A Canadian in the United States

FloydJam

Ok...so I lived in Canada my whole life until 2 months ago when I moved here to the US for school. I must say, despite the crime, bullshit politics, and capitalism to the max, I am really enjoying my time here...this really is a beautiful country and people don't give it much credit. Canadians seem to have this preconception that Americans are all un-intelligent, self-indulgent people but I've met so many nice, decent people and has really changed my view of the US..just thought I'd say this because I see alot of negativity towards the US these days...

Songburst

The US can be a great place, but the bullshit politics and the people that defend the bullshit politics make it a bullshit place sometimes. If I have to argue with one more idiot at a Minnesota Wild game who thinks that the US should nuke everyone, there's gonna be hell to pay. IT's a fucking hockey game, not a NASCAR race. Other than that, I love the US. Great place to visit.

MrBrian

Some americans are cool, but remember these are the people who play along with the bullshit politics and whatever else, like that saying goes "If you see the teeth of a lion, does it mean he's smiling?"

Americans are great at faking it, but yeah, some are really cool, but the rest are brainwashed.

Jeanwah

So what state are you living in?
My mother is from Newfoundland, and misses Canada.

small town beck

Did you tell people that you live in an igloo?

Assholes are everywhere not just in the USA. I have even met idiot Canadians :eek:. Sadly, ignorance knows no borders. Being from Prince Edward Island, you would be amazed at the stupid questions people ask. "Have you ever left the Island?"... crap like that. Stereotypes suck. I like and respect all people until they give me a reason not to. I am not fond of the American government but I don't know many people who are including a good number of Americans.

It is a beautiful country. Just as people all countries have their own version of beauty and diversity. Just a shame that we don't take more time to embrace these gifts instead of destroying the world.

small town beck

Jeanwah wrote:

So what state are you living in?
My mother is from Newfoundland, and misses Canada.

We have provinces

Newfoundland is AMAZING!!! Have you been?

Truthmonger

From another thread on The Porch, here's an Aussie talking about being in the U.S.. :

"Am missing home so much its crazy. Being here makes you realize, even if you knew already, exactly how feakin lucky we are.... people here live in fear....and thats totally fucked."

jeffbr

Truthmonger wrote:

From another thread on The Porch, here's an Aussie talking about being in the U.S.. :

"Am missing home so much its crazy. Being here makes you realize, even if you knew already, exactly how feakin lucky we are.... people here live in fear....and thats totally fucked."

Maybe that person is homesick - hasn't been away from mommy before. The fear is in his/her head. I'm not afraid. None of my friends or neighbors are afraid.

What an ironic board name you have. You should switch it to Fearmonger.

Truthmonger

Excuse me Freud, those weren't my statements, but someone else's. What, pray tell, would i be afraid of ? I know its a stretch for you, but you really should try looking at reality once in a while. Weren't you the person who, just 2-3 days ago, swore the U.S. had never lied or misled the public about intelligence related to Iraq ? I think you were. That being the case, maybe you could address some of the examples i gave by David Kay, Gregory Thielmann, etc which proved exactly the opposite. They're in the "Democrat" thread.

I eagerly await your reply....

Jeanwah

small town beck wrote:

Newfoundland is AMAZING!!! Have you been?

A couple times, the last time was 20 years ago. It is beautiful up there! And the people are wonderful, especially my family

small town beck

Jeanwah wrote:

A couple times, the last time was 20 years ago. It is beautiful up there! And the people are wonderful, especially my family

You should have gone last year to see PJ!! It was AMAZING!

I have been there twice. I was in Cornerbrook and to the St John's show last year. Truly a wonderful place with great people. I once drove from Cornerbrook to St John's... dear god what a drive :eek: There are actually some pretty famous people from there.

jeffbr

Truthmonger wrote:

Excuse me Freud, those weren't my statements, but someone else's. What, pray tell, would i be afraid of ? I know its a stretch for you, but you really should try looking at reality once in a while. Weren't you the person who, just 2-3 days ago, swore the U.S. had never lied or misled the public about intelligence related to Iraq ? I think you were. That being the case, maybe you could address some of the examples i gave by David Kay, Gregory Thielmann, etc which proved exactly the opposite. They're in the "Democrat" thread.

I eagerly await your reply....

