Canadian flag on the backback myth

On Mon, 31 May 2004 23:14:46 +0000, Xomicron wrote:

I was just wondering, is it really true that most Canadian's believe the
myth that people in the rest of the world will treat them better if they
know they are Canadian. I've had some people tell me this and I can't
believe that intelligent Canadians fall for that bunk. I've traveled a
lot and most of the world sees one rich foreigner as pretty much the same
as another rich foreigner.

One Canadian woman in Turkey told me Canadian flags ensured better
treatment, and I noticed Turkish men were in the habit of coming up to
her and grabbing her tits in the street (she wore 2 Canadian flags), and a
guy in Beijing who was being threatened by a cab driver who wanted $50 US
for a 10 minute cab ride (he had a big plastic Canadian flag on his back).

Whenever I ask a Canadian about this every one has held that it is true.
One English teacher said there was some famous Canadian comedian that
Chinese knew. I pointed out that the most popular person on Earth was an
American. He repeated with total conviction that anywhere in China
average people will treat you better if they know you are Canadian.

Is this some kind of Canadian folk legend and if so is it true that most
people believe it. Where does this strange belief (that a rich foreigner
who is Canadian is more your friend then an American) come from? Is it a
little misplaced nationalism (entirely harmless) or is it from a deeper
desire to make up for Canadian inferiority?


Actually, I suspect nowadays it's just that most Canadians would feel
embarrassed to be taken to be Americans. I suspect masny Americans are
just as embarrassed by the reputation that their government has been
getting them.

But no, Canadians typically don't approve of torturing prisoners. Or
invading sovereign countries for apparently no sensible reason that one
can fathom.

On Tue, 01 Jun 2004 02:17:22 +0200, Mxsmanic wrote:

Xomicron writes:

Is this some kind of Canadian folk legend and if so is it true that most
people believe it.

It's wishful thinking.

Most people in the world wouldn't even recognize a Canadian flag, much
less accord its wearer any special kindnesses.

I suspect many people do recognize the Canadian flag. After all it's
quite distinctive.

Robert R. wrote:
I am particularly "in love" with the wonderful manner with which
we were treated by the Dutch.

Had something to do with what our fathers did. (o:

Hi,

that much may be true.

much like the town in france that periodically invites my father in law
back to visit (on their euros)... something about what he did in '44.

but a lot of these old soldiers didn't make it back.

and they don't get many visitors anymore.

anytime you're in europe and you see a little sign on a 2 lane road
pointing to the "american cemetery" pay a visit and chat.



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Are you one of those ignorant Canadians who thinks that Canadians burned
the White House in the War of 1812?

did you know there are actually some canadians that think that canada
existed in any way shape or form as a sovereign nation in 1812?

canada didn't do ANYTHING as a sovereign nation until the 1920s.

and the only thing they did then was sign a fishing treaty.

they think it's a pot leaf

devil wrote:

On Tue, 01 Jun 2004 02:17:22 +0200, Mxsmanic wrote:


Xomicron writes:


Is this some kind of Canadian folk legend and if so is it true that most
people believe it.

It's wishful thinking.

Most people in the world wouldn't even recognize a Canadian flag, much
less accord its wearer any special kindnesses.


I suspect many people do recognize the Canadian flag. After all it's
quite distinctive.

Scott Willing had
writtennews:jmjnb097kbmhmg70qc45n9fsmrlska860i@4ax .com:



Sure it works... but if you flash your wealth around and shoot
your mouth off, people will assume that you're an American wearing
a Canadian flag and grab your tits anyway.

Sheesh.

-=s


Scott, you kill me. I'm dying laughing. Please let me use that for a
punch line. Jeez! I can't stop laughing!

--
__________________________________________________ ________
"I'm not into name calling. That's best left to the Morons and Idiots"

Xomicron had
. rr.com:

Scott Willing wrote in
:



Sure it works... but if you flash your wealth around and shoot
your mouth off, people will assume that you're an American
wearing a Canadian flag and grab your tits anyway.

Are you one of those ignorant Canadians who thinks that Canadians
burned the White House in the War of 1812?

Sorry, but your joke is not as good as Scott's

--
__________________________________________________ ________
"I'm not into name calling. That's best left to the Morons and
Idiots"

In rec.travel.usa-canada devil wrote:
But no, Canadians typically don't approve of torturing prisoners.


I don't think any country that's been to war is completely guilt-free.

In Bosnia there were local accusations of beatings, rape and the sexual abuse
of a handicapped teenage girl by Canadian Peacekeepers. In Somalia a boy was
tortured and killed by Canadian Peacekeepers.

And so on. There are accounts of peacekeepers of other nationalities behaving
criminally as well (Italians, Pakistanis). All this from a couple of
google-minutes. What more would I have found in Ten minutes instead of Three?
Nex

"Alan Pollock" schreef in bericht
...
In rec.travel.usa-canada devil wrote:
But no, Canadians typically don't approve of torturing prisoners.


I don't think any country that's been to war is completely guilt-free.

In Bosnia there were local accusations of beatings, rape and the sexual
abuse
of a handicapped teenage girl by Canadian Peacekeepers. In Somalia a boy
was
tortured and killed by Canadian Peacekeepers.

And so on. There are accounts of peacekeepers of other nationalities
behaving
criminally as well (Italians, Pakistanis). All this from a couple of
google-minutes. What more would I have found in Ten minutes instead of
Three?

The difference is that in the case of the Iraq torture scandal it seems to
have been official US government policy to torture the prisoners.

Sjoerd

"Sjoerd" wrote in message
...

"Alan Pollock" schreef in bericht
...
In rec.travel.usa-canada devil wrote:
But no, Canadians typically don't approve of torturing prisoners.


I don't think any country that's been to war is completely guilt-free.

In Bosnia there were local accusations of beatings, rape and the sexual
abuse
of a handicapped teenage girl by Canadian Peacekeepers. In Somalia a boy
was
tortured and killed by Canadian Peacekeepers.

And so on. There are accounts of peacekeepers of other nationalities
behaving
criminally as well (Italians, Pakistanis). All this from a couple of
google-minutes. What more would I have found in Ten minutes instead of
Three?

The difference is that in the case of the Iraq torture scandal it seems to
have been official US government policy to torture the prisoners.

Sjoerd

======================================

.... and your point is what exactly?

Military doctrine holds true across armies of the world in order to extract
intallegence from POWs. Won't change!

Quite frankly if I thought that a POW had certain knowledge that would
either give me an advantage or save my troops lives .. Well I would use what
ever measures necessary!