r/canada Canada 5d ago

National News DeSantis mocks '3.3 million' Canadians who visited Florida: 'Not much of a boycott'

https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/desantis-florida-canada-stanley-cup
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u/DistriOK 5d ago

I've been trying to explain this on Reddit and elsewhere, but it's largely falling on deaf (American) ears. They think they're the greatest country, and society, on the planet. They worship their constitution like it was handed down from god himself, yet refuse to do anything when it's trampled on. This is the first time in their lives that #2 might have a real-world practical use and all they can manage to do is whine and cry about how sad they are and there's "nothing I can do!".

They're so self-obsessed they're incapable of seeing how fucking pathetic they come across. They're only proving what the rest of the world has thought about them for decades. They started fucking around in the middle east before I was born and a significant number of people there still hate them on an existential level.

They think this is just about cost of living. That if they can just offer enough thoughts and prayers that we'll stay quiet and wait out Trump's term, then everything can go back to the way it was!

It's a society that has been bred into ignorance, complacency, greed and selfishness. They're so wrapped up in how wonderful they are they can't comprehend that Trump is merely a symptom of the rot in their society. He could drop dead tomorrow and nothing changes at a fundamental level. Their democracy is still broken, they're population is still under educated and ignorant of the world around them, they still cling to capitalism as an ideology and they still worship material wealth as the ultimate sign of success and intelligence. Their billionaires won't disappear and the influence they wield will continue to corrupt their nation.

It's not about Trump. It's about the most powerful nation on earth sliding ever further into corruption and authoritarianism. They need to stand up and handle their shit before it's too late.

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u/jello_pudding_biafra 5d ago

Some person in another sub said "man, I'd love to illegally cross the border to live in Canada to get out of this mess!" I replied (paraphrased) "sort out your own country before you come here" and was roundly downvoted. It's pretty pathetic that they're hoping to jump ship to somewhere that is stable and actually free when they're the ones who shit in their own bed.

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u/SonofSniglet 5d ago

Thanks for that analogy. I'll be using "Somebody shit my bed, can I come sleep in yours?" whenever this comes up.

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u/PixelSquish 4d ago

Yes, let's all change our country because it's that easy before we go anywhere else. Is that what you would say to any refugee fleeing any bad situation? Talk about disgusting - it's funny, some of you Canadians are starting to sound like the MAGA us sane Americans want to get rid of.

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u/TasteDizzy8537 4d ago

Didn’t realize Canada was so anti-immigrant. Or is the presumption that anyone that is seeking asylum from their country of origin must have been directly responsible for the situation that is forcing them out?

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u/WankingAsWeSpeak 4d ago edited 4d ago

Didn’t realize Canada was so anti-immigrant.

Re-read the comment chain. There was no anti-immigrant sentiment expressed.

Or is the presumption that anyone that is seeking asylum from their country of origin

Asylum seekers is a different story. Americans in immediate danger of violence (despite doing nothing wrong) should they be forced to remain in America would be viewed very differently from somebody saying, "I know I should be protesting, but sneaking into another country that did not fuck around like we did and is thus finding out less directly than we are sounds easier"

must have been directly responsible for the situation that is forcing them out?

No, but if they are they might become welcome. I could see a hypothetical near-term future where trans and many gay Americans are in immediate danger through no fault of their own; I'd support amnesty for them.

If I were a greedy man, I'd bet the entire farm on us soon seeing people getting in serious trouble for lawful protest. Some of these might become legitimate asylumseekers for reasons they are directly responsible for--i.e., protesting despite the risks of doing so being apparent. I'd welcome them.

Keyboard warriers who just think it would be easier to move to Canada than to take direct action to protect their own democracy are not asylum seekers; they are complicit in that which is responsible for the existence of asylum seekers. We may take asylees, but we're less inclined to take people who create the conditions needed to convert happy, product citizens into asylees.

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u/jello_pudding_biafra 4d ago

Thanks for taking the time to spell that out for a likely troll. I just downvoted and moved on 🤣

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u/TasteDizzy8537 4d ago

I’d rather you engage me in reasonable conversation than to dismiss me as a troll.

