Canada Day, Patriotism, and Foreign Nationals

[xmarcx]

After my third Canada day spent in the nation's capital, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to figure out the dilemmas of celebrating patriotism in a multicultural society.

Case in point: I saw far too many groups walking around downtown yesterday decked out with soccer jerseys, colours, and flags screaming cheers for their home countries in the midst of of a sea of Canadian flags. Maybe that's innocent enough, but a good friend of mine was almost beat up after accidentally bumping into a group of foreign national students at a crowded restaurant who kept yelling at her that Canada Day was bullshit and it just made 'Canadians' act like they owned the place.

As proud Canadians should we accept that as a celebration of the acceptance and vibrance of our multicultural society? Or should Canada day in particular be a day where everyone enjoying freedom and a quality life in this country celebrate and be proud of the country for offering them that right? Would you consider immigrants using July 1st to celebrate their national indentities as an insult to what Canada has offered them?

Personally, I have to admit that these experiences mark the first time I have ever felt specifically hostile towards immigration, and I'm wondering what other people think.

 

[orange.paint]

Its world cup dude....honestly after England blew it if you bumped into me....
Canada day happens every year,not world cup.And I fly a flag on my shoulder everyday so hell yah I wore my england(chelsea acually cause I couldnt find england) all day canada day.And I was born here,Imagine that!

 

[FredDaHead]

Its world cup dude....

So does that mean I can tell a person of any other nationality to go f**k themselves during the Stanley Cup finals if a Canadian team is playing? Or during the Olympics?

Your argument makes about as much sense as discrete mathematics.

 

[paracowboy]

just made 'Canadians' act like they owned the place.

uhhh, yeah. And if these people didn't feel that that way, then they really aren't Canadians, are they?

 

[Devlin]

but a good friend of mine was almost beat up after accidentally bumping into a group of foreign national students at a crowded restaurant who kept yelling at her that Canada Day was bullshit and it just made 'Canadians' act like they owned the place.

Okay that qualifies them for one free throat punch.

And if it's such bullshit and they don't like the place then get the f*&k out

 

[orange.paint]

So does that mean I can tell a person of any other nationality to go f**k themselves during the Stanley Cup finals if a Canadian team is playing? Or during the Olympics?

Your argument makes about as much sense as discrete mathematics.

OK Frederik push your glasses up on your nose and pull those suspenders up.Apparently you have not been to a nice local bar where soccer fans hang out.Its called getting into the game.And if you didn't notice Canada only sent referees,not a team.

But no doubt after your "discrete mathematics" comment I really cant see you understanding that THEY WALKED INTO A SOCCER BAR FULL OF BRAZIL FANS(most likely) and was proably mouthing off (why else would they even notice her when the games on).Believe me I called me buddy everytime newcastle lost last year to rub it in.And am I less of a canadian cause I was wearing my beautiful samsung mobile chelsea centenarty jersey?Get a grip on reality.

Plus using a sweeping generalisation comparing soccer hooligans,drunk and excited to "immigrants" (I married a dirty immigrant by the way),makes about as much sense as naming your kid Frederick.

p.s your pocket protector is leaking.

 

[Koenigsegg]

Ummm, what country are we in??
We can not celebrate the birthday of our nation, in our nation without being yelled at?
Did I miss something?...:tsktsk:

-  I was going to write something about the Worldcup, but rcac kinda blew it out of the water, so I have this sentence in it's place.

 

[Devlin]

I like watching world cup too .... especially all the dives being taken, though I suspect they are just preparing for the next summer olympics diving team try outs.

Okay back to your regularly scheduled thread....

 

[xmarcx]

OK Frederik push your glasses up on your nose and pull those suspenders up.Apparently you have not been to a nice local bar where soccer fans hang out.Its called getting into the game.And if you didn't notice Canada only sent referees,not a team.

But no doubt after your "discrete mathematics" comment I really cant see you understanding that THEY WALKED INTO A SOCCER BAR FULL OF BRAZIL FANS(most likely) and was proably mouthing off (why else would they even notice her when the games on).Believe me I called me buddy everytime newcastle lost last year to rub it in.And am I less of a canadian cause I was wearing my beautiful samsung mobile chelsea centenarty jersey?Get a grip on reality.

Plus using a sweeping generalisation comparing soccer hooligans,drunk and excited to "immigrants" (I married a dirty immigrant by the way),makes about as much sense as naming your kid Frederick.

p.s your pocket protector is leaking.

Actually, for the record, the soccer fans were all on Wellington street right in front of Parliament, and the near-altercation occured in a Pizza-Pizza line up.

 

[orange.paint]

My whole thought on the situation is they proably went into a bar which was filled by Brazil fans and started acting like idiots screaming Brazil sucks or singing O Canada in front of the big screen being rude.Or maybe go France....but who would really?

having said that before someone jumps in and says "how is singing O Canada rude on Canada day".

Common sense troops,Imagine a little Mexican singing songs on a tied hockey game in overtime.....

