Does anyone ever feel like a Canadian trapped inside an American's body??

I have, all my life. I have never felt that I had a full allegiance and kinship to the United States. But I have always felt that feeling towards Canada, ever since I was as young as I can remember. I have lived in the US all my life, but I have been to Canada countless times, and I have visited every major Canadian city west of Montreal. I have seen all there is to see in and about Canada. I have taken in more of Canada in my life than I have of the United States. I probably know more about Canadian pop culture than 999 out of 1,000 Americans do. I have probably travelled throughout more of Canada than 99 percent of Canadians ever have. I've been as west as Vancouver and as east as Ottawa. I get CBC Winnipeg on cable in my apartment, and I used to cheer fanatically for the NHL Jets when I was younger (I had the choice between the North Stars and the Jets, and I chose the Jets, because even though Minneapolis and Winnipeg were equidistant from my city, I preferred the Canadian team). I watch CFL football as much as NFL football. I feel like Canada is my home, even though I have never lived there before.

I don't know why I never felt this way towards the United States. Maybe it has been the attitude of the people here. Maybe this kind of soured a little my initial feelings towards my country and what it meant to be a citizen of a country when I was young. Maybe this "We're better than everyone else, and FUCK YOU" attitude has existed longer than Chimpy has been in charge. It's like the stories of transgendered people who need sex changes because they have never shown or personally felt any of the characteristic traits of the gender they were supposed to be a part of, so they need to change that. Maybe we're all "Transnationalized". Maybe all of us on the left really are Canadians instead of Americans. If all the shit going on today in this country is what America is supposed to stand for, then I am DEFINITELY not an American.

I have observed what goes on in Canada, in their media, politics and culture, and I have made friendships with Canadians over the years, and let me tell you, I like how things look a LOT better north of the 49th Parallel than south of it. It's like America, the whole notion of America, the whole American Way doesn't fit me. It doesn't coincide with my personality or my way of life or my view of the world.

I know that some freeper types would respond, "Well, if you don't like it here, then leave!!" Well, I'm poised and ready to strike at any opportunity for me to get a job or educational training in Canada. I'm darn ready to leave.

from our history.
And I use the term "line-ups" for lines

and American's tend to confuse democracy with capitalism.

I'm all about the Constitution. It's a beautiful document. To bad it's been rended by the Busheviks.

for one thing my family were actually Canadian before they became Americans. My father's family came from Norway but they lived in Canada before they came to the United States and some of the family ended up staying in Canada. Lately I have been wishing that I was part of the family that stayed, if my plans work out within a few years I will end up there.

This is my country. I was born here. I will die here. At least ten generations of my family were born and died here. They helped make this country, and I am by god not going to sit by idly while these bastards in power now try to take away what they built.

With all due respect to my Canadian brothers and sisters, their forefathers learned about liberty from my ancestors. The succeeding generations implented that lesson better than us, apparently, and they keep the promise alive better today than we Americans do. But this does not make me a Canadian trapped in American body. It makes me an American looking to Canadians for a modern example of the principles that my ancestors helped establish.

I want my country back, and I will not surrender.

Oh, that's right. I am!
(can't leave...Married American and with children)

Quebec could be a good compromise if things don't get better real soon though.

En fait, il devrait également couvrir la Louisiane des Sud. :)

Truly despise it.

Do we believe what we profess or don't we? Are we truly willing to throw away those who are oppressed simply because they are dominated by a ruling class that fills them with lies? Do those not in the majority no longer count?

That map, in my view, is horrible.

but if the nuclear option is successful and the Fundies take over,
I sure hope that a few of the bluer areas can escape the theocracy.

Are we truly willing to throw away those who are oppressed simply because they are dominated by a ruling class

It is more of a ruling cabal. The oligarchy is too small to qualify
as a class, and wealth and fame do not necessarily buy you a place in it.
Just ask Martha Stewart or Michael Jackson.

that fills them with lies?