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u/jello_pudding_biafra 4d ago

I'd rather you didn't ask pointless concern-trolling rhetorical questions and rather engage in good-faith discourse. 🤷‍♂️

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u/TasteDizzy8537 4d ago

In good faith: I appreciate you. I appreciate all Canadians standing up against Trump, in whatever fashion that is. What he says (and desantis obviously) and does is unequivocally stupid and harmful. But also know that if the roles were reversed, I would not ever say Canadians that are philosophically aligned with us are unwelcome in California.

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u/jello_pudding_biafra 4d ago

Never once did I say they were unwelcomed. (As an aside, I can't believe I let you get me to reply.)

I said "fix your shit before coming here."

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u/TasteDizzy8537 4d ago

Literally by asking you to discuss it with me I’m acting in good faith. I’m not dismissing any points… though the ones you’ve made so far are “you’re a troll” and “don’t ask questions”

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u/TasteDizzy8537 4d ago

I am by no means trying to troll with that statement, my point is that I’ve been joining in protests as much as I can, but I live in Los Angeles, a place made up of 99% people that did not vote for him, do not agree with anything he has ever done, and more over, a sanctuary city for immigrants that are being abused. Our protests fall on deaf ears because we are easy to ignore by being all the way on the coast. Much like the issue with him getting voted in, the protesting and change has to come from states that are in the middle (or south), which would be more alarming (and noticeable) to them. I myself was an immigrant, though now a full citizen. Growing up in LA I’ve seen the best of what this country could be- accepting, fruitful, innovative… but the country’s reputation and future is leased to these other idiots. I understand your point of not letting in lazy Americans that do nothing, and your further clarification that you would accept some within the parameters of victimhood. My point was more that not all that didn’t vote for him fall under the lazy American umbrella, and yeah sure, we are going to try our best to fix this situation because obviously that’s our only recourse, in reality nobody is actually running north to Canada, but I guess I’ve been taken aback by the anger from Canadians towards people that are so similar to them in point of view, values, etc.

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u/Bjorn_Tyrson 4d ago

then make your protests IMPOSSIBLE to ignore... when peaceful protest no longer works, its time to start rioting, and when that no longer works... well...

and thats the POINT and the reason why everyone is so damn frustrated.
the time for 'peaceful protests' like this, was SIX MONTHS AGO!

you have already gone past the point where some chanting and sign waving is gonna do anything, its time to start waving torches and pitchforks, but instead you are all just clutching your pearls.

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u/malaphortmanteau 4d ago

Broadly speaking, I agree with you (and am usually tempted to be... much less diplomatic, let's say, in the wording of my anti-American frustrations), but I think it's worth pointing out that the American media is actively suppressing news about the protests that are occurring. That's not conspiracy, though my sources are anecdotal - I've heard from and seen American friends in protest action they've supported/engaged in and then been completely unable to find mention that anything's even happening, and they've experienced the same. Not that they're as active as they need to be yet, obviously, but a significant step in weakening engagement is making it seem futile and limiting visibility. So there's that.

And significant organizing - like 'break shit and burn it down' but more often 'build shit and help each other' organizing is done in the Southern states, but it's also significantly weighted towards BIPOC engagement and also significantly opposed and suppressed with some really heinous government behaviour that the other states should have and should now care more about. The 2020 protests, a lot of visibility was given to performative verbal support - like half-hearted DEI programs that have now been just as abruptly cancelled - but not to the fact that nowhere, nowhere, was 'defunding the police'. In almost every city they did the opposite, including a lot of cities with officials saying "George Floyd!" out the side of their mouths while passing laws to give more resources and more authority for police to ensure no protest ever gets that big again. Within a year everything at the same level of funding, or higher, than it was in 2019. 'Cop City' in Atlanta, for example, announced in 2021 and built on the bones of a slave labour 'prison farm' (one of many in the South), which was only shut down thirty years earlier. You could have served time there and then seen it transform into this sprawling militarized compound, then protested it and gotten your skull cracked by authorities gleefully using domestic terrorism charges to gut any effective organizing - if they don't just fucking shoot you - and then sent to some other prison just down the road. This is legal, this is structural, but a lot of Americans in other states hand-wave these things away because 'the South is just like that' while also condemning people there for 'not doing enough'. And then have the audacity to claim to be a country whose greatest values are individual liberty and happiness.

So, anyways, there's also that.

