Written by Paulitics
I’m back from my vacation down in the United States, and will return to blogging with regularity as soon as possible.
To celebrate my return to this frigid, yet comparatively sane country, I felt it worthwhile to relay a list of five items which I saw during my travels which the locals thought was perfectly normal (I presume), but which freaked the heck out of me as a Canadian.
#5
A trucking company which hauls all manner of freight throughout the deep south of the U.S. which calls itself a “Christian company” (the very idea of which seems as bizarre to me as a “Christian dog”) and whichrequires that its trucks to carry religious and political messages. The messages I saw included:
It’s not a choice, it’s a child
and
God loved us so that he gave his only son.
#4
A breakfast creation in upstate New York called “Stuffed French Toast”. What does “Stuffed French Toast” entail, you na?ve non-American might ask? It’s French Toast (which, keep in mind is cooked in butter) stuffed with bacon, eggs and processed cheese (which they proudly call ‘American processed cheese’, I presume, to distinguish it from real cheese which could, after all, be French and/or offer unAmerican nutritional content). But here’s the kicker: on top of your “Stuffed French Toast” cooked in butter, you will find? a square of butter.
#3
A massive billboard in South Carolina just outside of Georgia which read:
“Victory is great, but honor is greater. Defend your Southern heritage.”
#2
A letter to the editor pasted proudly on a business door in Key Marathon, Florida by the business owner discussing how immigrants today are a disgrace to immigrants from the start of the 20th Century. The letter details how people need to read history because in 1901, when the business owner’s grandfather came to the country, he didn’t ask for any government handouts like modern immigrants are asking for. So modern, non-English-speaking immigrants are greedier than the immigrants from 100 years ago and thus do not recognize the value of hard work and don’t appreciate why America is great. (I’m not concocting a straw man here, this is, as best as I can recall, the structure of the argument). Apparently, nobody told the letter-writer that in 1901 NOBODY got government handouts (other than cheap land which WAS aimed at immigrants) because there weren’t significant government social programs until after World War II.
I guess the purpose of the letter was for other people to read history, not for the letter writer to read history.
#1
Casa D’ice, a restaurant located near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania which features political messages as their signature claim to fame. Among the political messages they put up under their restaurant’s name and proudly reproduced on their website include:
And, like most Canadians – you managed to take what could be a perfectly entertaining topic and make it boring and obvious… Zzzzzzzz….
True, in the USA there are extremist views on both the right and left wing, while in Canada, we are used to seeing such stuff only from the left. So the content seems all wrong. Offends a different demographic, I suppose.
In the title you write “as a Canadian,” which is kind of superfluous. Anti-Americanism is indeed trendy, and apparently you’ve caught on. Congratulations! Funny it may be, you are not clever nor creative in pointing these things out. I am sure there are idiot Canadians as well. Whatever the case may be, without generalizations by men like you, the world would be a better place.
teh internetz have known for over 100 years that yanks are bat shit insane.
?Anti-Americanism is indeed trendy? is not what this is about. It’s about things that we do not run into here in Canada, and in fact we find some of the things posted here disterbing. We have been the ?51st State? the to the Americans for years. Not only that but it took them a few years to even acknowledge our part in any of the recent wars (which is sad since we have been there since the start and per capa we have lost more Solders than another country)
Never mind the small mindedness displayed by the signs by “casa d’ica” especially the last one that is reminiscing of the black entrance white entrance on buildings that caused such controversy in ?recent| history in the states. (And No I?m not black)
Here in Canada we do have some small minded, or ?Idiot? Canadians, but we live in a multinational country where there are many religions and free expreision is still accepted, not attacked as it is more times than not in the states.
Anyways I?m sure all the americans will agree that I am ?Anti-american? despire the fact that I live in North American and in someways I am as American or ?westren as the next middle class yokle? but I do try to keep my honour in place when talking to people and I still hold the door open for the ladies no matter what their nationality as is a proper example of modern day honour. So read the blog carefully before making snap broad commets, and leave your judgments until you have read the whole posting and not make quick comments off the cuff
– Yours truly a True strong and FREE!!
