« Fun, fun, fun | Main | Line of the day... »
October 26, 2006
Even stupider
I wish I could say this was absolutely unbelievable, but such is the Age of Idiocy in which we live. Canada’s New Government did indeed “stand up for Canada,” and its ambassador to Washington has lodged a prototypically hypersensitive complaint about this ad, which is potentially offensive for many reasons but does not, in my considered opinion, insult Canada.
(What it does do, if anyone cares, is insult the idea that an American politician would leave North Korea to Canada because we’re not busy. This is funny, though considerably less edgy, for the same reason that David Cross can get away with saying: “The other thing that really pisses me off and makes me angry… is niggers.” He’s playing off the ridiculousness of the idea that someone like him would actually say or think that in this day and age. But I digress.)
I could attach all sorts of adjectives to this complaint — whiny, neurotic, childish — but in a way I think “Canadian” encapsulates them all quite nicely. (E.g.: "Man, that Thom Yorke is so Canadian. He needs to chill out!)
“Is this what Canadians should be expecting as the outcome of cozying up to Mr. Bush by the prime minister and his Conservatives?” asked Liberal MP Omar Alghabra.
“I have a question for the prime minister. Will he call his mentor, President Bush, and demand this insulting ad be pulled from the airwaves immediately, and stand up for Canada, but for real this time?”
The Canadian House of Commons, ladies and gentlemen. Plenty of room in the public gallery… anyone? Hello?
Look, I know the Conservatives are just trying to placate Canada’s humourless urban hang-wringers, but it won’t work. They are by nature unplacatable. And this isn’t a particularly strong effort anyway:
Although the Conservative government enjoys a warm relationship with the Bush administration, a Canadian official* wasn’t shy about condemning the ad.
“We would like to remind the Republicans that Canada is playing an important role in rebuilding Afghanistan,” the official said
“(Wilson) reiterated that only with positive exchange can we rebuild a strong relationship.
“Insulting one another does nothing to improve it.”
* Flashback to Star Public Editor Sharon Burnside’s Saturday piece: “The Star does not quote unnamed sources who make critical comments about others — and that's as it should be, since readers would have no idea who the sources are, nor if they had motive for mischief-making.”
Posted by Chris Selley at October 26, 2006 08:38 PM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.tartcider.com/cgi-bin/mt-tb.cgi/553
Comments
404 on the flashback, Chris.
Posted by: Eric at October 26, 2006 09:30 PM
Thanks.
Posted by: Chris Selley at October 26, 2006 10:43 PM
I'm in no way insulted by the ad, although I think it's foolish (for many, many reasons, not just the NK-Canada bit). But an official complaint? Ugh, being Canadian can be so embarrassing at times.
Posted by: Jason Bo Green at October 27, 2006 05:46 PM
Smears by the Martinite Librano$ were far worse than that.
While it seems a hobby of failing politians to slander their neighbours, it points to a bankrupt imagination.
If too much of this becomes habit, then the idea of some sort of hatred builds over time.
To the gullible; there is no general dislike between Canadians and Americans, it*s just a low form of political doublespeak.
Unthinking and pointless.
OK, here*s a bright spot for you.
ht.p://observanda.blogspot.com/
and scroll down two posts.
I like the cellphone part of the video. Amazing!
Working towards a Conservative majority = TG
Posted by: TG at October 28, 2006 01:09 PM