Canadians are too patriotic ...

[razorjak]

Because of course it's only okay for USA FLAGS to be everywhere.

http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=e7dd46c8-4495-4cdc-919c-d58ad8fa7b9c

Comments

[sirriamnis.livejournal.com]

Oh WTF? So all these uber-patriotic, conservative war-mongers are actually pussy, sensitive types who need to be coddled by other nations? Fuck them.

[razorjak.livejournal.com]

Tell me about it. And the fact that there's going to be friggin tax dollars spent on the issue just flies me up a spout.

[sirriamnis.livejournal.com]

MORONS!!!!!!

*hate seethe hate*

[razorjak.livejournal.com]

And what these assmunchs don't realize is that a LOT of Canadian tourists don't fly Canadian colours on their baggage because of "overblown" patriotism. They do it because it makes them less of a fucking target for ridicule. This has been the case for decades.

American tourists have had a bad but richly deserved reputation for years. We're rude to "foreigners" in their own country. We treat anyone who doesn't speak english as an idiot. We think if we just SPEAK LOUDER in english then the sheer volume will get the point across. Heaven forbid we actually LEARN a little bit of the language and culture of the country we're hoping to visit.

[angel-renewed.livejournal.com]

Dude. The Candian tourists are NO BETTER. I'm sorry, but aside from speaking a smidgen of bad French, I haven't met *one.single* Canadian tourist who was greatly more aware of the culture they were visiting. I'm not saying American tourists are great, but the Canadians I have run across are no better. They're just as loud and ignorant (as a whole - obviously - there are exceptions all around) as the Americans. And the Australians. And...dear Lord... the Brits are the worst. No, wait. The South Africans are probably the worst where I travel. But, the Brits are the worst in Europe.

Do you see where I'm going? All tourists are sots. It's their nature. Pasting a Canuck flag all over your rucksack just makes you a target for ridicule from everyone *but* the culture you're visiting.

[razorjak.livejournal.com]

But you yourself even admit to disavowing being american when you're overseas. You're Polish when the situation comes where it's safer to be seen as that.

You're right. Tourists by their very nature are generally assholes. But you have to admit that, when in Europe, if they believe you're Canadian (if they even understand the difference) you'll get a little more leeway simply because you're not "American".

[angel-renewed.livejournal.com]

But you have to admit that, when in Europe, if they believe you're Canadian (if they even understand the difference) you'll get a little more leeway

Maybe. I haven't seen that at work in Europe. Still, gross displays of patriotism from anyone irk me.

[sirriamnis.livejournal.com]

I totally agree. Several friends of mine who travel internationally, have Maple Leaf jackets for those very reasons. They don't want to be associated with the ugly american stereotype. And I don't blame them.

Hm.

[mr-sharkey.livejournal.com]

Bullies usually are over-sensitive, especially about getting their own way.


M.

[angel-renewed.livejournal.com]

I - for one - *am* sick of all the Candian backpackers who paste their damn flags all over their rucksacks so they won't be 'mistaken' for an American.

[50-ft-queenie.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

In one sentence, you've just demonstrated exactly why most Canadians do not want to be taken for an American.

[angel-renewed.livejournal.com]

I travel. I travel a lot. Therefore, I see this a LOT and the attitude that begets it is insulting. The insinuation (these people make) that ALL Americans are stupid, ignorant, sots and to be avoided at all costs is just as senseless as the stereotype that many Americans have that all Candians are back bacon eating hockey fans who use 'eh' as a noun, verb, and adverb.

Besides, half the student backpackers that are guilty of the above are no more culturally aware than most student Americans I run into. Case in point: The *adamently* Canadian student I had to lead through Bethlehem a few years back. He was wandering off into a Palestinian riot and had no idea what 'that flag' they were waving was. It was the Palestinian flag.

[kest]

And *that's* probably the same thing the people surveyed are actually complaining about.

[hel_ana]

Yes, but...

to assume that it's an "insinuation (these people make) that ALL Americans are stupid, ignorant, sots and to be avoided at all costs" is to ignore two things:

1) Anecdotally, Canadians travelling especially in north western Europe who identify themselves as such have gotten a very positive response. Not because they're "not American", but for historical reasons.. there's a reason that my grandparents went back to Belgium and the Netherlands every five years for as long as I've been alive, and how they never managed to pay for anything when they were there.

2) Frankly, as someone who's a ninth gen Canadian, I'm damned proud of my country. It has nothing to do with liking or not liking the USA, or any other country on the planet. It has to do with *how I feel about my country*.

In my perception as a canadian, based on my experience, it's a far more complex issue than "not being american".

[angel-renewed.livejournal.com]

It's not an assumption I'm making here. This was the reason given by the people in question to me. There answer was that they put the patches on their backpacks so that people will 'not mistake them for Americans'. They don't want to be considered Americans because people (again their words) "people hate Americans". I'm not saying that's true in every case, but in the people I have met that has been the reason. Honestly, it's just plain stupid to think that some patch will save you from terrorism in the Middle East, because being white means being a target. As for Northern Europe...eh...I haven't seen Candians treated any differently, but most I've met are younger. The Dutch primarily dislike the Brits. They like pretty much everyone else.

Incidentally, I don't like Americans who plaster the damn flag all over the place, either. Patriotism on overkill is annoying no matter *what* the country.

0.6 cents American

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

In my experience, "tourists" (as opposed to mere travelers) are a culture all of their own, no matter what country they originate from. They are assholes in any language.

If I wear a Canadian flag on any article of my clothing, it is solely to identify myself as a Canadian. It has fuck all to do with anybody else.

Re: 0.6 cents American

[angel-renewed.livejournal.com]

You summed it up nicely. I don't wear any patch on my clothing or bags, but when traveling in the Middle East - I tend to be 'Polish'.

Heh

[mr-sharkey.livejournal.com]

How do you know they're not Americans in sheep's clothing?


M.

[2ndaryairplane.livejournal.com]

*snort*

[2ndaryairplane.livejournal.com]

i never felt the need to be patriotic. or paste any kind of lable onto anything of mine.

but i DO find north americans in general quite patriotic [at least in regarding to showing off one's nation's colours].

*goees red eyed and FUMES*

[itried-igaveup.livejournal.com]

I wear my Maple leaf pin on my coat, no matter what country i'm in- why? Well lets just say, it has nothing to do with americans...
I personally wear it because I'm FUCKING CANADIAN!!!!

I have flags on all my stuff, not because I'm NOT american- but because... I am.. CANADIAN..
It makes perfect sense to me.

And beyond that- we've been doing this since LONG before the damned war.
If Having an American flag on your bag when you were backpacking through Europe had as good an affect as a Canadian one- I'm sure more Americans would do it, too.

But- it just doesn't, and I can't believe that any one person- let alone enough people to actually write an article on the matter- could be that fucking insecure and IGNORANT.


crap.

[montieth.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure how you can pin this on conservative Americans (war mongering or not). I'm a moderate conservative (libertarian) and I'm not bothered one bit by Canadian Patriotism. But then, I know more Canadians and Commonwealth types than most Americans and I see the value of the Commonwealth to the United States. Further, Canuks and Commonwealth troops are more likely to stand their ground [in my opinion] on a peace keeping mission than I'd expect Frog troopies to. I'm sure some of my ative and ex- Mil friends would comment on this.

Frankly, I'd be more inclined to blame it on daft americans that need PC (personal computer) technical terms PC-ified [Politically Correct) for them, or else they might take offense.

case in point:
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20954~1791069,00.html

Upthe folks with the Mapleleaf patches. They're stalwart allies when we really need them.