The ‘how I feel about Donald Trump’ continuum is as long as it is diverse. Using a weather theme, on the one side you have extreme MAGA-thusiasts, who I describe as the ‘all rainbow with vaults of gold lying everywhere’ people. On the other end there are the, ‘dark clouds bringing the biggest storm in human history’ people.
The heading for this post clearly places me closer to the dark clouds side of the spectrum. However, I’m an optimist who’s always looking for something shiny in the impending doom and destruction.
Today’s shiny thing comes in the form of a beer commercial aired in 2000 in Canada (the future 51st state of Trumpville). It was an article in the Guardian that pointed me towards it.
In recent weeks, Canadian patriotism has surged in response to Donald Trump’s suggestion that the US could annex its northern neighbour. His threats have prompted an outpouring of disbelief and defiance, but – in a very Canadian way – they has also revived questions over the complexities of national identity.
The advert is about a guy named Joe, and he’s a Canadian….
Joe is Back!
Joe is back, and Canadians are taking his message far more seriously this time around. The advert is trending again, and it’s not too difficult to understand why!
Again, from the Guardian:
In response, Canadians have taken to acts of patriotism, small and large: one pilot flew his small plane in the shape of a maple leaf; sports fans have booed US teams; hats insisting “Canada is not for sale” have gone viral; consumers have pledged to buy only Canadian-made products – a pledge skewered in a viral sketch in which one shopper berates another for buying American ketchup.
“What the hell are you doing?” he asked “We’re in a trade war, you traitor!”
“It’s been absolutely crazy and overwhelming,” said Dylan Lobo, who runs MadeInCa, a website that catalogues products made in-country. “We’re struggling to keep up with all the listings. People are really frustrated and they want to find a way to support Canadian and buy Canadian.”
Politicians, aware of a looming election, have wrapped themselves in the flag. And in a show of bipartisan unity, five former prime ministers have called for Canadian unity.
“We all agree on one thing: Canada, the true north, strong and free, the best country in the world, is worth celebrating and fighting for,” the leaders wrote in a statement.
A recent poll found pro-Canadian sentiment has surged in recent weeks – with the biggest leap towards patriotism found in francophone Quebec, a region historically ambivalent towards federal patriotism.
It Isn’t Just Canada
I’ve witnessed some South African national pride up-tick in the context of President FIGJAM’s mutterings towards South Africa. When I say ‘witnessed’ it’s certainly not scientific or reliable, and of course there’s also an up-tick of love towards the Musk / Trump team, amongst a small number of real and faux / wanna be Afrikaans farmers. Watch out Simba we’re moving to Willards (well, we might be).
And then there’s Panama. They seem to be pulling together to send a strong message of resistance to Trumps’ ‘we’ll take Panama back’ messaging. From PeoplesDispatch.org:
Panamanian movements have expressed their readiness to resist US President Donald Trump’s threats to Panama’s sovereignty. On January 20, as part of a mobilization of trade unions and social movements in Panama City in defense of the public pension system, they will also denounce the expansionist threats of Trump.
I also have to believe that it’s the same in Mexico (who’s gulf is it?), and Greenland (they’re headed for a take over), the EU, the UK, and of course Ukraine (for now). The list only seems to get longer and longer, with each passing day.
Riding the Storm
Perhaps it won’t be as rocky a ride as I currently anticipate. Let’s be clear, it can only be 4 years right, which is just a little longer than a Samsung S25+ contract (see what I did there with which phone I used as my example – it’s already happening)?
I’m Barrie, and I’m a South African!
PostScript
If you’d like a little more on Joe the Canadian, here’s a recent interview the original actor gave:
