Poll: over 40% of Canadian teens think America is "evil"

Cav also serves Chicken Cordon Bleu with spinach in the stuffing which also makes it "florentine."

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BTW, cav, I know this is off topic but I've always wondered why meat dishes served on spinach or stuffed with spinach is called "florentine?" I've forgotten so much from my London Cordon Bleu courses from the 60's.

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nimh wrote:

Interesting, Set.

McGentrix wrote:
It is true, Nimh. You just need to learn to come to terms with it. Or, does the hatred in your heart for America burn so brightly as to blind you to this fact?

A brightly burning hatred in my heart for America? LOL

What laughable nonsense.

But I forget: if we don't succumb to your delusions of grandeur, we must hate you. Just appreciating the good stuff and criticizing the bad stuff isnt enough - we must see that America really is that shining city on the hill, and pay deference.

If we don't "see it", that cant be because of rational criticisms or honest-to-god, disagreements running deep - no, it must be some irrational "anti-Americanism". How else could someone not "see it"?

Damn ... <shakes head>. Sometimes I really mean that quip about a nation ready for a shrink ... Perhaps its because of America's relative unafflictedness in the world wars - though many soldiers died, the war never really "came home", it remained a mission far abroad; Americans didnt get to learn the harsh, sobering lessons we internalised about the dangers and folly of nationalist self-deception, jingoist folly, claims of superiority. The deconstruction of nationalist mythologies seems to have remained more of an academic exercize ...

Just because the rest of the world has an inferiority complex, there should be no need for you to take it out on the US. Our kind hearted nature and willingness to overlook such petty jealousies is merely one of the things that make America and Americans great Nimh.

You seem to think that nationalism is a bad thing. Well, let me inform you of a group that has a bit more than nationalism going for it and that's al Qaeda. they don't want a unified front against them. They don't want people who are behind the war on terror. They fear patiotism and jingoism as it makes their jobs harder.

When the war on terror is over and there is no more terrorism, then we can afford to relax a bit. But, until that time, I will remain a gung-ho, militaristic, right-winged, whatever else you want to tack on to that list. The world is a dangerous place and I don't see the liberal, peace-loving solution to be the answer we need right now.

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To answer the question, of course americans don't really care what canadian teens think. We don't really care what any other country thinks of us, for the most part. We have been raised to believe that the U.S. is some kind of benevolent force for good in the world.

If the U.S. does something that the rest of the world doesn't like, we usually just figure that they just don't get it. It's all about us. We are the exhalted great nation, and the rest of the world is just some abstract thing that we don't think much about. Even if the U.S. does something that Americans disagree with, we really don't care, as long as we get what we want out of it.

Like with Iraq, for instance. A lot of us think that the war in Iraq is based on a big lie, but we rationalize it by saying the end justifies the means. Most people could care less what happens there. We just want what we want, and if we have to kill some people in another country to get it, it's alright, because we are the benevolent savior, and what we're doing is right for America. It's just the way it is.

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Bill

I told you I wasn't miffed with you. Razz on brother.

LW, the best I can think of is that 'florentine' of whatever was originally an Italian concoction adopted by the French, probably during the culinary renaissance that occurred after Catherine de Medici married Henry II of France. The French hate to be reminded that it was the Italians who taught them how to cook, and use a fork.

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I was sitting here waiting for McG to say something defensible because you guys are piling on bad. I mean really bad. Karzak's posts aren't nearly as bad as you guys are making them out to be either.

Why are slights about Canada or any other country any more offensive than the nonstop America bashing that goes on here? Every American leader, left and right, as well as our country itself gets bashed in every conceivable way, practically every day. Now if that is somehow different; I'd like to know why? I hear the "5% of the world's citizens" thing quite a bit here during criticism. Funny that being such a minority it is still perfectly PC to bash Americans as well as their leaders. How could that be? Could it be because the United States is indeed the richest, most powerful nation and therefore should be able to hold up to any and all criticism because it's greatness is so apparent as McG suggests? Hmmmm.

