From the National Post.
[A]n American from San Diego is quoted saying: “What bugs me about Canadians, if I may, is that they wear that damn patch on their bags, the Canadian flag patch. That way, they differentiate themselves from us.”
by Brian on December 9, 2003
From the National Post.
[A]n American from San Diego is quoted saying: “What bugs me about Canadians, if I may, is that they wear that damn patch on their bags, the Canadian flag patch. That way, they differentiate themselves from us.”
{ 23 comments }
rwierenga 12.09.03 at 11:11 am
Well, let me offer a limited defense of Canadian-fetishization-of-the-Maple-Leaf bashing. I’ve spent a lot of time in European airports over the last three years (particularly Heathrow), and I’ve seen a lot of tourists just off the plane. My observation has been that Canadians are, by far, the people most likely to wear clothing that proclaims their national identity. And it’s often not just the Maple Leaf on the backpack; it’s the Maple Leaf on the backpack, and the “Canada” hat, and the Roots Canadian Olympic Team coat, topped off with the Maple Leaf lapel pin just so people understand that THEY’RE NOT AMERICANS. It just looks . . . stupid. Just like it looks stupid when Americans go abroad decked out in USA! USA! clothing.
It’s also just silly. The great fear of the Canadian tourist seems to be that if they go abroad and speak English with a North American accent, people will assume they’re American. Not true, in my experience. I am American, I speak English with a thick Midwestern accent and my knowledge of languages other than English is, um, limited. Nonetheless, when I’ve travelled on the Continent people have, pretty consistently, assumed that I was a native of some Northern European country, not American (lord knows why). English really is the universal language of tourism nowadays (at least in Europe), and speaking it with a North American accent really doesn’t tell you that much about where someone is from anymore.
So my advice to Canadians is: relax. You don’t need to plaster your clothing with the Maple Leaf in order to be spared the horror and indignity of being mistaken for an American abroad.
Doug Muir 12.09.03 at 11:17 am
Um, actually there are non-Americans who find this annoying.
Hell, there are Canadians who find it annoying. See, e.g., Barenaked Ladies, “Never is Enough”. In an interview, Ed Robertson noted that the germ of that song was him and two friends swearing never to sew a maple leaf on their backpacks.
If you want to tweak the Yanks for ignorance and insensitivity WRT their northern neighbors, there are better ways to do it.
ObOnion: Perky ‘Canada’ Has Own Currency, Laws
Doug M.
Mac Thomason 12.09.03 at 4:47 pm
I can’t blame anyone for putting a Maple Leaf on their bag overseas. It’s not jingoism, it’s just good sense to put up an “I’m not American!” marker. On the other hand, by doing this Canadians simply reinforce the stereotype that they don’t have a national identity and are simply Not Americans.
harry 12.09.03 at 5:30 pm
English people, by contrast, simply wear a hang-dog look on their faces, and walk with that slouch, that mark their nationality instantly. Me too.
jamie 12.09.03 at 5:32 pm
I read somewhere that a lot of Americans sport the Maple Leaf while abroad, for the purpose of misniforming any passing islamofascists, Freedonians, or others who may bear grudges – including, perhaps, Canadians.
antirealist 12.09.03 at 5:33 pm
No doubt there are many parts of the world where it would be “just good sense” to wear an “I’m Not Jewish” t-shirt. I still think my Jewish friends would be offended by that, and rightly so.
Canadians abroad who display the maple leaf do it largely to deflect the ire of those who have a negative view of America. The idea that ordinary citizens should be held responsible for their country’s foreign policy, values and so on, is not one I feel happy with.
a canadian 12.09.03 at 5:56 pm
On the other hand, by doing this Canadians simply reinforce the stereotype that they don’t have a national identity and are simply Not Americans.
The anxiety over not having a national identity is what I love about being Canadian. That IS our national identity.
The fact that, as a nation, we fear we don’t have a real sense of who we are is pure Canadiana.
