#canada is a nation of immigrants anyway

[apostate-in-an-alcove]

The West exploits and drains the rest of the world of its wealth and resources but as soon as anyone from those exploited nations tries to immigrate to the West, racist crackers have a meltdown over POC allegedly "taking over their country." The lack of self awareness is astounding.

[brainstirfry]

im making a thread of things that happened in the wolverine's canonical lifespan. Cause they had movie that was supposed to be his ORIGIN story, but it gave 5 minutes to one experience in his childhood and 45 cumulative seconds to like THREE major wars he was in. So just to highlight how rich this character COULD be with culture across actual CENTURIES here's some shit that Logan Howlett lived through since he was born in the year of our lord, 1832. (By the way, as of earlier this month, that makes him 192 years old cause I think some people just wanted him to have the same birthday as hugh jackman which is great and I support it but I also can't find any evidence that it's actually true.) the last note I will make is that 1832 is neither the date supported by the comics and I've heard that it's not even true for Origins, but it's the most commonly cited and I think it will all be okay. it will all be okay in time. Oh yeah, and spoilers for x men origins Wolverine.

- For historical background, 1801 in America saw the election of Thomas Jefferson, who was the THIRD ever president of the US, so just for context the revolutionary war was just under 30 years prior and the events of Hamilton the musical will shake out within 3 years.

- Anyways in Canada after the American revolution the British split the territory in half, upper and lower Canada and all the British loyalists in the North American colonies went up there. 20 years after the split was the war of 1812.

- Washington Irving was alive during what would be Logan's parents? Time? which I mention because I think Beast would quote him and it would send Logan into a flashback that's the only reason

FROM HERE OUT Logan was probably alive for these things:

- Charles Darwin visits the Galápagos Islands in 1835 but it's hard to say how that really fits in with there being 'evolved' mutants but it's an interesting thought.

- Telegraphs were being widely used by the 1840s. Cool

- there's the Great famine in Ireland late 1840s which kicks off a lot of immigration to the US, in time for the gold rush starting around 1848. Also during this period Edgar Allan Poe hits national fame

- Ok finally getting to the First fucking thing we even see in Origins after the initial opening scene. This is being shown WHILE credits are rolling: the civil war. (1861-65) (Idk if him and Victor are still living in Canada at this point or if they've emigrated to the US after being on the run(?) but it doesn't really matter since Canadians did fight in the war regardless, mostly on the union side, obviously. By this time, they're both certifiably adults. Also Abraham Lincoln is assassinated.

- the late 1870s had graham bell's telephone and Edison's lightbulb. And wax cylinders for music on phonographs. Battle of Little Bighorn in Montana in the summer of 1876

- 1886 I wrote "statue of liberty put up. damn."

- 1890's: Wounded Knee, Carnegie hall OPENS, Sherlock Holmes first appears in a newspaper. kinda thought that was interesting. 93 there's a depression in America that foreshadows the Great Depression, then oh this one is important,

- 1894 has the first motorcycle production in the US! wow.. later Logan will buy his favorite '48 panhead "new off the line"

[crosbyism]

wait hold on what about don cherry?

not sure what exactly you’re asking me here, anon, but if you’re asking me who don cherry is, that is unfortunately a question i can answer.

don cherry was what you might call a famous hockey personality. before he was involved in the media side of things, he was a coach for the boston bruins in the ‘70s (leading them to the SCF twice), and before he was a coach, he was mostly an AHL player. He played a single NHL game for the bruins during his playing career.

but the media side of things was how he really became well-known. more specifically, cherry got a segment on hockey night in canada called coach’s corner starting in the mid-eighties, when hockey coverage was really still small-fry in the sports world, but would soon become a big gig after wayne gretzky’s ‘88 trade to the kings and the subsequent rise in interest in ice hockey in the states. he kept the gig until 2019, when he was fired by sportsnet at 85 years of age for being racist on the air. which kind of sums it up more succinctly, actually: from at least 2010 onwards, don cherry was the hockey world’s racist peepaw that everyone uncomfortably and politely ignored at thanksgiving dinner.

or, at least you and the more down-to-earth part of the family ignored peepaw. your red-pilled jackass cousin from the other side of the family, however, spent a little too much time with peepaw growing up and always got the good cookies from him, so now he thinks peepaw might’ve had a point when he was talking about “those weak women and weird queers and dirty immigrants” and occasionally using the N word. Your parents are still hoping he’ll grow out of it, so they’ll make conversation with him like he’s not 0.5 seconds from launching into conspiracy theories at any given moment, but you and your sibling know that that guy? is a big red “DO NOT ENGAGE” flag.

i’m mostly talking about barstool sports, here, and the conservative parts of hockey culture. i dunno if you’ve ever wondered where it came from, but it wasn’t outta nowhere (and not the murky waters of “general societal misogyny and the patriarchy” either). to be fair, it might not be appropriate to lay the blame entirely at don cherry’s feet— same way you and your sibling turned out okay despite having the same peepaw as That Guy— but he sure as shit didn’t help, and he gave a lot of credibility to the most rancid dogshit discriminatory takes you’ve ever heard in your life.

(it’s genuinely hard to overstate his rampant racism. like, the comment he was fired for definitely wasn’t the first time, it had just gotten to the point where sportsnet couldn’t ignore it anymore and he’d used up literally all three dozen of his Get Out Of Jail Free cards already.)

anyway, the reason i mentioned it in connection with feminisation in fandom is because i was doing some introspection and thinking about fandom trends (as one does), and i realised that the rise of popularity in feminisation in hrpf happens to correlate with don cherry’s retirement. seperately, i was thinking about the shape of the squick i have around it, and i realised that part of the reason i get a hard squick from sid (and most players from around that generation) getting feminised probably has to do with the actual literal coverage and language within hockey media that was around as they were coming up and (still) when I got into hockey in 2015. as i’ve mentioned, it wasn’t just don cherry, but… it’s definitely noticeable that he was an impetus for the prevalence and use of that kind of language. you see, being an “outrageous” type of media personality and an old-school kind of chauvinist (among other -ists) meant that cherry got away with saying the most awful shit about players for years. when sid was a rookie, he called him a whiner, weak, a cryer, etc— yeah, flyers fans coined “cindy cryby”, but don cherry brought that kind of talk on national television. it wasn’t just sid, either (although sid was, in no particular order: too small, too pretty, too emotional, a whiner, too dainty, not tough enough. stop me if this sounds eerily like some weird demeaning kind of feminisation yet). any russian in the league got disparaged by him too, and if you dig up old quotes from him about ovechkin in particular, the language is kind of— slut shaming? idek how to phrase it. ovechkin was too loud, celebrated to much, wasn’t demure and solemn enough. ironically, this is when sid would get praised: the “good nice quiet canadian girl boy” to ovi’s “loud fun-loving slut russian” a lot of it had xenophobic undertones for sure, but something about how he spoke just made this type of derogatory feminising language very prevalent in hockey circles, even among professional coverage.

don cherry was fired around the time that kind of language became very much non grata anyway, but i just had a “huh.” moment about it that it’s especially died down in the five years since he’s retired and that the rise of feminisation (in more positive and interesting ways) in fic has increased since then. just interesting to note; power to the people and all that jazz.

