Law and Order in America

[Guest American Woman]

.....Unlike some, I'm not filled with nationalistic fervor and don't become offended and defensive when someone makes a generalization I don't like.

Neither am I. Generalize away, and I will respond as I see fit - as you respond with personal accusations when you don't like what I have to say.

I notice you didn't answer the question. Tells me all I need to know.

[DogOnPorch]

Canada is JUST as bad as the USA when it come to 'puritanical ways'. British Columbia, for example, suffered under what were called the Blue Laws for decades. Some aspects of which remain with BC residents to this very day.

[dre]

Canada is JUST as bad as the USA when it come to 'puritanical ways'. British Columbia, for example, suffered under what were called the Blue Laws for decades. Some aspects of which remain with BC residents to this very day.

It really depends on where you are talking about. AW comes from Michigan I think, which explains why she always gets so confused when we talk about this stuff. The eastern, western, and north eastern states are pretty much the same as Canada. Its a different story for people living in the south or central US.... Alabama, Texas, Utah, Colorado etc.

I general though Canada is definately more liberal in its attitude towards morality, but I would guess that rural pig farmers in Alberta are quite close in attitude to folks in the American south.

[Bonam]

It really depends on where you are talking about. AW comes from Michigan I think, which explains why she always gets so confused when we talk about this stuff. The eastern, western, and north eastern states are pretty much the same as Canada. Its a different story for people living in the south or central US.... Alabama, Texas, Utah, Colorado etc.

I general though Canada is definately more liberal in its attitude towards morality, but I would guess that rural pig farmers in Alberta are quite close in attitude to folks in the American south.

The puritanical tendencies of Western culture manifest themselves even among the staunchest liberals, and not just in the US or Canada. See the thread about clamping down on porn in London, for example. Westerners , or at least the English-speaking variety, are obsessed with how sinful boobies are. A scandal about a man texting photos of his penis to people gets about as much national coverage as the revelation that the government violates personal freedoms and privacy on a vast and unprecedented scale. A politician's career can end over consensual sex between two adults outside of marriage, but corruption, torture, and mistakes costing the lives of people are quickly forgotten. Movies and shows for children can portray violence, death, and suffering, but so much as a peep of a human body and it's rated R. This tragic and irrational set of taboos is endemic to the culture of all English speaking nations, and pervades the minds of people of most any political stripe.

[GostHacked]

That was very well put Bonam.

[cybercoma]

Article: 7 ways the Obama administration is accelerating the militarization of the police.

These come under 3 basic headings: ramping up the "war on drugs", supplying military-style equipment and weaponry for police forces, and supporting increasingly heavy-handed tactics.

-k

Something something different world since 9/11.

[cybercoma]

A warrant for not having cut the grass??

That is some of the most disgusting behaviour I've seen from cops yet. They handled themselves like complete idiots.

[cybercoma]

America is still trapped under the pall of puritanical notions.

This is true. A lot of American culture can be traced to the Puritans and their ascetic lifestyles. The idea of profit as an end in itself is one of those things, whilst in other parts of the world profit is seen as it should be: a means to an end.

[cybercoma]

Canada is JUST as bad as the USA when it come to 'puritanical ways'. British Columbia, for example, suffered under what were called the Blue Laws for decades. Some aspects of which remain with BC residents to this very day.

Not to mention Western Canada was settled largely by Americans. We seem to think of settlement as being an East to West deal, but there was plenty of South to North settlement at that time.

[cybercoma]

The puritanical tendencies of Western culture manifest themselves even among the staunchest liberals, and not just in the US or Canada. See the thread about clamping down on porn in London, for example. Westerners , or at least the English-speaking variety, are obsessed with how sinful boobies are. A scandal about a man texting photos of his penis to people gets about as much national coverage as the revelation that the government violates personal freedoms and privacy on a vast and unprecedented scale. A politician's career can end over consensual sex between two adults outside of marriage, but corruption, torture, and mistakes costing the lives of people are quickly forgotten. Movies and shows for children can portray violence, death, and suffering, but so much as a peep of a human body and it's rated R. This tragic and irrational set of taboos is endemic to the culture of all English speaking nations, and pervades the minds of people of most any political stripe.

From an interview with the creators of South Park:

Q: On Team America, the MPAA freaked over the sex scene, but yet they almost always seem to disregard the violence.

PARKER: It was exactly the same on the South Park movie really too. There's lots of violence in that too, but it always came down to anything sexual… They don't care about anything else.

STONE: No, they don't care about violence.

This makes the issue especially evident since we're talking about animated sex and violence. Animated violence, no big deal. Animated sexuality, OH THE HUMANITY!

Edited August 1, 2013 by cybercoma

[GostHacked]

That is some of the most disgusting behaviour I've seen from cops yet. They handled themselves like complete idiots.

This is not by any means an isolated incident.

