Things are getting very confused out there. We have Canadians shouting their support of the Iraq invasion for no other reason than they fear punitive American economic action after the war is over.
What the hell is that? Let’s just bend over & take it then. Let’s just sign the papers and start using their money. Let’s just abandon any sense of national pride and independence and become American bitches.
I want to stress that I’m not singling out anyone who legitimately believes that the invasion of Iraq is justified. I think you’re wrong, but that’s a different conversation entirely.
My HUGE problem is with people who fear American vindictiveness after it’s over.
Yep, there will probably be subtle and deep vengeance for not backing our bully big brother to the south. So what? When America declared independence from England in 1775 they knew it would hurt. They seem to have bounced back.
I refuse to be beholden to anyone because they’re bigger than me, or because they hold the purse strings. I’m smarter than that. Way smarter. I’m disappointed in the sheep mentality I’m reading about. It’s sad. It’s weak.
If the American government sees fit to punish us for exercising the rights they claim to be fighting for, then maybe that’s what it will take to ignite some actual national pride around here. Don’t you think we could do it if they decided to go all the way and treat us like Cuba? As if they would, but come on now. We’d be fine. We could use a kick in the ass anyway. And what’s more: if they did refuse to trade with us, the whole world would condemn them for it. In the long run we’d be laughing.
So you’re worried about a more subtle punishment? A squeeze? Bring it on. Give us more reason to figure out ways to get by just fine without American trade.
Hell, I’m all for seeing how long America is willing to go without Canadian resources. Things get a lot more expensive if you have to go across the puddle to get them. I suspect we’ll be just fine.
Allright. Subject change. A little. More like a slight change in direction. There’s a parallel, but not everyone will see it. Talktalk passed this one on to me (thanks, d00d). It was obviously written before the war started, but just as obviously it was written by someone who’s totally missing the point:
>>Peace Activist Etiquette
>>
>>With all of this talk of impending war, many of us will encounter
>>”Peace Activists” who will try and convince us that we must refrain
>>from retaliating against the ones who terrorized us all on
>>September 11, 2001, and those who support terror.
>>
>>These activists may be alone or in a gathering…..most of us don’t
>>know how to react to them. When you come upon one of these people,
>>or one of their rallies, here are the proper rules of etiquette:
>>
>>1. Listen politely while this person explains their views. Strike
>>up a conversation if necessary and look very interested in their
>>ideas. They will tell you how revenge is immoral, and that by
>>attacking the people who did this to us, we will only bring on more
>>violence. They will probably use many arguments, ranging from
>>political to religious to humanitarian.
>>
>>2. In the middle of their remarks, without any warning, punch them
>>in the nose.
>>
>>3. When the person gets up off of the ground, they will be very
>>angry and they may try to hit you, so be careful.
>>
>>4. Very quickly and calmly remind the person that violence only
>>brings about more violence and remind them of their stand on this
>>matter. Tell them if they are really committed to a nonviolent
>>approach to undeserved attacks, they will turn the other cheek and
>>negotiate a solution. Tell them they must lead by example if they
>>really believe what they are saying.
>>
>>5. Most of them will think for a moment and then agree that you are
>>correct.
>>
>>6. As soon as they do that, hit them again. Only this time hit them
>>much harder. Square in the nose.
>>
>>7. Repeat steps 2-5 until the desired results are obtained and the
>>idiot realizes how stupid of an argument he/she is making.
>>
>>8. There is no difference in an individual attacking an
>>unsuspecting victim or a group of terrorists attacking a nation of
>>people. It is unacceptable and must be dealt with. Perhaps at a
>>high cost.
>>
>>We owe our military a huge debt for what they are about to do for
>>us and our children. We must support them and our leaders at times
>>like these. We have no choice. We either strike back, VERY HARD, or
>>we will keep getting hit in the nose.
>>
>>Lesson over, class dismissed.
