I wholeheartedly agree, having been all over Canada from 1966 to 1995, many trips there. The attitude toward Americans has deteriorated from one of disgust at the draft dodgers and respect for the rest of us in the mid 60's to one of honor toward the draft dodger and disdain for the rest of us. They forget that we supply the bulk of defense to both theirs and our common border and those lands from the Arctic to the northern U.S border as well as the seas in the north and on both sides. They benefit from materials, goods and produce sold in the U.S. I for one keep my purchases minimal from Canada or elswhere for that matter, prefering to support the American producer and its workers.

Hmm, why don't you tell us how you *really* feel? LOL Boy, I certainly agree with you. This is very depressing - it seems like the whole world is turning upside down. Disagreeing with a policy is one thing but building a MONument to traitors is quite another. Wohh Can ada!

Well, I hope that when Canada needs military help in a very, very bad way, that they ask for help from the American draft dodgers and war protestors living up there. I hope we offer only as much help as they have offered us in Iraq...zilch.

Then we can build a little monument commemerating Canada's defeat through their glorification of pacifism at all costs.

And to think of all the young Americans that rushed up there to enlist in their armed forces and help them out in two World Wars before our country even got involved!

Nothing good can come of this knowing it's going to piss off a great deal of vets that carry the scars of Viet Nam there is no greater sacrifice a person can give to there country but the question remains is it wrong for a man to say this isn't right. Until 4 decades ago people of color had to sit in the back of buses,segragation from schools, couldn't eat in the same restaurants,let alone use public fountains but should willing going to other countries to fight and kill so called foreign enemies. When a nation such as the U.S. is forcing your sons and daughters and that government isn't willing to give up there children says something.
History is seeming to repeat itself when the 9-11 tragedy was commited by Saudi nationals how did Saddam and Iraq get to be the target( I would like to know when iraq has ever attacked American soil).When the soliders of this war come home will they treated with the respect they deserve after going to war on a lie? What's worse people that leave their home never to return because the don't believe in a war or finding out later that you were nothing but a casualty of a lie

Art,

I have to ask where are you from? You kind of talk like Yoda or maybe Tonto, "Nothing good can come of this knowing.."

On a serious note, the only lie surrounding Iraq is the one that says there were no WMD or that Iraq wasn't developing WMD. They are there, and the troops have found evidence of their existence. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if we learned that France helped smuggle everything out before and during the war. There are reasons why the French were cut off from our intelligence during the war and denied access to our facilities at forward deployed locations.

Freeing Iraq and Afghanistan will go down in history as one of the greatest things this nation has ever done, much to the dismay of the bleeding heart liberals. Once it is all said and done and the media frenzy is over, historians will record Iraqi freedom as it really was, one of the United States shining moments.

SlagleRock Out!

Written from Canada.
You guys can be so nuts sometimes it baffles me..

Say you have a good war to fight such as WW2. In this case it was truly a case of protecting the world from "evil". Nazis taking over would have meant a very somber part in history. Plus they were commiting a genocide. Now that is areason as a human being to go and fight for what is right. period. No one will deny that.

Fast forward a couple of years and the stupid war in Vietnam is raging, people are being sent to an isolated country far, far from home to fight the invasion of communism, (which 3/4 of the people fighting probably didn't even know what it really was). That was a stupid war! You guys would even have to admit to that. You're out there fighting and giving your lives for those guys in white suits at the White House to fight against Communism? War drags on for years, not going anywhere, why would anyone want to go and fight there? Patritoism is something. Blind B.S. swallowing is quite another. I have one chance to live on this earth. I don't want to end fighting for some useless cause (as we all know and as was proven long ago by many economists, communism is not self-sustaining because of the nature of man so let it run it's course) in some other country and then have the Oh!-so-joyous priviliege of having my name inscribed with 50,000 other poor patriotic souls on a wall somewhere.
Given those circumstances I would flee my country, whichever it may be to find a more sane and peaceful life somewhere else. I am human, I belong to the earth more than to a country. You guys seem to miss that point somewhere.

