This is kind of random, but I was thinking- if this had happened in America it would be all about Americans, not hockey fans, wouldn't it? Like, Europeans would look at it and say, oh God, Americans... and we would write about it ourselves like "why are we all like this?", seeing it as a sign of something, probably our civilization going up in flames. I would think about it myself that way. But because it's Canadians, I don't generalize, I'm just like, oh, some stupid guys. Or am I just nuts?
Hm, I'm not actually sure. When Halloween in Madison, WI, kept turning into riots [complete with lighting things on fire, breaking store windows, etc.], I think most people were just thinking, "oh, college kids," not mourning the rapid decline of the US.
And, conversely, when there are stories of, say, Irish soccer fans getting into fights, I think a lot of people think, "those Irish, if only they didn't get so drunk all the time," rather than "it's just a few football hooligans."
I definitely see your point, though - even I was thinking, "This looks more like something that would happen in the US, not Canada!" Somehow they get a pass because they have the positive stereotype of being a civilized country, and yes, we'd probably be judged more harshly because we have the negative one of being violent and crazy about guns and all that.
Hrm. So I partly disagree and partly agree? There's a reason I was never on the debate team [well, besides there not being one in my tiny high school]...
Comments 2
Reply
And, conversely, when there are stories of, say, Irish soccer fans getting into fights, I think a lot of people think, "those Irish, if only they didn't get so drunk all the time," rather than "it's just a few football hooligans."
I definitely see your point, though - even I was thinking, "This looks more like something that would happen in the US, not Canada!" Somehow they get a pass because they have the positive stereotype of being a civilized country, and yes, we'd probably be judged more harshly because we have the negative one of being violent and crazy about guns and all that.
Hrm. So I partly disagree and partly agree? There's a reason I was never on the debate team [well, besides there not being one in my tiny high school]...
Reply
Leave a comment