The Rants of Issachar

It seems some people are upset by Stephen Harper's use of the phrase "God bless Canada" in his speechs. John Chuckman at Canadian Content seems particularly upset. The article is nuts. Seriously. Stop reading this and go read his article.

Thank you to Small Dead Animals for the link. (Via Relapsed Catholic)

I'm not even sure where to begin...

How about with the obvious. "God bless America" isn't George W. Bush's phrase. It's a politican's phrase. It's been said by Former Vice-President Al Gore, Former President Bill Clinton, Former President Herbert Walker Bush, and Former President Jimmy Carter among others. It's not "code, a kind of insidious political wink, to bloodthirsty supporters". They convey a very simple message. "I believe in God, and I pray that he will bless this land and it's people". Quel Horreur...

I'm not even going to get into bush=teh hitler paranoia that oozes throughout the article. Why not? Because we're talking about Stephen Harper, not the US President. As Paul Martin said, "America is our neighbour, it is not our nation". Absolutely. So I think it's a reasonable idea to actually discuss Canadian candidates when having our elections rather than pretending you're running against American politicians.

There's the demonizing of Albertan conservatives with comparisons to Pat Robertson and the nasty implication that Albertan's are real Canadians because a lot of Americans immigrants settled there over 100 years ago and because Alberta has oil. There's the false implication that the Conservatives are an "Alberta party". This implication is there despite the fact that the Conservatives elected people from across the country and that the Reform party was founded in British Columbia, not Alberta.

There's the bizarre falsehood about "Executive Branch" being an American term, and how it's use shows that Premier Ralph Klein is just like Tom Delay and Newt Gingrich. Someone had better tell the Canadian Government that they'd better stop referring to the executive branch.

And there's the sadly expected insinuation that Harper has a hidden agenda that he'll spring on us as soon as he has a majority. Oh, and Tom Flanagan is an immigrant so he's not a real Canadian either.


Wow. Crazy much? You got all this from "God Bless Canada"?


Update: February 1st
My statement about Tom Flanagan not being a real Canadian is a sarcastic. Read the offending article for context.

Posted by:  Graves

That was the weirdest thing I've read all week. If people would write with a little more subtlety (and balance)I would feel more influenced.

Posted by:  Sarah

I didn't go to any of your links, and probably won't on this busy day. But the whole 'God bless [insert country here]' phrase is so damned cliched now - as you say "its a politician's phrase". I just groan when I hear it.

Posted by:  Sarah

"Oh, and Tom Flanagan is an immigrant so he's not a real Canadian either"

That statement may be a little inflammatory. Is Tom Flanagan a Canadian citizen? - Serious question, I don't know.

Do you consider your mother to be a real Canadian? How does someone become a real Canadian? I should check with Douglas Coupland.

Posted by:  issachar

Don't worry Sarah, I was being sarcastic about Mr. Flanagan not being a real Canadian. Tom Flanagan one of Mr. Harper's close advisors and Mr. Chuckman dismisses him in the article as an "American ex-patriot bristling with the perspectives and attitudes of the Midwest where he was raised".

I find the implications of Mr. Chuckman's statement, (and the whole article), insulting. Apparently Mr. Chuckman believes that if you were born in the American midwest and move to Canada your views don't count as much. It's an extension of the "Liberal values are the only Canadian values" falsehood.

Posted by:  Sarah

Goodo! Still haven't had a chance to ponder the links!

Posted by:  Katinka

The sentiments in Chuckman's article have to be among the most bombastic and paranoid ones I've read in a long time...and this was intended to positively influence voters?
*shaking head in wonderment*