This makes me sad

[captnenglish]

As an American and an academic, this makes me sad
http://www.stripes.com/news/us/war-...goes-all-out-1.180424?localLinksEnabled=false

 

[Steve]

Hard to compete with Survivor, Kardashians, blah blah blah. If I were an educator I would be flat out PISSED.

 

[captnenglish]

Hard to compete with Survivor, Kardashians, blah blah blah. If I were an educator I would be flat out PISSED.

I was being polite! Hell when the "History Channel" show nothing but pawn shops and swamp dwellers, it isn't a wonder "Johnny" doesn't know his history! and the sad thing is that the War of 1812 is about as important to our history as the Civil War!

 

[ChaosCossack]

Up here in Canada, 1812 is a big deal... It was the first time we had to defend our new nation from an outside element.
To us it was a victory in as much as an invading force was ultimately repulsed and our established border was maintained. The attacks on US soil further south, may not have been immediately successful, but did serve to take the pressure off them Great Lakes region (and we did set the White House on fire).

Compared to the other conflicts fought on US soil, 1812 may seem minor and unexciting... But to a barely formed country with a small British force, local militia and native allies, we managed to stick a bayonet in the eye of "Manifest Destiny". This was truely the first step towards becoming the nation that is now Canada.

Now if we could do the same thing to the left-wing braintrust that wants to strike any mention of Canadian military history from the books, lest we offend the new generation of Canadians... The same one's who find the singing of our anthem in school to be offensive.

But that's a rant for another day!

Living in Toronto (old York) puts me right in the middle of lots of 1812 events this summer, I'll be proud to attend as many as I can... With bells on!!!

Cheers

Colin

 

[Steve]

We are here for ya Matt. We ALL appreciate history. Well most of us anyway.

 

[captnenglish]

Up here in Canada, 1812 is a big deal... It was the first time we had to defend our new nation from an outside element.
To us it was a victory in as much as an invading force was ultimately repulsed and our established border was maintained. The attacks on US soil further south, may not have been immediately successful, but did serve to take the pressure off them Great Lakes region (and we did set the White House on fire).

Compared to the other conflicts fought on US soil, 1812 may seem minor and unexciting... But to a barely formed country with a small British force, local militia and native allies, we managed to stick a bayonet in the eye of "Manifest Destiny". This was truely the first step towards becoming the nation that is now Canada.

Now if we could do the same thing to the left-wing braintrust that wants to strike any mention of Canadian military history from the books, lest we offend the new generation of Canadians... The same one's who find the singing of our anthem in school to be offensive.

But that's a rant for another day!

Living in Toronto (old York) puts me right in the middle of lots of 1812 events this summer, I'll be proud to attend as many as I can... With bells on!!!

Cheers

Colin

Colin,
It did as much for the US as it did for Canada. Where our civil war legally unified the country and ended de jure slavery, the War of 1812 confirmed our sovereignty as a nation free and independent of European control.

 

[ChaosCossack]

Fair point Matt.
Then why has such an important time in North American history been, for all intents, put on ignore?
Not sexy enough for a Mel Gibson or Kevin Costner movie I guess.
A watershed moment in both our histories certainly deserves better from those who have reaped the rewards... namely, all of us on this continent!

 

[renarts]

The importance of history and its revisionism and fading through time is bad enough, we don't need that prat Gibson and "Welcome to Sherwood y'all" bumpkin Costner to mess it up anymore. Dude, are you trying to start another war?

 

[captnenglish]

I am generally not one for counterfactuals, but if the war had lasted just a short time longer and Wellinton and his veterans had gotten in to the fray, I think the whole of North America would be part of the commonwealth today

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Its understandable that the US underplays this war and we overplay it with the truth being somewhere in the middle. there are a lot of bicentennial activities throughout southern Ontario over the next few years so make sure you get out of Hogtown Colin!

Colin

 

[captnenglish]

I don't know if this happens in other countries (and really I am not bashing the US here), but it is a shame that while I am extremely proud of the fact that the US is doing so much to honor the memory of those that fought and died in our civil war, there is almost no mention of the War of 1812, hell the last decent thing the History Channel produced was on the War of 1812 and that was several years early

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Just cancelled most of my cable losing A&E (Dog the Bounty Hunter Channel), History (Ice Road Truckers et al) and the Learning Channel (is that a 200 pound tumor on my head?). No loss there and $45 a month saved. Hello netflix!