Anyways, up here in Canada, it was a pleasure to receive free-thinkers, people who chose to live and make their own conscious choices in life and help them settle and become constructive members of society. In fact it was a positive brain-drain for us. Same thing is happening again. I travelled all over the US lately and met countless people who said: "If Bush comes in again I am moving to Canada". Funny how all of them had some sort of University Education, doctors, engineers, etc. Wonder why that would be? I welcome them all with arms wide open. People who can think for themselves, make rational decisons and don't need to hide behind some fake President and their NRA affiliation have all the respect in the world in my book.
As for the countless operators of ski and tourist tours that are cancelling their trips because of some little monument: "Super!" That means many less flocks of mindless people up here to crowd our resources. As for the others who have a mind of their own, please come and visit anytime, you may be surprised by what you find when you leave your country.

Respectfully yours,
Liberal Thinker, B.C. Canada

Liberal Thinker,

It is good to see that even in Canada the knuckleheads of the left don't have a problem labeling themselves.
Most of my friends say I am a liberal conservative. There reasoning for this is I believe in equal rights for gays, I believe that abortion should be the womans choice and I myself have done/do some things that stray from the views of conservativism. For example, this free thinker has no religious affiliations, I have tattoos and piercings and on top of all that I have an associates degree in criminal justice. I am working on a bachelors in history. I'd like to teach history to high school kids when I retire from the Air Force.
However, with all of my liberal views I am a patriot and I am proud to serve. You made the comment that you "belong to the earth more than a country" and that is precisely what is wrong with Canadians. You all like to say that you are a neutral country and try to convey an interest in the world as a whole, yet Canada normally hides from world events (particularly where conflict is involved).
Remember in those wars that made sense to you, i.e. WWI and WWII not only did Americans flock to Canada in droves to enlist in your military to help the war before US military involvement, but it was ultimately the US who ended both of these wars.
You owe the freedom of most of the Earth to the United States Of America, plain and simple. And since we are the only super power on Earth it will continue to be that way for generations to come.
It is always easy to cheer for the underdogs and hate the dominant players in any sport, event etc. This is just that. The world will continue to hate Americans for being too powerful and we will continue to bail out every sorry ass nation that needs it because we are big enough to ignore the taunts of the "free thinkers" in such nations as Canada. I am sure that one day when Canada needs it directly we will bail you out as well, and then your tone will change for a short time and once again you will be great supporters of the US, after time the "free thinkers" will take hold and once again condemn the nation that protects you.
How did Canada get so screwed up? Is it the French influence? It sureley isn't the Brittons as they have been our greatest ally since the mid 1800's.

SlagleRock Out!

Oh and I failed to mention, but you said that the Nazi's were committing genocide.

Some estimates have Saddam killing more people than any other dictator in history.

Does that make kicking his ass just?

SlagleRock Out!

SlagleRock, I'm glad you didn't delete my post because it didn't agree with your views. That deserves respect.

I completely, completely agree we owe the freedom of the world to the U.S. I'll be the first to thank and give praise to the U.S. for it's great achievements. I've lived 2 years down in your country and my wife is an american (and can you believe her parents are Republican...imagine our dinner conversations).

However, and this is where the right and the left disagree right now i think. I do not think invading Iraq was done for the right motives. Yes, no one can disagree that Saddam out of power is a good thing for the world. He was a tyrant dictator. However, and this is what I don't understand why you guys don't revolt, Bush and his gang of neo-conservatives needed a steady supply of oil, and are profiting immensely from this. Does that not bother you that you are putting your life on the limb for someone's pocket book? Remember when the U.S. did not let the United Nations (yes...i know, they are a punch of no-acting sissies..and i agree) finish their job? A few months left in the inspections and the U.S. rushed to protect themselves from WMD. When it was quickly realized what a monumental mistake that was, then all of a sudden the P.R. message to the people was "we are liberating the people from Iraq!!" Bullshit. No one ever, ever spends 1 billion dollar a day and kills it's own soldiers to deliver a bunch of people in a foreign country unless there is an ulterior motive. This motive was profit. Don't worry, you won't see a piece of that profit...and that should sicken you. If the motive was true liberation, why not liberate the Sudanese when they were being raped and killed and the countless other places in the world where injustices take place.
History will tell what the meaning of all this was and who was right.

