Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Michael R. Coveyou's avatar

I do not suggest that my experiences regarding Canada and Canadians are representative of Americans generally. Manifestly, they are not.

Although I had traveled briefly in Canada previously, my first extended contact with Canadians came in graduate school. with numerous Canadian colleagues enrolled in the same program as was I. These friendships were uniformly delightful and conversations with my Canadian colleagues were often very fruitful academically, given our different experiences. I came to appreciate and understand their loyalty to Canada combined with genuine friendships formed with their American colleagues.

I have several fond and vivid memories of my contact with these Canadians. Several of them helped me come with them to a professional conference in Montreal and their willingness to guide me to navigate the very contentious language issues in Quebec in the late 1960's were much appreciated. (I did wish I could get them to accompany me to a Montreal Expos baseball game, although I went on my own and had a fabulous time, highlighted by four National Anthem renditions, with O, Canada and the Star Spangled Banner each sung in French and English.) Later they invited me to join them at a Gordon Lightfoot concert, which I was unable to do, but did introduce me to his music, of which I became a lifelong fan. And they introduced me to what remains after over 50 years, my favorite cheese, Black Diamond Cheddar.

These personal connections have always helped form my opinion of and respect for Canada, as have uniformly wonderful experiences traveling in Ontario and British Columbia. But what particularly troubles me about American disregard of Canada and Trump's off the charts ridiculous rants about Canada is the complete and horrifying lack of appreciation for the support the nation of Canada has given us when we needed it. The best example of this in my lifetime was the efforts, at great risk to themselves of Canadian diplomats to effect the escape of some (I think eight, if memory serves.) of the Americans who otherwise would have hostages in Iran in 1979.

Expand full comment
John Boyd's avatar

As an American long resident here in Canada I see all of the failings of the country of my birth, and the people who live there, without the distraction of the noise of being in that mob.

US patriotism has always been too puffed up for my liking, and since 9/11 has been perverted into a wilful ignorance of the demons of racism and intolerance, prime features of Christian Nationalism - long a silent cancer poisoning US society - now on the verge of setting the political agenda for the next 4... or more, years.

For the first time I am giving consideration to renouncing my US citizenship.

As to how crazy things are becoming down there, consider just how delusional someone must be to think that the US population needs more guns... a new MAGA inspired "gun rights" lobby is openly advertising the need to "Make America Armed Again".

https://gunrights.org/make-america-armed-again/

Expand full comment
99 more comments...

No posts