1812 may have had important results but as a land war it really wasn't much more than a series of skirmishes by Napoleonic standards. Chrysler's Farm rates as a battle and the British contribution was an understrength battalion, some militia and Indians as I recall. Wasn't Queenston Heights just a few companies? I find it hard war to get engaged with too.

Colin

 

[captnenglish]

Perhaps my inner nerd is showing

 

[billyturnip]

If you didn't have an innner nerd Matthew you wouldn't be a member of Planet Figure.
I don't think many people in the UK know there was a War of 1812 either.
What sparked my own interest was the discovery that a man whose grave is at a local church was wounded at Cryslers Farm.

Roger.

 

[Jazz]

Hey, thanks Roger for mentioning us in the UK. I for one have a little knowledge of this war, but not much, thanks to the Brit government educating the British to forget their own past as it is far too upsetting for the old colonials to remember and we are scared of offending them. We in Britain now are not encouraged to celebrate any of our past victories (or losses). We are far too busy being told we should be sorry for our forefathers actions and the only time we are allowed to be proud is when a Royal marries or England wins a football(soccer) competition (Like thats ever going to happen). Sorry to sound so pessimistic but I think you guys over in Canada and USA are far more patrotic than us here, and good for you. I can only speak for when I visit the US, and see the Stars & Stripes proudly flying outside everyones house. I may be a Brit but I love the USA ( My wife and I married in Florida in 2000 and we have been back several times since) and your way of life. We over here can sure learn a lot from you guys. It really annoys me that our schools no longer teach History the way it should be taught. We should all be proud of our Nations, wherever we are. God bless the USA, God bless Canada, and God help the UK!

 

[billyturnip]

Just to illustrate the point further try looking for books about the War of 1812 and note the nationality of the authors.

Roger.

 

[brian]

The U.S. attacking another country such as Canada,how'ld have thought it.I've read a wee bit about the 1812 war and find it fascinating.I apologise to my American cousins for any offence taken as i was only having a wee dig,but having your capital Washington burnt is not playing fair,now is it?
Brian

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Here's an indicator of the level of the bicentennial activity in Southern Ontario. Lots to do and see over the next 2 years. And lots of this has much to do with Harpo's $28 million.

http://war1812celebrations.ontariofestivalsvisited.ca/calendar.htm

http://www.ontariossouthwest.com/war-of-1812/

Colin

 

[ChaosCossack]

The importance of history and its revisionism and fading through time is bad enough, we don't need that prat Gibson and "Welcome to Sherwood y'all" bumpkin Costner to mess it up anymore. Dude, are you trying to start another war?

Sorry Mike.

I still have a hard time implying "tone" when I type.... I really need to use the Sarcastica font.

What I meant was, it's a shame that our kids get their history from Follywood tripe instead of learning real history. They'd be better off if the school systems didn't allow "popular history" and political correctness to cloud the ciriculum. Just teach history as it was so the generations can know and be proud of their country's history.

Right now, political correctness and fear of offending new citizens is threatening to destroy Canada's national identity! That's why it's so important we recognize events like this so they are not lost forever!

Colin

 

[captnenglish]

Hey, thanks Roger for mentioning us in the UK. I for one have a little knowledge of this war, but not much, thanks to the Brit government educating the British to forget their own past as it is far too upsetting for the old colonials to remember and we are scared of offending them. We in Britain now are not encouraged to celebrate any of our past victories (or losses). We are far too busy being told we should be sorry for our forefathers actions and the only time we are allowed to be proud is when a Royal marries or England wins a football(soccer) competition (Like thats ever going to happen). Sorry to sound so pessimistic but I think you guys over in Canada and USA are far more patrotic than us here, and good for you. I can only speak for when I visit the US, and see the Stars & Stripes proudly flying outside everyones house. I may be a Brit but I love the USA ( My wife and I married in Florida in 2000 and we have been back several times since) and your way of life. We over here can sure learn a lot from you guys. It really annoys me that our schools no longer teach History the way it should be taught. We should all be proud of our Nations, wherever we are. God bless the USA, God bless Canada, and God help the UK!

Ironically, I would have thought it the other way around, thanks to the news media and the tripe that passes for intellecual tv here in the states.