 That's how I see it. Then again, I also think soccer is a girls game played by drama queens. So  

Women play hockey in England

 

[kerfuffled]

Here's my story. Yesterday I got into it with my idiot brother-in-law and a few of my other in-laws at a little Canada Day get-to-gether. They are of Italian heritage. They are also confused and ignorant of their surroundings. It being Canada Day I asked him why he was covered in Italian flags. He replied proudly, 'because I'm Italian" I asked him if he was born in Canada, as I had assumed he was Canadian. "Yes, but I'm Italian". I replied to him that not only was he mistaken, I thought he had all fricking year to wear all that Italy crap, and that he should respect the country of his birth and the land of opportunity for his family and put on something that would reflect that respect. At this point a bunch of my other in-laws N-piled onto me about how they were "Italians First" and Canada was nothing special anyways. I then informed them that they were obviously confused and lost. So lost in fact that they were living in the wrong country and that maybe they should rectify that by GETTING THE F&*$ OUT of my country,as we already have too many ungrateful shitheads in this country. They did not take this too well and there was an uncomfortable silence for a long time. I, however, stood proud, strong and free and cracked another Molson Canadian and continued on my quest for the perfect Canada Day Buzz, which I accomplished at aproximately 11:30 pm
Mission Acomplished, Over And Out

 

[FredDaHead]

cracked another Molson Canadian

That's one of the few things I'm not proud about in Canada... You do know it's marketed as "Laurentide" in Quebec and it's the ubercheap, crap beer students with no money and people on welfare drink, right?

Couldn't they make a GOOD beer and name it Canadian, instead of something that reminds me more of Budweiser than good Canadian beer?

But I digress... If immigrants can't respect Canada Day, I don't see why they should be respected on their country of origin's birthday, or during festivals honouring them. I'm a fervent believer in the philosophy of "do unto others" and of doing onto them whatever they do.

 

[GAP]

While I agree with your sentiments, but I think your timing (or Canadian) was off.

Diplomacy is the art of telling someone to go to hell, and have them look forward to the trip!!

 

[kerfuffled]

If immigrants can't respect Canada Day, I don't see why they should be respected on their country of origin's birthday, or during festivals honouring them. I'm a fervent believer in the philosophy of "do unto others" and of doing onto them whatever they do.

Around here all the ethnic groups get to have their cultural events and festivals, nobody gets denied that. It's just that we have one day a year to celebrate what we have going for us here and there are citzens who don't appreciate and respect the nation.

PS: I am not that big a geek to drink Canadian on Canada Day. I drink it cuz thats what I like to drink all the time.  When I'm drinking that is.

 

[paracowboy]

My whole thought on the situation is they proably went into a bar which was filled by Brazil fans and started acting like idiots screaming Brazil sucks or singing O Canada in front of the big screen being rude.Or maybe go France....but who would really?

well, you're wrong. Well done on making yourself look like a complete ass. Read the posts.

And the World Cup, the Stanley Cup and any other damn sporting event takes a far distant second seat to the birthday of my NATION!

As for loyalties to other nations, regardless of what silly-ass pathetic little game they may be playing, if your first isn't to Canada, GET OUT.

 

[orange.paint]

So care to enlighten us on how the near altercation occurred.For some reason I cant see a bunch of guys just verbally attacking a bunch of officer cadets running around wellington.Two sides to every story paracowbye.

 

[xmarcx]

So care to enlighten us on how the near altercation occurred.For some reason I cant see a bunch of guys just verbally attacking a bunch of officer cadets running around wellington.Two sides to every story paracowbye.

I actually specified that it was two separate incidents, but I will furnish full details if you so desire.

Soccer Fans: If you've never spent Canada Day in Ottawa, downtown basically gets shut down to traffic and massive roving hordes of tourists take to the streets. There were various groups of people dressed in complete colors of foreign countries waving their flags screaming "GO BRAZIL" or "GO PORTUGAL" or what have you at people enjoying the Canada day festivities. Out the outskirts of downtown there were also a lot of impromptu parades of people driving in cars honking and waving their flags out the window. I live in the middle of Little Italy here, so I'm used to this around major international sporting events, but there was an undeniable element of showing off that they weren't Canada demonstrated by doing this as close as possible if not in the middle of Canadian-flag decked revellers not only in public but in the shadow of half a dozen national monuments.

Altercation: My friend was in line for pizza, and she was trying to put her hair up and in the process accidentally elbowed a guy in line behind her, for which she apologized, but nonetheless apparently offered a long desired provocation for some wackos to scream at a restaurant full of people about how Canada day was bullshit and their home countries were better.

I think the point is, if you're in public on Canada Day, in Canada, no matter where you are, you need to respect the country, no excuses.

 

[Kat Stevens]

I'm UK born. I stayed home and watched my homeland get embarrassed.  Then I put on a Canada Rocks! tee shirt and the goofiest looking maple leaf flag hat I could find.  I then went to my little towns Canada day party, and reveled in being Canadian by choice, not by birth.  Because I'm proudly British, doesn't mean I'm not infinitely more proud of my adopted home, and my tiny part of keeping it Strong and Free.

 

[paracowboy]

a good friend of mine was almost beat up after accidentally bumping into a group of foreign national students at a crowded restaurant who kept yelling at her that Canada Day was bullshit and it just made 'Canadians' act like they owned the place.

where does it say anything about starting shit in a bar filled with soccer fans?

 

[paracowboy]

Actually, for the record, the soccer fans were all on Wellington street right in front of Parliament, and the near-altercation occured in a Pizza-Pizza line up.

or here?