Never visited the United States, I am afraid of America.

a reply to: VanGcouverite
DUDE it is not that bad. Im scared to go to Canada because of all the Bears and wolves you have. Seriously come visit one day. I highly doubt anything bad will come your way.

a reply to: VanGcouverite

Safety is the most profound illusion anyone has. There is no reasonable expectation of safety anywhere in the universe.

Vigilance for ones own safety requires effort, repetition, and training.

The expectation that people and places should make you "feel safe" is a rather simplistic and childish view of the violent universe we live in.

a reply to: VanGcouverite
I believe back some time ago some other presidential candidate named Pat Buchanan said, electrify the Mexican border recall all our troops and lets take care of our own first" he never made it to the primaries so this just goes to show why Trump is speaking the truth, Pat said it and Trump means it

originally posted by: projectvxn
a reply to: VanGcouverite

Safety is the most profound illusion anyone has. There is no reasonable expectation of safety anywhere in the universe.

Vigilance for ones own safety requires effort, repetition, and training.

The expectation that people and places should make you "feel safe" is a rather simplistic and childish view of the violent universe we live in.

So your still having fun with your guns then?

Loads of fear and gun love

You really do love that gunstuff.

a reply to: acackohfcc

stay in your basement, and miss out on life if that's what it takes for you to feel 'safe'

Having recently been in US for 5 weeks I see most Americans "stuck in their basement with nary a book in sight" but 500 channels on TV

I saw the Stars n stripes everywhere and yet not much in the way of intelligence or much "informed" interest in politics.

I did see super big meals expensive drugs and "rehab centres" constantly advertised on TV. I saw large cars and cheap petrol.

Most are unaware that their lifestyle is contingent on Raping the world of resources/endless wars and the printing of money and the exportation of inflation by its dependence on the $US petrodollar,

to wit a blind selfish nation thats lost its way

That's ok! We'd rather you not come anyway. Enjoy your warm sunny beaches.

a reply to: VanGcouverite

Lies. You've never been here and if you were and started conversations with us raping the world as your lead off no wonder nobody talked to you about politics.

a reply to: TheConstruKctionofLight

Believe it or not, I have made it to almost 40 without being gunned down by police or my fellow citizens. I can go out at night by myself (a woman) and never be in fear that someone is going to accost me in any way. My entire family and my husband's has never been beaten down, gunned down, frisked, tasered, or the like by law enforcement or other civilians.

We have broken down on the side of the road and have known that someone would stop to help long before anyone considered stopping to hurt.

I have been mouthy with an officer years back. He left pissed and I stayed behind pissed. Nobody went to jail and nobody went to the morgue.

I have a neighbor who walked over to see how we were when he noticed that I had not been home in over a week. They sent a get well card through the mail after my husband told them I was in the hospital. Our power went off for a week a few years back during an ice storm an all the closest neighbors checked on each other daily until everyone was back up and running.

Come on down south for a visit if you ever decide to get over your fear of the US. You'll find some of the best folks in the world down here who would help you do anything if you just give 'em a "holler".

originally posted by: Kangaruex4Ewe
Believe it or not, I have made it to almost 40 without being gunned down by police or my fellow citizens.

You must posses incredible agility to have dodged all the bullets.

The zombie apocalypse ALWAYS starts in America.

So just run. Run as fast as you can!

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Like Neo my friend. EXACTLY like Neo....

a reply to: VanGcouverite

Please spread the word! Evidently people haven't heard this about the mean ole bad US of A because they keep trying to get in by hook or crook and STAY! My gosh! We have every nationality but one represented somewhere on our shores. They come like flies and won't leave! Why? Why? Why?

a reply to: queenofswords

They come like flies

"like flies" ????
Did you really just say this?

wow

/sigh...where to begin? I don't want to simply call you a coward, because I think the reason for your unfounded fear is more a lack of understanding of the world outside of media portrayals (typical for many of us in the Western world.)

originally posted by: VanGcouverite

I am afraid of your cops
I am afraid of your CIA and NSA
I think your gangs are way more bloodthirsty

Despite the recent uptick in problems, cops who are violent, psychotic, steroid and other drug abusers are still an extremely rare exception, not the rule. I'm 40 years old, and I've yet to even know anyone who knows anyone who has had a run-in with abusive police. I know a LOT of people, and I live in a large metropolitan area.