[sanyu-thewitch05]

My opinion on the term Soulaan/Soula as a nickname for African Americans(the ones that were here in America since slavery)

Here's a definition from @realbrwnsugar on tiktok: Soulaan/Soula people is another term for African American; descendants of American Slaves. The term was made because of it comes from parts of AA culture like "soul food, soul music, etc". SOUL(AA) N(nation).

Here's their TikTok of subgroups I featured.

There are also subgroups of American-descended slaves that would fit into the Soulaan definition like the:

Gullah, Geechee, Gullah Geechee

Mascogos(Black Seminoles who escaped to Coahuila, Mexico)

Louisiana Creole

Afro-Novas(American Slaves who escaped to Nova Scotia, Canada)

Afro-Seminole

Americo-Liberians (Slaves who were sent to the nation of Liberia)

Samaná Americanas(American slaves who immigrated to the Dominican Republic in 1824)

And probably many more considering American Slaves went wherever they could to escape slavery.

Here's my personal opinion; I like the term Soulaan/Soula as a nickname for African-American. It directly defines the specific group being talked about(Descendants of American Slaves), and there's no "Oh, we're technically this too!" going like with African-American(because anyone from Africa who's like a second-generation immigrant or whose mom or dad is American can also fit under the ethnicity term of African-American). Soulaan/Soula is solid and seems like a good solution for how to refer to ourselves as Descendants of American Slaves without the possible confusion of referring to someone who's more recently descended from Africa.

Yes, we are still African-Americans. Yes, we are still black, but we need a way to distinguish ourselves and our culture. Especially when the African-Americans solely aren't from Descendants of American Slaves anymore.

Anyway, feel free to add your opinion if you're Black American(descended from American Slaves)/Soulaan, or from the listed groups above.

[cryptophasia-nabros]

I'm going to try to write this thought out properly.

I saw a post comment with someone saying that jazz doesn't count as American culture because it was created by a mistreated minority (ie. African Americans).

Which, look, you wanna go up to a black person on any random US street and tell them they don't count as American, you're as racist as the Dred Scott case.

I don't believe that America and Canada, as personifications of their peoples, represent only the "White-Anglo-Saxon-Protestants". Both are diverse countries with a long history of immigration, not to mention the many indigenous peoples that inhabited the land before they came into existence as countries.

Have these minorities been treated awfully? Yes. But I believe that America and Canada as personifications have suffered for it. The abuse we have heaped in each other is to our detriment as a people and a nation. And to our Nations as well. Because I don't believe either Al nor Matt represent only the white European culture. They are also representative of an Navajo child stolen from his family and forced into a Reservation school, a black girl who is spat at for trying to drink out of the Whites-only water fountain, an Japanese family in an internment camp, and a Mexican one forcibly separated at the border. They have been hurt, and hurt themselves. They have been taught to hate parts of themselves, but that part is still there.

I like to think that as time has past and we as a people have grown (somewhat anyways), so have they. When I think of our Hetalia America and Canada, I think there is potential there to explore. With all Nations of course, in different ways. But I always enjoy seeing the North America brothers depicted as more than just a mush of co-opted British/European culture. I love AU versions of them as mixed race as well, and wish it was depicted more often.

If that makes any sense....

[unhonestlymirror]

Technically speaking the modern state of Israel practices settler colonialism insofar as it follows a policy of ethnonationalist/religious favoritism of one group - Israeli Jews mostly descended from post-1945 immigrants from Europe and many nations throughout the Middle East - over another, the Palestinians, the people indigenous to the land Israel now inhabits, who have lived on that land for centuries prior to the mass immigration of Jewish settlers outside of Palestine. Taking land from an indigenous population forcibly to give to another is the definition of occupation; as a Ukrainian, you should be more familiar with that than most. From an anthropological POV Israel is as much of an occupier state as the US, Canada, or Australia, and any credible historian, anthropologist, and political scientist would confirm as much. Citing one (1) Israeli historian is a weak argument; visiting Egypt five times/Jordan once/"speaking with Egyptians about Palestine" or whatever even more so. I personally like your blog and I appreciate your insight into the Russian invasion and occupation of Ukraine, and I believe Hamas is as harmful to the people of Palestine as any other terrorist organization and do not support them, but your recent posts come off as terribly arrogant and performatively pseudointellectual, especially your conflation of anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism, which is a red herring logical fallacy. People are angry with Israel not because they love Hamas, but because Israel is murdering thousands of innocent civilians in cold blood and in disproportionate measure to the original attacks. People are not endorsing Hamas, they are pointing out that occupied and aggrieved people will inevitably fight back against their occupiers, absolutely have the right to do so, and unfortunately may turn to drastic measures to do so. I suggest with all due respect that you do more research on why exactly Palestine has grievances with Israel and perhaps show more empathy and grace to the people of Gaza than you have thus far, because all you've done so far is cry "anti-Semitism!" and argue that Palestine actually does deserve all of this death and terror "because Hamas", and it's getting tiring. After all, anyone could argue that Ukraine deserved all the shit it's gone through in the past decade, because you've consistently chosen corrupt and greedy politicians in democratic elections, and "most people in Ukraine speak Russian anyway, so maybe Russia does have the right to take Ukraine back, I mean historically Ukraine has always belonged to Moscow, and Ukraine doesn't have the right to fight back because it's not a legitimate state" ad nauseum. But nobody does that, because that's stupid. Yet you feel entitled to pass such judgment on Palestine because of Hamas and it shows your utter hypocrisy and lack of understanding on the matter in its entirety. Do better.

Wha-

This is an astonishing accusation.

First of all, yes, I highly recommend you to read

These

Three

Texts

I still highly recommend you to read Nadia Lipes, who is not just some historian but a world-famous Ukrainian-Jewish historian, a genealogist, who created a huge Jewish genealogy database, who helped a lot of people to find their relatives killed by nazis or communists or someone else.

I've already written multiple times why the russo-Ukrainian war and Israel-Palestinian war are not the same at all, although they are connected through russia, which finances both of them. As well as many other genocides, but it's not the point.

