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Things I'm grateful to Canada for: • parliamentary democracy (a better stepping stone towards liquid democracy than the perverted joke of a system in the US) • the comparably limited role in offensive militarism (though that is changing for the worse) • abundance of, and prepensity towards, renewable energy • willingness to acknowledge and try to address historical and ongoing systemic injustices But—and this is crucial—I won't be celebrating Canada Day. Not because of the many many failings of Canada, from the rising corporate corruption of politics, increasing militarism of the police forces against citizens, or unfettered support for a genocidal regime. No, I won't celebrate Canada Day because the soul reason these kinds of holidays is to imbue nationalism into the citizenry. And that nationalism can be used to any means. You should always reject the urge to worship the idol of the state. It is always a revisionist idea of that country anyway. More thoughts below 👇

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People often, rightly so, are proud of the unique cultural elements of a country. These are worth celebrating. But the best celebration of those things is not the association of them with the flag of the country and some loose idea of Canadian-ness. Celebrate unique culture by learning about it, appreciating it, and helping to fund its preservation; and importantly, don't exploit it for your own means. Also...

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People often celebrate Canada Day as a secondary Remembrance Day. To them I've tried to point out that Remembrance Day wasn't a celebration of war, valor, bravery etc. It was a celebration of the peace ushered in by the armistice that ended World War 1. In that context, the gross geopolitical games that have caused the many wars that followed is indictment enough that this country (and indeed all countries) do not deserve a pat on the back. And, more imporantly, to connect nationalism to militarism is the secret sauce used by every evil country from Nazi germany to the 20th and 21st century United States.

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So to Canadians on July 1st (and United Statesers on July 4th) remember to take time with your family, friends, neighbours (and ideally even those in need) sharing food, kinship, and kindness. But eschew the red and white paper plates and temporary tattoos of Canadian flags. If you must have a symbol consider the universal symbol of solidarity, unity, resistance to oppression, and meaningful change for a better future. The symbol of workers, of anti-fascists, of anti-racism, of women's liberation, of anti-imperialism. And, again, don't just mindlessly praise it, understand it: https://tellersuntold.com/10-events-in-history-that-have-used-the-raised-fist-symbol/

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