I bumped into a few posts over the years, alot of them touched me deeply. Many Americans think the same as I do, make no mistake of this, but its usually the loud ones (and arrogant) you can hear the most, so I compiled alot of information, here's what I came up with:
I'm thankful to be an American. I'm glad to live in one of the most kind, caring, tolerant, generous, and free nations in the world.
Sometimes, we tease our neighbors in Canada. Some Canadians seem to take it a little personally. We Americans tease Canadians sometimes, not realizing I suppose that hurts. I hope they realize it's good-natured teasing, like with a sibling.
Culturally, they cannot help but be dominated by the US in some ways. About 90% of their population is clustered right along their southern border, with no neighbors to speak of in any other direction. So come on, how can there not be an influence?
But if Canadians don't think they have a big influence on our culture too, they're foolish. Hell, my operating theory is that if you're Canadian and show up in Hollywood, you are automatically assigned an agent.
Really, if you're an American, how can you not love Canada?
I admit I never thought much of Chretien and his government.
Hey now its your turn with Bush!!!
But Canadians are a generous, kind, and accepting people. Tough fighters in war, and the best of neighbors in peace. They've got fun bars, great restaurants, and some truly beautiful cities and beautiful wilderness.
They've also, frankly, got a more fun and exciting variation of football. I really wish CFL football had caught on in the states!
Canada is in an odd position. They are a country that is culturally 95% the same as a bigger neighbor. This is not unlike being from Austria: giant neighbor Germany, with the (mostly) same language, shared border, yet unique. Or maybe it's more like being Belgian (much-bigger France and Germany for neighbors).
But as an American I'll make one point about America: if America were really such a nasty bully Imperialist nation, really, honestly now, wouldn't we have just kinda, you know, moved in and said, "Hey, we need your wood and your oil. So you're a state now, and shut up, okay?"
No, no, I'm not threatening or bullying. But if America's really that bad, honestly, wouldn't Canada and Mexico be all ours now? I mean, Americans, we're dangerous when you seriously, seriously, seriously piss us off, but are we really all that bad?
I'm just saying.
And I hope you guys know--I mean, I hope you really know it in your souls, because it's totally true--if 9/11 had happened in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, or Winnipeg--you have no idea how bad we would have tried to help you hurt those people.
I mean, seriously. You're our brothers. You really are.
I went to Canada on business shortly after 9/11 (once the planes started flying again), and was really moved by the support we were given. As one of my Canadian colleagues said simply, "we're family". And like any family, you can argue around the dinner table and yell at each other, but when the chips are down , you're there.
Some of you are old enough to remember when the Canadian Embassy in Tehran helped some of the Americans escape during the embassy hostage crisis. these were people who'd gotten away or been out when the "youths" took over the US embassy. The Canadians just neatly and efficiently gave them Canadian passports and got them the hell out. Aye, mates you’re family.
Patriotism forbids me from agreeing wholeheartedly with my Canadian brothers that Canada's the best part of North America. But it’s a good argument, and in any case I'll say this:
It's damn well one of the best countries on Earth, eh?
I'm thankful to be an American. I'm glad to live in one of the most kind, caring, tolerant, generous, and free nations in the world.
Sometimes, we tease our neighbors in Canada. Some Canadians seem to take it a little personally. We Americans tease Canadians sometimes, not realizing I suppose that hurts. I hope they realize it's good-natured teasing, like with a sibling.
Culturally, they cannot help but be dominated by the US in some ways. About 90% of their population is clustered right along their southern border, with no neighbors to speak of in any other direction. So come on, how can there not be an influence?
But if Canadians don't think they have a big influence on our culture too, they're foolish. Hell, my operating theory is that if you're Canadian and show up in Hollywood, you are automatically assigned an agent.
Really, if you're an American, how can you not love Canada?
I admit I never thought much of Chretien and his government.
Hey now its your turn with Bush!!!
But Canadians are a generous, kind, and accepting people. Tough fighters in war, and the best of neighbors in peace. They've got fun bars, great restaurants, and some truly beautiful cities and beautiful wilderness.
They've also, frankly, got a more fun and exciting variation of football. I really wish CFL football had caught on in the states!
Canada is in an odd position. They are a country that is culturally 95% the same as a bigger neighbor. This is not unlike being from Austria: giant neighbor Germany, with the (mostly) same language, shared border, yet unique. Or maybe it's more like being Belgian (much-bigger France and Germany for neighbors).
But as an American I'll make one point about America: if America were really such a nasty bully Imperialist nation, really, honestly now, wouldn't we have just kinda, you know, moved in and said, "Hey, we need your wood and your oil. So you're a state now, and shut up, okay?"
No, no, I'm not threatening or bullying. But if America's really that bad, honestly, wouldn't Canada and Mexico be all ours now? I mean, Americans, we're dangerous when you seriously, seriously, seriously piss us off, but are we really all that bad?
I'm just saying.
And I hope you guys know--I mean, I hope you really know it in your souls, because it's totally true--if 9/11 had happened in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, or Winnipeg--you have no idea how bad we would have tried to help you hurt those people.
I mean, seriously. You're our brothers. You really are.
I went to Canada on business shortly after 9/11 (once the planes started flying again), and was really moved by the support we were given. As one of my Canadian colleagues said simply, "we're family". And like any family, you can argue around the dinner table and yell at each other, but when the chips are down , you're there.
Some of you are old enough to remember when the Canadian Embassy in Tehran helped some of the Americans escape during the embassy hostage crisis. these were people who'd gotten away or been out when the "youths" took over the US embassy. The Canadians just neatly and efficiently gave them Canadian passports and got them the hell out. Aye, mates you’re family.
Patriotism forbids me from agreeing wholeheartedly with my Canadian brothers that Canada's the best part of North America. But it’s a good argument, and in any case I'll say this:
It's damn well one of the best countries on Earth, eh?
ccasion5: Thanks I think not if your ever in the neighborhood drop a line :wink: I'd be proud to by you a beer 8)
