America and Americans

[Jewls2u]

While my husband was in the USAF he put the Canadian flag on his backpack so
he could travel on leave without getting hassled.

Julienne

-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
Of sagehen
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2002 11:35 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: America and Americans


Thomas Paikeday wrote:
>.........if I were an American
citizen and was caught in an "Ugly American" situation, I would probably
say, "No, I am not an American, I'm a Canadian." In neutral situations,
I'd say whatever the questioner wanted to hear.

Something less speculative: Remember Americans left in Iran had to
assume Canadian identity to escape during the hostage crisis.<
~~~~~~~~~
When my husband, daughter & I stepped off the train in Sarajevo in c. 1970,
with our backpacks & generally scruffy hostelling clothing, a local young
man approached us and in a friendly manner suggested that we get some
Canadian flags to sew on our packs, so that we would be taken neither for
Germans (still much reviled there) nor  USAmericans. (We admitted to being
Americans, which he shrugged off, still recommending the Canadian label.)
A. Murie