While many of the posters here are reasonable, intelligent people, I must say: what the hell is wrong with you Americans? In Canada, there would never be a 350 message forum debating homosexuality and creation, simply because there is not as much religious rule. Not only does this rule breed ignorance on both sides of the coin, but it destroys much of the independent voice that a populace could have, creating issues from non-issues with the heavy burden of American socio-religious stigma.
Religious rule?
You’re right, you fucking jackass. I definitely didn’t see the pictures on the front page of the Vancouver Sun last week of religious folk protesting the proposed inclusion of gay/straight clubs in Surrey schools. Yup, no religious rule in Canada, that’s for sure.
I really hate fuckheads like you who come onto a board paid for and run by Americans, mostly read by Americans, and complain about American culture. You make all Canadians look like whiny holier than thou morons. This is my first flame here, and I’m not putting up with this crap any more. Kiss my fucking ass.
I never claimed that Canada was a utopia, much less Surrey in specific (remember, too, the high school basketball player who was banned from the team for premaritally impregnating his girlfriend). But would you not agree that such influences are much stronger in the States?
Addition: your unimaginative profanity really takes the sting from your beration.
If I may,
I thought Lords rant was great- straight from the heart- full of irritation and anger. Just the right amount of profanity. I give it an 8.5.
Zette
(we now return you to your regular Pit thread, already in progress)
“If I had to live your life, I’d be begging to have someone pop out both my eyes. Just in case I came across a mirror.” - android209 (in the Pit)
Zettecity
Voted “Most Empathetic”- can you believe that?
I’m not as impressed, personally. Admittedly, it was a superb first offering, but some of the invective was cliche and trite.
I’ll say 7.9, but remember, the final score is an average of all flames, so he has a chance to bring that score up.
-andros-
Karma, you have no idea how many Canadians have popped up here in the pit attempting to denigrate American culture (or the lack of it). Your brief tirade is unlikely to raise too many hackles, as it has been done many times. Now, why are many of you Canadians so self-righteous about what you perceive as the inequities of American society, not to mention obsessive?
I can tell you, as an apathetic atheist, my views and opinions are not burdened by any so-called socio-religious dogma.
One question, Lord: Do you think an athiest would stand a snowball’s chance in hell of being elected President of “these here United States?” AFAIK, there is not one professed athiest in Congress or as governor of any state. (That’s partly because there are so few of us, about 5%, I think, but I don’t think that’s the whole story.)
Try a cartoon on the subject:
www.salon.com/comics/tomo/2000/01/10/tomo/index.html
But I think one can argue that religious beliefs influence the politics of most countries, some to a greater degree than here. Heard what’s going on in Afghanistan lately?
When all else fails, ask Cecil.
Of course, this misses the very obvious point that numerous posters on those threads you have criticized are Canadian (as well as a smattering of people from the eastern edge of the Atlantic Rim with a few other nationalities represented, as well).
It also might be an indication that the U.S., with large numbers of people from a great many cultures, scattered across 50 separate political divisions, tend to have more varied experiences and attitudes to bring to any given emotional topic on culture or law.
I have a suggestion. Post back in about twenty years when Toronto and Vancouver have started dealing with the real effects of Asian immigration and the Indians have won a few more court battles and asserted more demands for cultural recognition and tell us how fractious we are. Religion is not the only prompter for either the disagreement or the acrimony.
I strongly suspect that there are several reasons for the relative lack of arguments with religious backgrounds in Canada:
- Few people in a big country simply reduces the number of fights of any sort;
- Religious regions tend to be fairly homogeneous (Catholics segregated among the Franco-phones where the big cultural feud overpowers any religious hang-ups, the Anglo-phones fairly evenly spread out among the descendants of the Church of England in its several guises, a number of Calvinist or Lutheran enclaves that are not mad at anybody else at the moment)
- It’s generally too cold for big tent Revivals.
Tom~
No, no, no- you MUST reconsider- try reading it out loud in your best Joe Pesci voice. It really holds its own. (expecially for a first flame)
Zette
“If I had to live your life, I’d be begging to have someone pop out both my eyes. Just in case I came across a mirror.” - android209 (in the Pit)
Zettecity
Voted “Most Empathetic”- can you believe that?
I would suggest that perhaps it has a lot to do with the fact that on a more global scale Canada is often seen as America’s smaller, though equally reprehensible, sibling. Such an identification logically promotes resentment in Canada towards America.
