velvetpage | This is a bit disturbing.

I'm checking with Danny, this sounds familiar . . .

Ok, he heard it in NYC but doesn't know where (as in was it work, or neighborhood or what).

I have not heard it in Iowa, though.

(And yes I actually got on the phone and asked him.)

And why the heck do I think the military did it? Maybe someone on a MUCK said it? Hrm.

But I know Dan heard it used. Sorry, it just bugs me that I can't remember where the heck I heard it. I filled it under "stupid" in my head and let it go.

Totally news to me. But I don't hang out with racists. I did find some confirmation (http://thebellwetherdaily.blogspot.com/2007/08/ohiosphere-tale-of-day-xi-canadian-as.html) though.

Sad, and stupid.

Edit: I guess I should have read your link all the way through before commenting. Oh well. Now you have the link to the references mentioned.

Edited 2008-01-27 18:41 (UTC)

I've never heard "Canadian" used in that manner, so I would say that while this man seems to have adopted it to be used as a racial slur, it is not something that is going on in the entire south. To my knowledge, most Americans do not have much of an opinion at all about Canadians. You guys are close enough neighbors that we don't view you much differently from ourselves.

Also, there are still some bigoted idiots here as there are elsewhere, but the rest of us do not like them and do not take them seriously.

that is SO weird and so senseless...people are insane. seriously.

I have a friend down in Louisiana... and she has heard it frequently.

Weird... but true. I'd hoped to be told it was bad journalism... instead, I got it confirmed. *sighs*

I've never heard that before. The closest I could come up with is calling someone pretty hard to the left "Canadian."

Weird.

You see, referring to a left-winger as a Canadian doesn't bother me in the slightest - though i could see how it might bother more right-leaning Canucks. However, using my nationality as a code for racism is very offensive to me.

Oh, I don't doubt it. While I typically agree with the fact that the stereotypical American is pretty obnoxious, I know it's used as a derogatory remark elsewhere. It bothers me, but not nearly so much as it would to find out that someone uses it as a racial slur.

I really have never heard it used that way, though. Living in Buttcrack, AR, I'm surprised.

I've never heard it used either, so as others have mentioned, it must not be a wide-spread southern thing. That's so stupid. I can't wrap my brain around it.

Yep. The story is right on. I was about to say it was a Yankee friend of mine who first used the word around me - and then I realized that she married a Southerner who is a total racist, and he's the one who calls black people "Canadians." (And she was telling me about it in the spirit of, "Can you believe that I put up with this man who says _____." No. I can't.)

How completely bizarre. Some slurs make a twisted sort of sense, and you can trace some vague etymology that explains the usage. But this... it's too strange to make me even curious. Perhaps I'll ask, should I ever hear someone use it.

I'm almost hoping I hear someone use it, but all the Arkansas people said they'd never heard of it, so i'm unlikely to hear it on my upcoming trip. Which is just as well, because I'd be risking a broken nose to confront someone about their usage.

What a disgusting thought that new words are being made to use against people of certain skin types. I was hoping that things had progressed past this, but I guess I'm wrong:(

Wow, that's totally bizarre...

As for the waitress comment... Working as a server in Northern Massachusetts at a chain restaurant that is very popular among travelers (Some from Canada), I will say that if a table is speaking French we're likely to assume that they're Canadian and that we're PROBABLY not going to get tipped because it seems that many traveling (French Speaking, anyway) Canadians don't realize that we don't generally include gratuity to bills in America.

So I wonder if the reporter actually mixed up that particular connotation, not that it's a racial slur, but just for someone who doesn't tip (in that particular context).

When I come across Canadians (or anyone who doesn't really look like they're likely to tip me for that matter), I give them just as wonderful service as anyone else in the restaurant and if they don't tip me, then I assume that there was a cultural difference and can't possibly blame them for not knowing. Hey, I think automatically getting 15% included on all bills would be great! Good for Canadians to treat their servers like human beings! I've been treated like a robot and personal servant a few too many times...

And now that I've started stalking you on BOTH LJ and Rav, I think I should leave the computer. :-P

This is a bit disturbing.

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WOW

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