Anti-Americanism

             As a Canadian working abroad I am constantly mistaken for being American.  It’s not all-together surprising.  There is a large American expat community in Accra, a significant Peace Corps presence in Ghana, and often there is no discernable difference between a Canadian accent and that of an American.  Am I offended by this inaccuracy?  Am I hurt?  Judging by the reactions of those I correct, the litany of apologies that follow to remedy this apparently ghastly error, I should be quite insulted.  Well…I’m not.  I suppose I would prefer people to inquire where I’m from before simply assuming I’m American, but really I just don’t care.  In fact, let me make an even bolder statement.  I like Americans.  I also like Belgians, Laotians, Swedes, the Irish, Ugandans seem quite swell, and, while I’ve never met someone from Fiji, I’m sure they’re nice too.  Now there are some really lousy Americans out there (I’m certainly not too fond of those who roughed up three of my friends and I after a hockey game in New Jersey a few years back), but there happen to be some real rotten Canadians around as well.  What’s unfortunate is that some people are unable to separate U.S. policies from American people.  Discounting the myriad of mistakes and crimes (Guantanamo Bay is a crime) that the current rogue regime in the U.S. has committed, perhaps the worst thing they’ve done is to sully the reputation of the American people.  However, the responsibility still lies with the individual.  It’s become so popular to be anti-American these days that it has become a merchandise industry in itself.  Sadly, a lot of nice Americans that I’ve met in Ghana and elsewhere are subjected to smears, not based whatsoever on their character, but solely on an anti-US doctrine.  It’s really unfortunate and it’s really unfair.   So call me what you want, I’m a person before I’m a Canadian, and I suspect the same is true for Americans.