Correcting Stereotypes

Do all Indians live in tipis?
Aren't Native cultures a thing of the past?
Do all Indians say "How" and carry tomahawks?

I recently received an e-mail from the National Museum of the American Indian titled "Correcting Stereotypes". It started out by asking the 3 ridiculous questions above. I couldn't believe it was serious, but I checked with the Museum and they did send it. I was shocked there is still a need to inform people about such basic information.

But then I realized I've heard stereotypes repeated about a group of people I have developed a real fondness for during my time blogging—the oft-misunderstood Canadians. The recent Olympics shed some light on this secretive group and I want to do what I can to increase understanding of them. Here are a few fun facts about Canadians and their country:

1. They all attended Degrassi High.
2. And, yes, Degrassi Junior High too.
3. If you hear a Canadian say "a-boot", there's an 80% chance he's NOT talking about footwear.
4. They all worship hockey.
5. All Canadians consume mass quantities of Canadian beer.
6. They are all nice. The only way to make them mad is to criticize Canadian beer or hockey. *
7. Their mail is delivered via dog sled.
8. They are afraid of the dark (I learned this from How I Met Your Mother).
9. Tim Horton secretly controls the country.
10. They live in igloos, but only during the winter.

* Kym posted about a horribly offensive female driver, but I suspect that "lady" was really an American.

I hope you now understand the Canadians a little better and see they are just like people in the US. Well, if you substitute football, Budweiser, McDonald's, people in short-pants (mailmen), and delete that part about being nice, then yeah, people in the US and Canada are exactly the same.

Ahahahahaha!!!! Clearly I am just being silly. People in both the USA and Canada are great! I'm a proud American and proud to have Canada as a neighbor.

But to be serious for a moment. Lack of understanding, ignorance, is a real problem. Dickens wrote, "This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased."

Ignorance = Doom! So let's do what we can to erase it.