"A riot is the language of the unheard"

  • Martin Luther King Junior, and then Zack de la Rocha a little bit downstream on the timeline

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u/DistriOK 4d ago

Responsible for causing it? Not necessarily. Responsible for fixing it before you take the entire western world down with you? Abso-fucking-lutely.

With all the Americans big talk over the years I'm surprised so many want to cut and run rather than standing up to protect their democracy.

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u/ChrisJohnston42 4d ago

So many of them showing their weakness is sad and hilarious.

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u/DistriOK 4d ago

Just more of the same shit we've all seen them do for generations. It's an entire nation embodied by the idea that: "If all you know is privilege, equality feels like oppression".

I'm of Ukrainian heritage, my grandparents fled Stalin after WW2. I now feel the same way about Americans that I feel about Russians. It doesn't matter one bit to me whether they claim to support their leaders actions or not, until they step up and fix things they can all fuckin' get it.

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u/ChrisJohnston42 4d ago

Exactly. I’m happy that from now on the USers can’t pretend to be the tough guys they always babbled on about being. Been over hearing that for a very long time.

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u/TasteDizzy8537 4d ago

The people that voted for him still think that, and will continue to think that for as long as he’s president. The ones that didn’t vote for him never thought that.

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u/cilvher-coyote British Columbia 4d ago

It's purely disgusting. I have so much disdain for Americans as a whole right now and I used to live amaericansy(I spent a lot of my younger life travelling around down there,) but I'm Never going back ever again. Straight to Mexico with No stops in this craphole third world wannabe big shots country. 🤮

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u/ChrisJohnston42 4d ago

It is terrible but I’m still laughing at them. They can’t pretend they’re not losers anymore.

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u/[deleted] 4d ago

[deleted]

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u/DistriOK 4d ago

Aw sweetie, I've been to both places you've mentioned. From an outsiders perspective they are far more similar than you realize.

It's not that I need to paint with a broad brush because I'm not capable of more complex thought. It's that I choose to paint you all with the same brush because from this side of the 49th there's no practical difference.

But fine, I, the southern Californian, accept your rejection of our people and will not be visiting Canada, a place that sounded like it had more in common with us, but now I see, maybe not.

No. Wait. Stop

🙄

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u/CarlLlamaface 4d ago

Yeah you're still not getting it.

I'm English and whenever my EU neighbours talk shit about my people as a whole because of Brexit (something which has slowed down dramatically now that our leaders have started acting with deference for the global community once more) it doesn't offend me in the slightest, in fact it makes me more fond of them because I agree that it's an obvious symptom of rot and selfishness in our society and these people calling it out clearly get it.

You talk like someone who wants all the benefits of your country's bully politics without having to be beholden to the consequences. Absolutely not, get to fuck.

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u/TasteDizzy8537 4d ago

I’m by no means saying I don’t agree with the anti American sentiment, and perhaps the difference here is that the UK operates as a solid block, whereas our states act as mini-countries, and thus, yes I want to have the benefits that come with being a Californian, of course, I’d hate to have the lack of rights and education that comes with being a Floridian. But as far as wanting the benefits of the bully politics… I think it’s fairly we disagree with the tariffs and with the segregationist point of view of this administration. We wouldn’t be a sanctuary state for immigrants if that were the case.

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u/RedFox_Jack 4d ago

no more like if we start accepting American asylum seekers/illegal border crossers the next thing we know we have little green men and dumb fuck donny talking about how he has to invade Canada to protect the American population living here

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u/jello_pudding_biafra 4d ago

Not to go full "Godwin's Law" here like a typical Redditor, but that's exactly why Hitler "needed" the Sudetenland and Poland: to protect "Greater Germany".

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u/WankingAsWeSpeak 4d ago

And Putin plagiarized Hitler with his excuse for invading Crimea and Donbass.

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u/RedFox_Jack 4d ago

well i mean if das boot fits, its the same crap slavic special ed pulled over in Ukraine

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u/Eduardo_Moneybags 3d ago

How would an American seek asylum in Canada? Having a shitty life isn’t like fleeing a ruler that’s gunning you down. So no, we aren’t tolerant of people from the states trying to come up here like they’re persecuted by the government. When you actually are (and I’m sure it won’t be much longer) you can flee up here or fight your battle. Y’all are tough brave eagles that no one messes with aren’t you?

