What the heck is this crap?

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by JimmyCracksCorn You surprise me sometimes, KH. You're supposed to be a Socialiast and yet you constantly go around touting this "kiss me I'm Canadian" jingoistic attitude - something I know a good friend of mine (a very active Socialist) would crucify you for. Do you do this out of bitterness of having to live in the US, or do you truly buy into this whitewashed, "golden boy" image of Canadian history?

Son, I suggest you go back and find some of the posts in which I've taken Canada to task for its history.

Most particularly:

Canadian treatment of its native peoples
Unimaginative Canadian political leadership during the great depression (especially when compared to the US during the same period), poor treatment of the unemployed, repression of socialists, communists and labour leaders
Poor treatment of Asians until after the second World War
Poor treatment of Jewish refugees during the second World War
Widespread civil rights violations during the October Crisis, glossed over by a timely "just watch me"

If you want to have a serious discussion of any of these topics then feel free to start one. This thread is a joke, though. It's indicative of the insecurity you so constantly demonstrate.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
KH isn't a socialist...

Yes I am.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Kontiki
I think KH is an NDP supporter, but not a "socialist" in the quasi-communist mold. Could be wrong, though.

I'm not a social democrat. I vote for the NDP because they're a mainstream party whose ideals are similar to mine (more similar than are those of the other mainstream parties).

Don't call me a quasi-communist, though, as that carries with it connotations of political repression.

I call myself a democratic socialist. I believe in popular control of the means of production implemented in a democratic state with the full run of civil and political liberties.

[Ted Striker]

war of 1812

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by Ted Striker
war of 1812

HEy



this thread is a joke

ok

now
lets not get him upset further

he stated quite clearly he was not a quadsi-communist

however






he didnt say he wasnt Quasimoto

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by JimmyCracksCorn

The 1812 thingie is just more nationalistic, a-historical garbage.

I see. Then I suppose much of what is said about the defeat of the British when the US gained independence is 'nationalistic, a-historical garbage'.

No it hasn't. Anyone who went to high school (and has a brain) in the US past 1960 knows this fact well. People in Canada know the US did this as well, however (shockingly), more and more are completely unaware that their own country did the same thing as well. The same people are also unlikely to know that Canada has had slavery, is imperialist (Quebec, First Nations), has engaged in cultural genocide (residential schools), etc, etc...

Nothing against this country at all, its just that the "golden boy" image it purports is getting old and it seems likely that closet skeletons are going to bite the national character in the ass sooner or later.

As KH said, very bitter.

You can provide facts to support your contention that Canadians are by and large unaware of how Japanese-Canadians were treated? You can do the same as regards residential schools? Yes? Or are you just ranting?

As for imperialism and slavery, those things are part of our history and nobody denies them, either. But we are unlikely to flagellate ourselves for things done in or by the British Empire prior to ourselves having any say in the matter.

Is that true? I didn't know that. You know, that really sickens me to the bone. As an ex-pat American myself (living in Canada for many years) nothing grates on my nerves more than whiny self-loathing Americans who cut and run with little to no knowledge of the country they're headed to - as is clearly the case with John "Head up his ass" Chuckman, so eagerly willing to lick the bums of his new Canadian daddies. Everytime I meet one of these loser Americans up here congradulating me on living in a country with "no guns and no racism!" I want to punch them. That kind of ignorance is an insult to the real problems that ordinary Canadians face everyday. And whats worse is Canadians are starting to believe this crap!

[Just to be clear I left the US in the middle of the Clinton years, when everything was hunky-dory, and with no hard feelings. There were absolutely no politics involved in my decision.]

The only person who has demonstrated ignorance here, Jimmy, is you. Canadians by and large are fairly well informed about our own warts. If that crap you quoted in the OP were really written by a Canadian, most of us would laugh at him.

That doesn't mean that many Canadians do not feel a certain sense of accomplishment for the good things that we have done, but even that doesn't stop us from ripping on ourselves and each other a great deal, as you should be aware of if you paid any attention to many of the Canuck threads.

[KrazyHorse]

I was thinking about mentioning that, NYE.

CanPol threads are infamous for their vitriol.

I'm not as harsh with anybody else as I am with my fellow countrymen...

[KrazyHorse]

Speaking of railroad workers, was Jimmy in Canada long enough ago (6-7 years IIRC) to catch the "Moment of our Heritage" (bought and paid for by the Canadian government, no less) which involved the Chinese railroad worker carrying a vial of nitroglycerine into a tunnel and having it explode on him?

Yeah, we're really in denial about that...

[KrazyHorse]

PWN3D

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Ted Striker
war of 1812

I'm not drunk enough.

Maybe some other day.

[notyoueither]

I never need much beer to be willing to talk about Lundy's Lane.

[KrazyHorse]

[Flubber]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
Speaking of railroad workers, was Jimmy in Canada long enough ago (6-7 years IIRC) to catch the "Moment of our Heritage" (bought and paid for by the Canadian government, no less) which involved the Chinese railroad worker carrying a vial of nitroglycerine into a tunnel and having it explode on him?

Yeah, we're really in denial about that...

I believe that one still runs from time to time-- I definitely recall seeing it in the last 2 years

I don't think that there is any country that has a blemishless past . . . canada has some bad stuff in its history-- many mistakes were made

canada is also nowhere near perfect today -- I would never claim we were . . . but we are trying and the evidence is there on a number of issues . . . maybe we haven't redressed all our past wrongs and maybe we never will

Also I truly have come to the conclusion that we are fundamentally different than Americans in many respects. Very similar in others but lets take a simple one-- how quickly would a FEDERAL law endorsing homosexual marriage pass in the states ?? Its only one issue but it is symptomatic of some major attitudinal differences when comparing the majority opinions in each country.--

Personally I'm proud of my country for what it is


I AM CANADIAN

[Commy]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse

I call myself a democratic socialist. I believe in popular control of the means of production implemented in a democratic state with the full run of civil and political liberties.

A true enlightened one...

[JimmyCracksCorn]

Guys, this thread is aimed at Canada because of the article. I could easily make the same arguments against any other country (that I'm reasonably familiar with, that is).

I see. Then I suppose much of what is said about the defeat of the British when the US gained independence is 'nationalistic, a-historical garbage'.

You prove my point. Think about it.

KH: Yes, I've seen that on TV many times. That one isn't bad, but doesn't go into it beyond the fact that many Chinese died building the railways. But frankly most of those "Heritage Moments" make me sick. I'll try to find some of them...

Honestly, guys. Where's your sense of decency? A Heritage commercial can't make up for the atrocities that have been commited against so many minority groups throughout Canadian history. And neither will a smug attitude.

All I'm saying is that much more can be done to raise awareness in this country and people like John Chuckman are moving us backwards in that respect. And don't try to construe what I'm saying as "Canada is teh ev1l!", because its not... I'm arguing that Canada's record is no worse than other like-countries, but certainly no better either.

As far as being bitter... nah, I'm not. My academic speciality is in aboriginal and minority rights with a focus on Canada. My attitude is far from being bitter, rather I think its informed, respectful and non-complacent.