Listen, junior, I agree with you. Surprised? True story. I don’t agree with your mentality, because I think it’s stupid, thickheaded, and misguided, but I agree that you can’t just sit there and take it if someone is beating on you. A follower of Ghandi I am not. I think if someone hits you, you should damn well hit them back.
BUT!
If I get hit in the dark, and I turn on a light and six people are all pointing at each other but one of them is someone who’s been talking trash about me for ages… am I justified in hitting him? Maybe it was him, but hell, half the people in this room have very good reason to hate my guts.
Get my point? There’s no proof, jackass. No one has managed to even fabricate convincing evidence that Saddam had anything to do with 9/11. And if he had any weapons worth lobbing, don’t you think he would have by now?
Your heart’s in the right place, buddy, and I sympathize. But you’re buying into something you don’t know enough about. Get out of the mob and think for yourself for a few minutes. Might be a lifechanger.
~!~!~!
Whew.
K, just to keep y’all off balance, I’ve been watching some TV between pushups (that’s my deal with myself) and I actually found a show I enjoy.
The Dead Zone with Anthony Michael Hall. The boy has grown up. Last I saw he was playing an overweight jerk boyfriend in Edward Scissorhands and he didn’t look so hot. Drizzunk, bottoming out. The Breakfast Club and Weird Science were a long time ago.
But what a comeback! He’s a handsome standup guy now. He’s got style and a not-so-subtle sense of irony that are entertaining to watch. And the show isn’t badly written. They don’t skimp on effects either, which is fun. The dj gives it thumbs up.
~!~!~!
mp3 of the mo’: Soulchip – Let’s Rock
I know it’s been my baby for over a year now, but it’s my baby. A wink & a grin for Toki.
I’m not sure where to start. I see where you were going here and I agree with you, although I am not so black and white on it. Yeah Saddam needs his ass kicked. Yeah I don’t agree with Bush in his arguments or justifications. Maybe it was a good ole, ‘economy is going in the tank lets start a war’ type thing. Although I am not sure that helps even.
I am appalled at what the ‘coalition’ troops are finding, and I feel for the Iraqi people under the iron fist of Saddam. (What I have been able to decipher for myself anyway) I am equally disgusted at the over the top American mentality (in general) on the war.
Plus I hate protesters. What is a boy to do? I hate what they started, but I also want them to finish it. I’m so in the middle, but please don’t confuse that with riding the fence.
COMMENT:
Awww. I got a shout out!
[feels the love]
As for the war? [sigh] Oh holy crap, is all I have to say. If America retaliates for non-support, that’s bullshit.
I guess I should point out that I’m not overly political. I view our American leadership with a objective eye and a large grain of salt. Everyone feels that they could do better, but it’s not quite that easy. These last couple of years (and much, much further if you want to dig that deep), there have been some hard decisions to make, and no matter what the country or the leader, they do what they (and their advisors) believe is best for the good of the country and it’s people. No, not everyone is going to agree, if so, we’d be living in a “Brave New World” and I’m not down with that.
Retaliation is futile. There are goods and services that are unique to each country and to boycott a country for petty reasons is, well, petty.
About Canada and not backing us? Ha! Why should they? It’s not their war. Hell, it’s technically not even ours. I must have missed the part where Saddam and Bin Laden were out drinking together, or that one problem has anything to do with the other. Maybe that sounds ignorant, but that’s how I feel until proven wrong.
This is my personal opinion, but it might be just a little misguided. I have personal friends over there, high school buddies and ex-boyfriends. The 19 year old girl that got rescued…who’s to say that it couldn’t have been me, had I stayed in the Air Force. I hate the war, I hate the concept and I hate the aftermath.
First a minor correction for Talktalk- it wasn’t the PM that said Bush is a moron. It was a press secretary aid, I believe. She was talking to an acquaintance in confidence, but chose to do it in a pub, and she was overheard. It cost her the job.
