america bashing

I was speaking to a (Canadian) professor of mine the other day about stereotypes and nationalities, and she blatantly let me know that most Americans made her "cringe" and that she felt an intense disgust towards them.  There was no specific reason why, just that their 'American-ness' offended her on some deep level. 

 I found this a rather odd admission to make, considering the woman teaches cultural anthropology and is responsible for instructing students from all over the world.  Apparently key anthropological ideas about cultural relativism and trans-nationalism have somehow passed her by. Then again, this is the same professor who has lectured undergraduates on the "stupidity of American culture" in her classroom.  Yes, a little bizarre for a professor who is responsible for teaching about cultural difference.  Then again, it's not terribly shocking.  Her attitude is quite common in Canada, and it's one that has become a central point in Canadian patriotism.

While I am very fond of Canada, I am a little exhausted by the concept of Canadian identity.  I hear time and time again how Canada is an international peace keeper, a welcoming and egalitarian society full of outdoorsy folk with a penchant for poutine and hockey.  Yes, it's mostly true -- Canadians are generally very polite, friendly and great to be around.  I've eaten a lot of  poutine and watched a little bit of hockey since I've moved here.  Canada tends to be socially more liberal, and certainly produces better beer, which seem to go hand in hand.

  Am I playing on popular stereotypes? Yes, and obviously so.  Yet many Canadians seem to readily embrace these very things. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it, and in fact can be quite charming.  I totally love you Canada, really and truly. 

 However -- and this is a major point -- I find that the vast majority of Canadian identity seems to be about exclusion.  That is, Canadians are quick to point out that they are not American.  America is seen as that pesky and bossy neighbor to the south, full of fat rednecks who love their guns and Bibles.  Canadian identity is all about not being like those uncivilized people below their pristine borders.  Canadians have great national health care (unlike Americans), are skinny (unlike Americans), civilized (unlike Americans), well mannered (unlike Americans) and they never, ever eat at McDonald's (unlike Americans). Oh yeah, and Europeans don't hate Canadians (unlike Americans). While the reality of the situation is a lot different -- there are lots of fat people and Bible thumpers in Canada, and yeah, quite a few Europeans living in the USA, including my dad-- it doesn't really seem to matter.  The national discourse surrounding Canadian identity reminds me of the language used by colonial-era English when they dismissed their Irish and Scottish neighbors as the filthy and unwashed masses.

  This attitude is readily apparent in the media.  I find subtly anti-American headlines on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's television programming and website all the time.  Articles abound on all sorts of negative American news stories.  Anything positive about the US gets pushed aside, but anything sensational manages to make it to the front page. Headlines are carefully worded to create as much furor and controversy as possible. It's especially apparent on the CBC.ca website, which encourages readers to voice their opinions -- which are almost always rabidly one sided and full of vitriol towards "those arrogant Yanks."  (By the way, has anyone considered that southern Americans tend to loathe being called Yankees? But I digress.)

  In the past week, the CBC has run extensive coverage on 'Carmeggedon' in Los Angeles, otherwise known as the shutting down of the 405 Freeway, a major thoroughfare in the City of Angels.  Various articles have elaborated on the "looming shutdown" of the highway and American fears of "epic traffic jams."  The subtext of the news coverage has been that Americans "can get out" of their "cars once in a while and survive."  (All quoted from CBC news articles from July 15 and 17, 2011).

  Perhaps not the most vitriolic news coverage, but then again, incredibly one-sided and hardly news worthy for most Canadians.  While the piece did not serve as hard cutting coverage, it somehow made the front page. Additionally, it managed to feed into the on-going stereotyping of America in the Canadian press. Americans were depicted in a farcical light, as idiots unable to live without their cars.  Many people who commented on the articles were aghast, wondering why "Americans are such idiots?!"  One commentor fumed over the "greed of the American people and their giant cars." 

  Of course, what the article didn't explain is that public transportation in Los Angeles is underfunded and fairly useless.  LA is one of those cities that you really need to own a car in, because otherwise you're going to spend hours going from point A to point B.  Good luck catching a bus and getting to work on time.  The 405 is an important road and a major transportation corridor for the LA metro area. 

  By leaving out this information, the CBC catered to the image of Americans as fat, lazy slobs who are addicted to their cars.  A sort of patriotic Canadian chest thumping became very apparent from the reactions to the articles, which amounted to 'we are Canadian and we don't rely on cars like Americans!' (Totally untrue, but anyway.)

