We used to do an activity with our youth group going around and committing random acts of senseless kindness. You'd buy someone a hot chocolate, help someone cross the street, etc. One time we even cleaned a restaurants washrooms just to say "we care."Rarely are these reported in the news headlines but more frequently it is random acts of another kind.
The senseless violence inflicted on police officers in the States right now is just that...senseless. It is very difficult in my mind to comprehend how people can simply hate a police officer for the uniform they were and no other reason. They represent authority, order, discipline and stability. There is a job to do and they will get it done whether you co-operate or not.
Sandra's post on her blog http://www.behindtheblueline.ca/blog/blueline/ got me thinking. She discussed the findings that what happens in the States usually slowly trickles into Canada within a matter of years. I'm looking forward to her next post explaining why she anticipates an increase in senseless violence agains police officers happening in Canada.
My thoughts ran along the lines of this... I can't neccessarily make intelligent deductions in regards to things like police trends and the drug trade with the first hand experience someone like Sandra has. However I think I can infer something along the following lines. Whether it be fashion trends, the latest fad diet, divorce rates or pop culture, Canada very closely follows the United States in culture and trends. The latest and hotest item will be released in the States and die-hards from Canada will make a quick trip down across the border to be the first to bring it in the country. It is very rare that you see trends going the opposite direction. When Old Navy was first opened in the States it was the biggest craze to go down for a shopping weekend and pick something up that was cheap and trendy.
I grew up a few hours from the border so it wasn't uncommon for my friends to do just that...get the latest and greatest thing and then bring it home and show off to their peers what they found at Target, Bath and Body Works or Abercrombie and Fitch. Without fail within a few years there would be pilot stores opened in major Canadian cities and if they succeeded popular brands from the States would be opening up mainstream stores all across the country.
We haven't even branched to the point of American politics and how it affects Canadian life but I know for a fact that I had more exposure and knew more about the last Presidential election in the states then I did our last federal election here. That is embarrassing. So we'll stick with clothes shoes and iPods.
It might be a stretch to be comparing bath soap with violence, but in my mind they draw a close parallel. I also don't mean to trivialize the subject. I'd much rather have a new store open here then a rash explosion of violence against authority. Canadian culture piggybacks directly off of American culture. I would expect that this would not be exclusive to Abercrombie jeans but also drugs and violence as well.
But then again, what do I know?
Personally, I wish Tim Horton's would go in the opposite direction. I'd give my left leg for a maple frosted donut and a cup of coffee right now.
ReplyDeleteTypical cop ;) I can always mail you one.
ReplyDeleteJR would like to quit the force and open a Timmies.
A little while ago he met up with some colleagues at a Tims and some guy at another table decided to make a crack about cop's and donuts. He was embarrassed when he looked at what the four were actually eating and none of them had donuts sitting in front of them.