I love America... and I love Americans... I have often said that some of my favourite memories as a kid were driving from Toronto to Florida and stopping in Ohio, Georgia, Tennessee, and my favourite state of the Union, Kentucky.

That said, the black eye America has with the world was never more poignant than a "Thursday Thirteen" Sue conferred upon me on coming home yesterday...

Apparently, on one "TT", a woman noted that she was proud to be American because Americans were all heroes... The "evidence" of this was that America is always helping people all over the world, but when it came to their own crisis, the world never came to help those heroes in the States.

God bless Nicholas at A Gentleman's Domain who apparently pointed out that sixty nations offered America assistance after Hurricane Katrina... and were turned down... and look how well FEMA did without that help.

I also wanted to forward this person's URL to some of the thousands of families on Canada's East Coast who housed American travellers stuck in Gander and whatnot when 9/11 grounded all flights... or one of the literally thousands of police officers, fire fighters, construction workers, and EMTs in Toronto who went to New York after the terrorist attacks... and let them know how (I guess,) they don't count.

I realise that this was one ignorant blogger's opinion... and simply showed an utter lack of understanding about "the rest of the world"... but when you're not an American... and you don't live in America... you often get tired of being told how worthless you are by some Americans. Many Americans... even presidents... often make America look a bit like "The Prettiest Girl In School" from some 1980's John Hughes movie... who has every reason to boast... but boasts so often and feels so empowered by her looks that she ends up becoming ugly in many other student's eyes and her good looks seem more and more artificial... and in that, she's more than a little insensitive to those around her.

Me, my family, and really pretty much everyone I know who lives in Canada... does not want to move to America or become American. Not out of hate... not out of any malice... but because we have the same freedoms and in many cases, a better lifestyle (at least, according to the UN and several other sources...) and we're not jealous of America... we're neighbours. That's all...

...and we have some heroes too.

I've often said that patriotism does not mean having to say everyone else sucks... which is odd... because not too long ago, I was saying it to many Canadians who often feel that their national identity is threatened by our large and sometimes overbearing neighbour to the South... and now, here I am saying it to an American blogger...

I suppose the world is indeed changing.

America is great... it is beautiful... and it is a good nation at heart... but some people in it must remember that there are other places on the globe that honestly have an equal and, in some case, statistically better quality of life for it's citizens... with all the same (or similar) rights and freedoms... with an equally interesting history... and no, we're not all pushing at our borders to run to the USA because we're jealous of it.

The "Prettiest Girl in School" can often come off as more make-up and veneer than actual beauty to those around her... and she might try to recognize and learn from those around her to make herself a far more attractive person.

Just a thought.

A MESSAGE FOR CANADIANS: The Federal Government has tabled a bill that would turn most of us into criminals.

For example, a kid who "rips" an MP3 from his parents CD collection, re-mixes the tune, and uploads it to YouTube could face a total of $40,500.00 or up to ten years in prison... and that's just ONE example of many.

Unlocking your cell phone for use in another country or with another service, copying video tapes to DVD or computer videos, moving music from your CDs to your iPod... all will be illegal and a minimum $500.00 fine per phone/song/single video clip... maximum fine of $20,000.00 or five-years per offence in prison per phone/song/single video clip.

Don't make listening to CD tracks on an iPod or copying your professionally made wedding video tape to DVD akin to drug dealing and pimping.

If like me, you think this is wrong... be you Conservative, Liberal, New Democrat, Bloc, or other, PLEASE write to your MP and let them know... PLEASE stop bill C-61.

Click here for a neat and quick online letter you can send to your MP showing your wish to stop this bill from going forward.

Join the FaceBook Group.

You can also click here to see a video on what you can do...