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True dat, Bill.

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McGentrix
Are you ever going to answer the question as to what Canada needs protecting from?

And Bullshit to everything you've said here! You have been given so much information here, but you refuse to see it for what it is. You act like we didn't do a damn thing to help the US after 9/11, yet we are still in Afghanistan. We didn't follow the US over to Iraq because we knew it was wrong and we were not going to jump the gun when thousands of innocent lives were at stake.

Why are you always lashing out at other countries? If you are so happy and content in America, then why the hell are you so bitter? You sound exactly like Bush with his "You're either with us or against us" bullshit!

Canada has done nothing to hurt the US, so where's the beef?

By the way, in the 40 years I've been alive, I've never seen Canada threatened by anyone other than the US, so where's all this help that we need?

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OCCOM BILL wrote:

I was sitting here waiting for McG to say something defensible because you guys are piling on bad. I mean really bad. Karzak's posts aren't nearly as bad as you guys are making them out to be either.

Why are slights about Canada or any other country any more offensive than the nonstop America bashing that goes on here? Every American leader, left and right, as well as our country itself gets bashed in every conceivable way, practically every day. Now if that is somehow different; I'd like to know why? I hear the "5% of the world's citizens" thing quite a bit here during criticism. Funny that being such a minority it is still perfectly PC to bash Americans as well as their leaders. How could that be? Could it be because the United States is indeed the richest, most powerful nation and therefore should be able to hold up to any and all criticism because it's greatness is so apparent as McG suggests? Hmmmm.

I'm going to go back to an earlier point I made regarding the terms 'anti-American' and 'anti-America'. These terms are just convenient buzzwords to negate any criticism of American foreign policy, or in a broader perspective, the average hubris of the American citizen who purports that the rest of the world ought to shut up, and bless America for 'doing it's god-given duty'. Given that not all Americans think this way, it is ridiculous to suggest that anyone here, even with the comments we made (mostly funnin' anyway) is 'Anti-American'. Sure, there are plenty of things that people world-wide dislike about America, but we're not all out to destroy the country, nor do most of us hate it as a country. If you want to keep perpetuating the idea that Americans can't tell the difference between a specific concern and a sweeping generalization, go ahead, keep telling the rest of us that we are anti-American. You will eventually become a living example of the myths already out there.

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I am quite relieved by the various expressed opinions of the canadians of whatever age on a2k, it makes me less alone.

On the other hand, I am not so convinced as kicky that u.s. americans are all so "my way or the highway", at least as a primary motivator. That would be simple arrogance. I think many u.s. citizens did believe our action towards iraq was a defensive, preemptive effort for the good of ourselves and the world, not re oil or finishing dad's job, but towards disarming a thug. And, that involves thinking that scares me more than plain arrogance, a lack of understanding of the problems with bombing for democracy introduction in the first place, and a lack of comprehension of the questionableness of preemption, an abundance of undue haste, especially with regard to world opinion, which is not always unwise, in order to be world leader, and faint grasp of the matter of picking up the pieces after invasion, who would pick them up and how.

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So, because Canada has never been invaded or attacked directly it doesn't and hasn't been protected by the US?

Let me ask you this: Who in their right mind would attack Canada with the US as a neighbor?

Let me ask this a different way. Who has attacked Scotland? Could it be because they are protected by Britain and any attack on Scotland would bring down the wrath of the English? Who has attacked Portugal? Anyone?

This nonsense about not being attacked adds no validity to any arguement made here. Exchange Canada's location with Israel's and see how long Canada lasts.

You can bullshit whatever you wish to Montana, that's your right, just make sure that your not actually smelling your own bullshit though.

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OCCOM BILL wrote:

Why are slights about Canada or any other country any more offensive than [..] America bashing

They're not, imho.

Now, whether there is indeed "nonstop America bashing" going on here is another question. There is some going on, and its annoying. And then there is a lot of criticism going on that is taken as "bashing", when its just meant as "criticism". The seeming inability of many Americans to distinguish between the two is something I criticize.

