of mice and elephants
I lived and taught in Rocherster, N.Y. in 1979-1980. At the Aquinas Institute.
It was my first year in the classroom, my first of two living in the United States, just across the lake from home.
The students I taught were keen to learn and, after my nerves allowed me to relax with them, friendly and welcoming.
At Aquinas we began each day with the U.S. national anthem, the pledge of allegiance and a prayer. It's a Catholic high school.
I stood with the class, respectful of their patriotic practice. I joined in the prayers.
During the second week of school, the students questioned my silence, my posture, my lack of participation, my abstinence. The explanation that I was a Canadian citizen didn’t satisfy them.
In the spring, we took a class trip to Toronto. The students found walking on Yonge Street alarming: a difference in experience, in culture, in environment.
I think of this as Canadian musicians touring the U.S. are asked to choose between allegiance to Canada and the U.S. by State police in Ohio, television hosts vent their imperialist thirst for a conquest of Canada, a New York Times columnist makes the case for voluntary annexation, a former NSA analyst ponders the possibility of an American invasion of Canada and the President of the United States openly and repeatedly attacks Canadian sovereignty.
Current events, as well as my students' challenge, may well have common roots:
Who on earth would be against being American?
Well, for a start...
The photos are from the first meeting of the Elbows Up Toronto.
Canadians are as united as they have ever been in their resolve to protect their sovereignty, their culture, their social and political arrangements.
We aren’t anti-American:
we know who we are, love our country, recognize its flaws, are acting to address them. We have considered alternatives and made our choice.
Time will tell.
Wish us well, as we do you. Wherever you are.
Here are some useful resources:
-Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
-Charlie Angus-The Resistance on Substack
-Malcolm Nance
-Elbows Up Toronto
-Elbows Up Canada
-Charlie Angus Website
-Treaty 13
-David Frum
This is a cursory and partial list. Please send other sources for addition to a separate page.
By the way, Wikepedia is not the only source of information. Mel Hurtig, a Canadian publisher and entrepreneur, saw this day coming and single-handedly managed to fund and produce the Canadian Encyclopedia. It's still going strong online. And it's free: for everyone.
I am always interested in your thoughts. Please leave a comment or send me a message at photosmm@pm.me.
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