Canadian
apparently spelling and grammer are not taught in Canada.
Quote-and in fact we find some of the things posted here disterbing
Quote-and in someways I am as American or ?westren as the next middle class yokle
speaking as a proud AfricanAmerican/Cherokee, the ignorance and hypocrisy evidenced in the stuff you posted is not limited to America – it is, unfortunately, human. But, I do find it more frightening in Americans, for a couple of reasons:
1. many of us seem to believe that violence is the only form of defense
2. many of us seem to believe that our beliefs are the only acceptable ones
3. our country has a disproportionate effect on the rest of the world: our ignorance & greed hurts not only our own (Katrina, poorly-treated vets, our children), but you have only to look at the hellishness we’ve caused in Iraq to see that we need to get back to speaking softly, and put the big stick down.
Thank You ! I thought I was the only one…and I’m an American.
We are a pretty f–kin’ stupid bunch of middle class individuals. I blame it on the telly ๐ … and the soon to be, total lack of proper education. We all know where the problems are, but we’re all being too politically correct to do anything about fixing them.
We’re in for a very rude awaking unless this stupidity thing starts reversing itself. Like trying to stop a boulder that’s rolling down the side of a mountain.
Wish us luck !
First of all, to Comment #8, “Jim,” it’s spelled grammar with a second A, not an E… Typos are allowed, though. I’m sure you’re forgiven.
Second, I found this post freakishly amusing. It was hilariously written and is just ONE PERSON’S experience traveling the United States. Things that were observed, things that were thought… Ah, exactly what blogs are supposed to be!
I’m glad you live in Canada. Please don’t visit the USA again.
Do the loud, obnoxious, arrogant drunks in Canadian bars represent Canada? Uneducated American rednecks existed before 9/11… they just focused on Latinos, blacks, and gays instead of Iraqis. Are you saying that Canada doesn’t have its share of stupid people? Not one geographical region is immune to morons, and simply because you live in one place does not make you superior or inferior. I live in Miami… I am not Miami.
BUSH is a crude, arrogant, and mildly retarded warmonger. He is now the face of America; however, he does not represent the views of all Americans. Remember that we have smart people, too. Heard of Harvard? MIT? Not to mention the Internet was invented here. And as much as Canadians seem to hate us, if we ceased to exist, so would Canada’s economy–you export 70% of your goods here.
I am by no means an arrogant flag-waving American…in fact, I complain a lot about the way things are going. But you have violated the cardinal rule of advertising: don’t offend your target audience.
• When did Christians become freak-out worthy?
• Tasty bread-egg-cheese and butter breakfast concoctions freak you out? Are you a heart patient?
• ?Victory is great, but honor is greater. Defend your Southern heritage.?… Am I missing something here? Let’s see… Victory good – check. Honor good – check. Defending one’s heritage… I’ll go with good on that too.
• The business owner rant, while misdirected (it should be directed at politicians and not immigrants, IMHO) shouldn’t be cause for a freak-out… unless of course you regularly freak out when confronted with passionately expressed viewpoints contrary to your own.
•Casa D’ice… see last bullet point.
Hollllld on a second here, self-righteous ones. Before we go bashing Americans or bashing Canadians back, please allow a sane old man to give you some perspective:
1) Every country has its share of people who are batshit crazy, even Canada. Up here, we call those people “British Columbia”. (Hee!)
2) It is a fair point to say that this stuff is just a snapshot of America, and is not America as such. I have lived in the United States, and I found it to be a huge, diverse, passionate, and unruly country that defies easy description. Generalizing about a country or a people is always a futile game, and it is especially futile when it comes to Americans.