136 years together and still trudging along limply and unsure of what we want or what the hell “peace, order and good government” was supposed to mean? We’re like a crotchety old married couple who can’t remember why we even wanted to marry in the first place, but we’re pretty sure that being together is better than being apart (most of the time).
ahem 12.09.03 at 6:31 pm
I read somewhere that a lot of Americans sport the Maple Leaf while abroad, for the purpose of misniforming any passing islamofascists, Freedonians, or others who may bear grudges – including, perhaps, Canadians.
There is some truth behind it: indeed, the ‘Let’s Go’ guide recommended it for a time. I’ve seen the embarrassment of an American-maple-flag brandisher being asked which part of Canada he was from and being forced to admit that he was from the enclave of San Diego.
This isn’t apocryphal: the ideal apocryphal tale would surely be of two Americans with maple leaf-patched backpacks spending a long journey together on a train across Europe trying to sustain a conversation on their Canadianness. I suspect that this has been used for a comedy skit in Canada; if not, it should be:
‘Um… hockey! Moose! Labatt’s!’
epist 12.09.03 at 7:25 pm
I’m sorry, the sight of Americans complaining about another counrtry’s patriotic displays has made me dizzy. I may have to lie down. . .
Quick joke:
What’s the difference between a Frenchman and an American?
The Frenchman is certain that his country is better than the rest of the world. The American is not quite certain that there is a rest of the world.
Mac Thomason 12.09.03 at 7:38 pm
Of course, I don’t think it would work for me anyway because I have a southern accent. (“He sounds like Bush! Get him!”)
Epist, I don’t think anyone’s objecting to other countries’ citizens’ patriotic displays. But the Canadian leaf, so far as it’s simply an “I’m not an American!” badge, might rub some people the wrong way.
Antoni Jaume 12.09.03 at 7:49 pm
“[…]The idea that ordinary citizens should be held responsible for their country’s foreign policy, values and so on, is not one I feel happy with.”
While I can understand and share mostly your point of view, in the mesure that a state is democratical, every one of its citizens have their part of responsibility in the doing of their state. Now, when we speak of inhabitants of countries whose state is a dictatorship that do never doubt in killing any of them, do you think that killing them because of their lack of choice is acceptable?
DSW
Alex Halavais 12.09.03 at 8:06 pm
I must admit to have been badged an “honorary Canadian” at one point, with the flag pin on my backpack (placed there by a documented, native-born Canadian) to avoid negative vibrations being sent my way while travelling. I had my Toronto cover-story down pat, and this is before I moved to one of its distant suburbs*.
But I’ve also run into Canadians who despise this practice precisely because they have to suss out the *real* Canadians from those who are traveling under a flag of convenience.
* Buffalo. A local series of radio commercials designed to generate hometown pride ends with the tag “And that’s what good about Buffalo.” One of these commercials, I kid you not, says that we are only a little over an hours’ drive from Toronto… and that’s what’s good about Buffalo.
antirealist 12.09.03 at 9:39 pm
“…in the mesure that a state is democratical, every one of its citizens have their part of responsibility in the doing of their state.”
There are many reasons why I think this point of view is mistaken, but I’m not sure this is the right place to address them.
Of course, the idea that citizens in a democracy are – merely by reason of their citizenship – somehow responsible for their state’s actions, is quite popular with apologists for political violence.
Antoni Jaume 12.09.03 at 10:56 pm
Antirealst, do not back from the true question, which is why do you (yes I see you have not said it, but since you have refused to address it then I feel entitled to claim that you will do it if it is in your power) feel entitled to kill individuals who do not even have this responsibility in the government that rules them?
DSW
antirealist 12.09.03 at 11:34 pm
1. I don’t feel entitled to kill anybody at all because of their citizenship.
2. I don’t think that citizenship alone makes one responsible for the actions of one’s state, regardless of whether it’s a democracy or a dictatorship.
3. The idea that citizens in a democracy are responsible for the actions of their state is very attractive to those who prefer to express their opposition to a state’s actions by killing its citizens.
Gareth 12.10.03 at 12:00 am
Everyone on this thread assumes that the Canadian flag is a statement that the wearer is not an American. Has anyone entertained the possibility that it is a statement that the wearer is, in fact, a Canadian?
