So this story took place about 3 years ago. I was on a business trip going from here in BC, Canada to Dallas, TX with one stop in LA, CA.

I was sitting up front in business class on the plane, it was fairly empty except for maybe one or two other singles; until we arrived in LA where a family of 4 got on, two parents and 2 young kids. I was on one side the cabin by the window and a young boy along with his mom were across the aisle, with the boy on the outside, nearest to me.

The flight was something like 8 or 9 hours all together so sometime during the flight, the little boy decided that we were going to be friends. I needed some entertaining so I accepted his friendship and he moved over to my side, taking the seat beside me; his mom thanked me.

He told me about himself, that he was 5 and a half and about his toy dinosaurs that he brought with him everywhere. I humored him by asking questions about them, putting my discovery channel education in paleontology into full swing

I told him what I did, where I was from (Canada), things I liked, the usual sort of thing you'd converse with a 5 year old about.

A while later his mom retrieved him so he could take a nap. I could tell that he was essentially repeating everything that I had just told him word for word as if I was pretty much the best thing to ever happen to him in his life

Then something weird happened. After he woke up, I was making faces at him trying to get him to laugh. When he did, his mom told him to shush and grabbed him. From then on he wouldn't even look my way!

As we were disembarking the plane, I went to shake his hand and say goodbye and he quickly yanked away telling me; "My Mom said I'm not allowed to talk to communists!"

I laughed out loud and asked what on earth he was talking about. He told me that I was a communist, communists are bad people and he wasn't to speak to me!

I was absolutely dumb founded at the ignorance of that woman! It blew me away! She quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him off the plane, avoiding eye contact with me.

This is why GW can stay in office for 8 years, there's simply too many painfully stupid people like this! I like to tell this story when I meet some new American friends over beer
Shes not even the only person I've ever met from down south that believe Canada is a real communist governed government. Amazing!

why would people from comunist government be bad anyways? (i dont care if anyone is or not i dont judge, its silly as to why people do it.)

Originally posted by darkmdbeener
why would people from comunist government be bad anyways? (i dont care if anyone is or not i dont judge, its silly as to why people do it.)

The people in it wouldn't be. That's part of why this was just so insane! It's like she thought her son was going to catch it from me and he'd start demanding an equal share of her pay cheque or something

I don't mean for this to turn into a debate on whether or not pure communism is a feasible system or not however.

i just find it funny that people tend to be so judgmental. they see you hear you and jump on how bad you are. also how they also preach "dont judge based on looks" yet dont follow that.

Originally posted by darkmdbeener
why would people from comunist government be bad anyways? (i dont care if anyone is or not i dont judge, its silly as to why people do it.)

If you were to get my two cents on it, it would be drawing on the cold war mentality of "the reds are evil". It's very interesting, because both sides of the cold war vilified the other side to an EXTREME extent, you will find many among the older generations of American's that will still throw around terms like "Pinko". I like to think if you were to travel to most places in N.America (Have not been to Mexico yet, probably heading down there on business sometime next January though :p), that we are a bit beyond just simply shunning people for their political views. On the communist thing, Canada is NOT communist, but it is a very Socialist country. Look at ad health care in Canada, or their welfare programs. In any case, Canada has a left and a right in their political spectrum just as we do in the good old US of A. The difference is, their left is left of our left, and their right is closer to our center. If you are following Canadian elections this fall (Exciting, right:lol, you will notice that Canada's conservative party is really good at playing the middle field, which is extremely smart considering the plethora of parties that are feuding over votes almost exclusively from the left/far left.

[edit on 14-9-2008 by ppskylight]

I can only hope the kid is smart enough and grows into an educated intelligent person, so that he can make his own choices and learns the truth.

I myself, have heard that Canadians are socialists- From ineducated sources and i just laugh it off.

Some sources out there are waaaaay out. If there's a little socialism sprnkled here and there that is a good thing.

Canada

Originally posted by dgtempe


I can only hope the kid is smart enough and grows into an educated intelligent person, so that he can make his own choices and learns the truth.

I myself, have heard that Canadians are socialists- From uneducated sources and i just laugh it off.

Some sources out there are waaaaay out. If there's a little socialism sprinkled here and there that is a good thing.

Canada

*EDIT* I just thought I'd go ahead and fix your post for you. (ineducated is not a word. I also went ahead and fixed sprinkled for you)

There is a large percentage of the eastern population (ie; Quebec) that are actually very socialist, the NDP and Bloc Quebecois could both be considered very socialist in nature. There is a plethora of left wing parties that actually have very sizable followings percentage-wise compared to American "third party alternatives". Canada itself is actually fairly socialist, look at health care for example.

[edit on 14-9-2008 by ppskylight]

And thus another child is corrupted with the "preconceived" syndrome that leads to the disease of ignorance. Garsh.. brainwashing at its finest!!

I respect though, the rights of parents to control their children through baseless ideas and assumptions. Means my kids will have the chance to rise above and excel in life

[edit on 14-9-2008 by justamomma]

ppskylight,

Thanks, but i can assure you that if i wrote ineducated, it was a type-o.

No need to edit my writings, i type with an accent and i'm very proud of it.

Thanks for all.

Ignorant parents dumbing down our youth since 1776. i know exactly what you mean. i recently moved and had to transfer schools. i moved into a mostly Italian neighborhood and went to a school with basically 60% Italian 30% black

10% other white kids and other ethnic kids.

i being Russian was immediately assumed to talk with an accent and hate America. Yes they actually believed i hated America because i am Russian. of course i dont blame them and have since became good friends with some of them. but the initial reaction of them is still hard to forget. i doubt they learned this off TV im just pretty sure they are the children of parents who loved reagan and thought communism was gonna get them.

First and foremost, DeadFlag, I LOVE your map. I LOLed.

Anyway, yes this is a sad story. But I must ask, are you sure that he didn't mistake you saying "Canadian" for "communist"? I mean he is just a little kid. Maybe he misunderstood.

If indeed it was that his mother really thought Canada is a communist country, that's a shame. People have crazy preconcieved notions everywhere though, like N. Tesla pointed out. When people find out I'm an American they always ask what I think of the fascist government or how excited am I about Barack Obama being our new president, or why Americans can own guns. Yep, ignorance is international.

Oh, I wish I could take credit for it, but I'm this time I'm merely a scavenger.