Stephen Harper has found a new way to piss me off and I am not entirely sure if it isn't intentional. You see, Steve has imported another American cultural artifact -- the flag pin. Just like his now largely abandoned "God Bless Canada" benediction, the flag pin is another cheap, dime store political prop, beloved by Republicans and their culture warriors.
When I said I couldn't be sure it wasn't an intentional one finger salute to me and other left-wing Canadian nationalists, I mean it. This could be just an unconscious aping of a foreign political culture. This could merely be a case of Harper's complete lack of imagination. He could be so devoid of wit that he has to import political symbolism from somewhere else, rather than creating his own. That is possible, but I doubt it. Instead, I think Harper (and the frat boys who surround him) gets off on rubbing our noses in the fact that he is a proud Americanist. I am sure he and his pals are sniggering at the latest way they can make "lefties' heads explode". Well done. Bravo.
Update: A few others have noticed this new fashion statement.
Update 2: Where our politics is headed.
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yeah... Harper's done it just to piss you off and make yer head explode!
ReplyDeleteho-ho-ho...
fer Chrissakes get a clue!
Though my vision of your screen splattered with blood and goo has made my Saturday!
It's gonna a be a sunny morning October 15.
Ciao!
Welcome frat boy. I think you just proved my point.
ReplyDeleteHe's been wearing that thing for a while now. I noticed it during the debate, but definitely not for the first time. But I can tell it is not to piss off the lefties... it is another "shoring up the base" strategy (or tactic?).
ReplyDeleteBut I can tell it is not to piss off the lefties... it is another "shoring up the base" strategy (or tactic?).
ReplyDeleteI agree it does have an appeal to the base, the first comment proves that. However, Harper knows that blatant aping of Americanisms drives people like me crazy and yet he seems to seek out new opportunities to show us how American (in his outlook and style) he is. What does that say about our PM?
I'm not sure you can accuse Steven Harper of "importing" this prop. As a member of the Canadian Navy between 1977 and 1982; we were given these pins to distribute to locals in countries that we visited. They have been around a long time. In fact, Google Trudeau and take a look at some of the pics that abound of him in the late 60's and early 70's. Even PET was wearing them back then.
ReplyDeleteGoogle Trudeau
ReplyDeleteI never voted for him either(I never really cared for him), but you do get points for research. ;)