This being said, I sincerely wish you guys the best of luck in minimizing your losses and installing a democrady. If it works it will be a good step in the right direction. I just at this point have a lot of difficulty digesting the whole saudi/Bush family 20 year old ties, Bush family oil empire and the fact you are "liberating" one of the greatest oil reserves around. Honestly, doesn't this sound fishy to you?

As for Canada's standing. About half of your country would love to live up here and half hates us. Then again, that half that hates us hates the rest of the world except Britain and Australia and other other obscure members of the coalition of the willing. Maybe you guys should stop this hate of everyone who does not agree with your imperialistic, conservative and self-centered views.

I strongly doubt you will be rescuing us anytime soon from any threat. Canada's biggest threat lies to the South of it's borders when you guys decide you need more fresh water, more resources and energy. Then again, maybe you'll just be "liberating" us.

Thanks for giving me the chance to post my views on your blog. It's good to generate discussion. I learn from your views and you learn from mine.

Liberal Thinker

Another thing if I may.
What in the heck is it your business what a bunch of activists and artists create as a statue in a country that isn't even yours? Do you have your noses so far up other people's business that you can now decide what they can and can not do?

And even if a small 10,000 people town in the middle of the Kootenays of B.C. decides to erect a statue to whatever-they-may-please, does this mean you have to draw an intellectual blanket on the rest of Canada and think, heck..it must apply to the other 30 million of them!

I have a lot of great American friends and i also read constantly of completely stupid things that go on, (especially in the South) such as that monument or plaque with the 10 commandments of God that some judge won't remove even though your seperation of church and state laws are clear. Isolated incidents do not make a population guilty.

I don't want to be adding up body counts because even one murder is awful but Hitler killed an approximate 6 million Jews. The highest number I've heard from Saddam is 350,000. But i agree he was awful.

Liberal Thinker

**SlagleRock breaks out the boxing gloves**

J/K

In all seriousness:

Liberal Thinker,

I am not one to delete another’s comments simply because I disagree with them. About the only thing you could do to get deleted is bash my family or our military, other than that I am very open to all opinions.

In reading your responses a few things are clear, we actually agree on some issues. First, that issue with the statue of the Ten Commandments in the south is just plain garbage. I agree our constitution calls for a clear separation of church and state. That moron should have removed the statue like he was ordered to do so. Second, I too agree, "Saddam out of power is a good thing for the world". I often think that this nations motivation for going into Iraq is suspect, but I also feel that it was a necessary thing to do. I also firmly believe that the people of this country have an obligation to support the brave men and woman who are serving in Iraq. I spent a full year away from my family and served from start to finish in the Middle East. I know first hand what things were like and I have seen how they are improving. Imagine how the face of the world will change if a Middle Eastern nation like Iraq can find and maintain a democracy.

As for the monument to my nations cowards, no it is not my business what some stoners in a small town in Canada build. However, it hurts to think that there are people on this planet who would reward cowardice. I am not a fan of the draft. I feel that an all-volunteer military produces a better quality Airman, Soldier, Sailor or Marine. However, if a draft is necessary it is up to the citizens of the nation to stand up and do what is right. I am a volunteer in the Air Force. I was not raised in a trailer park and I do have a college education, not to mention that I have had the privilege of traveling the globe and learning about other nations and their customs. Contrary to the desire of the liberals in my nation and in some cases yours the military is not full of dropouts and hoodlums. We are one of, if not the, best-educated militaries in the world.

As for your comment about the US liberating Canada you and I both know that is just plain ridiculous. The US is not an empire, and we are not hell bent on expansion. Despite our differences the US and Canada will continue with very important issues such as the mutual defense of our airspace (NORAD/WADS etc.)

Luckily despite the fact that both our nations have their share of morons we also understand freedom and democracy. That is what separates us from the third world.

Thanks for your opinions.

SlagleRock Out!

SlagleRock,

I must say you hit the nail on the head with your comment about a bunch of stoners in Nelson. Nelson is the capital of artists, activists and stoners in North America. Imagine Eugene, Oregon with an added British Columbia wilderness twist. It really is a superb place to visit if you don't mind totally wacky people all over the place.