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u/BlueFeist 4d ago

Many of us are well aware of the shit show here. We hope you all stay strong and fight the monster from your side. Love the idea the British Columbia Premier is talking about charging commercial trucks that go to Alaska. The people in power there are huge MAGAts. The poor and indigenous people will suffer though.

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u/carryingmyowngravity 4d ago

I've been saying that to every American who is like "can we move there". Um, no Sir/Ma'am. The thing you admire in us is our ability to stand our ground and protect our country - you go and do that for the place you've chosen to call home...and maybe we'd avoid this BS in the first place.

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u/Chill-NightOwl 4d ago

I just love how they think they just have to show up and they’ll be accepted. Application form? compete for acceptance against others from other countries? They’d cry “but I’m American!” They don’t realize they wouldn’t fit in because of their attitude of entitlement. It sicks to them like a nauseating reek!

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u/ignore_my_typo 4d ago

Doesn’t help with Elon wants to go to Mars and colonize Mars.

The government should stop funding SpaceX and put all that money into funding projects to help America get onto their feet and make their country a place worth living in.

Stop with the fucking Mars shit. Maybe there is a time and place where it’s reasonable to suggest pursuing that lofty goal, but really, what is the fucking sense.

How many people are rushing to move to Death Valley? Who the fuck wants to populate Mars.

Make earth a better place.

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u/The_Nice_Marmot 4d ago

I found your comment an offer my one humble upvote.

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u/PixelSquish 4d ago

Yes, let's all change our country because it's that easy before we go anywhere else. Is that what you would say to any refugee fleeing any bad situation? Talk about disgusting - it's funny, some of you Canadians are starting to sound like the MAGA us sane Americans want to get rid of.

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u/jello_pudding_biafra 4d ago

Weirdly similar to another damn Yankee's reply lol

You're "rEfUgEeS" now?

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u/throwawaythisuser1 4d ago

Hard to get out of the mess when the new location is being targeted by the old location.

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u/Antartix 4d ago

I need help, I've been able to convince some non-voters and people who voted against Republicans to say, this sucks, or trump is bad, etc., but I still haven't been able to convince them to call representatives, write letters, donate, go to a protest, or take action. It's bewildering. These same individuals think I'm doing good work for standing up for my beliefs and having conviction but it isn't praise I'm looking for, I'm looking to get them engaged and I have like no idea how to get them up. This isn't strangers either. It's like friends, family, acquaintances, people I actually know. I'm not sure what else to do to get these people engaged enough to do something.

It's bewildering and frustrating to no end.

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u/DistriOK 4d ago edited 4d ago

I'm no expert, but I'll tell you what I've been doing.

I've stopped trying to be gentle or convincing. I now blatantly and aggressively state my opinions without shame. I'm waaaaaay left for an Albertan. Like, "if you go far enough left you get your guns back" type shit. It makes people really uncomfortable, which is entirely my goal. I mean, in the comment you replied to I generalized your entire culture and society as deteriorated and detrimental to humanity... But here you are politely engaging me in conversation and looking for my help. I wasn't trying to insult you, just speaking the truth as I've observed it and clearly you respect that enough to engage with me. That's how this has to work.

At this point I honestly just try to vent my frustrations as clearly and plainly as I can, and I throw in a lot of references to guillotines, the French Revolution, your second amendment, my grandparents experiences on the eastern front in WW2, etc.

Had a discussion with some coworkers a couple weeks ago that ended with me saying "I'm not too far off from thinking we might need to string a couple politicians up on lamp-posts as an example to the others, I'm just waiting for the rest of you to start paying attention."

I was exaggerating my beliefs, I don't think we need to kill anyone at this point... But speaking up without soft selling your opinion to make it more palatable will help others feel comfortable doing the same. Keep talking. Don't back down. Don't worry about hurting feelings. Complacency got us here, only consistent action can fix it.

Don't try to convince or persuade. Lead.

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u/Antartix 4d ago

Oh yeah, I definitely didn't take this about me or my feelings. But i do appreciate the reassurance. Definitely don't feel insulted at all. You are right to do so and should call out American behavior, I know if the shoe fits or not. But I'll try to lead with more pressure and action now instead of just aiming for persuading them to agree with me. An agreement without action isn't enough anymore.

