40% of Canadian Teens Think America Is Evil

[DudeAsInCool]

Can West News Services, owners of several Canadian newspapers including the National Post as well as the Global Television Network commissioned a series of polls to determine how young people feel about the issues that were facing the country’s voters. Dubbed "Youth Vote 2004", the polls, sponsored by the Dominion Institute and Navigator Ltd. were taken with a view to getting more young people involved in the political process.

In one telephone poll of teens between the ages of 14 and 18, over 40 per cent of the respondents described the United States as being "evil". That number rose to 64 per cent for French Canadian youth.

This being Canada, the amount of anti-Americanism that was found is not surprising. What is significant is the high number of teens who used the word "evil" to describe our southern neighbour. As Misty Harris pointed out in her column in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, evil is usually associated with serial killers and "kids who tear the legs off baby spiders." These teens appear to equate George W. Bush and Americans with Osama bin Laden and Hitler, although it is unknown if the teens polled would describe the latter two as being evil. Whether someone who orders planes to be flown into heavily populated buildings would fit that description would make a good subject for a future poll.

You can read the full story here:

http://www.torontofreepress.com/2004/weinreb063004.htm

[DudeAsInCool]

I dont know about you all, but that story is very disturbing... Clearly, there's another side to this country, and we are anything but... Too much focus is being put on a small percentage of our political leadership, who MOST of us didnt even vote for. I know we have been damaged by our foreign policy actons...but clearly these kids are not being given an objective look at all this country has to offer

[Crazy Diamond]

Its not just teens.

There is Anti-Americanism of all ages all accross Canada.

But I wouldnt take the French Canadians say too seriously, they dont even like Canada. :P

And besides, all polls are misleading.

[Ken]

described the United States as being "evil".

The real problem is that they are asking the wrong questions.

"America" is a generalized term, which includes everyone from backwoods rednecks, to homeless people in NYC, to Eskimos living in Alaska, to Native Americans, to the Meso-American population, to Donald trump, to Dubya and his administration, to me, and so on and so forth.

So we're all evil; on equal terms? If I may borrow a dumb Star Trek theme, are we the borg or something? A collective, redundant will?

I think the worst problem humanity has to deal with is gross.........STUPIDITY.

It's not only infecting people in the United States, but Canada and the rest of the world as well.

[Shawn]

This was the local paper. We didn't post about it when they wrote that because while we chuckled, the underlying meaning wasn't lost on us.

Keep in mind, the people surveyed have lived much of their teen years with dubya as the Pres. He symbolized most of what they know about the States. Though I admit, the current administration is not the first to do kooky things most Candians might grumble about, it's the first to really crystalize opinions.

[nate]

the other 60% know that america is evil

i take comfort in that

[CTC Command]

How to have fun with evil

Embrace the evil... :hug:

Then whip its evil ass :evil: :taskmaster:

Kiss the evil :kissy face:

Hit evil in the head with a hammer :bonk

Then fuck it :horny:

The evil will become confused

and will start to cry :wha':

Now the evil is yours.

[Shawn]

:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

[joeyz]

I dont know about you all, but that story is very disturbing... Clearly, there's another side to this country, and we are anything but... Too much focus is being put on a small percentage of our political leadership, who MOST of us didnt even vote for. I know we have been damaged by our foreign policy actons...but clearly these kids are not being given an objective look at all this country has to offer

small percentage of our political leadership? the majority of our representatives voted for a war that was "driven" by unfounded claims--> including our buddy Kerry and other Dems

I am surprised at 40% I would have guessed a much higher %. When they say United States--> I think it was interpreted by the poll takers as the US Government..yet...this being a democracy -- The US government represents the US citizens in the international community whether we like it or not. I think the US government has done some evil things in the international community. In this context I would have called the United States evil also...

Edited July 7, 2004 by joeyz