CANADA: World public opinion

Rob Gaudet replied to David Heap of Canada: "Any American who sews a Canadian maple leaf on his backpack is not "savvy" but rather stupid. I was travelling in Europe all summer and I didn't meet a single one of these impostors". David Heap comments: "Interesting. Exactly what methodology was used to achieve such categorical results? Did you interview everyone with a maple leaf? Ask to see their passports? One suspects that Rob does not frequent many the sorts of establishment where it is pragmatically desirable not to be mistaken for being of US citizenship. Try staying at a hostel or a no-star pensión: you will meet plenty of reasons why US citizens might feel uncomfortable.

Rob said: "I did, however, see the typical Canadian with the maple leaf. Pretty irritating. But I like to think of it as an expression of America's might that these Canadians feel the terrible impulse to shout their identity lest they be consumed by their larger, more famous, and more powerful neighbor".

Over to David: "Gee, how could anyone not want to be mistaken for being from a country with such a high opinion of itself? Rob has simply proven my point: Americans are the only people who don't understand why we wouldn't want to be confused with a nation widely perceived to be a "rogue superpower" (cf. what I posted regarding opinion polls in Spain, where the US is identified as the country posing the greatest threat to world peace). Note that I am NOT interested in debating whether this unsavoury reputation is justified, fair or accurate: I am simply observing that it exists, and some American travellers have figured out that it is useful to adopt another identity when moving in circles where this view is common. Whether this is "savvy" or "stupid" depends on your view of their motives and means; what is certain is that is shows some sensitivity to other people's opinions of the US.

It is interesting that another people's national symbols are considered "irritating" when the US' own symbols are often held in quasi-sacred reverence (object of oaths, hymns, etc.). Is it "irritating" because Rob realises that we get treated better when people realise that we are not from the US? As for "the terrible urge to shout our identity", these flags are usually pretty unobtrusive in size: smaller, for example, than a dollar bill (Canadian or US)".

RH: Peace on earth to men of good will, both Canadian and American Let us now drop the longest unarmed frontier in the world and concentrate on places where things are really nasty.

Ronald Hilton - 12/5/02