And what other country has a national newspaper (The Post) devoted solely to the proposition that its host country is an anti-Semitic cowardly economic backwater?
trish 12.10.03 at 12:39 am
I have been mistaken for an American overseas, and when I explained that I wasn’t, I’ve gotten better treatment, there is a purpose to those little flags. However, I don’t wear a Canadian flag because it seems a little silly to walk around with a badge on your clothes that says “hey I’m a tourist, I don’t know where I’m going, and I probably have too much cash on me”.
It isn’t fair that Americans experience negative treatment overseas, and I have American friends who claim to be Canadian when travelling because they do not want to be associated with America’s current government. Expecting all Canadians to not want to distance ourselves is silly though, we are different, just with accents that can be hard to distinguish.
Tom Slee 12.10.03 at 1:45 am
Well, I am Canadian as well as British, and have not a single patriotic bone in my body. And yes, the we-are-not-American nature of some Canadian nationalism is embarrassing at times. And no, I do not wear maple leafs or union jacks.
But Gareth has it right in his post — the maple leaf is Canadian symbol, not a nonAmerican symbol. To identify the maple leaf as a symbol of unAmericanness is surely the ultimate in USA-centrism.
Doug 12.10.03 at 11:52 am
Ok, it’s a silly place to apply a semi-serious method, but anyway. If putting a prominent maple leaf flag is meant to demonstrate “I am a proud Canadia” rather than “I am not an American” (insofar as those are separate statements, of course), then why is there such a higher percentage of Canadians sporting their flags than of other backpacking nationalities? (Or even backpacking, English-speaking nationalities?) Are Canadians that much more patriotic than Aussies, Kiwis, Irish, British or South African backpackers? Or is there something else going on?
Errol 12.11.03 at 1:06 am
However, I don’t wear a Canadian flag because it seems a little silly to walk around with a badge on your clothes that says “hey I’m a tourist,
Which is why having one on your huge backpack makes some sense.
Cheers
Errol 12.11.03 at 1:16 am
Are Canadians that much more patriotic than Aussies, Kiwis, Irish, British or South African backpackers? Or is there something else going on?
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Without knowing the relative numbers of each nationality in any given area, it’s hard to say if one group is more or less likely to wear a flag or whatever. In some places it would be useful to have something that quietly says “my native language is English”.
In Western Turkey in April/May, if you are Euro-looking you will be assumed to be Australian by many street hawkers. I can assure you that this gets tedious until you learn to ignore _everything_ they say!
Cheers
Brian 12.11.03 at 3:43 am
I’m a kiwi with the NZ flag on my backpack. It says that I’m a New Zealander, nothing more. If you infer that I’m not english/australian/canadian/american/… then that’s up to you. I could have dual citizenship.
Having said that, I’ve only heard good things about Canadian travellers. They tend to be more considerate than many other nationals.
toby 01.12.04 at 5:24 am
I am Canadian, proud of it, every time Canada plays hockey in an international tournament I scream it out loud. Other than that I believe we are a quiet and humble people. When travelling(which my wife and I have done extensively) we wear flags on our packs to profess where we are from, not where we are not from. I believe we are lucky to have great neighbours to the south and cherish the relationship we have had for 100+ years. I also believe that as a tourist, you represent all that your government is or is not doing to the region you are visiting. We are the small guys who don’t have the stealth bombers and rigid self interest type policies that mess with the foreign nations like some OTHER countries. I am quite sure that we have not overthrown any governments unlike some nations I could mention(Guatemala,Chile,Ecuador,pretty much every nation in South America. Who suplied Iraq with their chemical weapons. Let me guess. Was it the USA? If they found any WOMD they would have had a made in the USA badge on them). I believe that most Americans are good people, but you must remember the special interest groups who make policy and things happen in the USA. This luggage goes with you when you visit foreign countries, whether you like it or not. We never had to fight for our freedom like the USA did, but we are just as proud, just in a more subtle and quiet way. Like not pre-emptively attacking other nations, through dialogue and a concensuu(sp?) view. Sorry to get so political! I love all cool travelers no matter where they are from, some people may not like me, that is free will, and I am all over that. Good luck to all, and I will wear a flag next time I travel too, because I think that’s all right!
Toby
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