"The Palestinians, the people indigenous to the land Israel" - are you telling me that Jews are not indigenous of Judea, with Rachel's Tomb and stuff???

They bought the land back. They didn't take it by fire and sword. Palestinians were pretty okay with it until soviet union started financing hamas.

"Disproportionate measure" - oh come on. I've never heard about Israeli raping Muslim women. En masses. Burning them alive. Shooting children etc.

"Occupied and aggrieved people will inevitably fight back against their occupiers, absolutely have the right to do so, and unfortunately may turn to drastic measures to do so."

Is this what you call fighting back? Have you ever heard about Ukrainians doing to russians the same things Hamas and Palestinians did to those poor people on festival?

Charred remains and a CT scan of the remains show a parent and child who were bound together and burned alive on Oct. 7. Two spinal columns—one of an adult and one of a child—can be seen in the scan. The pair were likely embracing as they burned.

Could you please tell me when have I ever said that "Palestine actually does deserve all of this death and terror "because Hamas"? Could you please tell me when have I ever said this? What Palestine has to go through is horrible because they are literally LDNR of the Middle East.

"Anyone could argue that Ukraine deserved all the shit it's gone through in the past decade because you've consistently chosen corrupt and greedy politicians in democratic elections [...] But nobody does that because it's stupid." - Ahaha. Nobody does that, you say? Then whom do you quote? You clearly haven't talked with people enough. Also, lmao, bringing the corruption topic? When Hungary, Slovakia, Netherlands, Poland, Germany, UNITED NATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS exist?

The only person who is showing utter hypocrisy and lack of understanding right now is you, dear anon.

You may not trust me, but you should trust Nadia Lipes and Rami Aman.

[qqueenofhades]

US-centric racial bullshit is even a problem in Canada. We LOVE pretending that we’re so much better than the United States and that our prejudices aren’t nearly as bad, but the way we’ve treated indigenous peoples has been abysmal for centuries, and most Canadians who aren’t Gen Z weren’t even aware of the worst of it until 2021. I’m not sure how many people outside of Canada know this but in 2021 they found a mass grave of 215 indigenous children outside an old residential school in Kamloops in BC, and everyone was scandalized for approximately two weeks. They’ve since searched like maybe five more schools out of over a hundred and found thousands of more bodies, and the initiative to even look has kind of fizzled out. This was my parents’ first exposure to the idea of residential schools, we’ve been sweeping this shit under the rug for decades, and we still get off to “not being the US”.

All this to say that Canadian history isn’t as flashy as the US but is still worth taking a look at. There’s a lot of harmful institutions still in place left over from like 1873 that symbolize incredibly tense political situations that continue to this day. And even our black history gets boiled down to “Underground Railroad”, oh aren’t we nice, when that’s really not all that happened.

Because I read international news and follow international politics, I am personally aware of the Canadian residential schools scandal, but it absolutely is something that fizzled out after a few weeks and was attempted to be covered up with a few boilerplate apologies and nothing in the way of real change or action. I would therefore gently question your phrasing of "US-centric racial bullshit," since the whole point of your ask is that while Canada pretends to be better than the US, it has its own specific racial and cultural blind spots relating to its own practice of racism. So would this not be more accurately called "Canada-centric racial bullshit?" After all, you're talking about something that happened in Canada, was perpetrated by Canadians, is directly related to the modern Canadian state, and as such as has been denied by white Canadians. After all, the big Trucker March of right-wingers that shut down Toronto took place in Canada, not the US. So yes, there's definitely a need to talk about Canadian racism in and of itself, and not just Canadian racism as a corollary of the US.

Canada is likewise a white settler-colonial state founded by Europeans (English and French, a split still prominent in modern Canada), and that therefore involved equally horrendous legacies of displacement and genocide against the First Nations people. Because Canada is so much smaller population-wise (300 million+ in the US vs just 38 million in Canada), it has thus to some degree been forced to expand its population by relying on immigrants and refugees. And to its credit, it has been more proactive about accepting refugees than the US. But there are still plenty of right-wingers who think that a geographically enormous and empty country like Canada, with only 38 million people, is getting too "crowded" with "foreigners." Likewise, Canada is still officially a part of the Commonwealth, aka the lightly rebranded British Empire, so its formal head of state is the UK monarch. And to the best of my knowledge, there haven't been any serious conversations about breaking that link and reorganizing as a republic, the way there have been in Caribbean Commonwealth countries like Jamaica and Barbados (which in fact just did it). That is because white first-world Canadians can see association with the British Empire as a "prestige," instead of the legacy of slavery and exploitation that was the British Empire against majority-black countries in the Caribbean.

Anyway: Canadians are always stereotyped as the nice people who apologize for everything and mind their business, and yes, the flaming dumpster fire of America would make anyone feel superior about not being that. But it doesn't mean there's no problems or that it's a perfect society free of its own flaws and failures, and Americans are also definitely guilty of treating it as some magical escape valve: witness the "I'm going to move to Canada" refrain when something political goes wrong here. In some ways, yes, that would be preferable, viz. free healthcare and strict gun laws. But yeah.

[newstfionline]

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Canada Post says operations to resume after nearly a monthlong strike (AP) Canada Post said operations will resume at the national postal service on Tuesday after the nearly monthlong work stoppage. Workers went on strike after failing to reach a negotiated agreement with the primary postal operator in Canada over key issues, including wages, job security, and how to staff a proposed expansion into weekend delivery.

Three Dead at Wisconsin Christian School, Including Shooter, Police Say (CNN/AP) A 15-year-old student opened fire inside a study hall at a small Christian school in Wisconsin, killing a teacher and teenager and prompting a swarm of police officers responding to a second grader’s 911 call. The female student wounded six others in Monday’s shooting at Abundant Life Christian School, including two students who were in critical condition, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said. A teacher and three students were taken to a hospital with less serious injuries. Police said the shooter, identified as Natalie Rupnow, was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound when officers arrived and died en route to a hospital. There have been over 322 school shootings in the United States in 2024, according to a report by data scientist David Riedman. Riedman found that there have been at least 210 victims, both deceased and wounded.

As Trump threatens mass deportations, Central America braces for an influx of vulnerable migrants (AP) As U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office in January with a promise of carrying out mass deportations, Honduras and other Central American countries people have fled for generations are bracing for a potential influx of vulnerable migrants—a situation they are ill-prepared to handle. Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, which have the largest number of people living illegally in the U.S., after Mexico, could be among the first and most heavily impacted by mass deportations, said Jason Houser, former Immigration & Customs Enforcement chief of staff in the Biden administration. Because countries like Venezuela refuse to accept deportation flights from the U.S., Houser suggests that the Trump administration may prioritize the deportation of “the most vulnerable” migrants from those countries who have removal orders but no criminal record, in an effort to rapidly increase deportation numbers. “We don’t have the capacity” to take so many people, said Antonio García, Honduras’ deputy foreign minister. “There’s very little here for deportees.” People who return, he said, “are the last to be taken care of.”