Do you know what a monger is? When I said that perhaps you should change your name to Fearmonger, it is not because I think you're afraid. Did you not understand the Fearmonger idea? I'm happy to explain it to you, but you really should understand what a monger is if that is what you aspire to be.

As far as swearing that the US never lied or misled the public about Iraq, perhaps I posted in a drunken stuper, so I'd appreciate a link to that. I have no recollection, and don't believe I would have. In fact, in another thread just minutes ago I agreed that investigating pre-war intelligence would be a good use of Waxman's time and efforts.

Songburst

Truthmonger wrote:

From another thread on The Porch, here's an Aussie talking about being in the U.S.. :

"Am missing home so much its crazy. Being here makes you realize, even if you knew already, exactly how feakin lucky we are.... people here live in fear....and thats totally fucked."

I remember being in Minneapolis in Oct 2001. I think that the 6 of us who went down there to see STP and a hockey game were the only people at the Mall of America. Why? Because CNN listed it as a potential terrorist target the day before. You could see the fear that people were living and it was fucked. I haven't seen much else like it since, although people get pretty shaken up when they have to check their guns before they enter the Metrodome.

Jeanwah

small town beck wrote:

I have been there twice. I was in Cornerbrook and to the St John's show last year. Truly a wonderful place with great people. I once drove from Cornerbrook to St John's... dear god what a drive :eek: There are actually some pretty famous people from there.

Cornerbrook!!! Shit, that's where my extended family lives, I didn't think that it was that big of a city up there for anybody to really know it! PJ didn't play there though, only in St. John's, right? How far a drive was it? And what famous people would you be talking about?

Truthmonger

jeffbr wrote:

Do you know what a monger is? When I said that perhaps you should change your name to Fearmonger, it is not because I think you're afraid. Did you not understand the Fearmonger idea? I'm happy to explain it to you, but you really should understand what a monger is if that is what you aspire to be.

As far as swearing that the US never lied or misled the public about Iraq, perhaps I posted in a drunken stuper, so I'd appreciate a link to that. I have no recollection, and don't believe I would have. In fact, in another thread just minutes ago I agreed that investigating pre-war intelligence would be a good use of Waxman's time and efforts.

First of all, i owe you an apology. It was not you, but Thumbing My Way who made those asinine remarks about misleading the U.S./the world wrt intel and Iraq. I'm truly sorry. And I should have been more careful about who I am referring to. Please accept my apology.

As for the fearmongering notion, that was something hurled by YOU. Personally, I fear very little, and certainly don't have aspirations for it (according to your tutorial on said subject). So i fail to see the merits of your charge. But to get back to my original post, or perhaps your reply, why is it that you take such offense to this persons feelings, or my simple conveyance of them ?

small town beck

Jeanwah wrote:

Cornerbrook!!! Shit, that's where my extended family lives, I didn't think that it was that big of a city up there for anybody to really know it! PJ didn't play there though, only in St. John's, right? How far a drive was it? And what famous people would you be talking about?

Well I too live on the eastern coast of Canada so you get to know town names. A really good friend of mine is from Cornerbrook so I went to visit her. We drove to St John's and it was like eight hours of NOTHING!!! well I mean central Newfoundland can be kind of blah(no offense Newfoundland) .

yes PJ played two night in St John's. It was wonderful. I even got to meet Stone and Mike

Famous people? ok well I am going to sound like a guy here and I don't really know how I know this but maybe because I retain useless pop culture info

Shannon Tweed is from St John's and Natasha Henstridge is from Newfoundland too I think. I think Christina Aguilera's(sp?) mom is from Newfoundland. ok wow that is bad I just realized they are all blond women..

I swear I am a STRAIGHT GIRL There are people who can attest to this
*goes to find famous men from Newfoundland*

Truthmonger

Songburst wrote:

I remember being in Minneapolis in Oct 2001. I think that the 6 of us who went down there to see STP and a hockey game were the only people at the Mall of America. Why? Because CNN listed it as a potential terrorist target the day before. You could see the fear that people were living and it was fucked. I haven't seen much else like it since, although people get pretty shaken up when they have to check their guns before they enter the Metrodome.

