Differences in the news

One of the really strange things that I have noticed since I moved to the US is that even though I have begun to use miles and Fahrenheit as units of measure (though I still think in and prefer metric) I don't really pay attention to the US news. I do however read the Canadian news, as well as the major international news. This does seem somewhat odd, as I am not fully abreast of the events within the country that I am living, but to be honest I think I prefer it this way. As you will see shortly, when I learn about the US news I tend to get angry. Oh, if you were wondering how I get my news the source is through Google News, which compiles all news sources on the web and sorts the stories by their topic. The beauty of this system is that you can read about the same event from various sources, such as The People's Daily (China's government run news) FOX news (pronounced like the French word 'faux', which is the politically conservative run news in the US) or more reputable sources such as CBC, BBC and Reuters. The nice thing is that the site is made in such a way that you can focus on new relating to your country, be it Canada, the US or even the Netherlands.

So being a proud Canadian, I have been paying attention to the Canadian news. The big stories as I have been able to ascertain have related to: train derailments, tainted water, the ongoing sponsorship probe, a potential federal election and other such news. Let's face it, Canadian news is boring. There is little to no death and destruction. Hell the major 'prison' story in Canada has been a potential wrongful conviction coming to light over a decade after the fact. The major US 'prison' story this week would be the escape of a convicted murdered who was recently sentenced to death in Texas. Guess what, the jurors from the trial are afraid for their lives...I guess that's the danger in the death penalty, what does this guy have to lose if he kills again?

So yeah, Canadian news is bland, maybe that's why people in the US have a hard time even figuring out which provinces are where on the map. But I would rather keep Canadian news bland, because here are a few other headlines from the US (the ones that make me angry):

• Report: US relied on false information linking Iraq and Al-Qaida
• Judge upholds Oregon gay marriage ban
• Bid to seal off US-Mexico border
• California to vote on parental abortion notification act

Now, these headlines are significant, I mean these things are going to have a hell of a lot more impact than "Oil-rich Newfoundland to post modest surplus". Though anyone who is Canadian may worry about losing Newfies as the continual butt of jokes, so maybe that is a bit of a concern.

But let me just pick at those US headlines for a second, because they all disturb me to some extent, after all, I have to live with these people now. And as we have seen, the US seems determined to spread it's influence, and "freedom" around the globe.

And the whole "freedom" thing is what is pissing me off. How on earth can the US claim the moral high ground in any argument on rights and freedoms, hell, they didn't free their slaves until over 30 years after the British Empire ended the practice. That's not a short period of time, that's almost time enough for a whole generation to be born into and die in slavery.

Yet in this day and age the US wants to go around bringing freedom to people around the world. After all, part of the argument for invading Afghanistan (and the only thing that has actually been achieved as well) was to remove the Taliban regime. See the problem with the Taliban is that they enforced a very strict, fundamentalist view of Islam upon the populace. This greatly limited the rights and freedoms of women among as well as forbidding numerous other freedoms that were once afforded to the Afghan people. Yet, if we look at the news stories that I've listed above, half of them can be seen to have a very strong religious influence.

It's very sad to see that the whole separation of god and state seems to be failing at an ever increasing rate...maybe having a president who is in direct conversation with god might not be such a good thing. Though one of Canada's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lyon_Mackenzie_King" target="_blank">greater prime ministers did consult his mother and dog for advice...oh yeah, they were both dead, but at least he didn't invade any countries...well, there was that little incident in France, Belgium, Italy, Austria, North Africa, the Netherlands, Germany...but everyone else was doing it...ok the US joined in late, what else is new.

You know what, I'm not going to go off on how angry those headlines make me. I just don't see the point of if any more. Clearly the US government is set on turning this country into the next Vatican City. I mean even Spain allows gay marriage, and they held the Inquisition, could you find a more catholic country? Ok, other than the Vatican City?

As for fencing off Mexico...well that's just fucking asinine. Part of the reason this country is able to do well economically is because it still has virtual slave labour, in the form of illegal aliens. But hey, if they want to stop them from coming across fine. Just please, someone sandblast off that damn motto on the statue of liberty, it's becoming more an more mocking with every year. And while we are at it, can we change the end of the national anthem, you know the part that goes "the land of the free and the home of the brave". Why not make it something like "the land of hypocrisy and home of the paranoid"? You know I kind of like that, it has a better ring of truth to it. Now if only I could find a place to slip in 'fundamentalist christian rule' any suggestions?