Memecoins (NBC News) The second Trump presidency hasn’t quite begun yet, but the era of memecoins is already here. Take, for example, Fartcoin. Like most other memecoins (and cryptocurrencies), Fartcoin is functionally useless, and its value isn’t tied to anything besides internet hype. Despite that, the coin’s value has tripled over the past week, soaring to a market cap of $700 million. Underlying the rise is a growing cynicism about the state of the economy. “All these kids are like, ‘All the good stocks are way too expensive. And houses? I can’t afford them,’” said Omid Malekan, a professor who teaches crypto at Columbia Business School. “So, ‘I’ll gamble on something that can ‘10x’ my money, and if I lose it all, Who cares, I was screwed anyway.’”

Brazilian President Lula discharged from hospital after surgery to stop brain bleed (AP) Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was discharged from the hospital Sunday after undergoing surgery to stop a brain bleed. The 79-year-old president spoke alongside doctors in a press conference on Sunday morning in a show that he was doing well following the head surgery. “I’m here alive, well, with the urge to work. And I’ll tell you something I used to say during the campaign. I’m 79 years old, I have the energy of 30 and the enthusiasm of 20 to build this country,” Lula said.

Pope Francis makes 1st papal visit to France’s Corsica (AP) Pope Francis on the first papal visit ever to the French island of Corsica on Sunday called for a dynamic form of laicism, promoting the kind of popular piety that distinguishes the Mediterranean island from secular France as a bridge between religious and civic society. Francis appeared relaxed and energized during the one-day visit, just two days before his 88th birthday, still displaying a faded bruise from a fall a week ago. He frequently deviated from his prepared homily during Mass at the outdoor La Place d’Austerlitz, remarking at one point that he had never seen so many children as in Corsica—except, he added, in East Timor on his recent Asian tour. “Make children,″ he implored. “They will be your joy and your consolation in the future.”

German economic decline (Bloomberg) Germany is reaching a point of no return. Business leaders know it, the people in the country feel it, but politicians haven’t come up with answers. That has set Europe’s largest economy on a path of decline that threatens to become irreversible. Following five years of stagnation, Germany’s economy is now 5% smaller than it would have been if the pre-pandemic growth trend had been maintained. More worryingly, Bloomberg Economics estimates that the bulk of the shortfall will be tough to recover, due to structural blows such as the loss of cheap Russian energy and Volkswagen AG and Mercedes-Benz Group AG struggling to keep pace with China’s auto firms.

Georgia’s political crisis (Guardian) Georgia (the country) is facing a full-on leadership crisis. On Saturday, the country’s legislature, controlled by the Georgian Dream party, selected a pro-Kremlin far-right politician to serve as president, sparking a crisis as sitting president Salome Zourabichvili—a pro-Western, center-left politician from the country’s opposition—has refused to step down, calling the election “illegitimate.” Georgia (the country) has been embroiled in political turmoil since October, when the pro-Russia Georgian Dream party came into power after contested parliamentary elections. President Zourabichvili has claimed that the election process was contaminated by Russian interference, and crowds of protestors have demonstrated in front of parliament ever since. The real constitutional crisis is expected to begin following Georgia’s inauguration ceremony on December 29, as the country will supposedly have two presidents in power at that point.

Turkey exploits post-9/11 counterterrorism model to target critics in exile (Washington Post) Seven abductions in October were the latest of more than 118 “renditions” that Turkey’s intelligence service, MIT, has orchestrated over the past decade. Turkey has branded this global campaign its own “war on terror” in an echo of the phrase that came to define the period after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. Turkey has also drawn extensively from the U.S. counterterrorism playbook. Beyond renditions, it has used secret detentions, terrorism watch lists, asset seizures and torture—including at least one reported case of waterboarding—against exiles, according to U.N. documents, human rights groups, Western security officials and public records in Turkey. Turkey’s attempt to characterize this crackdown as counterterrorism is seen by human rights organizations and Western security officials as an attempt to legitimize a campaign of transnational repression, a term for governments’ use of violence and intimidation against exiles seen as a political threat.

Christians in Syria mark country’s transformation with tears as UN envoy urges an end to sanctions (AP) In churches across long-stifled Syria, Christians marked the first Sunday services since the collapse of Bashar Assad ‘s government in an air of transformation. Some were in tears. Others clasped their hands in prayer. “They are promising us that government will be formed soon and, God willing, things will become better because we got rid of the tyrant,” said one worshiper, Jihad Raffoul, as the small Christian population hoped that new messages of inclusion would ring true. “Today, our prayers are for a new page in Syria’s future,” said another, Suzan Barakat. To help those efforts, the U.N. envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called for a quick end to Western sanctions as the rebel alliance that ousted Assad and sent him into exile in Russia a week ago considers the way forward.

Unexploded mines endanger returnees in Syria (Washington Post) Tens of thousands of Syrians returning home face a new danger: millions of unexploded land mines and munitions from the country’s 13-year civil war. The live ordnance is littered across vast swaths of Syria, a nonprofit warned Saturday, and poses a severe threat.

Death toll from Israel-Hamas war tops 45,000, Palestinians say (Reuters) At least 53 Palestinians, including a video journalist for Al Jazeera TV, and rescue workers, were killed after an Israeli airstrike hit a civil emergency centre in the Nuseirat market area in the central Gaza Strip on Sunday. Palestinian health officials announced on Monday that 45,028 people have been killed and 106,962 have been wounded in the Gaza Strip from the 14-month war, with more than half of the fatalities being women and children.

The unique destructiveness of Israel’s war on Gaza (Washington Post) Last week, Airwars, a British-based nonprofit that charts civilian casualties in 21st-century conflicts, put out a report that examined in granular detail the first 25 days of the war in October 2023. It concluded that, in that time period, “civilian harm in Gaza occurred on a scale unmatched by any conflict” the organization has tracked, which includes the U.S.-led bombing campaigns of the Islamic State-held cities of Mosul and Raqqa. The organization said Israel’s campaign in Gaza “is incomparable with any 21st century air campaign” and “by far the most intense, destructive, and fatal conflict” it has tracked. In October 2023 alone, Airwars reported, 5,139 civilians were killed in Israeli strikes, 1,900 of them children. The figure is nearly seven times higher than the monthly toll for slain children in any other conflict the group’s researchers have monitored. Out of 606 incidents of civilian harm during October 2023 that Airwars has studied so far, just 26 had clear public evidence of the death of at least one confirmed Palestinian militant. Those 606 are less than a tenth of the more than 7,000 such incidents its researchers have monitored that month. The scale of the devastation, the pattern of strikes and the rhetoric of many Israeli politicians all fed into Amnesty International’s declaration earlier this month that Israel had committed—and was committing—acts of genocide.

