A puzzlement!!

It seems to me that, in particular, many easterners (primarily those living in central Canada – Ontario & Quebec) have a double standard.
Before I explain, let me state at the outset,
• I have three American grandsons,
• my daughter is now an American citizen,
• and my son-in-law has the option to hold three passports (Canadian, American, Australian).
• Moreover, I have a number of very dear colleagues who are citizens of the USA as well as several good friends, and
• I have both studied & worked in the USA (in the specific states of Minnesota, California & Texas).
• as well, I have close colleagues and good friends who spend, at least much of the winter, in the USA
• Furthermore, if you are sensitive to criticism, you might wish to stop reading now…

What do I mean by this double standard and why am I again pointing the finger at people of decent upbringing, solid education, and generally delightful to be with socially and even spiritually?

Lately I have been somewhat castigated by some of these folk for one or both of the following:
• why am I so critical of our current prime minister & his government?
• why am I not more virulent in criticizing the president of the USA?

Let me take the latter point first. I am not sure I have ever stated I find the guy in the oval office to be a likeable person. I do acknowledge he has been duly elected by the majority of his constituents. Moreover, he has been elected on a very open and public platform. [There is no hidden agenda with that guy!!] While I find him unethical, mean-spirited and politically somewhat naive, that doesn’t discount the fact that he is the legitimate leader of our neighbouring country to the south (& west when one includes Hawaii & Alaska). Would I have voted for him in the recent election? That is still a question I ponder with some sense of unease – especially given the rather ineffective alternative that was presented by the other major party.

But here is the core of my concern. Why does a duly elected individual then make the country who elected him to be terrible? Why are the citizens now looked upon as perhaps stupid, definitely bad, and certainly unworthy of visiting? Theologically such positions are most tenuous, especially for Christians (at least those of more mainline persuasions). But even socially and/or intellectually I find such attitudes to reek of self-serving pomposity. To refuse to even consider that the USA might still be a country worthy of visiting, suggests that there are no redeeming qualities of the people who live therein. Moreover, in view of a pending trade war, it is risky indeed to think an vitriolic attitude would strengthen any bargaining approaches.

This entire issue those becomes even more absurd when we look at the other question: Imagine an American assessing the value of associating positively with Canada in a similar light. Our prime minister has been convicted of several serious conflicts of interest, he has summarily dismissed strong women from his Cabinet, he has run up unimaginable fiscal deficits, he has prorogued Parliament at the very time it needs to be meeting to develop a strong position on the aforementioned trade war, and in the last election actually didn’t win the popular vote. Is he any more moral that the American counterpart? And, if so, on what grounds? And, has he been any more democrat or less naive? And is he beloved by the majority of the citizenry? I have accepted that in our electoral system he is duly elected our Prime Minister but I will not then suggest that those that voted for him should be vilified. I may question their reasoning, but their votes don’t make or even imply that our country is evil and should be avoided by people from the USA.

If I was more thin-skinned, the negative attitudes towards Americans might hurt my feelings. As it is, I simply am puzzled: why would anyone hold such an attitude towards my family, my professional colleagues and my friends, simply because of who the majority of the populace chose as their leader? People in glass houses ought not to throw stones. We are not the prim & proper country we think we are – we have much to clean up before we rant away about the quality of leadership south of us. Moreover, at this time wherein the storm clouds of war are again rumbling in the distance, perhaps pushing for a more peaceful co-existence might just save us a great deal of pain, anguish and even real poverty. Becoming deeper friends with those living south of the border, may actually be the best policy and attitudes we can adopt…

Reflectively
g.w.