BTW, Should We Americans Be Worried?

[Guest MikeSC]

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

by Arthur Weinreb

 

June 30, 2004

 

Can West News Services, owners of several Canadian newspapers including the National Post as well as the Global Television Network commissioned a series of polls to determine how young people feel about the issues that were facing the country’s voters. Dubbed "Youth Vote 2004", the polls, sponsored by the Dominion Institute and Navigator Ltd. were taken with a view to getting more young people involved in the political process.

 

In one telephone poll of teens between the ages of 14 and 18, over 40 per cent of the respondents described the United States as being "evil". That number rose to 64 per cent for French Canadian youth.

 

This being Canada, the amount of anti-Americanism that was found is not surprising. What is significant is the high number of teens who used the word "evil" to describe our southern neighbour. As Misty Harris pointed out in her column in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, evil is usually associated with serial killers and "kids who tear the legs off baby spiders." These teens appear to equate George W. Bush and Americans with Osama bin Laden and Hitler, although it is unknown if the teens polled would describe the latter two as being evil. Whether someone who orders planes to be flown into heavily populated buildings would fit that description would make a good subject for a future poll.

 

The Liberal government came into power in 1993 gushing anti-Americanism. Former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien’s communications director, Francoise Ducros, made headlines when she referred to President Bush as a moron. Liberal MP Carolyn Parrish was picked up on a boom microphone saying, "Damn Americans — I hate those bastards". Not only did Parrish not apologize for her remarks, but she later appeared on a television show hosted by alleged comedian Mike Bullard and laughed about the incident. Parrish played to the anti-Americanism of the youthful studio audience by saying that she couldn’t guarantee that she wouldn’t do it again.

 

Not only did then Prime Minister Jean Chrétien not take any action against his staff or caucus members, he himself engaged in America-bashing. The depth of his anti-Americanism surfaced shortly after the 9/11 attacks when he blamed the arrogance and greed of the West (read the United States) for those attacks.

 

When Paul Martin assumed office last December, the childish cheap shots ended but, if anything, anti-Americanism became stronger.

 

Anti-Americanism played a prominent role in the election strategy of the Liberals. Paul Martin portrayed himself as the saviour of Canadian medicare while saying that if Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party of Canada came to power they would introduce "American-style" health care. Martin was happy to take credit for cutting taxes and eliminating the deficit during the 1990s when he was Minister of Finance, but he referred to tax cuts included in the Conservative Party platform as being "American-style tax cuts". Canadians who favour lower taxes or the private delivery of health care services or smaller governments or anything similar to what is found in the United States were called "un-Canadian" by Paul Martin.

 

It is therefore not surprising that a high percentage of Canadian youth think that the United States is evil. Nor is it surprising that this feeling is more pronounced in Quebec where Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe said that he would rather live under the United Nations than the Stars and Stripes. The left wing Canadian political parties, aided by their supporters in the elite media don’t seem to be able to say anything positive about Canada without denigrating the United States in the process.

 

The poll results reflect that anti-Americanism will be solidly entrenched in future generations of Canadians. As well as listening to the propaganda espoused by their political leaders and the media, these kids have no experience with what constitutes real evil. They live in a country that much like pre-9/11 America, thinks that terrorist attacks are something that happens in other countries. And as the World War II veterans slowly die off, they have no conviction of the evil that the allies risked their lives to defeat.

 

With anti-Americanism playing such a prominent role in this past election campaign, it is no wonder that the United States was viewed in such a negative light.

http://www.torontofreepress.com/2004/weinreb063004.htm

Hmm, Canadian teens view us as "evil". Thanks Canadian government.

-=Mike

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Yeah, Mike. That Canadian government has been handing out those "How To Hate America For Dummies" books again.

 

No, we shouldn't be "worried" about this any more than we are any other country. Canadian youth tends to hate us because they're increasingly becoming America Jr. and feel it's only a matter of time before they lose the most significant parts of their culture to McDonalds, Wal-Mart, and Blockbuster Video.

 

 

I myself would not be against if we simply blew up the book on American pop culture and started all over again, this time with less fast food stands and less Britney Spears.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

Let's invade Canada! That'll show them!

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

No, we shouldn't be "worried" about this any more than we are any other country. Canadian youth tends to hate us because they're increasingly becoming America Jr.

And what is their culture --- Moose, round bacon, beer?...

