cherson@fsleng.DEC (03/21/85)
To the person who complained about Canadian customs hassling him I'd to reiterate someone's comment that if you take upscale elctronics with you, you'd better expect some sort of hassle with ANY customs officers, no matter what country it is. Customs work tends to attract two extremes, one , the people who couldn't care less what goes in or out, and the other, the tightass petty-fascist bureaucrats who enjoy creating problems for travellers. Every time I come back into the U.S. I have to run a quick personality check on who is working in customs and change lines accordingly. I'd like to also comment on "ugly americans". In respect to other languages, Americans are very isolated from the world, you can travel for thousands of miles across the country without having to speak any other language besides English. Quite unlike Europe or the Third World. If the majority of Americans were forced to know at least one other language then they could at least have some insight into other cultures, etc. As far as Canada is concerned, many Americans do take it for granted. But the fact that there are people speaking English, shopping malls, identical life- styles to those in the states does not help much. Only in Quebec, where they speak French, can some difference be discerned. Don't forget Americans have been fed bullshit from demogogic politicians on how the "U.S. is #1, etc.". Not that this should excuse obnoxious behavior, but I have seen bad behavior in people of other nationalities also, and I have spent a fair amount of time travelling around the world. What it comes down to is nationalism is one factor that has fragmented the world. Canadian nationalism isn't any better Canadian nationalism isn't any better than American nationalism. A friend once told me that "the difference between nationalism and patriotism is the difference between thilth and dirt".