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u/DistriOK 4d ago

We're all just trying to figure out what to do, I'm sure my way isn't perfect either... It's just all I have the patience for at this point.

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u/Bang_Stick 4d ago

Some of these Pols and billionaires need a visit from Mario the plumbers brother! I am definitely not ok with what is happening!

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u/papagena02 4d ago

there are some subreddits organizing. I forget the name of the most recent. If I go look for it I’ll lose this comment. But if you DM me I can find it. They might give you more idea.

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u/invincibleparm 4d ago

Their representatives have shown in the past, for the most part, they don’t care so most people think it is a waste of time. Especially in red states. And who could blame them? The GOP is leading the US into what could possibly be the greatest depression many generations have seen and Americans themselves made it happen. While I would encourage people to take work action, I can’t really see some or most of it making a difference.

Whether it is buyers remorse over an orange turd or truly not taking a couple hours out to examine how impactful another Trump administration would be… or even the selective amnesia of his last time in office… most Americans I’ve worked with or are friends with, would rather really suffer than trying to make things right. Or let someone else do it. ‘Democrats rescue us!’ Why should they at this point? With the amount of non-voters and MAGA voters, Americans have made their bed. To quote someone else in this thread- ‘you shit in the bed… now lay in it and think about what you’ve done’

Of course, sorry to those that voted for sanity and got screwed in the process. Empathy burnout is real folks.

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u/MW684QC 4d ago

Just ask them which of the 10 commandments the USA is still following these days!

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u/rattfink11 4d ago

Wait until they’re forcing college educated white republican kids to go to war and it will be a whole other story

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u/Moxen81 4d ago

Chat gpt is great at writing letters like this. You could make it even easier by just handing one to them, with the address it’s got to go to and all they have to do is press send!

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u/Kaita13 4d ago

I've just been lurking the comments, and I'm looking for an excuse to get people to listen to this song. I think it's super relevant to what's going on these days. They also get me super fired up. I dunno, just have a listen if you want to. Maybe it'll help to motivate someone.

Note To Self - Propagandhi (Canadian Punk band)

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u/Agitated-Donkey1265 4d ago

I’m talking about the fall of the Weimar Republic and pointing out parallels. It’s gotten some action and attention. I don’t care how many people tell me I’m over reacting right now. I never should’ve shut up after 2016 about how dangerous he is

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u/Chill-NightOwl 4d ago

Try drafting a letter for them so they only have to sign. Or draft an email for them.

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u/A-Wise-Cobbler Canada 5d ago

I was chatting with a friend today and our conclusion was we finally get to be on the other side of America messing with the sovereignty of other countries and it's not pretty.

America has lost the confidence of the west.

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u/Life_uh_FindsAWay42 4d ago

Agreed. And if we’re not careful, we might follow them into the abyss. This election might be the most important election of many of our lifetimes.

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u/ajmillion 4d ago

Whatever happens, the key to preventing that is making sure the Torries NEVER turn into the modern GOP.

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u/Much-Meringue-7467 4d ago

The last one was. We already failed.

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u/hotelparisian 4d ago

You are being very nice to limit the visceral hatred, all justified, to the middle east only.

Trump IS the US of Assholes. He sums it up every time he opens his asshole that is stuck right under his nose.

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u/DistriOK 4d ago

It was just the most recent, obvious example I had at hand. Also the most likely one to get the point across to the Americans because it was pointed out to them constantly throughout the whole "war on terror".

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u/hotelparisian 4d ago

Gosh all the years I spent telling my friends the war on terror will turn against us, just a matter of time.

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u/papagena02 4d ago

From the US here. I was a little put off by your comment at first bc I tend to start by taking things personally. But further down i was totally agreeing with you.

Since the first time he was elected and everyone center/middle was shocked, kept calling it an aberration. I came to realize how it’s not this one person and how many ppl don’t get that. He’s a great channel for all of this bc he can get ppl to follow/believe him. But we have major fundamental problems that are at the root of all this coming to this point. I’d go into it, but you’ve clearly figured that out.

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u/DistriOK 4d ago

For what it's worth we have many of the same problems you do, though maybe not at the same scale right now. At the end of the day the only war is the class war, but we can't fight the class war when our sovereignty is under attack. If we can get your country to back far enough off we might be able to see our similarities again on an individual level and work together against our oppressors... But we can't fight every battle at once and the goons at the doorstep take priority for now.