Filipina who won a last-minute reprieve from Indonesian firing squad prepares to fly home (AP) A Filipina who was on death row in Indonesia and was nearly executed by firing squad in 2015 will return home this week under an arrangement between the countries, officials said Monday. Mary Jane Veloso, who spent almost 15 years in an Indonesian prison for drug trafficking, won a last-minute reprieve that led to her testimony exposing how a criminal syndicate duped her into being an unwitting accomplice and drug courier. In a tearful interview with The Associated Press last week, Veloso described her return home as being “like a miracle when I have lost all hope.” “For almost 15 years I was separated from my children and parents, and I could not see my children grow up,” she said. “I wish to be given an opportunity to take care of my children and to be close to my parents.”

When ‘Middle Age’ Arrives in Your 20s (WSJ) Rachel Green felt middle-aged at 29. That’s about a decade earlier than the traditional start to midlife. She took on more management responsibilities at work—and her hair went gray. “I don’t want to be out past 10 p.m.,” says Green, a Hollywood, Fla., software engineer, now 38. People in their 20s and 30s are hitting milestones such as marrying and buying a home later than past generations, but the expectations to do so are creating stress for them. That stress makes them feel older, as do mounting concerns about job security, debt, child-care costs and caregiving for older relatives. Middle age is typically defined as ages 40 to 60. But about 20% of younger people ages 25 to 34 feel middle-aged, according to a study by Horizon Media, a marketing services agency. The average 25-year-old says middle age starts around 37 and ends at about 53. Conversely, the average 65-year-old says it starts at 46 and ends at 62, according to the study. “Young people are feeling older and feeling pressure a lot sooner in their lives,” says Tirrell De Gannes, a licensed clinical psychologist at the Thriving Center of Psychology, which surveyed millennials and found that 1 in 10 experienced a midlife crisis around the age of 34.

[quantifiableme]

I do feel like, as an American, it’s really important we acknowledge how fucking big America is.

Because the only other countries that can really understand physically how fucking BIG we are are Russia, China, and like Canada. (Feel free to throw in another one, I still think my point works.) Like those are the only other countries with THIS MUCH LAND MASS.

And yes China and Russia are both bigger, but what makes the US different is we’re sort of the only country with our population as SPREAD OUT as it is. We’re like butter on toast, we really spread ourselves thin.

Like if we look at population density maps, which when they do it with lights is probably one of the *prettiest maps*, you see that China (above) is fucking LARGE. But 94% of it’s people are on the east coast.

Similarly, Russian civilians usually trend toward the southern boarder. And for obvious reasons, I’m sure living in Northern Russia requires a level of survival skills that makes you basically your own sovereign.

And I’m not saying no one lives in Inland China, or that no one lives in Northern Russia. However, the people that do are so completely removed from the rest of the population, they’re probably like survivalists or practice very traditional farming that they are their own society. I’d bet policy makers don’t really take them into account because they 1.) Don’t vote and B.) wouldn’t follow those laws anyway.

America is a little different.

Like, out two biggest populations (New York and LA) are on OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE COUNTRY. They have two different time zones, opposite weather conditions, opposite immigration populations (past and present). We sort of die out in the Great Plains there, but that’s where we keep VEGAS.

I say this as someone from the Midwest (look at the pretty lakes on top there) who went to college in Florida (the penis looking shape at the bottom right corner) at a school with a HUGE international population. And may I say, sometimes I related more to my international friends from Germany or Columbia than I did with an American from Tampa.

Which is sometimes what annoys me about international people who have a thought or two to say about American laws or policy. Like yes, we’re bad at it. We got a lot of things we gotta tinker and fix, just like all other countries. However, YOUR country probably has a bit more of a cohesive culture or political background on certain topics. Maybe there are more conservative Chinese people, but you probably all agree that you’re concerned about shipping and nautical trade because *94% of you are on the ocean*. And I don’t believe for a SECOND that no one in Northern Russia doesn’t have a fucking gun. THERE ARE VERY LARGE BEARS THAT RUN VERY FAST.

Making federal laws in any country is hard, but American politics are a totally different monster.

Even an Asian American from New Jersey will have a completely different experience than an Asian American from Arizona. Queer people in Montana couldn’t *fathom* the culture and subcultures of people in New York. They don’t even know they exist. Even look at the hip hop community: East Coast and West Coast and Midwest and Atlanta are basically different planets, and they’re the same genre of music. And don’t even get me STARTED on religion. Hey Britian, so you know what a Mormon is? Because we have one state that gets 6 electoral votes in our elections that is just one VERY SPECIFIC protestant religion of Christianity that thinks drinking liquor is a sin. Energy Drinks are very very very popular there. (Shoutout Utah, I see you.)

So yeah, a New Yorker is going to prioritize public transportation reform, while a governor from Montana wants to protect National Parks. California people do not understand Midwest Hunting as a recreational activity, and I thought the Everglades were mountains until I went to Florida and realized they were swamps. My Floridian friends made fun of me, but they don’t know there are 5 Great Lakes so *raspberry noise*.

So yes we have a culture. We have 100,000,000 MAJOR cultures that make no sense and will never interact, because our cities are father away than some of you are to other continents.

True American culture was the friends we made along the way. 💛

[educationedgeblog]

Start-Up Visas: A Passport for Innovation and Growth?

In a world buzzing with ideas and creativity, start-ups play a crucial role in driving innovation and economic growth. However, for budding entrepreneurs, navigating the complex immigration landscape can feel like a roadblock to their dreams. That's where the concept of Canada Start-Up Visa comes into play – a potential passport for innovation and growth.

What's a Start-Up Visa, Anyway?

Let's break it down. A Start-Up Visa is like a golden ticket for aspiring business owners who want to set up shop in a new country. It's not your typical travel visa; instead, it's a special pass designed to welcome innovative minds and fresh ideas.

Why Should You Care?

Imagine you have this amazing idea for a business, something that could change the game. But there's a catch – your home country might not provide the right environment or support for your venture. That's where a Start-Up Visa steps in. It opens the door to a world of opportunities and resources that can help your idea take flight.

Benefits Galore

One of the coolest things about Start-Up Visas is the support system they offer. Picture this: mentorship programs, access to funding, and a network of like-minded entrepreneurs. These visas aren't just about letting you set up shop; they're about giving you the tools and connections you need to succeed.