That said, the media is in it for the money, and they can make a very big deal out of nothing if it’s a slow news day. Bush *is* a moron, as far as I’m concerned. Iraq *does* need to be liberated from Saddam’s regime, but there’s no link to terrorism there, and that was Bush’s entire justification for going in. There are a lot of places on this planet that could really use US intervention, but they don’t have oil AND evil dictators.
So I don’t think the States are at all justified in being upset with Canada. They claim to uphold political freedom, and that’s what we’re exercising.
I will agree, however, that our politicians should act with discretion when criticising America. Nevertheless, we don’t get much repect from American politicians either. As far as they’re aware, we live in igloos. So fuck ’em. What good would our whalebone spears do them anyway?
First off I have no love for this war, not even a little pang. For the last few days I have heard a lot of cross border finger pointing and, having 10 of my own, and being gullible to boot, I wanted to get in on the fun. Imagine my suprise when everytime I pointed south my finger curled up to point east, now why would that be?
As I first stated, I have no love for the war and I disagree with it. The Americans have no right to be angry with us for not joining, Canadians are world renowned as PEACEKEEPERS, not war mongers. So why are the Americans so angry with us? We can thank our federal government for that. Not only has our PM publicly called Bush a moron but a senator went so far to add that she hated all Americans. These statments may be echoed by the common folk, which make it easier to swallow by those labled, but can you imagine the press those comments made on the world scene?
Further to Talktalk’s comments, I was reminded the other night why the world thinks so low of the Americans. Story goes like this; This Canadian woman was shopping in Bellingham (giving the US business in their a poor economic slump)with her 2 children. When the woman came back to her car she found a note stating that Americans were pissed off at all Canadians for not sending our troops in to aid and support the US War. The letter went on stating that she, and all Canadians were not welcome in the US and if she knew what was best for her, she would leave and not come back. It is one pathetic remark like that that reminds me, and the all non-americans, why we think that all Americans are morons and arrogant. This Canadian woman was in their country supporting there ecomony and was treated like crap. I am not in support of this war either. I can not even stand to watch the highlights on TV. It is just a reminder that our government knows what is right in this case, and that is to remain a PEACE keeping country.
hey folks. I’ve got lots more to say than just this but am in a bit of a rush. just wanted to clarify one point, dj, regarding “…but there’s no link to terrorism there…” That’s not quite true. At the very least, it is Saddam’s regime that gives $25000US to the families of each Palestinian suicide bomber. So, now they’ll just have to get that loot from Saudia Arabia. I suspect there is much much more linkage to terrorism in Iraq than that but I don’t know those facts.
As far as the Canada/America relationship goes… well, I feel like you, dj. Screw them, who need them, anyways. But on a bigger scale, they really do have the power to crush our economy if they were petty enough. The question is: are they petty enough?
Jeff, my friend visiting me now says, “I’m proud to be Canadian because our government chose to obstain.” I concur.
oh right, no mud slinging!
Evgenya, they ARE that petty. See ‘softwood lumber tariffs’.
BUT! Personally I don’t want to get dragged into mud slinging. Yes many are ingnant and need better skooling, but don’t let the few drag down the many.
I almost liken the relationship of Canada and the US to that of two friends with different upbringings. Canada grew up having to work for everthing it ever had. Night jobs to pay for college, and the like. Where as the States grew up with the silver spoon. If they screwed up, the parents would bail them out. They got the new car for their sixteenth birthday and had university paid for. It doesn’t mean they are bad people.
A difference between valuing the rewards of hard work, and a feeling that some things are deserved or owed to them.
I would like to finish with a qoute from the beautiful Devon, “… all you have to do is look at a map to realize Canada is on top. And if we were in prison they’d be our bitch!”
Good points guys, I don’t have much to add, it’s all been said. PS: Nice to see you on here TalkTalk! :)
I second Aaron… especially re: TalkTalk.
I always knew you were a smart guy, dude… especially after I first played Trivial Pursuit with you. :)