I noted C-Span’s coverage [1]of President Bush’s comments in Halifax, which they re-ran this morning. (They do have vid up on the site today) I didn’t comment on it when it was fresh, because there was much to consider from his words. Boortz [2] seems to have a handle on all of this from a world-wide perspective, and it’s a good write-up.
But let me get more specific. I’ve gotten several bits of mail the last few days, regarding my comments on the MP Carolyn Parrish, from Mississauga-Erindale. My counters tell me that blog entry of mine is catching a lot of attention up north. Good, I imagine this one will, as well. A few writers defended Parrish on the rather shakey ground that our actions in Iraq were without just cause.
Well, I think over the last year, I’ve more than shown the cause more than just. Anyone arguing these days it was not a just action is simply looking for excuses for not having weighed in. I’ve also shown the comments of Parrish to be so far out of bounds, her own party has rejected them out of hand…. and her with them.
Even among Canadians, who, generally speaking, are more left-oriented than their American counterparts, our actions in Iraq have more support than the likes of Parrish do.
Consider for example the comments of one Canadian [3]:
“May I take this opportunity to apologize to American friends and readers? I am guessing the typical reaction is, first, “What?” and, then, “Whatever.” And indeed Ms. Parrish deserves the dismissal we reserve all for kooks and cranks. The trouble is that there are millions of like minded kooks and cranks in my fair country.
Anti-Americanism is rampant. Many Canadians now make free with the most derogatory comments about their southern neighbors. They are pleased to call Americans stupid, aggressive, and vulgar. They are quick to say that Bush is a moron. (And here I have to bite my tongue to keep from saying, “well, he may not be Stephen Hawking but he is almost certainly smarter than you.”) Want an easy laugh at a gathering of Canadians? Say something anti-American. No sooner have you spoken than the room is awash in self congratulation. American bashing is now a Canadian pastime, as passionately pursued as road hockey and Tim Horton do-nuts.
Indeed, I have not heard prejudice as unabashed as this since I spent a summer in the south of France and listened to locals let fly with anti-Semitic sentiments. (I do not mean to compare anti-Americanism to anti-Semitism, but merely the unapologetic ease with which both sentiments are, in this case, offered.) Canadians pride themselves on being open minded and cosmopolitan. But here they are stupid, aggressive, and vulgar.
(Aside; Should I point out that there is a Tim Horton’s cup on my desk as I write this? I drive by one at least, and usually two Horton’s each day on my way into the ofice.)
It was this anti US attitude which forced my choice of not spending my personal dollars in Canada. Do not misread me here. This is not to suggest, by any stretch of imagination, that all Canadians are like that. There are many good people behind that horrible face I’ve just painted. But I’m forced to do that, and react to that, because this is how Canadians are represented by poeple like Parrish.
It is, I think, fortunate that such people are in fact outnumbered by a more realistic and reasonable… and frankly, more a honorable sort. However, alas, it’s only recently that these have been heard from… the press leaning left up there makes our own press’ leftist leanings look miniscule by comparison. As a result of this picture, I stated publicly I would not be returning to Canada until I saw the anti-American nonsense recanted, or at least shouted down. Make no mistake; I do not consider that the Average Canadian is quite so vulgar as Parrish and her ilk are. Yet, the remainder wasn’t speaking up… apparently fearful of reprecussions for doing so.
However,the backlash has finally started, and I can’t say it’s too soon. This sentiment against America and her actions in Iraq and elsewhere, of which Parrish is a part, was finally confirmed as having only minority status on Monday, as thousands and thousands of people came up to cheer and greet the President, and only about 40 protestors showed up [4]…(Covered by around twice as many members of the press, who seemed somewhat annoyed about the small turnout… The Anti-American nonsense turned out, to their chagrin to be far smaller than their pre-summit stories made it.)
That alone shows us that it is Parrish and the extremist left that is marching out of step with the rest of the World… Not the President. It’s time the Liberals in Canada started consider that members like Parrish do not help Canada’s place in the world.
As Cultureby says
“I have never heard a Canadian admit to admiration or even acknowledgement of this difference. Instead, the strategy is to claim moral superiority. Canadians are better, they suppose, because they have better social programs, pay more taxes, and do not go to war. Why is that, I wonder? The reason that Canada does not go to war is because it lives within the protection of the US. This is the reason it has an Armed Force that would be hard pressed, if transplanted to Eastern Europe, to defend itself from an attack by Estonia.
And this brings us to the question of terrorism and Ms. Parrish’s conviction that a missile defense treaty with the US would expose Canada to an attack. It is hard to know whether this is naiveté or cowardice. But it certainly smacks of ingratitude. To accept American protection and then, in the American hour of urgency, to refuse to do what little we can, is wrong.
It compounds the error made by former Prime Minister Chrétien when he refused to send Canadian troops to Iraq. Chrétien claimed that there was insufficient evidence of weapons of mass destruction. What in God’s name prompted him to think this was the point? Plainly and simply, our neighbour needed us to close ranks, show solidarity, and present a single face to the dithering world community. If friendship was not enough, surely the opportunity to repay the “protection debt” should have been. If you can’t act from honor, you might at least think about acting from reciprocity.
Ms. Parrish calls Americans “bastards” and “idiots” because she would otherwise be obliged to accept a pressing reality: that Canada is no longer the “sleeping giant” but a continental embarrassment, the little brother who turns out to be slow at learning, bad at sports, incapable of protecting himself, inclined to incoherent outbursts, and, in spite of this, insufferably smug, self important, and ungrateful. Ms. Parrish, please, for the love of God, just shut up. “
My earlier comments stand, and my committment to not returning to Canada until such time as those telling the world the US deserved to be attacked, are gone from Canadian public service roles, or until they recant those statements, also stand.
As to the US being hated by some Canadians, I must take that in some degree of perspective. America, you see, has made it rather a habit to anger enemies of freedom. The Nazis, The Communists, the Islamofacists… all of these have hated us. Seems to me an encouraging trend, but it is a trend which forces a question: Who are people like Parrish, siding with?
Think, people; Herb Dhaliwal is gone today from his post. So, too, is that blithering idiot Jean Chretien. Both for the same reason. Perhaps some clues could be found there for some who apparently need one.
I fully expect that the Mississauga-Erindale riding, liberal as that area tends to be, will be removing Parrish at the next opportunity, as well. They would be favoring themselves, the world, and their place in it, to do so.