A Win-Win Situation

Now, you might be wondering, "What's in it for the country granting these visas?" Well, it's a win-win! Countries with Start-Up Visa programs attract talent, ideas, and investment from all corners of the globe. This injection of innovation can boost the local economy, create jobs, and put the nation on the map as a hub for creativity.

Success Stories

Remember that company that revolutionized how we connect with people around the world? Yes, I'm talking about WhatsApp. The founders, Jan Koum and Brian Acton, were Ukrainian and American, respectively. The U.S. was their launchpad, and with the support of the local ecosystem, they created a global phenomenon. Start-Up Visas aim to replicate such success stories by providing a platform for entrepreneurs to turn their dreams into reality.

Challenges Ahead

Of course, like any adventure, there are challenges. Some critics argue that Start-Up Visas might lead to brain drain, where talented individuals leave their home countries for greener pastures. However, supporters argue that these programs encourage global collaboration and bring diverse perspectives to the table, ultimately benefiting everyone involved.

How Can You Get One?

If you're getting excited about the prospect of a Start-Up Visa, you're not alone. Countries around the world are recognizing the importance of attracting innovative minds. Research and find out which nations offer such programs, what criteria they have, and how you can apply. Remember, it's not just about your idea; it's also about your commitment and potential to contribute to the local business ecosystem.

In conclusion, Canada Start-Up Visa are like magic keys that unlock doors to new possibilities for entrepreneurs. They're a powerful tool for driving innovation, fostering economic growth, and creating a global community of forward-thinkers. So, if you have a dream that's ready to take flight, a Start-Up Visa might just be the passport you need to turn that dream into a reality. Bon voyage to innovation!

[laresearchette]

Friday, September 15, 2023 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: ELEVATOR GAME (AMC+/Shudder) THE LAST DRIVE-IN WITH JOE BOB BRIGGS: THE WALKING DEAD: DARYL DIXON (AMC+/Shudder) (AMC Canada) 9:00pm COME FLY WITH ME (W Network) 9:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT? THE LATIN MUSIC REVOLUTION: A SOUL OF A NATION PRESENTATION (ABC Feed)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA KILLER COASTER LOVE IN A SHOWROOM MATCH NAS ESTRELAS (Season 1) A MILLION MILES AWAY WILDERNESS WRITTEN IN THE STARS

CBC GEM BLACK CONFLUX THE MUM WHO GOT TOURRETTE’S RUSTY RIVETS (Season 2)

CRAVE TV THE AVIATOR BROTHER CAROL FOOL’S PARADISE LAURENCE ANYWAYS MATTHIAS & MAXIME ONE FINE MORNING PITCH PERFECT PITCH PERFECT 2 TÁR

DISNEY + STAR LANG LANG PLAYS DISNEY MASTER & APPRENTICE: A SPECIAL LOOK AT AHSOKA

NETFLIX CANADA THE CLUB: PART 2 (TR) EL CONDE (CL) INSIDE THE WORLD’S TOUGHEST PRISONS (Season 7) (UK) LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT MISEDUCATION (MX) SURVIVING SUMMER (Season 2) (AU)

MEN’S RUGBY WORLD CUP (TSN3/TSN5) 3:00pm: New Zealand vs. Namibia

ADVENTURE TIME: FIONNA AND CAKE (Cartoon Network Canada) 6:30pm (SERIES PREMIERE): After a disastrous morning, Fionna can't afford to take Cake to the vet, so she seeks help from an unconventional source.

MLB BASEBALL (SN) 7:00pm: Red Sox vs. Jays (SN1) 7:00pm: Rangers vs. Guardians (SN Now) 8:00pm: Astros vs. Royals (SN1/SN Now) 10:00pm: Dodgers vs. Mariners

CFL FOOTBALL (TSN3/TSN4) 7:00pm: Argos vs. Alouettes (TSN) 9:30pm: Elks vs. Roughriders

TINY TOONS LOONIVERSITY (Cartoon Network Canada) 7:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): It's the first day of school at Acme Looniversity; Babs and Buster Bunny meet their new friends, Sweetie Bird, Hamton J. Pig, and Plucky Duck.

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF JERSEY (Slice) 8:00pm: Forgive-Me-Nots

FRIDAY NIGHT THUNDER (APTN) 8:30pm: After more than two years, the crate sprint drivers make their return to Ohsweken Speedway. While most of them raced the year before at other local tracks, it will take them some time to reacquaint themselves with the pace at Ohsweken Speedway.

BROTHER (Crave) 9:00pm: Sons of Caribbean immigrants, Francis and Michael face questions of masculinity, identity and family amid the pulsing beat of Toronto's early hip-hop scene.

ONE FINE MORNING (Crave) 11:05pm: A young single mother raising an 8-year-old daughter struggles to take care of her father, who's been diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease. While trying to secure a decent nursing home, she runs into a married friend and they begin an affair.

[yourtoradorasextendedwarranty]

I'm not going to say something as crazy as, "only people who are left wing do stuff like this", however what I am going to say is that when it comes to political violence the only reason that the left are supposedly historically less documented being violent for political racial or other reasons, is because the people who run the institutions, who are supposed to be honest and upfront about their findings. Well, most of them lean left. Therefore they do not want their political leanings being associated with extremism. But if we look at things from an honest perspective, and we look back at a tax we know for fact were left wing. Well you start seeing a fun trend. Which is the fact that when it comes to violence from racism, violence from politics, violence from social norms, you end up seeing it primarily from the left.

Now, I have to specify. I am strictly talking about the West in this regard. And I'm not talking about illegal immigrants either. I am talking about the legal demographics of Western Nations. Because looking back at history people think that the KKK were republicans. They were not. They were Democrats. And there was never a party switch the way that so many people like to claim. Because if you look at the voting records of the Democrats it is typically for legislation that would actually harm ethnic minorities. Democrats might have changed their approach but their views still seem to be the same. They are socially regressive, they are racist, and they are violent.

But the reason that these conversations are basically impossible to have, is the fact that people cannot believe their sides to be evil. Where is me, a moderate, is very much capable of understanding that people in general can be bad or evil. And considering that I only leans slightly left I am still targeting the left in this rant. I'm just aware that the more left authoritarian you go the more ridiculous as a person you become. But that's probably due more to the fact that authoritarianism breeds violence anyway. However, the other reason that it is impossible to have conversations regarding this, is because the media and academia are fundamentally captured by the left. Mostly Neo Progressive radicals, but nonetheless captured. And considering that fact, it is all but impossible to point the finger at them because they use things like technocracy, IE: rule by experts, to claim they are significantly more valid as individuals. But leftist doublethink is fun. What it does is it says these people can lie but because they are on my side of course they can't lie because that would be bad.

