Jingoism Rules at Super Bowl (A Canadian is drips venom and bile)

The Toronto Star ^ | February 9, 2004 | Warren Kinsella

[quidnunc]

In George Bush's Houston, America wears its isolation as a badge of pride.

Crying. The man in section 128, row AA, seat 27, was crying.

Standing in Houston's Reliant Stadium, not that far above the 40-yard line, a visitor from Canada could be forgiven for wondering why the well-dressed American wasn't deliriously happy. After all, his Super Bowl XXXVIII ticket had a face value of $500 U.S., the big Texas sky had turned sunny for the first time in days, and an astonishing pre-game show had just concluded, offering up the likes of Aerosmith, Willie Nelson and Houston's very own Beyoncé singing "The Star-Spangled Banner."

But the neatly-barbered fellow, well-appointed in a yellow silk shirt, dress slacks and tasseled loafers, was crying just the same.

The weeping man, and approximately 71,000 other Super Bowl fans, gazed up at one of Reliant Stadium's two huge screens — measuring 30 feet high, and 100 feet wide — placed high, high above the Carolina Panthers' and New England Patriots' end zones.

Up on the full-resolution, high-definition video displays, country star Toby Keith — who had been part of the pre-game show, with Willie Nelson — was growling his hit song, "American Soldier."

In the video, a U.S. serviceman drives past a cemetery full of dead soldiers, while Keith sings:

I will always do my duty, no matter what the price,
I've counted up the cost, I know the sacrifice,
Oh, and I don't want to die for you,
But if dyin's asked of me,
I'll bear that cross with an honour,
'Cause freedom don't come free.

A few moments later, Keith — who previously achieved distinction when he likened the Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines to "Commie heathen," for her opposition to George W. Bush's war in Iraq — is seen in an aircraft hangar at Edwards Air Force Base in California, framed by four F-16 fighter jets. Sings Keith:

You can bet that I stand ready when the wolf growls at the door,
Hey, I'm solid, hey I'm steady, hey I'm true down to the core,
And I'm an American soldier, an American.

A group of Canadians present for the game, and located just behind the weeping man, stand in stunned silence. They look around. The man (a Pats fan, go figure) isn't the only one with tears rolling down his cheeks. A lot of other people are crying, too, swaying back and forth.

I turn to a friend from Quebec and whisper: "Welcome to George Bush's America. Please check your senses at the door as you enter."

-snip-

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Canada: Check your cojones at the door.

[TheMole]

Warren Kinsella is a long-time Liberal Party operative. He is basically a Canadian equivalent of Paul Begala or James Carville. Why the hell he was at the Super Bowl baffles me. He probably got a free ticket and hotel package from a corporate lobbyist.

[CobaltBlue]

having read this tripe I feel dirty

Now, see, that's the wrong attitude. Laugh. He's an idiot. Pissing off idiots is one of life's greatest pleasures. Revel in it.

[TheMole]

P.S. Also, Kinsella probably doesn't have much to do these days now that Chretien is out and Paul martin is in.

[SamAdams76]

Other than ice hockey, what have the Canadians ever done for us?

[Khurkris]

this is irrelevant....They are Canadien.

[dennisw]

A few moments later, Keith — who previously achieved distinction when he likened the Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines to "Commie heathen," for her opposition to George W. Bush's war in Iraq............

Commie heathen bump.Hahahahaha.

[GMMAC]

Handy Kanuckistani Conversions:

Toronto Star = New York Times + Dan Rather

Warren Kinsella = James Carvelle and then some

Hope this helps - the "red" Star and vile Liberal hitman and all round slimeball Kinsella are as representative of Canadians as the Clintonistas are of decent Americans.

[headsonpikes]

Warren Kinsella is a wonderful example of the New Soviet Canadian, blissfully free of the bonds of history, and lucky to live in the most progressive and po-faced country in the world.

Our schools are churning them out in the tens of thousands.

[narby]

This author is an idiot. But he is a bit correct, the US is very isolationist. And damn proud of it.

The trips I've made overseas have been interesting in that their news media contain as much, or more, news from other countries. And not just the "big" news of earthquakes, coups, etc. But the little stuff like sports turnaments in South Africa, etc.

The author is also probably a bit bent because Canadian media broadcasts all the primary US Network news programs. They're swamped with information from Iowa, Texas, Nevada. While I can't even locate most of their provinces on a map. I don't even know the names of their political parties.

Americans don't care what happens in Canada. And Canadians don't like it.

And I don't care if they don't.

If they want to matter, they should campaign to become US states. Except that would mean the US would be more liberal, so forget it.

[gr8eman]

Maybe we can convince Dave "Tiger" Williams, Dave Schulz, Moose DuPont, and Terry O'Reilly and company to pay this guy a visit!

[microgood]

P.S. Also, Kinsella probably doesn't have much to do these days now that Chretien is out and Paul martin is in.

I guess trashing our culture will become a full time job now.

[Paleo Conservative]

It was, in a sense, a microcosm of Texas, and the United States itself, circa 2004 A.D. Utterly (and proudly) isolationist. Unaware, or perhaps uncaring, what the world thinks. Awash in hype and hoopla. Conservative, in a way that is sometimes mean, and cocky. Gregarious, full of good intentions, and potentially lethal ? like the young protagonist in Graham Greene's The Quiet American.

The "journalist" deliberately twists the meaning of "isolationist". An islationist would be opposed to US military intervention. What he really means by "isolationist" is not going along with the international socialist agenda.

[rmlew]

Unilateral=Isolationist?

Someone send journalists a dictionary before they make idiots of themselves!

[caisson71]

This typical liberal Canadian just doesn't get it. This isn't George Bush's America. It's America's George Bush.

[hellinahandcart]

He's cowering slightly behind that book, isn't he?-- looks like he's about to put the book up over his face, to deflect a flying tomato or something.

[hellinahandcart]

Was Chrétien ever invited to Crawford?

Never once.

[freeangel]

"Diversity" has already killed any sense of national patriotism for Canadians and will be headed this way soon unless Americans wake up.

[bfree]

Well, you have to admit he is correct-Canadians are irrelevant. I, for one, could not care what he and his countrymen think about the US. I would also like to send his country a bill for providing them national defense.

[NYCVirago]

Maybe Warren should whine to the CBC about the shameful way they've treated broadcaster Don Cherry for simply liking America. Of course, Warren would consider Cherry's comments "hate speech"!