america based on its actions and attitudes.

By anti-americanism i'm not talking about "america must be destroyed" i'm talking about 30 million people who are tired of being abused and mistreated by their much larger neighbor who's actions in the world are seen in the same light as a bully on a schoolyard, pushing people around and expecting to have every whim catered to, even if it's a demand for one's lunchmoney.

the press around the world talks about america's actions without the positive pro-america spin put on it by the media within the country. this difference in perspectives leads the rest of the world to view situations differently than people within the US.

Could it be the prejudice is common around the world because the world is tired of being bullied by the "sole superpower" on the planet?

Do you really not see what the US is doing in the rest of the world that people would have a problem with? military occupations, democracies toppled in favor of right wing fascists who are more in line with America's demand for cheap natural resources? it's not just player hating that's got 94% of the world pissed off.

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[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Are you trying to tell me there's not a very prevelant and vocal anti-American component to certain aspects of Canadian politics, that is linked to Canadian nationalism?

Sam, you certainly should know well enough that I'm not blind. I resent that you assume I am. I spend a great deal of time sifting through news, and not all of it in English.

Be angry with the government, work for change. Or perhaps, just run off to Canada and complain from there.

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[a311renegade.livejournal.com]

I wish we were not so hated too. Americans are not all so bad and evil. It's all because of that doofus in the White House. Grrrr.

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[amp23.livejournal.com]

It's not all the doofus in the white house. Doofus's foreign policy isn't much different than every president since WWII because most of our foreign policy is handled by the Pentagon instead of our ambassadors. it's militaristic foreign policy which shoots first and looks at the facts later which most people have the most problem with (that and canadians getting killed by their allies with no apology and no one held accountable for the crime). people everywhere understand that politicians everywhere are lying scumbags. inter-country resentments right now have less to do with politics and more to do with policy.

and since america refuses to review these policies and how these actions fuel resentment globally (with Bush Sr. going so far as to proclaim he'll never apologize for america no matter what the facts are), america is going to make more enemies before it makes any new allies.

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[tsarina.livejournal.com]

That doofus, and all his zombie followers.

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[calledmara.livejournal.com]

My Canadian neighbors in Michigan love the US! Every 4th of July we have a huge party together and shoot off hundreds of dollars worth of fireworks and eat hundreds of punds of meat. It is grand. Then the kids play "War" (hide n go seek + capture the flag + Ultimate Fighting=War). This year a Canadian couple even got married on our lawn on 4th of July. It is diplomacy that the UN would be proud of.

Fireworks+Beer=World Peace

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[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Awww! See, we just need more of that. I firmly believe the more time we spend with other people, the smaller our differences become.

[meallanmouse.livejournal.com]

Might I suggest saying "All Canadians hate the US" is something of a generalization? Just like people who say "they hate the US" are indulging in a generalization themselves, for that matter?

I've always worked on an individual basis myself, and kept it to people. Just because I dislike your government (frankly, the policies they espouse these days scare me witless and make me want to stay very far away at the best of times) and loathe what they're doing does not mean I hate your country.

Government & Country. Those are two different things, imho.

Just my two cents, Canadian.

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

I have not once said all Canadians hate the US, nor did the article I mentioned and pulled those statistics from make that statement.

Perhaps not enough people make that seperation, between the people and the government. In America's case it is harder because ideally the government should be the voice of the people and I don't think it is anymore.

[meallanmouse.livejournal.com]

:: nods ::

And no, not enough people do, not at all. It irks me each time I hear "the US this or that" because frankly, I happen to know some amazing Americans, both in RL and on my flist.

Generalization is a pet peeve of mine, increasingly so. :p

Yes... and that is sad. :(

[geoectomy.livejournal.com]

I think hate is such a strong word here. I don't hate America; I don't hate people for being American. I lived in Ohio long enough, I guess. Hate suggests a sort of malice, of actively ill-will. I don't think Canada has that kind of relationship with the US.

Of course, I'm talking individual-to-individual here. I suspect the landscape changes when we're talking national relationships. I still think hate is way too strong a word. We're far too tied to each other, Canada and the US. We can't afford to hate the US.

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Ah, now I see why my use of the word hate comes up. Check. It is kinda funny that I am sad about hate towards America, but then I spread the hate towards UPS. Doh!

It is my impression that villification of my country happens and is connected to anti-American rhetoric. Not that there are not good reasons to be angry with the American government. What concerns me is that a strong dislike of politics becomes very quickly a strong dislike for all people connected to those politics. See the Middle East.

I don't think Canada currently has the sort of active malice you speak of, but I dread its coming. God help us in November, that we can change something big.

[geoectomy.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, now that I've successfully recovered my equipment from my secret base in the US, I really should get my plans back on track... It may only be a matter of time before Canada annexes the US!

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Bwahahah, be careful how loud you say that or the bogeyman Ashcroft might come looking for you!

I still think the Canada invasion plan is brilliant and funny. We must coordinate!

[geoectomy.livejournal.com]

Nah, I need to keep my plans secret. Otherwise, when I try to cross the border, they may send me off to Syria. just 'cause.

[feu-de-fripe.livejournal.com]

america is always making fun of canada i would be surprised to hear that canadians liked us for doing that.

we are the bullies of the world it doesn't help when we have a cowboy president who stole the presidency and won't listen to what his constituents want unless they can make him or his friends a profit

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

All the more reason to vote that rat bastard and his creepy friends out of office posthaste.

[n-o-m-i-c.livejournal.com]

. But then 40% of Canadian teenagers desribe America as "evil" and that number jumps up another 20% in French speaking areas.

Do you have the URL of the article or the site this was from? I'd like to read it.

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

I don't at the moment, it was linked off the Drudgereport. I think the article was in the Toronto Star?