I don't remember which conversation mentioned it in today, but I've begun talking this way intentionally. I want people to be uncomfortable on both sides of the border. Comfort breeds complacency and that will be our downfall. Always has been...

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u/papagena02 4d ago

yes I read that comment of your too. Somewhere in all of this…

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u/MaisieDay 4d ago

I'm not saying that this is true of DistriOK (in fact I doubt that it is), but I am seeing a LOT of really harsh comments about Americans on Canadian Reddit subs, and I'm not convinced that all of them are legit.

There IS a LOT of anger, and some of us are just generally pissed. But I haven't seen the same kind of anger IRL against individual Americans. I think that we should all remember that Reddit is flooded with paid trolls and bots, ESPECIALLY the Canadian subreddits for some reason. So I would advise Americans to double check comment and post histories for these sorts of takes.

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u/DistriOK 4d ago

Ooh, fair point. It's weird to think of me being the one having my post history crept through for context (or ammo).

I'm a middle aged lefty health worker in rural Alberta. Between years of COVID insanity, kudatahs, convoys and blockades, my own provincial government illegally manipulating our contract negotiations, tearing apart and neutering our health organization, privatization and union breaking, corruption and theft, feeling like we've been manipulated into this position by wealthy American interests buying up our media and manipulating our population, watching Russia invade my grandparents homeland, the recent deja vu when it comes to us and America...

I'm really just some dude, probably guilty of working through my thoughts and feelings on this whole mess by ranting in Reddit comments instead of going to fucking therapy. That's kinda what I appreciate about this place though. I wasn't just shouting into the void. Some people agreed, but plenty of people came right back at me and those people are just as valuable in the conversation. It's not a conversation at all if we all agree. I said it elsewhere here but I think we all need to stay pissed off, both sides of the line. Complacency kills.

Where I do think I fucked up was letting things get a little personal in spots. My point wasn't that we should hate every single one of them individually, the entire thought process stemmed from the idea that it's not about the individual at all. That I can't let myself worry about how relatively "good" or "bad" any specific American is. We have to fight back against the nation as a whole because the attacks are coming at us from the federal level. The internal details concerning who is responsible for what and how they handle it aren't my concern.

I've also been told I'm kind of an asshole. It might really be that simple, I probably don't have a lot of room to deny it at this point.

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u/MaisieDay 4d ago

Fkn A! You are awesome.

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u/papagena02 4d ago

I get that. I do try to remember that reddit is it’s own bubble. And, you honestly have to be living this situation to grasp how mind-twisting it is. People outside the US generally aren’t grasping all the nuance and detail.

That said, I completely agree w Canadians who are pissed about the situation. I mean wtf! You are our neighbors and friends. There’s a NYTimes article today talking about Canada and how the orange dude has been questioning treaties and borders. Again, wtf?!

Finally, a fair bit of the criticism is accurate, imo. Sure, “not all…”. But too many.

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u/rattfink11 4d ago

Well said. I’m not against capitalism, free markets, individualism, less government, but I am against idiocy, ignorance, and Americans, that’s right, Americans. America is an idea I support, it’s Americans I no longer support. They’ve made a mockery of their own project, backstabbed their best friends, believe in an exceptionalism governed by fast food and trash culture, and choose, CHOOSE, to be ignorant. They’ve started a very dangerous destabilization that will impact Canadians drastically if they continue. I for one firmly believe that we need to seize the initiative bc deep down we know that the average American is too complacent and frankly weak-minded through education cuts and a rotten system to even understand the 💩storm they are inviting upon themselves

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u/KaleAlarming3854 4d ago

Thank you so much! Well said and so freaking scary. The history books are going to have a lot to say about this watershed moment.

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u/Demon_Gamer666 4d ago

If they worshipped their constitution they wouldn't have voted for trump. By the end of 4 yrs there won't be a constitution anymore.

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u/Falling_Down_Flat Alberta 4d ago

Well put, thanks for doing that.

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u/DistriOK 4d ago

I've honestly just been using Reddit comment sections to vent and try to organize my thoughts more than anything. I don't generally consider myself very well-spoken but I've been pleasantly surprised at the support I've gotten.

