My brother-in-law is Canadian, and we've had long, semi-involved conversations about what our plans will be when (not if) the United States invades Canada for its resources.
He wants to return to Canada and join the resistance, or stay in the United States as a spy or saboteur. My sister would prefer that they move to another country altogether, since she doesn't want him to die. I'm on the fence, myself. I have no particular loyalty to a country that would engage in that sort of aggressive war, but then, I don't really feel like taking a bullet for Canada, either.
Canadians are fiercely patriotic, I've found. They're just not militaristic or nationalist. I'm pretty sure my brother-in-law's feelings on the matter are typical, though he's smart and strong enough to be an above-average fighter. I think Americans severely underestimate both Canada's defensive capabilities and the size of the shitstorm that a war with Canada would bring.
From what I've read, the U.S. already has a great deal of control over Canada's oil economy--and trade agreements obligate Canada to continue supplying the U.S. with oil until the last drop is used (maybe not literally, but damn close to literally). But I wouldn't put it beneath the U.S. (if there's not a radical change in government) to engage in some sort of coup or other intervention in desperate times. I hope it doesn't come to that, but maybe I, too, should make a contingency plan.
I did notice the patriotism up there. You see the Canadian flag in Canada a lot more than you see the American flag in the U.S. But you also don't see anything like the jingoistic, nativist sentiments that Americans attach to their flag: "Love it or leave it," etc. It seems like a healthier patriotism than Americans have. In fact, I don't even think "patriotism" describes the feelings of many Americans. It's more like blind obedience to authority and the delusion that their country can do no wrong.
Canada-USA Relationship: I had an economics/social studies education professor who lectured that Canada was basically the US's unofficial 51st state because it depended on the US for air space protection and commerce. I used to think of Canada as our "Northern Cousins" in that their great to visit and deal with when you need to. But 9-11 showed me how the people of Canada were one of our best friends when they helped protect our air space and house our citizens when their planes were diverted.
Proud To Be An American: My sister told me that when she traveled in Europe that she always passed herself off as an US student on holiday because it was physically dangerous for her if it was known she a member of the US military. BUT SHE NEVER DENIED NOR COVERED UP HER US CITIZENSHIP TO ANYONE. You should be proud of where you are from. God, knows the US isn't great and not every president is worth defending but that is still a part of who you are.
I'm not ashamed of my U.S. citizenship, but it's also not a source of pride for me. I guess I consider birth and nationality to be pretty incidental--to myself or to anyone else. Whether or not I was born in the U.S. is just as incidental and beyond my control as whether I was delivered by a midwife or a doctor. We're all citizens of the world, and the nationality we each end up with is a lot like a lottery. I love the people of the United States, but I also love the people of any nation.
What I didn't want to be associated with was the kind of arrogance that the woman at the Holiday Inn displayed. It's patronizing to suggest that other nations need our help. Canadians--or people of any nation--are our equals, not a bunch of helpless children who need our protection.
When that's the face or voice of the United States, I don't want any part of it. So it wasn't the U.S. that I was ashamed of, but a particular representation of it.
My roommate and I have had many conversations about poutine and it's greatness. It's disgusting and wonderful at the same time. The perfect stoner food.
If I could find some with vegetarian gravy, I'd probably try it. I finally tried potato salad once (after avoiding it all my life, because I thought it looked like something already eaten), and I really enjoyed it. Of course, it was herb-and-oil based--not the kind that's coated with that yellow junk. (What is that--mustard?) So it didn't look quite as vomit-like.
I suppose I could make my own poutine with vegetarian gravy, since it's not likely to be offered in many restaurants.
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He wants to return to Canada and join the resistance, or stay in the United States as a spy or saboteur. My sister would prefer that they move to another country altogether, since she doesn't want him to die. I'm on the fence, myself. I have no particular loyalty to a country that would engage in that sort of aggressive war, but then, I don't really feel like taking a bullet for Canada, either.
Canadians are fiercely patriotic, I've found. They're just not militaristic or nationalist. I'm pretty sure my brother-in-law's feelings on the matter are typical, though he's smart and strong enough to be an above-average fighter. I think Americans severely underestimate both Canada's defensive capabilities and the size of the shitstorm that a war with Canada would bring.
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I did notice the patriotism up there. You see the Canadian flag in Canada a lot more than you see the American flag in the U.S. But you also don't see anything like the jingoistic, nativist sentiments that Americans attach to their flag: "Love it or leave it," etc. It seems like a healthier patriotism than Americans have. In fact, I don't even think "patriotism" describes the feelings of many Americans. It's more like blind obedience to authority and the delusion that their country can do no wrong.
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Proud To Be An American: My sister told me that when she traveled in Europe that she always passed herself off as an US student on holiday because it was physically dangerous for her if it was known she a member of the US military. BUT SHE NEVER DENIED NOR COVERED UP HER US CITIZENSHIP TO ANYONE. You should be proud of where you are from. God, knows the US isn't great and not every president is worth defending but that is still a part of who you are.
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What I didn't want to be associated with was the kind of arrogance that the woman at the Holiday Inn displayed. It's patronizing to suggest that other nations need our help. Canadians--or people of any nation--are our equals, not a bunch of helpless children who need our protection.
When that's the face or voice of the United States, I don't want any part of it. So it wasn't the U.S. that I was ashamed of, but a particular representation of it.
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I suppose I could make my own poutine with vegetarian gravy, since it's not likely to be offered in many restaurants.
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