Angered at Montreal - rant

[chernabog]

Over the last few days, while at work, I've been listening to talk radio here in the Buffalo, NY area, trying to keep up on the events of the war. I'm involved in law enforcement, so I like to know what's happening with the war and homeland security issues. Thursday, on the Tom Beaurle show, there was a story about a pee-wee hockey team from Massachusettes which was participating in a hockey tournament in Montreal, Canada. Apparently, many of the Canadian hockey parents felt courageous enough to boo the 11 and 12 year old kids and subject them to anti-American comments along with giving them the finger while they were playing. And if that wasn't enough, players from a team in Beverly, Ontario were also taking part in the anti-America bashing by telling the Mass. kids that "America sucks" and to go back home to their crappy country, among other vile and degrading comments. You know, it doesn't just anger me that these gutless nords hate America, it's the fact that they subjected these 11 and 12 year old kids to their narrow-minded, moronic and down right demeaning behavior. I was really steamed when they had the nerve to boo the National Anthem before a recent hockey game between the Canadiens and NY Islanders, but this really set me off. I know that the majority of Canadiens don't feel the same as the Montreal population, matter of fact, most wish that Montreal didn't even exist, but that incident crossed the line! My message for any planning to visit Montreal in the near future is this...DON"T. Take your hard earned money and spend it on the U.S. economy. Maybe if enough people boycott Montreal, they'll have to lay off a couple of strippers!
It's too bad that Canada doesn't have a leader with the guts and integrity of George Bush.
You can bet that when my family and I visit EPCOT in the near future, we will be bypassing Canada in the World Showcase.
God Bless America and Godspeed to our Troops!

 

[Krisu]

I saw this on Bill O'Reilly

 

[Laurajean1014]

Just another reason not to go to Montreal or support French related products and services. I hope this is the minority of feelings, but nevertheless, this is the lowest act an adult can stoop - children have nothing to do with this at all. And to try to take it out on them, is less than childlike, it's rediculous! I hope the Mass team won the game 15-0! That will give the ungrateful parents something to moan about.

Do you think their misguided by eating all that cheese, bread and wine?

Don't waste your time on these people.

Support your troops, government and leaders!!!

 

[bsnyder]

 

[nativetxn]

I can understand that you are upset. I think the behavior of the adults at the Montreal hockey game was reprehensible.

But I have to say that Canada is a <b>huge</b> country, much larger than the continental US. Montreal represents a very teeny percentage of the population.

I won't be boycotting any of the pavilions at Epcot. If you want to avoid them that is, of course, your option.

Just try to remember that we have several loyal DISers who are Canadian. Many of them are my friends and none of them would ever be so cruel to children. We don't have to have the same political beliefs here but we shouldn't be angry with an entire nation because of the behavior of a few.

I found some interesting things about Canada and the war in Iraq today. I though it was pretty interesting. Have you seen <b>THIS?</b> or <b>THIS? </b>. How about <b>THIS?</b>

It hurts my feelings too that these children were emotionally hurt by this group of adults. I'm very sorry it happened. I imagine most Canadians think it was a terrible thing too. Not all Canadians hate Americans. I would hope that we don't hate all Canadians either. Especially when there are many who support our country, even if they don't support the war itself, they feel that their country should stand beside the US in this conflict. Go look at those links I gave you. It made me feel a lot better about things to read it.

Katholyn

 

[C.Ann]

This is totally inappropriate behavior for ANY adult - and I don't care WHERE they live..

 

[Geoff_M]

I hope the Mass team won the game 15-0!

Unfortunately, it had a very un-Hollywood-like ending. O'Reily asked the two players how they did and the team captain said "We got killed!"

The coach said they were about to get off the bus upon arriving in the city and a protest march was coming down the street. He ordered everyone to stay on the bus. From it's markings it was obviously a bus from the U.S (he said it was painted red, white & blue and the bus company name was something like "USA Coach"). As the marchers passed they jeered at the bus and made rude hand gestures. The coach said some of the parents started to "return fire" but he told them to stop and they complied. I also give the kids credit for not retaliating against the other team when jeered.

I also don't think it's fair to paint all the Canadians or, more appropraitely, Quebecois for the actions of some leftist marchers and some idiot hockey parents.

 

[SuiteDisney]

How sad for those children.

But hate isn't going to get us anywhere. I'm not going to hate anyone because of where they live or where they worship or what they look like and I'm teaching my children the same. It seems to me that if there wasn't so much hate in the world we wouldn't be at war now.

So when I go to WDW in October I'll be visiting the Canada pavilion and the France pavilion and all of the other pavilions. And I'm going to give each of the people in each pavilion the benefit of the doubt and trust that they are good, decent people unless they show me otherwise. Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong, but I know one thing; it feels better than hating.

 

[JoeThaNo1Stunna]

I'm really getting sick of all of these foreigners forgetting how much aid we give to the rest of the world. Who is leading the fight against AIDS in Africa? The USA! Who leads any assistance to massive starvation? The USA! Who funds the UN more than any other nation? The USA! Who is in the Middle East protecting the free world as we speak? THE U S OF A! If you disagree with us on one issue, you need to look at the big picture. All of this anti-American sentiment makes me wanna say screw everything we do to help those in need, it is obviously not appreciated. If we stopped for even one month, the world would become chaotic and the charity of our nation would be apparent. So unless the French and Canadians want to take our place they can quit the whining because they sound worse than Ron Artest protesting NBA officials!

 

[disneefamily]

Disnee Dad says................................The Quebecois should pay the price. As far as we know they already surrendered to Sadman.
I have been to the west coast of Canada several times, it's almost like they are more american than us!
Police can't wear bandanas that look like the flag, because that is threatening? Protesters sue the government becuase they broke the law and got arrested? Read that part about how they broke the law. In another country that begins I and ends with Q, they would have been shot, not arrested.

