Patrick Chan feeling unappreciated in Canada

[katia]

http://opinion.huanqiu.com/roll/2011-09/2038046.html
There was even not one whit of Taiwan in my post. If there was Taiwan and/or other countries it is the fault of the Chinese article and not mine.
Coming back to Patrick.
I have been his fan for a long time. I am still his fan. But I resent the things he is saying, and I resent things some people are saying--- politically. So I am giving my own opinion/answering them, and you.
*******
The differences in understanding some opinions and forcefulness in expressing them you could put on differences between our original languages. Mine is not English. In fact it is even not the second language but third.

 

[Violet Bliss]

Blue Bonnet
So is selling an armaments (and not by USA) , like in Libya or Syria.
*****
"Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the US has taken a hard approach to solidify their world position, employing a lot of military force,..."

Not so, US employed military force even before, particularly during so called "cold war".
But China is doing all it can to catch up,

China has a lot to catch up, with the US spending 6 times the military budget. GDP wise China spends less than half that of the US. The US is surrended by two occeans and two friendly nations, with countless number of guns in the country. Does it need to spend half of the World's millitary budget on "defense"? China, OTOH, is surrounded by American military bases and scary US naval strike groups.

It has been proven in history over and over that over spending on military power to halt economic decay has not worked to prevent the crumbling of empires. It only hastens it.

building enormous military base in Pakistan, buying (giving bribes to) the presidents in Africa.
And looking that way at their neighbors:
http://www.globaltimes.cn/NEWS/tabi...ch-those-around-South-China-Sea-a-lesson.aspx
btw I heard that original chinese article had different title: "now is the best time to start the war on South China Sea."

Nothing the US has not done or is not doing.

I'm anti war and anti military on all sides. Just don't like the hypocrisy on top.

 

[katia]

It really depend how you view everything. And friendly countries often are not so very friendly ----like Mexico and inroads China makes in South America.

As for spending military power to halt economic decay of empires--- I always thought that empire is the "thing" which has a lot of colonies and countries under its military occupation from which it gets economic resources. Which countries are colonized now by USA? Which are colonized by China?

As for economic empire --- yes, US might be a an economic empire but so is China, so was EU and so is Brazil.

As for military might ----- you are right that US naval strike groups are scary. But so is Chinese Liberation Army.

As for being anti war --- which empire got to stay an empire without military power?

 

[Tonichelle]

economically China owns the US... we're in debt up to our eyeballs (and then some) to China.

 

[Violet Bliss]

^^^I don't want to continue in this vein in this thread. You can study up on history, not propoganda, to find answers to your questions. You can even find facts and answers written by your fellow Americans who care to research and tell the closest truths they know.

eta. er, that's for katia above.

 

[katia]

Skate Figuring
But what do you call propaganda? Calling US naval strike "scary"?
there are facts and there are facts. There are even the people who got pay by government to look over the internet and write the propaganda.. We don't have such in the west.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/50_Cent_Party
"You can even find facts and answers written by your fellow Americans who care to research and tell the closest truths they know."
And I think you read my post when I said that I am an immigrant. I never wrote I am an immigrant to USA. As for the answers I prefer to think for myself and form my own opinion from the facts.

 

[Bluebonnet]

^^^What does this have to do with Patrick?!

Here comes the original topic:

Official says that Patrick was misquoted: http://sports.nationalpost.com/2011...ays-skater-was-misquoted-in-recent-interview/

 

[OS]

Wow this thread is all over the place! Can we please stick to the issues and not make swiping accusation about an entire nation? And what the heck has Taiwan got to do with Patrick Chan? *so gobsmacked*

No country is the same today as it were yesterday; and all Superpowers have their own dirty closet that should be scrutinized but that should not distract from the amazing achievements of what they are capable of today and make things better for tomorrow. The world has moved on, so should the attitudes and the observation of the past. Otherwise we might as well still be talking about my grand fathers vs your grand fathers ... where will it end?

Patrick Chan is right to appeal to those with deep pockets, as money is a very practical necessity to survive in this sport and it is a tough economic time for everybody. I am sure he is very proud of his Canadian root, but being proud doesn't pay the bills. What is the point working your butt off to become the most successful in this sport for yourself and for your country, and even when you got there, your parents are still in debt because of you, and you seem powerless to do anything about it? Give up? This is a fundamental issue that should be addressed in this sport.

