OTTAWA – As US President Trump’s unilaterally-launched trade war continues, Canadians have struck back with counter-tariffs on a valued American item: the little Canadian flag patches Americans put on their luggage while travelling abroad.
Once, on a bus in London, I asked “is this seat taken” to a lady who was sitting at the aisle and the window seat was open. She turned to me, hearing my accent, and said “It’s not for Americans”. I was taken aback and said, “but I’m Canadian!” and then she said, “oh” and just moved over like it was nothing then.
I was going into a nightclub in Scotland and the bouncer at the door asked for ID. I didn’t have my passport, so gave him my US driver’s license. The bouncer looked at it with an odd face, not knowing what it was, until I said, “Oh, I’m American.” Without missing a beat he said, “Yeah, we all got problems,” gave it back to me, and let me in.
When I was over there, everyone assumed I was Canadian. I asked a tour guide about it at one point, and he said that it’s just a safer assumption: if they guess American and are wrong, Canadians can get a little offended. But if you guess Canadian and are wrong, Americans tend to just be amused.
What has an American ever done to her? Weird to just be a bigot for no real reason, The British government and tourists fucking suck also, tourists are arguably worse.
I mean, bigotry is bad and all expressions of nationalism are brain rot, but most recently Americans have threatened to invade Canada and begin a fascist tide the world may not survive.
Once, on a bus in London, I asked “is this seat taken” to a lady who was sitting at the aisle and the window seat was open. She turned to me, hearing my accent, and said “It’s not for Americans”. I was taken aback and said, “but I’m Canadian!” and then she said, “oh” and just moved over like it was nothing then.
I was going into a nightclub in Scotland and the bouncer at the door asked for ID. I didn’t have my passport, so gave him my US driver’s license. The bouncer looked at it with an odd face, not knowing what it was, until I said, “Oh, I’m American.” Without missing a beat he said, “Yeah, we all got problems,” gave it back to me, and let me in.
When I was over there, everyone assumed I was Canadian. I asked a tour guide about it at one point, and he said that it’s just a safer assumption: if they guess American and are wrong, Canadians can get a little offended. But if you guess Canadian and are wrong, Americans tend to just be amused.
You should have sat down, and said “I’m actually American.”
What has an American ever done to her? Weird to just be a bigot for no real reason, The British government and tourists fucking suck also, tourists are arguably worse.
I mean, bigotry is bad and all expressions of nationalism are brain rot, but most recently Americans have threatened to invade Canada and begin a fascist tide the world may not survive.
So that. Just within the past month.