I have been reading so much nonsense about the American election. The so-called ‘experts’ don’t get it. It is not so much about who is in power, or who is out of power, or what the consequences were, or are, or will be. It isn’t about who was or will be good or bad. And it is certainly not about what the paid pundits and robots have to say!
Americans see through it all. They may say something, or they may say nothing. Rather, they act. But only once they are annoyed. America’s intrinsic strength comes from the way its people live and what they believe in. We saw this in the election results last night. America wanted a change. So they voted for change. Simple as that. Let me tell you a story that illustrates this. This story captures something of the American spirit, American tolerance, and the American belief in the individual. Americans are doers. Americans are quite capable of making changes – when they want it. Or when they must. Like after Pearl Harbor.
Back in the summer of 1970, a friend and I, aged 14 and 13, cycled to the USA and back from Ottawa, leaving around 3:30 am and getting back around 11:00 pm. It was a trip of some 250 miles (400 km) on a major two-lane highway. We did not tell our parents of our plan. We knew how dangerous it was. We had no identification, no wallet and no money. Although it was a simpler world back then, it was completely foolhardy. And we knew it. We crossed at Prescott – Ogdensburg. We had packed a lunch, and some of my Mum’s oatmeal cookies, and, oh yes, water bottles. Kids!
Since we had done a lot of cycling, I did carry a leather belt hanging from my handlebars. This was for use on farm dogs that would run up to bite our ankles. It was amazing how effective the belt was – fat farmers would suddenly appear when their barking dog yelped in pain! (Until I carried the belt, dogs did bite us, and since the bastard farmers never called their dogs off, we could not find who the guilty dog belonged to! Some of the farmers thought it funny – I guess living in the back-water of the Ottawa Valley, they hadn’t see bicycles before, either).
We cycled across the St. Lawrence River on an amazing metal-grate bridge, way up in the sky to permit freighters to pass underneath. It was windy and scary at the top. And what did the American Custom guys do? They laughed when we told them our story. They had never seen cyclists on the bridge; they said it must be free to cross on a bicycle because no tariff was posted. They called their buddies to the window, waved us through, congratulated us, and wished us a safe return. And filled our water bottles. It was nice. Those Americans made up their own mind. They clearly had not been trained to deal with cyclists, and judged for themselves that we were honest adventurers, foolish, maybe, but individuals on a mission. Those Americans showed trust, an open mind, and encouragement. What more could kids ask for?
Coming back into Canada, of course, was a different story. Canadian Customs guys didn’t believe us. In those days, you didn’t HAVE to have documentation to cross – so it wasn’t a documentation issue. They just could not believe we had cycled from Ottawa to the US and were now returning. It wasn’t possible so we must be liars…It wasn’t nice. Eventually, we got in, only it got worse when it got dark and we thought (being such thoughtful children after all) that we should tell out parents that we would be home around 11:00 pm. So around 9:00 pm we stopped in Smith Falls at an Ontario Provincial Police Station and asked to use their ‘phone to call our parents. You would have thought we were rapists and murderers by the trouble the police gave us!
Yet I don’t think our parents ever knew what we had been up to…
I just don’t think we would have had this trouble in the USA. There is a profound difference between perceptions of justice, liberty, individualism and authority in Canada and the USA.
The American people will act when they are annoyed enough that their inchoate views coalesce, and they want change. This is a fundamental part of democracy. America is founded on liberty and individualism. Most importantly, they have the right to do whatever they want! Right or wrong is irrelevant! Trust the people – we do in juries!
Benjamin Franklin chose the timber rattlesnake as the symbol for vigilance, assertiveness, individualism, and liberty. It is best expressed with the ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ Gadsden flag. Don’t underestimate America. Don’t stir and unite America against you, as it will bite!
Contributed by Nigel Scotchmer