Approximately 32,000 people are killed per year in motor vehicle crashes. Somewhere between 400-1000 are killed by police annually (almost all of them 'justifiable') If you're afraid of police, even if you are a criminal in a "bad" neighborhood, you should be near catatonic in your fear of vehicles.

What is it you think the CIA and/or NSA would do to you if you were to visit the US that has you so quaking in your boots? I could see being concerned if you're a terrorist, or even perhaps if you had some extremely damaging information about certain politicians.

As for the gangs, if you were to come visit, would your plan be to hang out deep in gang territory? I can't imagine much reason to, unless maybe you're looking to score crack or heroin. Outside of that possibility, you might as well plan on a lightning bolt blasting right through your winning lottery ticket and into your hand on your way to your chance encounter with a bloodthirsty gang member. A note on that - I've never run into a bloodthirsty gang member, and I've not only spent most of my life in the large metro area, I've been deep in the ghetto many times, for various legitimate reasons (i.e. delivering oxygen tanks for home respiratory healthcare.)

originally posted by: VanGcouverite
I can't put this into words but we Canadians are more civilised for some reason, maybe because there are few of us compared

Take our gangs, they'll beat you up and steal your wallet, but in the states they will do all that and then kill you in some gruesome way

Are the beatings and muggings a common occurance in Canada? I still don't know anyone who has been mugged in the US, again, this is after 40 years of life and knowing a LOT of people. I know it happens, it's just EXTREMELY rare. By the way, violent crimes per capita in the US are at their lowest levels since the 1950's.

originally posted by: VanGcouverite
Call me crazy but

I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN U.S.A.

If I get pulled over by cops down there, I swear I am gonna get out of the car jump stomach first onto pavement, spread my arms and legs and start screaming Don't shoot me bro, I am complying, don't shoot me !!!!

I'm not going to call you crazy, just irrationally fearful. Now, if you were to do that in the US if you got pulled over, the cops would assume you're either crazy, or high as a kite. I recommend simply rolling down your window and keeping your hands visible.

originally posted by: VanGcouverite

in Canada they don't shot to kill but to stop you. In the US you get 7-16 bullets to make sure no surgeon can save you. To make sure you don't get a day in court.

Literally one year ago, a guy I know who lives in north burnaby swung a knife at a cop (he was high), he received A SINGLE BULLET to the shoulder

He recovered super fast in hospital and wrote an apology letter to the cop and will only be in jail for 1 more month. Not judge not his lawyer told him to write the letter, he is really not a bad person he just had a bad moment in his life.

In the states he would be dead and the officer involved would have taken a human life

Think about the difference here, the guy with a knife is sorry and does not hate the cop who shot him, and the cop is not a murderer

Again, the rate of police killings is EXTREMELY low, and in almost all of the cases, it's justifiable (i.e. someone is about to shoot another person, or the cop him/herself.) I've had several positive interactions with police here, including a 3am safety check at our house when they came across my vehicle in a parking lot (had an emergency and left it, planning to get it in the morning.) They were checking our house, concerned that something had happened, as the dome light was left on, and it was parked by a playground where we had been with the kids. They ran the plate, checked the address, checked to make sure everything was ok, then offered to give me a ride to pick up the car, rather than have to walk to it in the morning. That's a typical interaction.

Honestly, unless your plan is to go on a stabbing spree, armed robbery, or cooking up meth in a parking lot, you should be more concerned with the possibility of having your ears assaulted by a yipping poodle than anything else.

originally posted by: VanGcouverite

About 15 years ago I was in jail for 24 hr for some minor stuff, I was young, cut me some slack. And an officer told me that kitchen was closed for the night but he snuck into kitchen and brought me a muffin.