I'll bring up a perfect example. Jordan Peterson. Peterson is a decorated psychologist who has done more work in his field then other people have done in their lifetime. Because he actually cares about human beings. He is also a very intelligent academic. But because he was against the compelled speech that was potentially coming to Canada, he got labeled right wing and therefore his credentials became invalid. It's wild to me that leftists have this hard on for credentialism but are so eager to show you that they don't really care about credentialism when it comes to their opponents.

Most of the people I listen to for my news I go out of my way to fact check them as much as I can. Often times it's extremely difficult because the mainstream media which is 98% of the media sphere, are bald-faced liars. Because rather than tell the truth, they would rather push a narrative. And proof of that, is in the fact that they would keep a kill counter when covid was going on. And what's funny is one of the few journalist left in the world with any level of integrity, James O'Keefe, exposed one of those companies who admitted it was scaremongering. Regardless, my point stands.

Also sorry @beardedmrbean for hijacking your post. Watching this stuff happen just infuriates me.

The death of a woman this week in a car crash involving a police officer who was responding to a bomb threat against Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's Georgia home demonstrates the growing danger of swatting, police and experts said.

Swatting refers to when a false threat is made to draw police and first responders to a location.

The woman, identified by police as Tammie Pickelsimer, was killed after crashing into a bomb squad member who was responding to the call, according to a statement from the Rome Police Department.

According to police, the threat was sent by email to them last week, but it was re-routed to a junk folder. Police on Monday discovered the email which correctly listed the congresswoman's home address.

Greene was not home at the time, but the message from the email specifically targeted the congresswoman's mailbox, Greene posted on X.

The email spurred a response from police who then sent an officer to monitor the mailbox while waiting for the bomb squad.MORE: Massachusetts congresswoman says family was targeted with a bomb threat

Rome police sergeant and bomb squad member David Metroka was en route to join the bomb squad at their headquarters when he crashed into the 66-year-old Pickelsimer, Georgia State Patrol said.

Picklesimer suffered significant injuries and later died at the hospital, according to GSP. The officer had minor injuries and was later released from the hospital.

Police did not find a bomb at Greene's home. In a statement, the Rome Police Department addressed the dangers of swatting incidents.

"The Rome Police Department continues to work closely with Congresswoman Greene's staff to address the growing concern of swatting incidents and has implemented protocols to ensure that emergency responses are only triggered when truly necessary," the police department said in a statement. "This particular situation did not require an emergency response."

The police department added, "The Rome Police Department extends its heartfelt condolences to the Pickelsimer family during this difficult time. The department holds the individual responsible for sending the threatening email fully accountable for setting this tragic chain of events into motion. In collaboration with Congresswoman Greene's office, the Rome Police Department is working with federal authorities to ensure the perpetrator is apprehended and brought to justice."

The Rome Police Department told ABC News the email had an IP address linked to Russia.

Greene said she "felt heartsick," and expressed her concern over violent political threats in a statement on X.

"These violent political threats have fatal consequences," she said. "It’s an undue strain on our law enforcement who must treat them seriously. The officer was responding to protect my life. And now, a woman has lost her life because of this despicable act."MORE: Democratic members of Congress get bomb threats on Thanksgiving

According to John Bandler, an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, swatting is a harassment tactic used to dispatch an "arm of government" for emergency services.

Bandler believes the uptick in swatting stems from cyber crimes allowing criminals to commit a crime against someone else without having to get close to it, he said.

"It is a way people can do a crime and they think they won't get caught doing it," Bandler said. "And it seems much more an indirect way of doing it."

Most people are never going to be swatted, Bandler said. But he notes it will be hard to protect yourself from this sort of crime, just like it is to protect yourself from all crime, he said.

Bandler calls for all swatting attempts to be prosecuted as a felony in every state and on the federal level. Swatting becomes a felony on the federal level when it crosses state lines.

He said swatting is extremely dangerous and scatters police efforts.

"Not only are you wasting law enforcement's time, but you're triggering that emergency response and that is always going to be dangerous," Bandler said.

Greene said her office is cooperating with local law enforcement and the FBI as they investigate the threat.

[handweavers]

like in the history of whether a territory in the us would be allowed statehood (aka citizenship and representation in the electoral system) always came down to whether or not that territory was deemed sufficiently white enough for it.

several times various indigenous nations were displaced and relocated westward on "indian land" territory (what would later be known as the reservation system) but there was this constant conflict in the us government whether segregation of the white and indigenous populations or the assimilation of indigenous people into anglo-american culture was the goal. they made reservations "protected" lands, so white people were not permitted legally to move there but also indigenous people were not permitted to leave, and these borders were highly policed and enforced. these indigenous territories petitioned for statehood and were denied, and at one point the us government considered having all indigenous territories elect one shared representative in the house but they decided against it because they literally couldn't handle the idea of having a native man sit in the house of representatives. but white people would always enter the "protected" indigenous territories anyway and settle there in increasing numbers, and once the population reached a point where there was a white majority they would petition for statehood and get accepted, and then the gov would force the indigenous population to move further west, and the white settlers would give their state an indigenous name as added insult to injury, and this process would repeat over and over and over until they ran out of land not inhabited by whites to move displaced indigenous people to (the trail of tears is the most well known example of this but not the only one.)

hawaii was granted statehood only when it was deemed "sufficiently white" enough, same with alaska. but this is also why territories like guam and the philippines and puerto rico were not granted statehood. the us government more than anything did not want brown or black people in their government, they did not want them to have representation in politics, and granting statehood meant that the us government could not just exploit and profit off the people there but now also had a responsibility to the wellbeing of those who live there, at least theoretically. still now they don't give puerto rico statehood for these reasons.

the book (how to hide an empire) goes into all of that in more detail, i really highly recommend it for this analysis alone, but reading about this has reminded me of when i was researching the history of racism in the early canadian labour movement (1880-1929) for a paper. the majority of canadians (including myself because i had no idea until i was conducting my research) aren't aware that in the 1910s the canadian government was considering extending provincial status to several black-majority islands in the west indies that were a part of the british empire such as barbados, bahamas, bermuda, jamaica and other smaller islands. this was being lobbied by canadian industrial-capitalists as a response to the growing power of labour unions in canada combined with restrictive immigration laws barring non-whites from entering the country. a really excellent text on this topic, 'north of the colour line' by saje mathieu, explains: "frustrated by ottawa's bureaucracies, canadian industrialists resolved that if the government insisted on barring foreign black labour, then extending provincial status to a west indian island would cancel out the immigration question." whites-only canadian labour unions fought against this as the influx of black labour would have challenged the relative power white unionized workers had gained in canadian industry (power that was denied to racialized workers due to exclusionary union laws.) the canadian government ultimately did not move forward with giving the west indies provincial status for the same reasons the us did not give statehood to the philippines.

