February 16, 1999

I am currently employed by a small Canadian university which gives me to observe the youth of today in some sort of natural environment. Lots of the kids have Canadian flags stitched on to their backpacks. Why didn't they take the flag off after returning from their travels? Laziness. And perhaps because it's a quiet way of saying 'I've traveled overseas'.

(Note to cool hunters: patches are back although some students don't know how to sew so they are safety pinning them on. Laziness again.)

I got this university job just after a brief stint overseas and while over in England I was able to pick out the same students with their Canadian flags. That, to me, seems to be the only benefit of wearing a Maple Leaf: to let Canadians pick out other Canadians in a crowd. I honestly don't think anyone else really cares.

Some may say 'at least you won't be mistaken for an American'.

And I would say,

Canadian patriotism
through anti-Americanism is embarrassing.