Frazz by Jef Mallett for July 08, 2011

Not a good idea, seeing that the USA lost to the Channel Islands in Cricket World Cup qualifying, and Englend tied India during the competition.

“Their lives are hardly any different than ours.”Except for the legalized marriage equality and healthcare. :-P

I hope the politics are going to be finished soon.

One of the big reasons Canada did the “let’s ask nicely” approach was the UK remembered what happened the last time a North American colony tried asking and was turned down.

Someone once said that “cricket is Britian’s attempt to grasp eternity.” The match could have tanke longer than Canada’s independence.

O.K., now, that’s enough — goodbye.

http://media.ccomrcdn.com/media/station_content/616/Conway0704117P_1309835965_2254.mp3, starting at about 9:00, Bryan Suits, soldier, American of Canadian heritage, discusses the difference between Canada and the US and the importance of our revolution.

So sorry that the 18th century Patriots, whose blood was spilled to guarantee your right to complain, don’t meet with your 21st century, spoiled brat, PC revisionist approval.

Is there anything else about America you don’t like?

rollsroyce, you also missed the freedom of speech. If you say anything that offends someone your are charged with a “hate” crime and fined or jailed.sarc/Boy, Canada is “just like” the U.S.A.!/sarc

Mary Brown! come back! come baaaaack! we need you!

Again, war did not break out as a result of our declaring independence, independence was declared (in large part) as a result of war having broken out.

If the colonists’ grievances had been redressed peacefully, we might have remained part of the Commonwealth for another hundred years (or even to this day, because there wouldn’t then have been a precedent for breaking away).

Lio took a dip into the dark side, also called politics, and it didn’t go well. I hope this is the last one. It’s not going well either.

rollsroyce, all “When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns” arguments assume an uninterrupted supply of guns. In Australia, the motorcycle gangs beat on each other with bricks and lead pipes, they don’t have firefights which kill bystanders. The handgun in your home is far more likely to kill you or someone in your family than ever to be pointed at a bad guy.

I’m British, and this sort of stuff makes me quite sad. 1776 was a long time ago, the UK and the USA have been allies in more wars than I can remember and our troops are fighting side-by-side in Afghanistan right now. The Canadians are your neighbours and allies, too. Are you chaps going to keep this “we’re the greatest and you’re all shit” nonsense up for ever?

We fought the war and Canada gets the delicious French fries? It hardly seems fair.

And where does Neil Young live?

Let’s not Harp-er on what the Obamabush has fruited. The “world’s longest undefended border” is now guarded on both sides by quivering paranoids and we will gradually grow apart and maybe even go to war, much to the financial satisfaction of the multinational corporations who rule both once-great nations.

At the time of the Revolution, Canada was ruled by Britain, but was essentially French, apart from fishing colonies on the Atlantic seaboard. Britain knew that that was an unstable situation, and went out of its way to be nice. Roman Catholics had full civil rights in Canada, which they didn’t get in Britain until 1829, and most of the French legal system remained in place. It worked. US attempts to get Canada to join in the Revolution failed miserably.

Major English settlement in inland Canada actually began with the end of the Revolution, when many Loyalists migrated north.

Yes it was worth it

Ahh hello, I think the Quebecians would argue that there was a war!

I’m Canadian, and like Dick Bentley said earlier, many of these comments sadden me as well. Many Americans seem to hold the view that when any other country does something in a different way than the US does, that country must be doing it the wrong way. Those Americans don’t seem remotely curious as to why that country does it differently, and whether or not America could learn something in the process – rather, it’s far simpler for those Americans to not put too much thought into it, wrap themselves in the flag, and start shouting everybody else down.

Does anyone really understand the rules of cricket? And if so, can they state them in twenty five words or less?

Either way, this "pretentious strip asks one of the more interesting things about American history. Was the Revolution necessary? It spawned the Age of Revolution, most of which turned out terrible..Google George Washington’s role in starting the French and Indian war (by assassinating a French peace ambassador. There is actually a signed confession signed by George himself!), which led to the Revolution, which led to George Washington being the leader of a brand new country. I bet the conspiracy theorists had a field day back then…

Hey, readers –

It’s Jef. And I’m apologizing.

Not to give too much away, but this week’s Frazz series really does turn out well Saturday. The whole series was done with good intentions – I’m not a mean guy, I love my country and I believe strong institutions and ideals only get stronger when questioned. But upon further review, as the refs say, my strategy was ham-fisted to say the least. Good stories get better when an uncomfortable middle sets up a happy ending, but I have to admit a week was an awfully long time to expect everybody to squirm.

A perfect world really isn’t very interesting to write or read about. In my idea of the right level of imperfection, when someone says something outrageous it’s a prelude to a little bit of education for the outrageous one. This week the outrageous one was supposed to be Caulfield, but it turns out it was me.

I do apologize, sincerely and without conditions. I promise not to quit trafficking in questions and outrageousness. But next time I go messing with rockets’ red glare, I’ll be a little more careful lest I blow off what fingers I have left.

Thanks for reading.

BTW, one of my ancestors went to Montreal, Quebec in 1648. It’s the best part of Canada…French chicks everywhere…

bigpuma, I was specifically referring to the French chicks that Varnes’ ancestor went to see, in 1648. :-)

Back in 1776, independence was hardly possible without a war. Up here, in Quebec, there is still a movement that wants to separate Quebec from the rest of Canada. I am a proud adherent to that movement. We want secession, independence, separation, whatever, but we want out. Difference is, we will do it peacefully and democratically. And we keep our poutine :-)

@hactoo, @DickBently You’re right, to a Brit or Canuck, it sounds like we’re just shouting everybody down. I think the real reason everyone got so het up was because Caulfield basically said that our independence wasn’t worth fighting for. Then everyone scrambles over everyone else to bring out facts and lists of why it was worth it to fight. I think we have good reason to feel patriotic that we DID fight for our freedom, and gained it. The alternative would have been worse, as is proved by history.

This cartoon is the perfect example of what public schooling can do for you these days.

To Mr Jef Mallett: Frazz is one of the few things that make me smile everyday. Caulfield is brilliant (despite his teacher’s attempts otherwise) and I’ve already told you that Frazier is a cultural genius.

It’s only healthy to rattle people’s cages once in a while. Every angry response you get only goes to show how nationalism or patriotism is more a gut feeling than a rational thought exercise.

Keep Caulfield irreverent, keep Frazz grounded, keep drawing these gems.

Thank you for your art.

Pierre MarcotteQuébec

reminds me of a calvin and hobbes where calvin asks his dad “how do soldiers killing each other solve the world’s problems?”