I couldn't resist posting the following essay, written by an American. The essay is a commentary on the history of the relationship between Canada and the United States. According to Snopes Fact Check, however, it has as been falsely presented as an open letter by a Florida circuit judge named Robert Meadows. In fact, it was not written by Judge Meadows. This is just a small taste of all the misleading information on the internet and social media. I urge you to double check and triple check everything you read online.
I'm relieved that I decided to check if the work was indeed an open letter written by a Florida judge. I learned that it was not the work of Judge Meadows. I discovered that it was originally posted on Facebook by Bruce Lindner of Portland, Oregon (with Ana Bee Gonzales) on Facebook on June 7, 2018. The essay was written during the first Trump administration, shortly after Trump announced he would be imposing steel aluminum tariffs on imports from Canada. As a result, Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs. On May 17, 2019, the U.S. and Canada agreed to lift tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, as well as Canada's retaliatory tariffs, Three days later, both governments lifted their respective tariffs.
I have posted Bruce Lindner's essay because it is more relevant than ever, more than seven years after it was first written.
- Joanne
Thank you, Canada
By Bruce Lindner
"Have you ever stopped to consider how lucky we
Americans are to have the neighbors we have?
Look around the globe at who some folks have been stuck
sharing a border with over the past half century:
North Korea / South Korea
Greece / Turkey
Iran / Iraq
Israel / Palestine
India / Pakistan
China / Russia
"We’ve got Canada! Canada. About as inoffensive a
neighbor as you could ever hope for. In spite of all our boasts of “American
exceptionalism” and chants of “America first,” they just smile, do their thing
and go about their business. They are on average more educated, have a higher
standard of living, free health care, and almost no gun problems. They treat
immigrants respectfully and already took in over 35,000 Syrians in the last two
years.
"They’re with us in NATO, they fought alongside us in
World War I, World War II, Korea, the Gulf War, the Bosnian War, Afghanistan,
the Kosovo War and came to our defense after 9/11. There was that one time when
Canada took a pass on one of our wars: Vietnam. Turned out to be a good call.
"They’ve been steady consumers of American imports,
reliable exporters of metals and petroleum products (they are the biggest
importer of U.S. products from 37 states), and partnered with NASA in our space
missions.
"During 9/11 many aircraft were diverted to
Newfoundland, an island province off Canada's east coast where Americans were
housed in people's homes for two weeks and treated like royalty. In return for
their hospitality, this administration slapped a 20% tariff on the products of
Newfoundland's only paper mill, thereby threatening its survival.
"And what do Canadians expect of us in return? To be
respected for who and what they are: Canadians. That’s what I call a good
neighbor.
"But the King of Chaos couldn’t leave well enough alone. Based on his delusions of perpetual victimhood, out of the clear blue, he’s declared economic war on Canada. On CANADA! And he did it based on Canada being a national security risk to the US! For no good reason, other than the voices in his head that told him it was a war he could win. So why not do it, then?
"Again, we’re talking about Canada. Our closest ally,
friend and neighbor.
"On behalf of an embarrassed nation, people of Canada,
I apologize for this idiotic and wholly unnecessary attack.
Please leave the back channels open.
We the People of progressive persuasion stand with you."
Editor's Note: Canada refused to participate in the U.S.-led 2003 invasion of Iraq. Canada's intelligence services determined that Iraq did not have an active weapon of mass destruction program.
