Close Reading

I voted blue and moved from a red state over to a blue state because I don't agree with conservative republican views. I especially didn't want Trump back in office because I thought he was horrible the first time. My heart sunk after the election because I saw this coming. I'm hoping for some sort of impeachment because dealing with Trump for 4 more years seems unfathomable.

I'm a Republican conservative who hasn't recognized this party for the last ten years. True conservatives would have rallied alongside Democrats against Russia. True conservatives valued patriotism, not populism. True conservatives valued family, not the widely accepted sexual scandals behind Trump and Musk. True conservatives valued solidarity with our allies, not scorning them. \n\nTrue conservatives were reasonable, warm, and cared about our country. What they call conservatives today, I do not recognize at all. I must not be a conservative anymore.

Idk i think you need to realize that we also have our bias in addition to you having yours. Meaning, to most of us , excepting the most left leaning socially progressive pockets and contexts , which even then wouldn’t be viewed that way to us just acceptable lol ?\n\nOur baseline/political middle in Canada is A LOT more left leaning than the baseline normal/political middle in the states. So while people tend to equate your democrats to our liberals or our NDP , and equate your republicans to our conservatives. It’s just not accurate. If you throw our span of parties and American span of parties on the SAME spectrum /polarity line. You might be surprised to realize how shifted left our systems range politically is from the American one. \n\nThis hugely impacts the average normal expectation , what we clutch our pearls at hearing coming out of the mouths of the general public , and our range of what we expect to not hear or see ranted about unless they’re to our view , extremely right leaning politically /social values. \n\nFor us this means that actually genuinely , a lot of America does get experiences by us as bat shit crazy racist homophobic immigrant intolerant culturally and religiously ignorant , and somewhat backwards in larger or smaller amounts ? I know that’s not fun to hear but. Being the most diverse country based so much on immigration means. What is normal and known /familiar and normal so we aren’t ignorant to , is completely different. \n\nFor us we have our pockets usually in more rural less populated areas further away from larger cities where there is more diversity but that’s the same often in many countries that you will find some of the louder racist homophobic intolerant voices typically in places that truly are unfamiliar and ignorant to the experience of growing up with and around much of any diversity of varying kinds. So it’s not to say we don’t have racism and intolerance of course like anywhere we do. It’s just contained and the range and frequency and intensity is MUCH different. We distinguish nuances of diff cultures and religions more easily and in larger numbers we’re more familiar with diff ways of life , language , food, dress , holidays , values and used to a much less segregated way of existing even when we are differnt from each other as the NORM. My parents were both born in the states and my older brother was born there but they moved up here when he was a baby. So nearly all my extended family lives down there and I’m a duelly. And my experiences discussing things with my cousins or visiting absolutely could be described as culture shock at times. The insane things that came out of my own cousins mouths when they hear our friends or partners of various cultures , our not understanding how big a deal and incredibly insulting apparently it is to have assumed someone American was lgbt lol the list goes on. Like I don’t think our most intolerant Pockets can hold a flame to even ur closet to middle a bit intolerant places and contexts in America. Quite honestly. \n\nI think the absolute undying favourable passionate upholding and support of nationalistic, capitalist, hyper individualistic mentality about society as a whole (from my Canadian born and bred perspective lol) makes the differences even more glaring blaring and hard to swallow for us lol. I think more Canadians would feel exactly how that comment stated , that you felt was not fair for us to experience America as. I think the truth is a lot of Canadians are being too polite to let you know that’s exactly how a lot of America comes off to a lot of Canada ?

I'm afraid that with the gun craze down there, I would not consider it. Then, there is the lousy healthcare... And just when I think you guys aren't that bad off, I watch an episode of John Oliver's This Week Tonight, and a plethora of new reasons spring up. \n\nRight now in Canada, there is a Conservative Party that is starting to adopt the MAGA philosophy of consorting with white supremacism, fascism, misogyny and racist, and I cannot imagine moving to a place where this stuff is running rife. \n\nTyler, you are a lovely example of a decent American, and in truth, when visiting the States (which I haven't done for years), I met more people like you than like MAGA. However, my tolerance for stupid, hateful people is far lower since Trump was elected, and I swore I would not visit the US again until the WH, Congress and the Senate clean house of the Republican scourge. \n\nBut moving to the US would never be an option for me. I love Canada. I live in one of the most beautiful parts of Canada - Vancouver Island. I was born here and have visited many places in the world, but this is, and will forever be, home!

At first I was like, let some people in! After seeing the border situation... I'm like close the border! I'm nowhere next conservative or fake republican, or fear mongering, but people should apply and not just show up! No program is going to help this. As type this and you realize what I'm saying, NO Caucasians had to deal with this when they invaded this continent, and no black person came here by their free will but are told to go back to where they came from!