this section of 'north of the colour line' explains it perfectly:

[image text: "macaulay and shaughnessy lobbied for political union with the west indies, recommending provincial status for the bahamas, bermuda, jamaica, barbados, and other smaller islands and in the process rekindled alarm over the growth of canada's black population. advocates for west indian appropriation argued that as guardians of the british empire in the americas, canada was the logical and "natural 'big brother' of the british west indies." speaking for bahamian confed-eracy, macaulay proclaimed "[w]hy should not nassau become the key west of canada? i am an imperialist. i am proud of our empire, and jealous of its interests.""

macaulay persistently courted bahamian and jamaican parliamentarians with promises of favourable trade agreements, bountiful canadian markets, and bustling tourism. to canadians, he pledged strategic access to the panama canal and glory for the empire. just as the united states held cuba, haiti, the dominican republic, and puerto rico in its grasp, so too should canada possess its own- "great south," claimed members of the canadian-west indian league, indeed some explained that the dominion should adopt "imperial administrative tasks ... [just] as australia was to be responsible in new guinea." macaulay and other west indian pro-union delegations shuttled between toronto and caribbean capitals negotiating favour-able terms for confederation and trusted eminent unification.

if canadian industry readily envisioned gloriously upholding anglo-saxon imperialism in the caribbean, the presence of blacks soiled their reverie. the colour question quickly soured macaulay's negotiations with the house of commons. white canadians' jaundiced view of blacks sparked protest in parliament and the press. newspapers echoed admonitions that the presence of lascivious black men, whether from the west indies or the united states, imperiled the morality of all white women in canada." end id.]

all this is to say that the idea that white supremacy and relentless pursuit of capital aren't the blood and bones of the united states and canada is fundamentally untrue lol.

[ladyimaginarium]

hey yall uhhhhhhh happy can uh duh turtle island day lmao

[cryptophasia-nabros]

I definitely support Alfred as the better cook. His canon "burgers on donut buns" sounds gross to me but it's creative and everyone there enjoyed it. It's also pointed out that he clearly put thought into making enough for everyone. Also canon is that he tends to worry about his weight, so I would expect him to pay more attention to his diet. ALSO canon is that a lot of other nations eat more of various unhealthy items than he does, namely Canada and donuts.

Let's not forget that though France might have gotten to Canada first, it was England who raised him the longest. In fact, England was with Canada for longer than he was with America, and therefore arguably had more influence on his cuisine. Meanwhile, America grew close and looked up to France after his revolution. And let's not forget all the immigration that has influenced him!

Anyways, I think Canada is far more likely to space out while cooking and burn the pasta!

im curious if people in this fandom portray alfred as being able to cook or not?? cuz like i understand that he has strange tastebuds canonically, but that doesn't mean he's bad at cooking right?

on one hand it makes sense, but on the other hand i like it when alfred knows how to cook because of those farm movies where the characters talk about "good ol' southern cooking", and the disney princess literally known for her cooking is american (love u tiana)

I'm not saying he's great at it like france, cuz he's definitely a fan of deep frying the weirdest things, but he's definitely up there. i mean, i don't like usuk but one of them has to be able to cook right?? otherwise how do they live???

or maybe this isnt a matter of him being able to cook or not, its just that he doesn't want to?? cuz in every fic i read he never cooks, its always someone else who does (like matthew or ivan)

[jinsai-ish]

Hetalia Head canon - Spirit Animals

I did a lot of research into this matter for one of my fics featuring Canada and America. It has been my long-standing belief that their indigenous people are part of them as much as any immigrant nation. As such, a spirit animal is part of their heritage.

Kumajirou, Canada's bear, is NOT his spirit animal in my opinion. Kumajirou is to me, a Kermode or spirit bear. They are a subspecies of black bear that commonly have white fur with a yellowish tinge - in fact, pretty much the exact color Kumajirou is depicted with. Spirit bears play a large role indigenous Canada as well. Hence Kumajirou = Kermode = not Canada's spirit animal.

So, as I'm sure was predicted, is that Canada's spirit animal I would have be Polar bear. Quiet, calm Canada, who can fade into the background like a polar bear into snow, shock trooper of the British Empire.

"(From Inuvialuit and Nanuq: A Polar Bear Traditional Knowledge Study, 2015). "Polar bears are greatly respected by Inuit hunters as the most intelligent animal in the Arctic, and as a symbol of the resilience, patience, and determination that is needed to survive in the harsh climate."

Patient, resilient, fierce when enraged, hey, look! It's Canada!

So. America. Rabbit.

America as a child is often portrayed with a rabbit. This is because in Japanese, rabbit is USAgi - get it? (Japan loves puns.)

But rabbit makes sense.

To address the obvious negative side first: rabbits are seen as timid and fearful. How does that fit with boisterous, hero America?

Very well actually. America often overreacts due to fear. He can't show that he's afraid though, so he has to go above and beyond, not only to 'defeat' what caused the threat but to convince others he had never been frightened at all.

Now. What else about rabbits? Fertile! America is fertile as hell! Whether or not you go for the 50 states = kids or not, America is fertile as hell. Fertility, abundance, prosperity - all are associated with Rabbit and with America.

Also, unpredictable, spontaneous, fast, and clever! America, who can't stop talking and is brimming with ideas. It's also my head canon that America is a complete nerd, what with all the inventing. And flying. And SPACE.

Canada I think can be uncomfortable with Polar bear and his own ferocity, and America with Rabbit and his own anxiety. Each of them wishes to be a bit more like their twin. But each also personifies the strength of their spirit animals with the best of their nation and peoples.

But anyways, that's just a head canon. ❤️

Sidenote on twins: America and Canada call each other 'kyoudai' in the original Japanese manga. This is Highly Unusual as older siblings are referred to as 'big brother' or 'big sister' pretty much always. 'Kyoudai' basically just means sibling, with no older or younger connotation. The only real thing to take from this is that they are the same age. Add that to the 'same face' comments and land mass/pre-Colonial history, I'm going with identical twins.... With my personal preference with Canada as firstborn due to history as per previous post. 🍁

...and identical twins can actually have physical differences in looks (like slightly different eye/hair?). Same egg, split. Same land mass, split. Also, female America has hair very similar to Mr Canada's, which supports my theory that if Alfred grew his out, it would do the same.