3) However, I think it is also fair (and I believe that this was the poster’s original point) to say that most of the things pictured here are things which you generally just don’t see in Canada. Jesus is everywhere on billboards in the United States, but not here. Heart-stopping meals are not unknown here (see under “poutine”), but they do seem to be that much bigger and that much more lethal in the United States.
That does not make Canada superior to the United States (Lord knows we have our problems and quirks), but it is different, and those differences are fair game when it comes to satire. If you can’t take a little satire or social commentary, my advice is to either grow a pair of cojones or stay the hell off the Internet.
4) Spare me, oh PLEASE spare me, the crap about Canada as the “51st state.” Any Canadian who seriously thinks that we’re just a clone of the United States has obviously never spent more than 72 hours in the United States. Turn off the TV and travel a bit. You’ll be wiser for it.
I completely agree with the last post (Mullet Dude).
Saludos from Argentina
Breakfast dish in Denny’s in Hawaii
Loco Moco
Hamburger meat on top of rice with an egg and gravy poured all over it.
Anyone who is an “extremist” is freakout worthy born again Christians included. I should know I grew up in Canada with British parents who were Catholic and then converted to Christianity and born again at that. I’ve lived in Canada, New Zealand and England and there are rednecks and extremists everywhere but it’s so much fun to take the piss out of Americans because they take the bait EVERY SINGLE TIME and usually with a long winded point about nothing except for how they’re great and everyone else should just shut up. Individually have the potential to be wondeful.
Correct me if I am wrong, but does Canada not have an ever growing Gang and drug problem?
Perhaps you should worry about your own country and not ours.
Thanks,
I am sorry, but these things were also very disturbing and insulting.
Oh, and I have heard of stuffed french toast, but never gone near it. There are just as many health nuts in the U.S. as there are people who let their scales down the bin.
The thing is, it seems you didn’t visit the west coast. We are, I admit, a very mixed country. A country of advertisements and over-processed terrible food, of religious extremists, and political freaks…but we also represent some of the worlds most intelligent, caring people, (not to mention some with an excellent taste in food).
It is sad that your road trip seemed to consist of only visiting the bad places. On a recent trip to Canada, I don’t think I really truly met a bad person. I had only polite conversation, and you keep your countryside beautiful. I, as a native of Los Angeles, have yet to escape the havoc of morning traffic and noise. I think I still love America, though.
Fuck this. I’m moving to Canada.
Fuck this. I’m moving to Canada
Isn’t the point of traveling to experience different cultures? If you’re so easily offended then you must be very narrow minded. I’m American and I find this whole blog AND all these comments very amusing. I do not think our country is better than any other. But it is a good place to live – we are a very blessed country. Personally I have visited Canada and despite having my car broken into and being robbed, I still had a wonderful time and I’d definitely visit again. But it is blogs like this that make me understand why some people are of the opinion that Canadians are stuck up LOL (although I personally do not think that!)
I know I’m coming to this a little late, but I had to pop in and say how much I love reading blog posts by people who come to America and tell us how we’re doing everything wrong. How ’bout you vacation somewhere else next time?
And Superflous Canadian, what do you mean “Here in Canada … free expreision is still accepted, not attacked as it is more times than not in the states.”
Isn’t this post nothing but a string of attacks on people expressing views that the author finds disagreeable? Oh, I see, Canadians encourage free expression of all viewpoints, as long as they’re not politically conservative or based on evangelical Christian morality.
Don’t you have better things to do? I think I heard the NHL is playing games again, maybe you could go watch one of those instead of telling other people how much more you know about how they should live their lives?
I can’t stand American cheese either!
“…and processed cheese (which they proudly call โAmerican processed cheeseโ, I presume, to distinguish it from real cheese which could, after all, be French…”
Real cheese is the only way to go!
Welcome to America!
OH, come on, doesn’t anyone find the Casa D’Ice signs just completely funny? You’ve got to laugh when someone just up and outs with things that are outrageous and clearly intended to provoke.
