Vancouver Homeless

I have been spending some time in the Canadian city of Vancouver, British Columbia.  Everybody wants to use Canada as an example of what we in the United States should be like.  We are constantly compared to Canada’s foreign relations, health care, social services, and their acceptance of cultural and social differences.

Really?

When was the last time any of you spent a little time with our neighbors to the north and dug beneath the surface?  

Here’s what I found Vancouver to be -- San Francisco’s twin sister.  Yup.  It’s shiny and glitzy and welcoming of all, on the surface that is.  Dig a little deeper and they have a problem with tweekers, homelessness, poverty, etc.  The streets outside of the immediate tourist areas are littered with feces and trash.  Panhandlers are just about everywhere as are barred-up windows and graffiti.  Canada has the same problems we do.  They are just better at hiding them and the world isn’t looking to criticize and shame Canada for anything.  

As for tolerance, that’s not really there either despite Canada’s 150^th birthday public service messages showing how happy they are with their diversity.   There is a strong undertow of prejudice and racism.  Yesterday, my man wore his Oakland Raiders shirt.  The shirt solicited instant friends at a bar we ended up at.  Our new friends were Canadian, but were of Indian and middle eastern descent and one in the group wore a turban.  It did not take long for them to start telling tales on how they are made to feel like second class citizens and were praising Americans, especially Californians, for being more accepting than the Canadians.  The guy who wore a turban, Sonny, went on to say how an American Navy Seal bought him drinks and befriended him.  Sonny was not expecting that.  He was expecting silent hostility.  Sonny had a strong sense of humor and said, “Think about that.  A f****** navy seal buying me, a f****** towel-headed, sheet-headed bastard who he’s trained to kill, and he’s buying ME drinks,” and went on to say how everybody should not take themselves so seriously and lighten up.  Political correctness has gone overboard.  Laugh more and remove the stick out of certain orifices.  

The others in the group told their tales as well and what was messed up in their country.  Their country has plenty of problems and they are not immune to issues, either.   It’s not the Utopia Michael Moore portrays.  So, world, before you throw your next rock at us saying how crappy we are and how we should be more like Canada, have a REALLY good look and then STFU.  

p.s. more Canadians immigrate to the United States than the other way around -- the ratio is approximately 2-1.  

p.p.s  I have no explanation for HeWhoShallNotBeNamed as occupying the Oval Office.  Sorry about that.  We're claiming temporary insanity as a defense.