  During the July 4th weekend, the CBC ran extensive coverage on American stories that were anything but positive.  Most had to do with re-hashing security fears surrounding 9/11.  I couldn't really make the connection between the 9/11 stories and the 4th of July, but apparently the CBC was trying to make one. Additionally, a lot of the news coverage played up on the 'differences' between America and Canada, which seemed to amount to a lot of hype over Canadians burning down the White House way back in 1814.

  I'm not alone in observing this.  It's been noted by one diplomat that "the degree of comfort with which Canadian broadcast entities, including those financed by Canadian tax dollars, twist current events to feed longstanding negative images of the U.S. - and the extent to which the Canadian public seems willing to indulge in the feast - is noteworthy as an indication of the kind of insidious negative popular stereotyping ... in Canada." (Toronto Sun, December 12, 2010).  It's rather sad to me that so much of Canadian identity has become one of exclusion and xenophobic posturing.

  Of course, not all Canadians buy into the hype.   I've met plenty of Canadians who have expressed interest in my American roots. A lot of people have been curious about life in the States.  Many more have been simply disinterested, and not entirely sure where the hell New York City or Washington D.C. are. 

  There are many intelligent people here who are able to realize that there isn't a whole heck of a lot of difference between Canada or the United States, despite what the rest of the world would like to think. After all, Canada and the United States are in bed with each other politically.  We fight the same wars, are part of NATO, and uphold the same capitalistic, corporate mentality.  Admittedly, the USA has a horrible habit of policing the world.  I can't deny that.  But all that policing comes with a heck of a lot of (quiet) Canadian support.  As for the fears about Americanization ... I can understand it, but it doesn't really explain why many Canadians readily accept American stores into their country.  Perhaps it's because both Canadians and Americans seem to like large quantities of low quality and cheap crap.  (Both countries also seem to share a fondness for bad food at inexpensive prices.)

  Despite these similarities, I've also encountered people who've been downright rude and hostile to me once they found out I was American.  During one such encounter, I was on the local train, riding from the university to downtown.  I struck up a conversation with a young man, who started off as polite and friendly. However, once he asked me where I was from, he shuddered and replied, "I am so sorry for you." 

  When I first began teaching here, many of my Canadian students tried to shame me about my nationality.  They would demand that I recite all of the Canadian provinces, and implied that no American could possibly know these things.  They asked me to account for the Americanization of Canada, and why Bush was elected. (Um, since when am I responsible for the Republican Party?)

 Funnily enough, a lot of these same students had family in the Canadian military (which was, until very recently, in Afghanistan) and brought in lunches from Subway and McDonald's.  When I finally turned the tables on them by asking them to name ten states (the same number as the provinces), most of the students couldn't.  We had a big laugh about it and after that the students backed off, but it was a rough start to my first semester in Canada.

  More than anything, I have realized that there isn't that much of a difference between Canadians and Americans.  We all belong to the same continent, and the concept of our respective nations are completely artificial and man made.  Neither country has been around very long, and the populations of both nations are largely made up of immigrants from other parts of the world.  We look the same, tend to sound the same, and generally have the same cultural values, despite what everyone else seems to think.  Heck, Canadians can't even tell I'm American.  If they can't tell a difference, then why is it suddenly a big deal when they realize where I'm from? Nothing magically changes at the border.  I'm not a lesser human being because I have a social security number.

  So, I guess my point is to question why one country feels compelled to define itself by what it is not.  I love Canada dearly, and I happily live here.  I pay my Canadian taxes and follow Canadian laws.  I respect the history of Canada, and enjoy the usually charming Canadian sense of national pride.

   I want to feel welcome in my adopted country.  I came here because I have always liked Canada.  This beautiful country is known for accepting all people, races, religions and nationalities -- except me.  I'm continually reminded that I am not truly at home here, and that a lot of people are willing to dislike me because of where I was born.  Instead of judging me as human being, they judge the color of my passport.  (Passport racism, perhaps?)

  I'm sure this post will offend some people, but I'm standing by it.  I do not deny that similar issues exist for immigrants in America.  The USA has a lot of problems, and I'll be the first to admit that. However, this is a blog about my experiences abroad.  I know that this is an issue for a lot of people, and that I'm not alone in feeling this way.  I just hope that people will learn to not judge someone because of where they happened to be born.

  Oh, and for the record: I'm a dual citizen.  If I suddenly flash my other passport around, does that make me a superior person?

  One love people, because we all belong to the human race.  Nationality is a concept that evolves continually.  Don't trip yourself up on it.