Never mind the fact that the Constitution protects the ability to do it. Just enjoy the fact that someone is brave, or crazy, or smart, or stupid enough to make use of such a privilege!
You CAN actually enjoy something like that even if you really don’t agree with it (in England they’d call it irony and in France they’d just understand it without naming it). Reacting with anger (or actual, as opposed to feigned, outrage) might just prove who the small-minded one is…
“apparently spelling and grammer are not taught in Canada.”
Anyone else spot the irony in this sentence?
Apparently, spelling and grammar (and punctuation) are not taught where he lives.
This is interesting.
While one group of post-bashers take it badly because it looks bad on america, another group of people are just derisive of any generalisations based on singular observations.
chill!!
it was a vacation in which a guy found things to bash america on and posted them up.His sense of humour evidently does not include any cheap-takes.(Casa DโIce is funny joe).
but his takes on the carolina billboard and christian trucks suggest he saw one funny thing(his #1) and decided he would write about 5 and strung up his list.its a lazy,somewhat boring but a very acceptable post.
why get so worked up??
No offense to Canadians or Americans in general, but this article was literally just 5 issues of this douche fag looking down his nose and being snobby at whatever he saw. At least the Americans who tell anyone who’ll listen how much they suck will get to feel warm inside.
Hey canadian guy you have a friggin LEAF on your country’s flag
c’mon, man
but I watched the Olympics and Canada does have some hot babes, so it’s a wash
I can completely understand how a Canadian would be shocked to see a lot of controversial statements posted out in the open as strange. They have something called “Human Rights” Commissions. It is a part of their enforced “diversity.” You see, if a company up there had trucks with those phrases, or a bar owner tried to make those signs, someone might get offended and they would complain. Soon enough, the offenders would be up before the commission and ordered to desist. Not only that, but fines and jail time could be enforced.
You see, the freedom of speech is a purely United States convention. Most other countries either never had it or have done away with it in the name of “Diversity.” Sad, but true. Most in the U.S. assume that all western countries enjoy this right. They most assuredly do not.
So, every single thing up there, except for the stuffed toast (YUM!!), is a product of this. He would never see it in Canada because it might offend someone…anyone. They do not tolerate such things. Ti’s the law.
So, from a Canadian view I can understand his point of view completely. Hell, even from a European view, too. It’s all relative once you understand where someone is coming from.
Liberals, no matter what country they live in, will exhibit anti-american tendencies. This is mainly in western foreign countries, and will be exaggerated during times of war. Liberals, whether in Canada, America, or Europe will always see the worst of your country. Conservatives will always see the best, but are not as vocal as the left. There are, of course, excesses on both sides. A broad brush, maybe, but the internet really lays it bare, if you read both left and right, domestic and foreign political blogs and forums. Both the USA and Canada are incredible countries in different ways. Considering that maybe half of the countries on earth are miserable crap holes.
I’m sure if 20 million illegal immigrants from Mexico suddenly invaded your neighborhoods and cities most Canadians would be totally cool with it. Or if vice versa where 20 million Americans invaded Mexico they’d be totally cool with it as well. While you assholes can laugh at anti-illegal immigration activism some of us have actually lost loved ones and livelyhoods thanks to illegal immigration – including me. My best friends family ran a small construction business for decades that provided them with a very respectable income and livelyhood and employed over a dozen people. But with the sudden influx of illegal immigrants in the late 1990s they were forced to go out of business.
And to rub salt in the wound, illegal immigrant gang members murdered my best friend 2 years ago simply because he was white and his girlfriend was hispanic – and pro-illegal immigration activists have the never to call ~us~ racist. We’ve since found out that this nationwide illegal immigrant gang requires members to rape or muder a white person in order to get promoted – all of which is ignored by our pro-illegal immigration leftist media by the way. So maybe that will give you an idea of why some of us are so passionate about stopping illegal immigration. It isn’t a mere academic debate to us.