So many swallow the lies, hook, line and sinker, and then work
against their own interests to shove those lies down our throats.
Is there any way to reach these people before they turn into our
version of the Taliban?

Do those not in the majority no longer count?

We will find out on Tuesday, when Frist sets of the "nuclear option".

I'm ready to move to Canada asap! Just wanting for Dh to retire or for all hell to break loose here. Whichever comes first. And I'm definitely more Canadian than American! B-)

Walmartized, outsourced, deluded, lied to, hijacked, looted, demeaned, bullied, slickered, blinded, hogtied, shat upon, raped and robbed.

Sou Brasileiro que está emperrado dentro um corpo gringo. Porra! :grr:

Que saudades... :cry:

But, where do you run and hide from this?

You don't.

You stand and be vocal. Be loud. Make sure the opposition hears you.
Confront.
Make them answer to you.

I have found that most Re:puke:'s shrivel at intelligent confrontation.
Confrontation from a keyboard is much different than confrontation face to face. Behind a keyboard, the Re:puke:'s talk real tough. They call you names and generally try to degrade you when they know they've lost the argument.
Face to face, their assh*le puckers up and they shut their yaps for fear of getting their ass kicked.

They can not win against the righteous. In this case WE are the righteous. We are correct in our defense of the Constitution.
We MUST not run and hide. If we do, they win.

The pendulum swings both ways, we know that, but for some reason the pugs forget. Patience, and perseverance will prevail. We will be the majority again. And when we are........

I'll leave it up to your imagination to finish that sentence

What choice do I have? I've been working on election reform in my own state and actually GETTING somewhere with my reps. Further I am busy EVERY day in sending letters, e-mails, signing petitions, etc. I don't just sit here and chat.

And, yes, for the most part (though I have met a few exceptions), they do back down in the face of the facts. That doesn't mean you've changed their minds, though. They are stubbornly holding onto the idea that they were right and WE are wrong (because they hate us and they think they are "beating" us).

What I meant was there IS no place to hide from any of this, not that I meant to. They intend to have world dominion, WHATEVER IT TAKES.

So what difference does it make where you go? You can't escape this madness.

Yearnin for the return home

el el cuerpo de un GRINGO!

Having lived in a US border town for most of my entire life, where it takes less than 10 minutes to enter Canada, has engendered in me a life long love of Canada and its citizens. I used to think of this analogy when I thought about Canada: the difference between Canada and the US is like the differences between all motel rooms in North America; they're all the same but different. This is no longer true for me because now the differences are so glaring. The parliamentary form of governance seems to be more democratic. Canadians are much more socially tolerant than Americans (more libertarian so-to-speak). They are much less puritanical in their sexual understanding. Although Canadian corporations exploit the land as do the multinationals in the US, Canadian citizens are more aware and alarmed at what's happening to their environment than people on this side of the border.

I realize that I'm speaking in generalizations, but for the most part Canadians are more European in their world views, and more civil in their day to day discourse with each other. I know everything in Canada is not perfect, it is not a political or social utopia, but somehow I breathe a little easier, and I'm more comfortable whenever I'm on their soil. Oh, how I wish this wasn't so, and I await the day when it may not be true anymore. I've been to Ontario literally thousands of times, and have traveled extensively throughout the country, from Nova Scotia to British Columbia. I have family relatives, through marriage, who are Canadian citizens, so my relationship with Canada is more intimate than most US citizens have experienced. Let me add that I grew up with Canadian media as a constant counterpoint to our own.

To answer your specific question. It's not part of my nature to identify with any "nationalistic" precepts or tenants. I see myself as a citizen of Planet Earth. Nothing more, nothing less. I am saddened as to what America has become and hope with all of my being that the same political destiny doesn't await my treasured friends and neighbors on the other side of the border, in Maple Leaf Land. They need to stand vigilant against hard core right wing political and religious ideologies gaining power in their country. I will work to improve this country in any capacity I can, and I anticipate the day when we Americans are more like Canadians in spirit and world view.
Peace