[bleeding heart]

The puritanical tendencies of Western culture manifest themselves even among the staunchest liberals, and not just in the US or Canada. See the thread about clamping down on porn in London, for example. Westerners , or at least the English-speaking variety, are obsessed with how sinful boobies are. A scandal about a man texting photos of his penis to people gets about as much national coverage as the revelation that the government violates personal freedoms and privacy on a vast and unprecedented scale. A politician's career can end over consensual sex between two adults outside of marriage, but corruption, torture, and mistakes costing the lives of people are quickly forgotten. Movies and shows for children can portray violence, death, and suffering, but so much as a peep of a human body and it's rated R. This tragic and irrational set of taboos is endemic to the culture of all English speaking nations, and pervades the minds of people of most any political stripe.

I think you're spot on, including about the puritanical streak being endemic to liberalism (using the term with its contemporary connotations).

[scribblet]

....................

I general though Canada is definately more liberal in its attitude towards morality, but I would guess that rural pig farmers in Alberta are quite close in attitude to folks in the American south.

Hmmm, how many Alberta pig farmers do you know ?

[The_Squid]

See the thread about clamping down on porn in London, for example. Westerners , or at least the English-speaking variety, are obsessed with how sinful boobies are.

Seeing boobies at the beach and hardcore porn are two very different things. Your analogy just doesn't work as a generalization.

You can be ok with nudity and still not want hardcore porn available 24/7 at your fingertips, or by accident, or have it so easy to access for your kids.

[roy baty]

Not to mention Western Canada was settled largely by Americans.

I assume you are referring mainly to BC due to the gold rush etc? I thought most other Western Canadians were not American Settlers but migrants from Ontario and immigrants from the UK and Central to Eastern Europe..

Edited August 1, 2013 by roy baty

[Guest American Woman]

It really depends on where you are talking about. AW comes from Michigan I think, which explains why she always gets so confused when we talk about this stuff. The eastern, western, and north eastern states are pretty much the same as Canada. Its a different story for people living in the south or central US.... Alabama, Texas, Utah, Colorado etc.

I'm not the one who's confused. The eastern, western, and north eastern states are part of the U.S., and therefore inhabited by Americans. So when one speaks of "Americans," they are speaking of those Americans as well. The claim made about "Americans" was, as I said, ludicrous. By all counts.

Furthermore, even "Canada" isn't all "the same," so to say those areas are "pretty much the same as Canada" is a stretch at best.

Edited August 1, 2013 by American Woman

[Guest American Woman]

Canada is JUST as bad as the USA when it come to 'puritanical ways'. British Columbia, for example, suffered under what were called the Blue Laws for decades. Some aspects of which remain with BC residents to this very day.

Agreed. All Canadians aren't the same by any means, and to paint all Americans with the same brush is quite ignorant at best. It's especially crazy when one considers the reputation that places like Hollywood and Las Vegas et al have; hardly "puritanical." The thing that I find most incredible is that the comment was made in response to one incident by one American out of 312 million - and the conclusion is that Americans think "kissing is ewww," but we're all conditioned to accept violence - from the age of 2, no less. It's incredible, really, how wrong some people can be about Americans - as they think they know it all.

[GostHacked]

Hey you know that this 'thing' is happening in the USA?

Yeah, but you know ... Canada.

[Boges]

That Ariel Castro guy that had 3 girls kidnapped in his house for more than a decade got 1,000 years to life.

Wonder if he would get such a severe sentence in Canada.

[Guest American Woman]

That Ariel Castro guy that had 3 girls kidnapped in his house for more than a decade got 1,000 years to life.

Wonder if he would get such a severe sentence in Canada.

In Canada he'd be up for parole in seven years, wouldn't he? So what do you think of the sentence?

[guyser]

That Ariel Castro guy that had 3 girls kidnapped in his house for more than a decade got 1,000 years to life.

Wonder if he would get such a severe sentence in Canada.

Whats the diff if he got 40 years? Pure optics

He'll still be dead before any of that is up

[guyser]

In Canada he'd be up for parole in seven years, wouldn't he? So what do you think of the sentence?

He would get life in all probablity

[cybercoma]

I assume you are referring mainly to BC due to the gold rush etc? I thought most other Western Canadians were not American Settlers but migrants from Ontario and immigrants from the UK and Central to Eastern Europe..

A lot of them were, but people tend to ignore the South to North migration that there was. Records indicate that there were actually more Americans settling there during some periods in time than Europeans and Eastern Canadians. Some archives have copies of the advertising that was used to lure prospective landowners to the North with the promise of fertile lands and a life of autonomy.

Edited August 1, 2013 by cybercoma

[cybercoma]

That Ariel Castro guy that had 3 girls kidnapped in his house for more than a decade got 1,000 years to life.

Wonder if he would get such a severe sentence in Canada.

Would he spend the rest of his life in jail in Canada? Is that what you're asking. Because the answer is undoubtedly.

[Boges]

Would he spend the rest of his life in jail in Canada? Is that what you're asking. Because the answer is undoubtedly.

With no chance of parole?