A Canadian in the United States

jlew24asu

Songburst wrote:

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.

now that is one of the funniest things I have ever heard. hell to pay? who are you?

Truthmonger

jlew24asu wrote:

now that is one of the funniest things I have ever heard. hell to pay? who are you?

He's a citizen of a country that's NEVER nuked anyone. And you ?

TransplantedNewf

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?

I'm from Corner Brook! Chances are, i know (or someone i know, knows) some of your family. It's just that small there

momofglynn

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 have lived my whole life in the US and I have NEVER lived in FEAR! Not once not ever! I live as free as I want to live.

negationist

America is a great country, BUT it's full of Americans!!!

Songburst

jlew24asu wrote:

now that is one of the funniest things I have ever heard. hell to pay? who are you?

Haha. It's a turn of phrase. You're probably the one I was arguing with.

WindNoSail

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 FloydJam, I personally appreciate that just because so many people won't say it, don't want it to be true for some reasons that I don't fully understand. We aren't perfect and I get disgusted at times too, but there are many positives.

Based on subsequent posts, I would say that some people can't stand the idea that we even get a compliment now and then, but that says more about them thas US.

jlew24asu

Songburst wrote:

Haha. It's a turn of phrase. You're probably the one I was arguing with.

no I wasn't

PaperPlates

jeffbr wrote:

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.

I prefer calling him hatemonger. Because hate is what he preaches. I know very few scared americans. America is indeed the greatest nation on earth, and the best place to live. Not everyone in america lives in the tiny box of fear percieved to exist by NON americans. Thanks, and have a great day.

FloydJam

Wow...didn't think I would get this much feedback....about the fear part, I live in Philadelphia, in which the murder rate is the highest this year since 1990...I didn't know this before I came here. So I admit the first couple of weeks I was somewhat scared. But I soon realized that as long as you are aware of your surroundings (i.e - not in an alley in the ghetto at 2 in the morning), there is no need to worry too much...and most acts of violence are isolated incidents (two people get into a heated arguements, one pulls a gun out etc.) Also, there are so many people here and I'm sure there are some people who wish harm to America but, if you're living in fear then you're not really living at all and you're giving those people what they want....I remember there was a shooting in Toronto at the Eaton's Center last year, but people didn't stop going there...I guess I see both sides, most people don't live in fear but as a citizen of another country when you first come here it can be intimidating.

onelongsong

FloydJam wrote:

Wow...didn't think I would get this much feedback....about the fear part, I live in Philadelphia, in which the murder rate is the highest this year since 1990...I didn't know this before I came here. So I admit the first couple of weeks I was somewhat scared. But I soon realized that as long as you are aware of your surroundings (i.e - not in an alley in the ghetto at 2 in the morning), there is no need to worry too much...and most acts of violence are isolated incidents (two people get into a heated arguements, one pulls a gun out etc.) Also, there are so many people here and I'm sure there are some people who wish harm to America but, if you're living in fear then you're not really living at all and you're giving those people what they want....I remember there was a shooting in Toronto at the Eaton's Center last year, but people didn't stop going there...I guess I see both sides, most people don't live in fear but as a citizen of another country when you first come here it can be intimidating.

i live in an area where most people carry guns. the biggest police story in the paper this year was a barking dog. i'm not sure what it's like to live in fear but i hear a lot of people here (the forum) talk about it. i've never experienced most of what i hear about america here so take that with a grain of salt. i've never had to lock my doors so if you get the chance; travel and see the entire picture. an american is only someone from another country who migrated to try to find a better life.

Jeanwah

small town beck wrote:

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

I hear PJ loves Newfoundland...;) I never knew anyone famous being a Newfie, male or female, it's pretty awesome to hear about it!

Jeanwah

Krisdababe wrote:

I'm from Corner Brook! Chances are, i know (or someone i know, knows) some of your family. It's just that small there

Really?! PM coming your way. And originally my mother's family lived in Curling, right next door.

Commy

PaperPlates wrote:

I prefer calling him hatemonger. Because hate is what he preaches. I know very few scared americans. America is indeed the greatest nation on earth, and the best place to live. Not everyone in america lives in the tiny box of fear percieved to exist by NON americans. Thanks, and have a great day.

don't know any scared Americans? Know any republicans? The entire party's ideology is based on fear. "Peace through strength" as they put it, an oxymoron really, but the idea is the whole world is out to get us so we better get them first. And the majority of people who vote republican buy into that idea...and incidentally are the ones most negatively affected by their policies at home.

jlew24asu

Commy wrote:

don't know any scared Americans? Know any republicans? The entire party's ideology is based on fear. "Peace through strength" as they put it, an oxymoron really, but the idea is the whole world is out to get us so we better get them first. And the majority of people who vote republican buy into that idea...and incidentally are the ones most negatively affected by their policies at home.

why does awareness have to be mistaken for fear? 9/11 was an unprovoked attack

SundaySilence

jlew24asu wrote:

why does awareness have to be mistaken for fear? 9/11 was an unprovoked attack

Why were we attacked?

onelongsong

SundaySilence wrote:

Why were we attacked?

walk down certain streets of LA in a red hat and you'll be attacked. walk through certain areas in a fur coat and you'll be attacked. you can be attacked almost anywhere for any reason.
bin ladin's orders were to kill all those not islam. so to answer your question; we were attacked because we were/are not islam.

RockinInCanada

Commy wrote:

don't know any scared Americans? Know any republicans? The entire party's ideology is based on fear. "Peace through strength" as they put it, an oxymoron really, but the idea is the whole world is out to get us so we better get them first. And the majority of people who vote republican buy into that idea...and incidentally are the ones most negatively affected by their policies at home.

LOL!!!!

"Peace through strength"....amazing.....

jeffbr

Rockin'InCanada wrote:

LOL!!!!

"Peace through strength"....amazing.....

Commy is only partly right. Peace through strength was a tennant of the cold war, Reagan era. Before that we lived with MAD - Mutally Assured Destruction. This is nothing new, and a game both Dem and Rep governments have supported.

And lots of ideologies are based on fear. Environmentalists use fear as a tool. Economists use fear as a tool. Campaigns are spun negatively to give worst case scenarios. The use of fear isn't limited to any particular party or ideology or country.

angelica

The thing about fear and our leaders manipulating it is that the large majority of people have been taught to repress their emotions. Therefore people think they have no fear. In the meantime, they mistake the repressed fear that they look at unwittingly through their filters, as being all about those bad guys in other countries who must be stopped. "no, my friends, family and I have NO fear and never have...". Such statements are the surest sign of repressed fear. Realistic understanding of fear is represented by recognizing that we sometimes have it, sometimes don't.

Much of the trickery in politics, advertising, everything hinges on the fact that such fears are unconscious in the large majority and beyond general awareness.

This is the reason this quote is so profound:

"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

Those "in the know" are few and far between. Those who are denying their emotions are open game for such ploys.