I remember being taught in school to hate America. Well, the word hate was never actually used, but the sentiment was there. And as I got older, many of my friends became very patriotic about Canada (which was touching, and should be respected), but not one could ever specifically name something Canada had done that we could be patriotic about. My highschool friends came to despise anything that was Canadian. That feeling became part of our culture when Molson launched its I AM CANADIAN advertising campaign a couple of years ago.

Bill O'Reilly of Fox News comments on this phenomenon.

According to a new poll, 40 percent of Canadian teenagers think America is an evil country. Among French-Canadian teens, the number jumps to 64 percent. Those numbers can be laid right on the doorstep of the Canadian media and government

He goes on to list the good deeds America has done over the past century, while pointing out that there are few, if any that Canada took the initiative on. Canada has, in the past, joined the US when they went to war. However, it was rare to see Canada actually make that call to arms themselves.

And Bill also points out that "Old friends are not necessarily true friends." If the US can no longer depend on Canada, then why the hell should Canada think they can continue to depend on the US?

So, pardon me as I object to the Michael Moores of the world — and that man is too cowardly to come in here, all right? Pardon me as I object to the anti-American foreign press and bums like Chirac in France and Chretien in Canada.

America has a provable history of freeing oppressed people all over the world in fighting evil dictators. Canada should be ashamed that so many of its young people are flat out ignorant. And Americans should wise up and realize we are living in a changing world. Old friends are not necessarily true friends.

Except for his comment about Chretien, who we put out to pasture some time ago, his comments are spot on.