Oh, Canada! It's not an insult.

Posted by Abner from user-2ive9i9.dialup.mindspring.com on May 01, 1999 at 20:51:33:

In Reply to: Hummm... posted by Michaelson on May 01, 1999 at 10:17:33:

:
: : I know it's a broad statement but just spend some time living overseas and you'll realize it's true! Americans ARE fat compared to the rest of the world, and I make no exception with regard to myself. In Europe this becomes plainly apparent with a walk down the street. However, it's also a scientific fact based on a comparison of the extra pounds per person in each country. However, not to worry, the rest of the world is catching up --I read that the English are putting on the pounds at a prodigious rate and by about 2010 they will be fatter on average than Americans! Burger King! Mmmmmm, fish and chips!! In the meantime I'll be at the McDonald's Drive-Thru window chomping down burgers, fries and cokes.

: : Cheers,
: : Abner

: : PS- The Candians don't wear mountie uniforms, but overseas they do almost always wear a patch or a pin with the Canadian Flag on it because they don't like being mistaken for Americans.

: Not sure how to reply to this one, as your statements can be read either way, and as this discussion isn't Indy related, I'll just drop it at my end. I'll just say I don't agree with you. Your observations are generalized, and if I hadn't read your postings up to this date and so far had enjoyed your writings, I'd almost consider your P.S an insult to all U.S. citizens who frequent this forum, so I'll just drop the entire discussion. Regards. Michaelson

Michaelson, I know you may not even bother to read this, but I want you and anyone who does read this to know that I respect your opinion and I want to clarify a few things said earlier without a full explanation:

Being a US citizen myself, I am not trying to insult other Americans here. Rather, I am just sharing some of the knowledge I've gained about how people in other countries view us. Having backpacked around Europe, I have found the Canadian patch/pin thing to be generally true. Europeans I have met have noticed and discussed the phenomenon with me as well. Yes, the statements I made are generalizations and are to be taken with a grain of salt. However, they have a lot of truth to them.

Anyway, think of it from a Canadian perpective. Canada has a unique history and culture distinct from that of the United States. Canadians are proud of this and why shouldn't they be? However, they speak the same language and have an almost identical accent to Americans south of their border. So, they are commonly assumed to be Americans/US citizens while travelling abroad but they don't want to be. Add to this the fact that the United States, being the world's hegemonic power for the past 55 years, has embroiled itself in many conflicts and political situations worldwide that has made it unpopular with certain groups of people. These people take out their anger on the United States of America in terrorist acts against Americans. Canada, on the other hand, while an invaluable US ally, has not done what the USA has done abrouad and so there is no reason for people around the world to be bitter with Canada. So logically, Canadians also feel safer abroad being identified as being Canadian rather than mistaken as American. It's not an insult to Americans, just a reality of the world we live in.

As for the "fat" stuff, it has been confirmed in several PBS documentaries I have seen recently. American health has gone to hell because of our food. We are victims of our own success. In other countries where American food is becoming popular the same types of health problems are appearing. The BBC radio is also a good source for these kinds of facts and tidbits. (Such as for instance, a report I heard recently that British homes are considered to be the smelliest of Western Europe. This is attributed to the British infatuation with drapery and carpets, and of smoking/pipes)

Now, this was all posted in good humor. While not directly Indy related, these postings did derive from observations made and experiences had from world travel and so are in that sense related to Indy, the world traveler who inspires us all!

Cheers,
Abner

Follow Ups:

Re: Oh, Canada! It's not an insult. Indiana James (Lambert) 17:50:34 5/02/99 (0)
Re: Oh, Canada! It's not an insult. Michaelson 11:25:27 5/02/99 (0)
Re: Oh, Canada! It's not an insult. Anejo Joe 08:37:48 5/02/99 (0)

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: : 
: : : I know it's a broad statement but just spend some time living overseas and you'll realize it's true!  Americans ARE fat compared to the rest of the world, and I make no exception with regard to myself.  In Europe this becomes plainly apparent with a walk down the street.  However, it's also a scientific fact based on a comparison of the extra pounds per person in each country.  However, not to worry, the rest of the world is catching up --I read that the English are putting on the pounds at a prodigious rate and by about 2010 they will be fatter on average than Americans! Burger King! Mmmmmm, fish and chips!!  In the meantime I'll be at the McDonald's Drive-Thru window chomping down burgers, fries and cokes.

: : : Cheers,
: : : Abner

: : : PS- The Candians don't wear mountie uniforms, but overseas they do almost always wear a patch or a pin with the Canadian Flag on it because they don't like being mistaken for Americans.

: : Not sure how to reply to this one, as your statements can be read either way, and as this discussion isn't Indy related, I'll just drop it at my end. I'll just say I don't agree with you. Your observations are generalized, and if I hadn't read your postings up to this date and so far had enjoyed your writings, I'd almost consider your P.S an insult to all U.S. citizens who frequent this forum, so I'll just drop the entire discussion. Regards. Michaelson

: Michaelson, I know you may not even bother to read this, but I want you and anyone who does read this to know that I respect your opinion and I want to clarify a few things said earlier without a full explanation:

: Being a US citizen myself, I am not trying to insult other Americans here.  Rather, I am just sharing some of the knowledge I've gained about how people in other countries view us.  Having backpacked around Europe, I have found the Canadian patch/pin thing to be generally true.  Europeans I have met have noticed and discussed the phenomenon with me as well.  Yes, the statements I made are generalizations and are to be taken with a grain of salt.  However, they have a lot of truth to them.

: Anyway, think of it from a Canadian perpective. Canada has a unique history and culture distinct from that of the United States.  Canadians are proud of this and why shouldn't they be?  However, they speak the same language and have an almost identical accent to Americans south of their border.  So, they are commonly assumed to be Americans/US citizens while travelling abroad but they don't want to be.  Add to this the fact that the United States, being the world's  hegemonic power for the past 55 years, has embroiled itself in many conflicts and political situations worldwide that has made it unpopular with certain groups of people. These people take out their anger on the United States of America in terrorist acts against Americans.  Canada, on the other hand, while an invaluable US ally, has not done what the USA has done abrouad and so there is no reason for people around the world to be bitter with Canada.  So logically, Canadians also feel safer abroad being identified as being Canadian rather than mistaken as American.  It's not an insult to Americans, just a reality of the world we live in.

: As for the "fat" stuff, it has been confirmed in several PBS documentaries I have seen recently.  American health has gone to hell because of our food.  We are victims of our own success.  In other countries where American food is becoming popular the same types of health problems are appearing.  The BBC radio is also a good source for these kinds of facts and tidbits. (Such as for instance, a report I heard recently that British homes are considered to be the smelliest of Western Europe.  This is attributed to the British infatuation with drapery and carpets, and of smoking/pipes)

: Now, this was all posted in good humor.  While not directly Indy related, these postings did derive from observations made and experiences had from world travel and so are in that sense related to Indy, the world traveler who inspires us all!

: Cheers,
: Abner

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