OCCOM BILL wrote:

the United States is indeed the richest, most powerful nation and therefore should be able to hold up to any and all criticism because it's greatness is so apparent

If you want to equate "great" with "powerful and wealthy", sure. I had the impression McG was going more for some moral, meritous or inherent superiority, that we should all be "grateful" for.
(I know I snipped out a question mark there, btw, no harm intended)

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Who has attacked Ireland, McG? Interesting question, that. They seem to persevere quite well without a clear ally. If the UK decided to invade Ireland (again), or let's say, 'occupy,' would the US rush to their aid? I admire your knack for simplifying global politics.

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The ghost of Laura Secord is gonna get all you big, mean conservative bullies . . .

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McG

Scotland is part of the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland".

It lost its independence in .... (look it up yourself)

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1715, Boss . . .

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McGentrix wrote:

So, because Canada has never been invaded or attacked directly it doesn't and hasn't been protected by the US?

Let me ask you this: Who in their right mind would attack Canada with the US as a neighbor?

Let me ask this a different way. Who has attacked Scotland? Could it be because they are protected by Britain and any attack on Scotland would bring down the wrath of the English? Who has attacked Portugal? Anyone?

This nonsense about not being attacked adds no validity to any arguement made here. Exchange Canada's location with Israel's and see how long Canada lasts.

You can bullshit whatever you wish to Montana, that's your right, just make sure that your not actually smelling your own bullshit though.

Feeling sufficiently self righteous and poewerful now McGentrix, becuase your big brother is tough?

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McGentrix wrote:

So, because Canada has never been invaded or attacked directly it doesn't and hasn't been protected by the US?

Let me ask you this: Who in their right mind would attack Canada with the US as a neighbor?

Let me ask this a different way. Who has attacked Scotland? Could it be because they are protected by Britain and any attack on Scotland would bring down the wrath of the English? Who has attacked Portugal? Anyone?

This nonsense about not being attacked adds no validity to any arguement made here. Exchange Canada's location with Israel's and see how long Canada lasts.

You can bullshit whatever you wish to Montana, that's your right, just make sure that your not actually smelling your own bullshit though.

Well then, if Canada is not being attacked because whoever wants to attack us is afraid of the US backing us up, why is the US being attacked?

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Well since Montana sort of faded back, the surge of testosterone in this thread is awesome. I haven't seen such a display of mine is bigger than yours since the last national sex scandal.

Americans get their prescriptions from Canada because Canada does less research, is less litigious, and therefore can sell many of their drugs at a much lower rate than can American pharmaceutical companies. Canadians come to the U.S. for many health related procedures because socialized medicine does have its drawbacks and the American system has its advantages.

Both countries have invested much blood and treasure both as adversaries and as allies in their respective histories.

Maybe Canada has not had to worry about ambitious aggressive countries because the U.S. is watching its back. Perhaps the U.S. has been spared invasion from the north because Canada is watching ours.

Canadians might have a very different perspective about Canadian/U.S. diplomacy if 9/11 had happened in Montreal and Quebec instead of New York City and Washington DC. We will see how the feelings run the day Canada asks for assistance and we refuse it.

To condemn the U.S. for thousands of innocent Iraqi deaths is to ignore the 300,000 innocent Iraqi deaths at the order/consent of Saddam - 300,000 by our account. A million or more according to at least one Iraqi spokesperson.

Wherever large scale disaster happens in the world whether by fire or flood or earthquake or famine, American dollars, food, medicine, rescue and medical teams are there. Perhaps Canadian resources are there as well. If Canada had a large scale devastating disaster, there is no question the outpouring of hands on and material support from the U.S. would be immediate and massive.

I think its pretty silly for next door neighbors to be quarreling over ideology. I think good natured jibes are fine. (Including the boat picture - I laughed out loud - sorry Canadian friends.)

Okay, that's it. Carry on.

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Well, Set, I do know a bit of history .... although I forgot to point at Portugal's neutrality.

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Poll: over 40% of Canadian teens think America is "evil"

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