Quote:
Originally Posted by C0LLETTE
Not easy to discuss this topic without offending someone, so I'll stick to a few things I know ( generally ) about our behaviour here in Canada :
We don't tend to stick little flag decals on our cars, in our windows, or fly flags off our porches ( except for one day at the beginning of July and then back in the attic they go ).
We don't do a lot of pledging allegiance to our flag...not in schools, not anywhere. I'm not even sure we have such a pledge ( I should probably look that up ).
Generally, the only time we sing "Oh Canada " is at hockey and baseball games and largely cause the American opponents are singing their anthem, so we try to sing louder. Most of us only know only one or two verses anyway and very few can sing it in "both official languages."
Strictly speaking, our loudest displays of national pride come during sporting events: World Junior Hockey Championships, almost getting into the baseball world series, and a bronze medal at the Olympics...plus the fact that "no Canada = no "SNL", no John Candy, no "Ghostbusters" and that guy that made "Titanic". Our older citizens still beam with pride at the mention of Marie Dressler ( Her childhood home is a heritage site.)
Our smuggest displays of pride come when Americans mention our marriage laws, our health care system and their desire to come to Canada if things go
wonky in the USA...tho we are a bit dismayed that they seldom if ever mention a tourist desire to just visit and spend a few bucks.
And then there's our passports...we don't wave them but just complacently pat our breast pockets as we travel around and think "Who'd want to kill a Canadian?" That's when we plaster our luggage and backpacks with little Canadian flags.
|
Very interesting comparison of the differences in our "patriotic display" from someone who I know traveled recently through the USA but lives in Canada. We learn very little about other countries during the K-12 process of schooling...heck the dumbing down of America has created a whole generation of our children who know almost nothing of the USA! My daughter made it through high school and all of the tests to matriculate without being able to name most of our states!
I really enjoy living here, and the freedoms I take for granted most days...and I have to say that when I examine my knee jerk reaction of "heck yeah!" to "America is the best", I know I have been well and truly brainwashed and it disturbs me! I really don't want to be an obnoxious American, pitying the people who don't get to live here...but it is so ingrained into everything here! Sigh