It's wet and blowy, soggy leaves cover the ground, the air is warm. Halloween decorations are everywhere, the city is bedecked in orange and black.
EDIT: please, read the excerpts before you accuse me of America-bashing. I have chosen to delete a comment from someone (Anonymous) who obviously did NOT read the excerpts, or understand them, and ranted about America bashing, going as far as to use the word "vilify" and bring in North Korea. I used to live in the U.S. and my family lives there, and while I may disagree with certain things happening anywhere, including my own country, I do not bash.
I've been dipping into Douglas Coupland's second book on Canada (author of the famous book Generation X), filled with our psyche, our idiosyncracies, great photos and photo-collages. Here's a snippet from a chapter titled War; it explains us quite well:
"......Canada is not an imperialist nation. We're not out for more land. We can only have what we have now. This keeps us humble and forever on guard......
"What about wars not on our own turf? Americans love their country and if it goes to war, they'll support it. When they ask us 'Why aren't you joining in our war?' and we say, 'We love our country too and we're supporting out country in the way it has chosen to act,' Americans get angry. Americans like to treat Canada as either a nation or a 51st state, depending what suits their needs at the moment. But being a nation means you have sovereignty and the freedom to choose your way....
"Canadians know darn well that, more often than not, our existence suits the Americans. We're indeed their back door, their underground railroad, their matrix -- or whatever metaphor you choose. In some ways, if the War of 1812 had gone differently and North America was one big United States, the Americans would have had to invent Canada as a diplomatic construct, precisely for all the alternative strategies and options our presence affors them."
Meanwhile, indoors, my work continues.
I know America has the reputation of being imperialist and the big bad bullies and for that I feel very sad...but I think most ordinary Americans think Canada and her people are lovely and good and very strong...never the backdoor! Canada is a good and trusted friend in the world. And every country has the right to opt out of war. I wish the US would not fight so many wars. It takes our sons and daughters lives and the cost is so great. I remember Canada was the first country to help NYC on 9-11 with rescue workers and aid.
ReplyDeleteYou're right.
ReplyDeleteI think when Doug says "Americans", he means the American government, not the people. The bonds between the two are very strong, not least because they come from the same roots, but also because Canada always helps "the cousins" when needed. Our biggest triumph was our ambassador to Iran in the time of the Ayatollah, smuggling the Americans out on Canadian passports. A TV movie was made of it, it's quite riveting! And when Katrina first hit, Mr. Bush said he didn't need us, but a ship loaded with supplies sailed down to the Gulf anyway ;)
"Would some power
ReplyDeletegive us the gift to see
ourselves as others see us.
It would from many a blunder
free us."
-Robert Burns
Thank heavens folks can see the difference between a government and a people. :) I love your work. I did a collage yesterday that made me think of both you and Dotee. I made a little bird nest on it.
ReplyDeleteWhere I live, the beach towns along the Gulf are supported a great deal by our winter Canadian visitors as well as the American northern states winter visitors, and without them, the beach economy would suffer. I agree with the above comments, especially the Robert Burns quote, and I would much rather talk here about your lovely artwork. Boo to those who cannot have an open mind, and kudos to you for speaking yours, for you have every right to.
ReplyDelete