About this user
For anyone reading the Tucker/Coulter thing. It wouldn't let me finish my comment, so here it is:
I am a Canadian living in Japan. I remember when this happened. I watched the clip on This Hour Has 22 Minutes and I chuckled. I also knew what kind of response it would get from certain parties in the US. I also sent a video clip of it to a number of American friends that I knew would get a kick out of it.
Anyway, I hate to agree with dquijano, but I have to. From the responses I've read (and granted, I did not read all of them yet as there are 1175 at the time of this writing), it does seem like it is the 'friendly' and 'polite' Canadians that are dishing out most of the venomous retorts. Honestly, I don't blame any American poster who wants to defend their country and its people and so responds in kind.
However, I do know a number of Americans from many different states. In fact, I probably know more a wider selection of Americans than I do Canadians. (In other words, even though I know fewer Americans personally, the ones I know come from many different parts of America while the majority of the Canadians I know come from my home province.) I do not think that any response here is the feeling from the majority of Americans or Canadians. Frankly, if this is what Canadians do feel, I would prefer to remain in Japan.
I do not think that Canadians are less hated than Americans. Perhaps in some places, yes, but the extremists who attacked on 9/11 hate western culture, not specifically one country or the other. America is just a bigger target. I believe they are, whether Canadians want to believe it or not, the flagship of the western civilization in the eyes of many nations. Even here, because I am Caucasian and do not speak with an obvious European accent, people assume I am from America. They know about Canada and the difference between Canada and America, but often the easiest way to explain where Canada is located is to say it is north of the US. (Mind you, this is usually just for first and second grade elementary school kids.)
I have met some great people from America. One of my closest friends in Japan is from America. We rib each other all the time about our respective countries. I am constantly mocking him for being a 'stereotypical American' (because he eats a lot of McDonalds and donuts, for goodness sake) and he mocks me for saying 'aboot'.
In the end, we just have to accept that there are good people and there are bad people in every country. I think that Canadians forget that about Canada because our news system in Canada downplays the bad and plays up the good. (At least they do in Nova Scotia.) I think that Americans forget that because their news system (I did not get FOX news or MSNBC, but I did get CNN and FOX/NBC/CBS affiliate nightly news) plays up patriotism to almost a fanatical degree where if you don't agree with the government and the majority, then you are a threat to the country. (That is just how it comes across when I watched it. I am not saying that is true.)
I don't think that anyone truly hates the other country, as hate is a pretty strong word. I do think that in trying to defend ourselves, we sometimes stumble into a realm where it is just easier to attack others, despite whether or not we truly believe what is being said. The videos themselves don't bother me at all. It's what draws viewers, which is why they have the shows. In the end with TV, it's all about the ratings.
Age
33
Country
Japan