 

[dorispulaski]

Thank you, Bluebonnet.

If this thread continues to be political, I will split the thread and move it to the Politics folder, so that those who would like to discuss Patrick can continue without the politics of Empire interruptions.

 

[katia]

I hope he was misquoted, however after reading his interview in CBC I doubt it.
His opinion may lower my opinion of him as a person, but that does not mean that I would stop enjoy his skating. However I may -- I am not sure yet -- stop being his fan.
Oh, and I hope he wins GPF
*****
OS 161
I think you are right that Canadian Federation should should help skaters more, but I assume it has problem getting money. Therefore I wonder how it will get more money. From where. And how we, fans, could help it gettin more funding. I think that would be good discussion topic.

 

[Violet Bliss]

I blame all the brouhaha on Mercury Retrograde.

 

[blue dog]

^^^What does this have to do with Patrick?!

Here comes the original topic:

Official says that Patrick was misquoted: http://sports.nationalpost.com/2011...ays-skater-was-misquoted-in-recent-interview/

I know what Patrice is going through, coming from a different heritage than most of my American peers. Like him, when I was younger, I felt myself more of the "new" country. As you grow older and more mature, you start to embrace your old country, while not letting go of your new country.

 

[clairecloutier]

^^^What does this have to do with Patrick?!

Here comes the original topic:

Official says that Patrick was misquoted: http://sports.nationalpost.com/2011...ays-skater-was-misquoted-in-recent-interview/

I guess I don't see how Slipchuck can know Chan was misquoted when he admits he hasn't actually talked to Chan about it.

 

[katia]

blue dog
but Patrick was born in Canada, didn't he?
I mean yes, you got ties to both countries (, in fact I do), but I would not say something like Patrick said. I would see it as wrong thing.
Also consider, WHY you parents emigrated?
I think we have to choose which nation/country we belong to, and stick with it.

 

[Tonichelle]

even in teh US you have the "hyphenated" citizens who are many generations an American but still feel their tyes to the homecountry... Irish-American, Italitan-American, African-American, etc...

like me, I know I have English, German and Irish heritage... mainly german. Technically I can consider myself a German-American. I don't because I wasn't born there and honestly don't feel that tie, but others do. I don't fault them for it. It's acknowledging that at somepoint their family came from somehwere else.

 

[demarinis5]

I blame all the brouhaha on Mercury Retrograde.

Really, I blame Nancy Kerrigan.

 

[wallylutz]

http://thestar.blogs.com/olympics/2...ng-wrong-in-fact-hes-dead-right.html#comments

Listening to a couple of commentators talk about Patrick Chan on the radio this morning, it sounded like he was going to have to surrender his Canadian passport before the Grand Prix Final in Quebec City this week.

They were talking as if the world champion figure skater had reportedly said he would rather skate for his parents’ birth country of China.

The only thing is he never said that. Not once in the Reuters report that is being cited as the source did Chan say any such thing.

 

[wallylutz]

I get soooooo tired of the overuse of bashing/ers... no skater is loved by all, every skater gets critiqued. If there is true bashing REPORT it.

Quite frankly, I don't think many people believe reporting it will do much good or lead to any actions since it's quite unclear what's considered inappropriate bashing of skaters in this forum. Is deliberate misrepresentation of their statements considered bashing? Many seem to be quite deliberate in their attempts to misconstrue what Patrick Chan actually said though it certainly isn't limited to just the usual suspects here, we have seen it by some unprofessional journalists and commentators as well - like shark who smell blood. Here, it feels like the piranhas are all out.

 

[Violet Bliss]

Yeah, he's such a bad boy. No sexy thongs for him. For GPF he gets Granny Panties.

 

[seniorita]

I think people make a big deal out of nothing from skaters interviews, they are athletes asked to do an interview, not trained politicians, even though the latter can say much worse.
And I didnt get from his interview he wants to skate for China. For me it is clear what he meant, maybe he doesnt know all the conditions in China so his interview sound immature but I m tired of waiting athletes to be the Queen of England. Maybe me, not having the national pride of a skating fan helps.
And the only politically correct skater I know, that didnt look like reading from Autocue, was MK.