[NoCalMike 0]

Canadian youth tends to hate us because they're increasingly becoming America Jr. and feel it's only a matter of time before they lose the most significant parts of their culture to McDonalds, Wal-Mart, and Blockbuster Video.

Don't foget Starbucks.

 

Seriously though, if you asked Canadian teens, they would swear up and down they would have nothing to do with America, yet at the same time have adopted just about every american pop culture trend. They are teenagers for heavens sake.

[2GOLD 0]

Let's invade Canada! That'll show them!

 

Well...we are running low on wood.

 

Jon Stewart warned them the day would come when we would have to invade to get some trees

[Dangerous A 0]

NoCal is all over it.

 

They are frickin teens. They think they know everything and really don't know shit. That goes for teens all over the world of every creed and color.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Bulletin! Canadian teens say they don't like America in a telephone survey!

 

Total fluff, Mike.

[CanadianChick 0]

This is just teens either trying to be "rebels" and cool, or spewing out what their parents believe.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

But what exactly is "Canadian culture?"...

[Art Sandusky 0]

Hey, they use the same senseless, morally righteous hyperbole as you. Maybe they aren't so bad, Mikey.

[The Metal Maniac 0]

But what exactly is "Canadian culture?"...

 

It's like American culture, only with more beer, Maple Leafs, and shouting "I AM CANADIAN!"

 

Just watch some Canadian beer ads. THAT'S Canadian culture.

[MrRant 0]

But what exactly is "Canadian culture?"...

Just aboot the same as American Culture. Except more Frenchy.

[The Metal Maniac 0]

Only if you're in Quebec or New Brunswick (the only bi-lingual province).

 

Outside of that, you get about the same French hatred that you would in the States.

[Guest Cerebus]

But what exactly is "Canadian culture?"...

Just aboot the same as American Culture. Except more Frenchy.

God, that's frightening.

[Justice 0]

Only if you're in Quebec or New Brunswick (the only bi-lingual province).

 

Outside of that, you get about the same French hatred that you would in the States.

My dad's from New Brunswick, and he hates Quebec and true French. He might be the exception, though, since he's one of the few New Brunswickers I know outside of Annie E.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

Canadain and American cultures have both influenced each other alot. For instance alot of famous athletes and actors are Canadian.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

Let's invade Canada! That'll show them!

 

Well...we are running low on wood.

 

Jon Stewart warned them the day would come when we would have to invade to get some trees

We can enslave CWM and force him back to the grueling world of lumberjacking.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Many great musicians hail from the Great White North

 

Alanis Morrisette

Celene Dion

Sarah McLachlan

Nickelback

Gordon Lightfoot

 

 

Get my gun...

[Ted the Poster 0]

Canadain and American cultures have both influenced each other alot. For instance alot of famous athletes and actors are Canadian.

Yeah, but that's because Canada doesn't warrant a Hollywood-type city/industry. Which may be a good thing.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Wow, you know..canadian music DOES suck..

 

They've got Cryptopsy and some Rush stuff going for them.

 

The Guess Who? The Tragically Hip? Fuck off.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

AoO obviously doesn't wanna hear about a horse with no name

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

I had America in that post, actually. I realized the Hip annoyed me worse because they seem more canadian, whatever that means.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

wayne gretzky, Mike Myers, The Hart's, SCTV, Kids In the Hall, Trailer Park Boys...

 

*Sings "O Canada"*

[Guest Smues]

I think the bigger problem would be all the American teens who hate America.

[justsoyouknow 0]

You guys made like four great things. Congrats.

[CanadianChick 0]

But what exactly is "Canadian culture?"...

Similar to American culture, but more hockey.

 

Canada has been called the only country to survive without a culture, but I actually think hockey is our culture. The first thing to unite Canadians country wide was radio, more specifically Hockey Night in Canada.

[Highland 0]

I've never agreed with the statement that we're a nation without a culture. We have one, it's just our own.

Anyway, I'm not surprised at the results of this "poll" especially those from Quebec, which is just anti-Anglophone in general and anti-American in particular.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

You guys made like four great things. Congrats.

Shouldn't you be watching some of your ever exciting reality tv? or reading the latest dirt on Jlo?

 

ugh.

[justsoyouknow 0]

Are we openly bragging about reality tv? Are we walking around beating ourselves off constantly because OMG we made a TV show without the cameras freezing?