A FREAKIN MUFFIN

When would that happen in the states

NEVER

Wrong. It is a common occurance for the police in local and county jails to provide such basics. They're generally very empathetic, and know that things are already crappy enough for the jailee. Perhaps you've been watching too many movies?

originally posted by: VanGcouverite
You people have lost your way...

Why don't I tell you how I really feel...

I think Trump is right, I think you people are going straight to hell as a country.

LOL straight to hell? Why, because our violent crime rate continues with multiple decades of decline? Or because our debt to GDP ratio is going back down? Perhaps it's our increasing longevity, or our growing economy.

Trump does know how to push the buttons of folks whose world-view consists of what they see on TV.

originally posted by: VanGcouverite
One more thing, what's up with all the wars and regime changes America (sigh)

Take it from our Prime Minister Trudeau and pull your crap home. Secure your borders, start worrying about your own for a change.

Middle East has been in war since Forever, go home, you can't fix it.

Nailed one, finally, but almost every citizen of the US does not want us involved in wars in the Middle East (or anywhere) - ironically, the main supporters of such wars are also supporters of Donald Trump. My theory on that is that both are motivated by fear.

So come on out of that shell you're hiding in, just be sure to wear your seatbelt. We have a LOT of cars here!

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs
"like flies" ????
Did you really just say this?

wow

Well, we apparently are a nation made of poopie so I guess the metaphor works.

It's actually pretty awful how we Canadians perceive Americans sometimes, but it really is because of how the U.S. is 'presented' via the media.
CNN is playing constantly on a lot of screens in stores/coffee shops/businesses around here. When there is non-stop coverage of a shooting for days, it seems like it's happening everywhere, all the time. (On purpose I'm sure, lol)

Americans don't have much knowledge about us either though.
The Reader's Digest magazine used to put stories in about things that were said/done by Americans coming into Canada (at the border).
*bringing skis to Toronto in July
*asking where the igloos are
*coming in at Niagara Falls and wanting to drive to P.E.I. for an afternoon picnic

I travelled by Greyhound from Toronto to Austin Texas alone. 36 hours, lots of stop-overs and bus changes. Sometimes I was the only pale blonde woman in the bus station, or on the bus.
Nobody bothered me at all, and a few people chattered while we travelled.
The only thing that scared me was realizing my cell phone pkg. didn't work in the States, and I couldn't contact anybody IF I needed to.

I firmly believe that most of your population and ours, are decent people.
jacygirl

a reply to: jacygirl

Especially in the Midwest....from Minnesota on south......(til you get to Oklahoma )....


Friendliest people ever......

originally posted by: jacygirl
Americans don't have much knowledge about us either though.

Oh, stop.



Your capital is Canadacity.

Your national flag has what looks like a poison ivy leaf on it.

Your seasons are: winter, still winter, almost spring and construction.

All of you have a blood type of maple syrup (grade B which is the good stuff, it's more viscous).

Your country is somewhere north of ours.

And you must really, really hate us to send us that little effer Bieber.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Hey Buzzy!!

The funniest part of my trip was the Texans telling me that my accent was funny!

Excuse me, all y'all? MY accent is funny?
Lol, had a few laughs with Walgreen's employees over it.

The best part was NO lineup at the Tim Horton's drive thru! (Yes, somewhere I found a Tim Horton's!)

jacy

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: jacygirl
Americans don't have much knowledge about us either though.

Oh, stop.



Your capital is Canadacity.

Your national flag has what looks like a poison ivy leaf on it.

Your seasons are: winter, still winter, almost spring and construction.

All of you have a blood type of maple syrup (grade B which is the good stuff, it's more viscous).

Your country is somewhere north of ours.

And you must really, really hate us to send us that little effer Bieber.

While most of that is true, I must address the Biebs. If I remember correctly, one of you invited him there? Be careful what you wish for, eh?