Category: Special Event

An Apology of Sorts

I think I’ve been too hard on the American contingent at World Youth Day. Since my last entry, I’ve paid particular attention to the groups of participants, and I’ve seen flags for Chile, Germany, Poland, Mexico, and Sweden. I suppose the environment is a bit like the Olympics and people are representing their countries. I overreacted. Being next door to the U.S. has given us Canadians a certain sensitivity to American patriotism at its worst, but I do feel that the Americans have as much right as anyone else in Toronto this week to show us where they’re from.

World Youth Day

We’re being visited by Pope John Paul II this week, and about a quarter of a million of his biggest fans. So far, World Youth Day has been a big success. It’s nice to see large groups of young people wandering around my city. But one thing bugs me. Why must the Americans always drape themselves in their flag? Quite literally, all the American young people I’ve seen have flag bandannas, flags on their t-shirts and/or are carrying big American flags. It’s always been obnoxious, and it always will be obnoxious. I’d thought that they were here for some higher purpose than patriotism. Sigh. (Maybe they’re afraid of being mistaken for Canadians?!)