I don't see this stuff in BC, only in good ole USA,
but I could be wrong as I don't live there, only visit.
So until someone shows me otherwise, go BC,Alberta, Saschachewan, god i blew that one, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince Edwards Island, and any other east coast guys I can't remember. Yukon territory? Northwest Territory?That's on the west side. I'd look at a map but that would be cheating. I think I did ok for a dumb american.

It seems only the FRENCH canadians, believe it is better to support a killer of a million people, instead of the liberation army.
Are they that mad because because California Wine is so much better than the used up french grapes?

 

[Mermaid02]

I saw an American citizen who is originally from Iraq on television- when asked why the people in Iraq hadn't been happier to see U.S. and coalition forces he said (in broken English) 'When the people of Iraq are no longer afraid of Saddam Hussein, you will hear a million Iraqi voices saying this is what they have been waiting for. The people of Iraq have been asking for help for years- it has finally come' Those are not the exact words, but that is the gist of what he said.

What I don't understand is HOW anyone can be against this war, knowing what the people of Iraq have had to live with for the past three decades.

For the adults at that hockey game to act in such a manner- especially towards children is disgusting. I might not be buying Evian water, but I wouldn't scream and holler at a tour bus full of French Canadians here in Maine as tourists.... that's just ignorant.

 

[damo]

Since I was not at the tournament, like most of you I'm sure, I can only comment on what I have read in the Canadian Press. First of all, the bus, with the stars and stripes emblazened on the side, drove through an anti-war protest on the way to the hotel. Most of the anti-American actions took place at this time and were directed toward the bus and not necessarily a group of 12 year old children.

Secondly, whenever there is a tournament where kids from the U.S. vs. kids from Canada they always say those things to EACH OTHER. We have been to many hockey tournaments in the States and this is usual banter from both sides. I would imagine that the words "Canada sucks" were used by the American players as well. There is tremedous rivalry between American and Canadian hockey teams at every level and I would be inclined to leave it at that. It is a tradition for both countries and should not be looked at as cross-boarder bashing.

Personally, I would like to see it stopped but rationally, I don't believe it will ever happen.

And as it has been said, many,many times before, the American hockey fans also boo the Canadian Anthem over and over again.

 

[C.Ann]

----------------------------------------------

First of all, the bus, with the stars and stripes emblazened on the side, drove through an anti-war protest on the way to the hotel. Most of the anti-American actions took place at this time and were directed toward the bus and not necessarily a group of 12 year old children.

--------------------------------------------

Now they're trying to argue with a bus???????

 

[damo]

LOL. They may as well for the amount of effect their protest would have.

 

[chernabog]

Nativetxn, I understand that the feelings of those in Montreal are not the same feelings as those of the general Canadian population. As a matter of fact, while listening to the radio yesterday, there were reports from a large "support the U.S." rally in Toronto and from what I understand, it was rather large. I live about 15 minutes away from Niagara Falls, Ontario and I've heard many calls from native Ontarions and I know that there is a large amount of the population that supports this country. But my main problem with all of these protests, is when there are incidents like the hockey tournament and incidents like the one in the small town in France where someone vandalized the Statue of Liberty replica and destroyed the nearby memorial for September 11th. Those are nots acts of protest, but downright attacks on symbols of this country. Subjecting 11 and 12 year kids to this type of behavior, by so-called "adults" is inexscusable and unacceptable.
As for damo's comments about the U.S. players probably saying that "Canada sucks", you're right. It probably did happen. Living so close to Canada and seeing the intense rivalry between the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs, there was probably a lot a "smack-talking" during the game. But anyone who has played sports or been involved in some type of athletic rivalry, knows that that happens...BETWEEN THE TEAMS INVOLVED! Not adults yelling and carrying-on towards kids. I have two girls and I know that if they were subjected to that type of treatment, I would be opening a large can of WHOOP-A** on someone! I believe that you're forgetting the one main ingredient that was missing from that tournament and that was sportsmanship. And the adults in attendance failed to instill that important fact in their kids.
At times like this we should look to events like that hockey tournament to take us away from all the horrible events that are going on in the world!

 

[damo]

I totally agree. However, the article I read said that the actions of the adults (the finger, etc.) came during the anti-war protest, from anti-war protesters while the team was on the bus and not by adult fans during the kid's hockey game. To me, this is against a symbol of America, not the team itself. This team unfortunately attended the Canadiens game that night and that didn't give them much of a positive experience either. I can definately see how they would get a very bad feeling.


This is the information that I have read from local papers. However, I don't believe everything that I read and I take that into consideration when I read these articles about he says that she says that they said that ...

 

[Lady M]

I was extremely upset to hear about how our young hockey players were treated at a tournament in Montreal. Adults expressing anti-American sentiments, along with crude gestures, toward our children is going too far in my opinion!!!

Marie

 

[shortbun]

Certainly not the time or place for a protest. Shame on
them. Children do not need to be involved in this.

 

[damo]

The protest did not take place in the rink!!!! The bus drove through a protest in downtown Montreal. The protesters saw the bus with the American symbol on the side and proceded to give whoever (I would assume that the windows were darkened and they couldn't tell there were children inside and the bus would have been at least some distance from the actual protesters) was inside the usual nasty gestures.

Police actually escorted the bus away from the protest to get it to the hotel.

 

[Disney Doll]

Anyone from any country should not subject children to this sort of behavior. It's shameful. It's not a statement against all canadians, but the ones who were involved in this episode should be ashamed of themselves.