Ya, those low, low prices could really be "mushroom clouds". Is any community more paranoid than right-wing America ? Around every corner lurks a terrorist.

jeffbr

Truthmonger wrote:

First of all, i owe you an apology. It was not you, but Thumbing My Way who made those asinine remarks about misleading the U.S./the world wrt intel and Iraq. I'm truly sorry. And I should have been more careful about who I am referring to. Please accept my apology.

As for the fearmongering notion, that was something hurled by YOU. Personally, I fear very little, and certainly don't have aspirations for it (according to your tutorial on said subject). So i fail to see the merits of your charge. But to get back to my original post, or perhaps your reply, why is it that you take such offense to this persons feelings, or my simple conveyance of them ?

Apology accepted. No problem. Had I actually posted that stuff, I'd be apologizing right now!

What set me off was the conveyance. I think by posting that person's feelings in this thread, you were trying to add unnecessarily to negative images. This thread was started by someone who had his preconceptions altered in a positive way by living in the US for awhile. Why not go with the theme of the thread. Why does this thread, and many/most threads about the US, have to be spun negatively?

The Fearmongering was a reference not to your own fear, but your brokering of fear. Posting the fear of another to re-enforce your negative views of the US. Again, I don't think you seem to be afraid. But just because someone with a weak constitution has a moment of anxiety doesn't mean that the US is filled with people who are afraid. As I said, I know of no friends or family, or neighbors or co-workers for that matter, who have any fear living here. I think that is a strange misperception people from other places have developed.

Songburst

Truthmonger wrote:

Ya, those low, low prices could really be "mushroom clouds". Is any community more paranoid than right-wing America ? Around every corner lurks a terrorist.

I think that you would see mushroom clouds in the Mall of America before you see low, low prices. There was a quote in another thread that pretty much sums up why the terrorist card is so strong right now:

DPrival78 wrote:

"Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."

-hermann goering

And in case you didn't know, Hermann Goering was just under Hitler in the Nazi command chain. This statement rings so true in the states right now that it is scary.

Truthmonger

jeffbr wrote:

Apology accepted. No problem. Had I actually posted that stuff, I'd be apologizing right now!

What set me off was the conveyance. I think by posting that person's feelings in this thread, you were trying to add unnecessarily to negative images. This thread was started by someone who had his preconceptions altered in a positive way by living in the US for awhile. Why not go with the theme of the thread. Why does this thread, and many/most threads about the US, have to be spun negatively?

The Fearmongering was a reference not to your own fear, but your brokering of fear. Posting the fear of another to re-enforce your negative views of the US. Again, I don't think you seem to be afraid. But just because someone with a weak constitution has a moment of anxiety doesn't mean that the US is filled with people who are afraid. As I said, I know of no friends or family, or neighbors or co-workers for that matter, who have any fear living here. I think that is a strange misperception people from other places have developed.

jeff, with all due respect, i think you're ascribing far too much to this persons "constitution" and personal feelings. You don't know the first thing about him/her, yet you seem convinced it's a personal flaw on the part of this individual. Its not for YOU to assess or delegitimize those feelings. Moreover, how do you account for feelings of many others who feel the same way as this person does - she's hardly alone. Those people also have a reference point, something to make comparisons with. The murder rate of larger american cities, for example, is 5-10 X that of canadian cities.....that's a fact, its not a statistic pulled out of someone's ass.

Am i guilty of not staying on topic ? Perhaps. But the flip side to the original post are stories about people who felt just the opposite, and I wasn't the only person here to say so. I didn't do it maliciously, I was simply offering someone else's opinion on the matter. I can tell you personally after visiting the States on many occasions that there is an edge to many palces in the States. Its there, it can't be denied. Only people who have travelled extensively in the world can understand that, and offer opinions on that.

As for posting this individuals feelings about this, I hardly think that makes me a purveyor of fear. Frankly, I think this is just something else you're ascribing to someone.

jlew24asu

FloydJam wrote:

Ok...so I lived in Canada my whole life until 2 months ago when I moved here to the US for school. I must say, despite the crime, bullshit politics, and capitalism to the max, I am really enjoying my time here...this really is a beautiful country and people don't give it much credit. Canadians seem to have this preconception that Americans are all un-intelligent, self-indulgent people but I've met so many nice, decent people and has really changed my view of the US..just thought I'd say this because I see alot of negativity towards the US these days...

thanks. welcome to america. glad you like it here.