Response to a Canadian Apologist

I came across this slice of buffoonery by a Rudyard Griffiths, leader of something called the Dominion Institute (an organization whose major purpose seems to be the defense of Canadian history). Some choice excerpts:

(On his appearance on Fox News to explain his 'survey' showing a majority of Canadian teens think America a 'force for evil' in the world):

I tried to explain that Canadian teens were no different than American teens. They wear Nike shoes, listen to U.S. popular music and most likely know as much about U.S. history as their own.

(On the roots of the US media outrage at his survey's results):

The United States is a nation long used to being loved. From their iconic and near-universal popular culture, to powerful memories of the freeing of nations and peoples in wars long past, Americans have taken great strength from the enduring popularity of their founding ideals and way of life. This sentiment propelled the United States, in the second half of the 20th century, to engage with the world and fashion many of the great international institutions and norms that underwrite the prosperity and, until recently, the security we enjoy.

Implicit in the anti-Canada rants of Mr. O'Reilly and his ilk is the belief that America is now alone. Indeed, many Americans feel acutely that the country is under constant threat of attack by its enemies and is misunderstood and unfairly criticized by ungrateful former allies. For this growing segment of U.S. society, the rational response is to give up on a global community that has seemingly given up on the United States and act unilaterally to preserve U.S. national interests abroad and security at home before it's too late.

Couldn't let that type of drivel pass without some comment. I couldn't find the honorable Mr. Griffith's email address, so I sent an open letter to his organization:

I normally wouldn't expend the effort, but I thought your recent reflections on your "Five Minutes on Fox" merited such - This. One. Time.

To get straight to the heart of the matter, you conflate American conservative distaste for Canadian anti-Americanism (and by extension therefore, most Canadians) with bitterness at the US 'loss of place' in the world.

You further intimate that Canadian youth are little different from American youth, because they share similar fashion instincts.

Okay, I'm a Canadian (hate to admit it) living in Toronto (hate living here more than I hate being Canadian) and I'm a conservative.

Having lived in the U.S. for a number of years (it's where I developed my conservative bent) I ran across a deep swath of anti-Canadian sentiment among conservatives (and even liberals/moderates ! I lived in NYC, after all)way before 9/11, and I can't say it's entirely unwarranted.

As near as I can figure it, it's because Canada is seen there as a socialist, non-military-having, U.N.-lapdog-acting country which defines itself in terms of how unlike its southern neighbor it thinks it is.

And if your poll determined that 40% of Canadian teens believe the U.S. a 'force for evil in the world', then, by definition, they are much much different to American teens, in a very fundamental way.