Blessed

As the Thanksgiving weekend dawned, Cody and I were out walking in the cool night air. My phone rang. Blocked caller ID. Probably junk, I mused. Let it go to message.

And here it was (the F word has been replaced by the B one, as this is a family blog):

Hey Garth. No offence, but no matter how much bleeping bullshit you spew, bleep you, you’re anti-real estate and against Trump, and I’ve got everybleepingthing on you. I’m bleeping building a web site. I’m going to bleeping kill you off, you bleeping piece of shit. I’m going to make your world be UGLY. Then I’m gonna off you. Bleep, trust me.

Sigh. So many angry people in this world. It’s not enough these days to disagree with someone, but it seems necessary to hurt them, too. Or at least scare them. Threaten. Make them recoil and retreat.

This us reasonably consistent with all the times you-know-who is mentioned on this pathetic blog. Regardless of whether it’s reference to how Trump’s tariff policy can whack jobs here or the academic warnings of a bevy of economists worried about MAGA, the reaction is the same. Anger. Belittling. Usually vulgar.

I mention this today, Thanksgiving, since Canadians should be massively thankful they live here. Not that America’s a bad place. It’s not. But it’s better here. It Trump wins, the States is likely to be in chaos. If Trump loses, more chaos. If it takes days or weeks for the election results to become clear, chaotic paralysis. There is no good outcome for our southern brethren.

It’s a scary thought, but America has the highest per-capita gun ownership rate in the world. The second-highest is Yemen, a place in constant conflict. American civilians own 393 million weapons, of which about 25 million are assault rifles (roughly the same number as the Russian army). It’s probably a safe bet that more Trump supporters than coastal Liberals have an AR-15, the choice of mass shooters.

Well, you get the point. Guns are rare here. Political violence is unknown. We do not have a leader who would dare say immigrants are, “pouring in from dungeons, insane asylums, jails in places like the Congo, they are murderers, rapists destroying the fabric of our society.”  The Republican candidate is racist, alleging migrants are genetically predisposed to be criminals, and that this is the ‘threat from within” he has been delivered to extinguish.

This is talk the world has not heard since, well, you know when. Of course, Trump is also a convicted felon, and has been found guilty by jury of sexual assault and fraud. He faces many indictments for trying to overthrow his own system of democratic governance. If he loses the election he may well go to prison. Or maybe just start a civil war. It’s hard to tell. He’s an unpredictable guy.

The point is simple. We’re different. The threats I receive and the miserable comments this blog deletes are unserious, inconsequential, childish and unreflective of Canada. A sizeable chunk of us may be tired of and unhappy with the current federal government, but nobody will doubt the fairness or outcome of the next election.

For that, be thankful. Order, stability, calm and predictability are precious commodities in this world. We have them all. Houses may cost too much, but expectations are also high and almost seven in ten families already own. Health care is strained and limited, but your new knee or heart valve won’t go on your credit card. Nobody here is accusing newcomers of eating pets nor do we require razor wire and steel fences on the border. Canada is a boring, pedestrian middle power, sparsely populated with a dodgy climate, two languages and Drake.  Half the people in its largest city weren’t born here. They came here. Because the place works. Why wouldn’t you?

Anyway, keep the death threats coming. Love ‘em.

Oh, and thanks to the thoughtful person who signed me up for this. I got my card yesterday. How can I repay you?

About the picture: “You were kind enough to post a photo of my Pomeranian Smokey enjoying the snow last winter,” writes Irene. “Here he is living his best life boating on the Rideau River, co-piloting from his preferred location on my lap. Thanks to your good advice over the years, we are both enjoying the perks of an early and moderately indulgent but financially sensible retirement. People on both sides of my family either die before 60 (usually the men) or make it to 85. I figured I had to retire early to be sure to enjoy at least a few years of leisure, but needed enough money in case I was the first live beyond 85. You make the choices you can with the information you have, and the GF blog really helped, especially when I seemed to be the only one I knew who took saving and investing seriously.  Thanks again!”

To be in touch or send a picture of your beast, email to ‘garth@garth.ca’.

Source: https://www.greaterfool.ca/2024/10/14/blessed-3/