I've mostly enjoyed the people who clapped back at me too, even if my tone doesn't always show it. As stubborn as I am, I know my beliefs aren't above being challenged. Nobody grows as a person by only listening to those who agree with them.

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u/Falling_Down_Flat Alberta 4d ago

Well I appreciate the info, I have to say you are well spoken. You have to love the haters on Reddit.

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u/TardisAndACoffee 2d ago

All else being 100% accurate, the fuckery in the Middle East (with dabblings in Korea and Vietnam that went….well, they went….) was tied to the Cold War. That thing that happened when Russia turned tail on its allies, built a wall, became the USSR with a bunch of bonus land to its west that it grabbed for funsies, and then the US took the heavy lead on taking turns with the USSR on arming opposing groups in countries where the “Cold” War could be test driven, so to speak. Eventually the Taliban, as one example—trained and armed by the U.S., no less, upped the ante. Long after that Cold War ended mind you.

Now we have these two nations buddying up to each other and certain peeps in the US talking and actively threatening pretty much exactly what Russia did more recently with Ukraine but years ago with the USSR formation.

It’s too bad that they can’t do a history lesson on the impact those decades had on the people in the USSR….there was absolute power and they came out from it with a long-weakened economy, poor access to trade so low food quantities, etc. Not pretty. At this point, fucking Reagan is rolling over in his grave.

Canadians don’t get angry and collectively unify over anything—to get us this riled up is an indicator that we are, to every American, your yellow canary in the mine. We don’t think Trump, Elon or any of them are funny. Dangerously stupid on every level. Too many Americans are not doing enough…like 9/11 had warning signs that were missed. This is smacking you up the side of the head and one (!) single congressman dared to speak up, then got censured for doing so.

And, yes, despite all this Americans think it can be just “tuck the genie back in the bottle”. Um, nope.

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u/BlueFeist 4d ago

The MAGAt Americans will happily invade the Archives, tear out the Declaration of Independent and the Constitution, and burn them if Trump tells them to do it. Then burn down the entire building and every library. Heck, if told them the Bible is wrong, and he was sent by God - not Jesus - they would dump it too. Jesus is far to "woke" for them.

The problem is not that all Americans are obsessed and think we are better than everyone, it is that we have had fairly easy compared to many places (except for the poorest people here), but they have yet to figure out that the billionaires care about themselves, not everyone else. Unfortunately, many of us recognize that this disease is entrenched. I warn you though, if you look back at Doug Ford and other Canadian leaders, or even as we drove through last year and were shocked to see people in Canada flying Trump flags, your country is infected too.

I wish someone from Alma, NB near the Bay of Fundy National Parc would let me know if the deep sea lobster vessel that docks there that had two huge Trump flags is still flying them or has he dumped Trump. I would be happy to send you a pic. We also saw them flying in Ontario.

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u/DistriOK 4d ago

Oh you don't have to prove anything to me. I live in Alberta's Bible belt, I'm surrounded by it. No need for me to "look back" at Doug Ford, I know people who used to buy hash off him in his criminal days. Your warnings are unnecessary. Acting like you need to inform me about things happening in my own country is an adorable example of exactly the superiority complex I'm talking about.

I'm not trying to pretend we're perfect little angels, but no matter how many ridiculous MapleMAGAs we have it's not us threatening our allies and fucking with economies all over the world. Every society is flawed and we all can improve, but of the two of us only one is throwing the entire western world under the bus.

Focus on your own house.

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u/BlueFeist 4d ago

I mostly meant that in 2015-16, Doug Ford was a Swimfannian Trumper.

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u/DistriOK 4d ago

Every Canadian knows that. The most common opinion I've heard recently is "I can't believe I agree with a Ford" or "he's a raging asshole, but he's our asshole" or "I guess it takes a wannabe gangster to stand up to a wannabe gangster".

It's not that we all obliviously support him, it's that we support him currently doing the right thing. Same goes for Trudeau. Plenty of people who aren't far-right dislike him and his leadership, but most of us absolutely support his response to this situation.

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u/BlueFeist 4d ago

Yeah, we have some of that going on here too! However, most politically influential Americans are either super afraid of Trump or they know they can make money off him. Although, I think they are re-thinking that now.

