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Showing content with the highest reputation on 11/13/2018 in all areas

  1. Trudeau is a harmless putz with his own family's domestic problems/history with Quebec "nationalism"...preaching to Trump is laughable.
    2 points
  2. It was creepy to listen to Macron and Trudeau gang up on Trump, even if only tangentially, during the weekend's WWI remembrance events in Paris. To me, both of them seem to be happy shills for corporate globalism while Trump at least acknowledges that it is the legitimate and primary role of elected governments and leaders to promote and protect the interests of their own people. Trump admits that he is a "nationalist," albeit the meaning of that term has been altered by supposedly high-minded progressives to falsely imply an association with neo-Nazi sympathizers and the alt-right. But when soldiers were sent to fight in the very war(s) world leaders were commemorating in Paris were they not inspired by love of country? Wasn't the notion of 'king and country' a rationale for Canada's war efforts and didn't the French fight for 'la gloire de la France' - a notion American and British Commonwealth forces ultimately helped to sustain? In fact, how many times have we heard that Canada's identity was forged by its war efforts and sacrifices? Now, though, feckless politicians like Trudeau and, presumably, Macron appear to believe that there are enterprises other than national interest more crucial to global progress. The basic problem with their position, I believe, is that it negates the nature of democracy itself, which at this point in history is definitionally nation-state based. There is no such thing as global democracy and there is unlikely to be any such thing in the foreseeable future. If we give up on the notion of nation-state based democracy, are we not effectively giving up on democracy itself. And I don't understand the concerns Macron and Trudeau raise about populism. If populism is defined as the assertion of popular will, why is it necessarily a negative thing? Isn't it a good thing that every so often governments do as they believe their country's citizens want them to do? Trudeau is an unrepentant elitist, and probably not a very bright one at that. But I thought Macron had more common sense. Oh, he says patriotism is fine, but nationalism apparently is not. Huh? The online definition of patriotism is "vigorous support for one's own country" while the online definition of nationalism is "patriotic feelings, principles or efforts." It looks to me like Macron is simply trying to be clever in opportunistically attacking Trump. Principles have little or nothing to do with it. Trudeau, though, is a mouthpiece for his usual hobbyhorses although I suspect he understands quite little about the agenda he's really promoting. No wonder Trump was so disconnected from the weekend's events in Paris, which seemed to intended as a public relations exercise by politicians who are promoting a pernicious and deceptive agenda.
    1 point
  3. The whole Macron speech was cringe worthy. Team Canada was obviously the all-star team in WW1, but the Americans came in and did a good job near the end. It was the french (Foch) who put such harsh conditions through the treaty of Versailles and occupied Germany that many believe led to WW2 where Canada and the US had to rescue France for a second time in 25 years. And without the US, there would be no NATO to speak of. Macron stood there in front of Putin, Merkell and Trump and decided to take shots at Donald Trump....and by extension the Americans...WoW! I'm not gonna wave the US flag for them, but this was the absolute wrong venue for the French to school anyone about foreign policy.
    1 point
  4. Now you're messing with a parent's "right" to teach their children their own religion, and no politician wants to touch that with a 10 foot pole. Religion in the West is losing its hold on people. I hope the current rise of fundamentalist Christians and Muslim extremists is indicative of the death throes of religion.
    1 point
  5. Indicating that Nationalism does promote superiority. Once you start deeming yourself superior to others simply because of the place you were born or your racial makeup you're going down the path to a bad place. Clearly Trump's supporters like that he deems Americans a notch above the rest of the world. But when you trash the alliances that have allowed peace to reign for approaching 80 years then you're going to raise the ire of many. I believe Trump wants this, he's successful when he's got an enemy, whether it be democrats, the French or people dying in a fire in California.
    1 point
  6. Whatever...the point still stands....some Canadians choose to invest in disdain for America and Americans. By and large, Americans just don't obsess so much over Canada...why would they ?
    1 point
  7. You're right in that the media is twisting the term "nationalism" to mean something dark and ominous. They do so at their own eventual peril. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. Here's some of the word-twisting that the media tries to sucker us with.....Global Warming has morphed into the almost-anything Climate Change, CO2 emissions are now pollution, Carbon Tax is now either a fee or a levy - and now if it's not a Kumbaya Globalism - it's the dark forces of nationalism. The Trump phenomenon is not complicated - just start listening to The People. That goes for Republicans as well as Democrats.
    1 point
  8. Some Canadians choose to hate America for whatever reason...most Americans are just indifferent to Canada.
    1 point
  9. That's OK...I am not here to impress you. America has been "here" far longer than 14 years.
    1 point
  10. We have all been assholes at one time or another in our life. I have been called an asshole many times. Sometimes I think that I am starting to agree with it. I have even thought about inserting the word asshole in the middle with my other middle name. LOL.
    1 point
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