I know the whole Canada invasion is a far stretch of imagination but really, when I sit on my porch at night and ponder deep questions of humanity i do realize that some day the U.S. empire will have grown another 2 or three fold. I also know fresh water will be the most precious natural resource in the world in the next 15-30 years. And sources of natural gas and oil, your major source of energy generation, will gradually decline in the next 50-100-150 years? By the very nature of humans, we have always invaded our neighbors when we needed a better supply of resources. I don't think you can argue the very fact that it's human nature to look after our own interests before others. I very much doubt the U.S. would simply cut down on all industrial production: "well folks, we're pretty much out of resources...time to fold up shop and letter someone else rule the world for the next 200 years". Now if the U.S and Canada maintain a good relationship and canada doesn't become too greedy with it's resources, things will go smooth but humans are humans. i don't hink that looking into the future this whole theory is completely absurb. Especially if we keep our folly of wasting resources by, amongst other things, producing 6,000 lbs Hummers. (just an example)

Well, I wish you luck in your career, hope you get to teach history to kids. For myself I'm a mechanical engineer working in building construction just starting my career.

By the way, you can probably clarify this for me, I read that Bush has cut the pensions for military personnel. Is this correct?

LiberalThinker

Liberal Thinker,

Look out we are bridging the gap between the right and left. Uh oh world, what if all of a sudden everyone could get along.

I understand the thinking behind your theory as it does make sense. But I honestly don't think ties between the US and Canada would ever get so bad that it would come to that.

As for the Bush pension question, I have heard no such thing from inside channels. I do know this though, even if such a thing occured I wouldn't be effected by it as my contract was signed 10 years ago. They have to honor the retirement in your contract. I don't see Bush or any other Republican cutting our pensions or pay of any sort.

I do know there was some scuttlebutt a short while ago about reducing benefits, but it was a reduction in an increase. What I mean is he decided not to increase certain areas of pay by such a large number but it will still be an increase over existing numbers.

SlagleRock Out!

I'm canadian

before your eyes roll up in your head because of the not another one factor understand I grew up with a steady diet of what was going on south. Alot of the way I did things values of right and wrong was only amplified with what my parents taught me. Little by little the place that I always wanted to get to play college football in to work in because all you had to do is roll up your sleeves apply yourself a bit and the land of opportunity is right there infront of you.
As the years got on I've made quite a few friends from various states we talk occasionally politics doesn't seem to come up for what ever reason.
When New York got hit and planes were diverted up here people needed place to stay,I called up the airport and offered my place for stranded passengers because that's what you do A good friend of mine ahd a photo that made the cover of time and gave the money to a victims charity.At that time I was willing to do what ever was needed to help out move down become a firemen help clean up and get this even enlist that's how much the whole event shook me. And then your President had to be prodded to thank us for helping house U.S. citizens and accused us of being responsible terrorist using our borders to get into the states on top of that all that. You've got The US embassador shooting his mouth off how we should do things.The insults coming from your side of the border was like taking a stick and bugging a caged bear jabbing him a little more each time.We had your back if you would have needed (even though our military is pathetic) going into Afganistan looking for Bin Laden questioning the Saudi's but after blowing up a few of soliders in a "friendly fire" situation your administration changed it focus towards Saddam and Iraq and because we didn't jump off the bridge with you we're bad neighbours to the north, unpatriotic not your friends. Saddle that along with softwood lumber terriffs and blamed for the eastern seaboard blackouts both later to be found 1.WTO found that the terriffs were out of wack and 2.the cause of power outage happened to come from Ohio.
We've got a few idiots on this side of the border no question and we do some pretty stupid things but there are a few things we as Canadians stand for If we're going to get into a fight it's for the right reasons not to line corperate pockets with oil money.
I hope for the sake of the troops stuck over there get to come home safe I hope Bush pulls a rabbit out of the hat and finds the WMD's I'd love to be wrong thinking that the 1000 plus lives that where lost in this situation were worth it.
I'm out

Reasonable response Art. Also, thank you so much for what you did and were willing to do for your neighbors to the South.

SlagleRock Out!

War sucks, America sucks, Canada has the right idea.

**Note From SlagleRock: I love comments like these. No reason why, no understanding of the issues, just simply nah, nah, nah, nah, nah! Thanks again for the cowardly fake email address.

Very nice comments you guys have here, congratulations and thanks to allowing my post...