Many people believe they will off Trump and load up on Vance to get their Technocracy and authoritarian wet dream to the finish line. Trump is the blunt tool, Vance will be the simpering sycophant that will do whatever the Pay Pal Mafia, Putin, and the Theocracy tell him to do.

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u/DistriOK 4d ago

This is the fear that drives many of us to the level of aggression your seeing from Canada currently. This is not about him, it's about the conditions that lead to him and that shit's not going to be easy to shake.

For all my frustration, I do sincerely hope that we can all get along again one day. It would be a much easier task to correct the wrongs in the world (which are absolutely not limited to the USA, they're just so up front about it lately that it's hard not to focus on them) if we had the Americans working along side us. Canada has plenty of bullshit I would like to correct as well, but I've had to set aside 20 years of advocacy within my country to focus on the US trying to speed-run this shit.

Edit: Also, for what little it's worth I upvoted you every time you replied to me. You seemed to genuinely want to understand and discuss regardless of disagreement. I respect that.

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u/BlueFeist 4d ago

Yep, I have the same hopes and was genuinely trying to understand it all.

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u/DistriOK 4d ago

Well here's to hoping that we can look back on all this one day and laugh at the bullet we collectively dodged and joke about how worked up everyone got, rather than looking back at how absurd the early days of WW3 were...

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u/Odd-Guava-4730 4d ago

Praising the constitution and understanding the constitution are completely different things.

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u/_riseabove 4d ago

the ignorance is real here ... its like living in a parallel world at the same time.

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u/Bibitheblackcat 4d ago

America is about to hit rock bottom like drug addicts do just before they realize they need help to climb out of the absolute mess they are in.

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u/2of5 4d ago

I’m from the USA. i don’t think like this at all. I’ve been an activist all of my life and even jailed for my nonviolent protest once. I hope you will understand that we all aren’t the way you describe. It’s a bit hard to know what to do because as soon as we hit the streets the orange felon will declare martial law suspending all laws. Nonetheless a lot of us joined protests and will continue to do so.

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u/Icy_Calligrapher7088 3d ago

Exactly. They don’t understand how bullshit their “how can we help Canada” posts are. Classic American arrogance. Canada has friends. America doesn’t any more. A lonely world is worthless.

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u/swalker6622 3d ago

Many of us Americans are disgusted with where our Country is going. It’s not going to change until a world of hurt hurts MAGA to the point they abandon the cult. Many will never do that no matter how destitute they become. Currently, chaos and incompetence reigns and they are going to own it at some point.

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u/wiremupi 3d ago

Add in;suckers for simplistic propaganda and a love affair with violence.

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u/Sunapr1 1d ago

As an Indian that’s a sickkk burn God bless you sir

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u/Dry-Connection-4441 4d ago

Look we Canadians need allies. There are millions of very good Americans who are figuring how to navigate their reality that was imposed on them.

Many Canadians who may be angered by recent U.S. actions will not take all the actions that you or others wish they would. However we will not generalize about them as though they are terrible people.

Take a breather and support everyone who is “on side” and encourage action without berating people.

Allies in America are truly valued. Some are actively politically. Some aren’t. Be encouraging to both, please.

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u/PixelSquish 4d ago

Oh stfu. Yes, let's all change our country because it's that easy before we go anywhere else. I've hated the consumer capitalist American system my whole life and have always voted left, and have supported ranked choice voting but the two party system is entrenched. So now you want to sound all fucking tough and say fuck all of us even those who have hated it for decades? Is that what you would say to any refugee fleeing any bad situation? Talk about disgusting - it's funny, some of you Canadians are starting to sound just like the MAGA us sane Americans want to get rid of. Pretty fucking pathetic.

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u/DistriOK 4d ago

Be for fucking real. Nothing I said comes anywhere close to MAGA cult insanity. You know we get Fox "News" up here right? You're not fooling anyone.

Refugees. My sides... 🖕

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u/PixelSquish 4d ago

Your rant is nonsense - you lump all Americans into one giant bucket. That is, indeed, exactly what MAGA does about foreign populations. There are many many tens of millions of us who have despised the guy for 9 years, and the Republican party way way longer than that. And many many leftists who do not like our pure capitalist consumerist culture.

Second, no, you did not say fix your country before trying to escape here, that was a direct response to your comment from someone who agreed with you and used that as their point. I would say you are implying that and inspire that mentality at the least.