Like just about everyone I know, I’ve made some ill-advised life choices I wish I could change. However, I’ve never for even a moment considered altering a vow I took just over nine months ago. That’s when I consciously opted to completely and utterly shut out any and all news concerning the White House and its current occupant(s).
Since making that momentous decision last November, whenever I read a certain five-letter name in a headline, I skip over the story. If I hear the word (which can also be a noun or a verb if it’s spelled with all lower-case letters) uttered on the radio, I change the station. Happily there are no television channels to change in my home, since the TV was removed years ago in the interest of maintaining our family’s individual and collective mental and emotional health.
Recently I received further confirmation that it was a smart move to intentionally tune out the doings and blatherings of the attention-craving bully who, sadly, is currently seen as the face of our nation by most of the rest of the world. That evidence revealed itself during a just-completed two-week trip a friend and I took to the Canadian Maritime provinces.
It’s not surprising that many Canadians have justifiably taken exception to the ignorant comments of someone who has not only threatened our friendly neighbor to the north with unprovoked - and potentially crippling - tariffs, but more than once has word-vomited about the possibility of Canada becoming America’s 51st state. After all, were an unhinged leader of some other nation to suggest taking over the USA, I imagine my reaction (and that of most Americans) would be similar to the one many Canadians have expressed regarding the possibility, however slight, of their country being annexed by ours.
However, despite all the political roilings, neither I nor my traveling companion received even one hint of unpleasantness from anyone during our time roaming the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, even though we were flagrantly traveling in a vehicle sporting a very prominent Maine license plate. In fact, everywhere we went we were treated like honored guests and welcomed with open arms, just like we had been on previous trips north and east of Maine’s international border.
My blood pressure is precisely the same as it was a year ago, which is no small feat given my age, size, and belief in the necessity of integrity in America’s elected officials. And while the truth is that 95% of my current condition is attributable to genetics and just plain dumb luck, I can’t help thinking that consciously withholding attention from a mean-spirited, enabled bully who’s addicted to the spotlight has at least a little something to do with my continued good mental health.
Some may suggest that willfully disregarding America’s corporate media coverage of the presidency is irresponsible, but I beg to differ. Being a good neighbor (or neighbour, if you prefer) is part of being a good citizen, and not only did I represent America with kindness and civility during my recent international adventure, but I committed multiple acts of what I consider patriotism by surreptitiously and joyfully transferring some of my discretionary funds out of America’s economy and into that of our friends to the north. What’s more, I’ll do it again if the opportunity arises.
You know, perhaps a shift in international political boundaries isn’t such a bad idea after all. I still believe unilaterally taking over another sovereign nation is pure folly, which is why any talk of making Canada America’s 51st state should be dismissed as the outlandish tripe it is. However, given the amount of neighborly comity and respect being shown by the leaders of our two nations, I for one would be more than willing to entertain the possibility of Maine becoming Canada’s 11th province.
Word Count: 645
Published in Portland Press Herald
Andy YoungReturn to main page
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