Several very good points have been raised: Canada does have a terrible history when it comes to racism (i.e. Japanese internment, Sikh persecution, rejection of Jewish refugees, etc.), but the fact is that there is a certain freedom that I feel in Canada which is immediately squelched in the States.
There is an odious je-ne-sais-quoi about American culture that makes me shake my head every time I’m there. Perhaps it’s simply that everything must be big and shiny and bright.
Many of these points are very subtle, as no one can deny that Canadian and American cultures are very similar.
There have been some good points raised on either side. My slouch has increased by sixteen minutes of spinal arc.
I think flames should be rated on two criteria.
- Content
- Style & Originality
I would give Lord Derfel’s flame a 9.5 for content, but only a 7 for style. The lack of originality really pulled the score down. This gives a final score of 8.25.
But, since it is his first flame, I think we should round up a bit. I second Zette’s 8.5.
-Bean
Thanks for the endorsement, Zette. I’m just glad to be here, hope I can make a difference to the team, and I’ll take it one day at a time. How’s that for trite and cliche?
jab, I don’t know the answer to your question. I suspect not, but I’m not entirely sure what it has to do with me. I was taking issue with the OP’s question “What the hell is wrong with you Americans?” In the last few months, we have, as UncleBeer pointed out, seen several anti-american posts by Canadians (prose and MHL stick out in my mind). I, for one, am sick of it and decided to speak my mind.
Karma, your intent was inflammatory and I flamed you for it. The religious influences in the US may be greater, I’ll give you that. But you said:
You were obviously trying to bait the Americans on the board an I called you on it.
Finally, since Karma doesn’t like my profanity, fucking-fuck-ass-fuck.
Well, yeah! Where do you think Canada stole its pop culture from?
And please, spare us the “You should thank us for giving you such gems as Alan Thicke and the Tragically Hip” rant.
Gypsy: Tom, I don’t get you.
Tom Servo: Nobody does. I’m the wind, baby.
Well Karma, I have to agree with you that I certainly feel America could be a bit freer, but I suspect we may be looking at that freedom from bit different perspective. I think our government is too oppressive, where it looks to me like you think the oppression stems from social mores.
I find this to be an interesting statement. There was a poster here recently named, “prose,” who hypothesized our pop culture had pretty much Americanized Canada. She then went on to compile a huge list of Canadian pop entertainers that are currently in vogue in the U.S., so I’m not sure what point she was trying to make. I guess, I’m interested in hearing a bit more of your views the cross-pollination of our cultures. Prose seemed to be a bit incoherent and inconsistent at times, so her opinions were quickly dismissed. You, on the other hand seem to be quite intelligent and capable of lucid postings. This might be a better topic for Great Debates, though. The Pit gets quite heated at times, as I’m sure you have noted. That thread, by the way, is here if you wish to read it, or be blinded by invective.
[jingoistic vitriol]
Or perhaps it’s merely penis envy on a national scale. Sucks to be out of the spotlight, huh? Yeah, I sure hear everyone in the freakin world clamoring to emigrate to Canada.
*Third World boat person: “Is this Canada, the Land of Opportunity, where the streets are paved with backbacon?”
Maine fisherman: “Nope, you want next door.”*
[/jingoistic vitriol]
Thor in a conga line, pally, it’s ok to be proud of being Canadian without insulting the US. Really, it is.
-andros-
Alright, 8.1.
But I’m only scoring Lord Derfel low to encourage him to further develop his burgeoning flame talent.
-a-
Lord love a duck! Karma, Canada has done nothing but benefit from The US! our money comeing into your sorry ass socialist economy has kept you guys going. Our military power allows you to keep your pea shooter army and not worry about foreign threats.
As for our despicable culture where everything is big and shiney, you’re goddamn right everything is big and shiney and do you Know why? Because we are RICH. and we are rich because what we do works!
Oh, I know, we would be so much better if we were just like those nice, clean, well mannered Canadians. Then we could be cold, broke and arguing about serious matters such as French.
And if we have some sexual mores, so what? That is a good thing.
Yet again another yutz who thinks he knows all about America.
Karma, go away. This is old, it’s boring, and it’s really boring.
It’s also very, very boring.
I’m amazed that anyone is talking to you.
Well hell there is one way to take care of that …Stay the hell in Canada and practice up on some more of those 75 cent french words like Je-ne-sais-quoi.
The only thing odious on this board is the use of your pretentious, psuedo intellectual bullshit vocabulary.
Yours truly,
aha