Like just about everyone, I’ve made some 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, when I consciously opted to completely shut out any and all news concerning the White House and its current occupant(s).
Since making that 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 when 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 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 disagree. Being a good neighbor (or neighbour, if you prefer) is part of being a good citizen. That’s why on my recent trip to Canada’s Atlantic provinces I patriotically and joyfully transferred some of my personal 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.
Maybe a shift in international political boundaries isn’t such a bad idea. Unilaterally taking over another sovereign nation is ridiculous; that’s why any talk of making Canada America’s 51st state should be dismissed as the idiocy it is. But given the behavior of the leaders of our two nations, I for one am more than willing to entertain the possibility of Maine becoming Canada’s 11th province.
Andy YoungReturn to main page
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