Canadian Olympic athletes winnings taxed.

[barnacler]

Maybe I am the only one, but my identity is far from being encapsulated by my nationality. I didn't build the country, so really I have no right to be proud of it, NOR to accept responsibility for national disgraces like residential schools that occurred in the past. Sick of groupthink: we are individuals first and foremost.

I fail to see patriotism as anything more than just gold 'ole tribalism in another guise, and frankly I would rather someone from another country win a gold rather than a Canadian if the Canadian is an A-Hole.

If a Canadian wins a gold, it is his or her glory, not mine.

 

[Blue-Spheroid]

Maybe I am the only one,

Maybe not the only one but (hopefully) one of very few.

As participants in a democratic nation, we are each very much responsible for how the nation behaves. The government we elect represents us. If we elect Stephen Harper, we are responsible for the embarrassment he brings; when we elect Justin Trudeau, we share the credit for his correct decisions and also share the cost of doing the right thing.

 

[barnacler]

I see. So, - and I don't want to jump to conclusions here, - you feel that everyone SHOULD regard their citizenship as the defining characteristic of their identity? Count me out of that.

LOL, how pathetic. Why, pray tell, should my membership in a particular nation state's citizenry should make me "RESPONSBILE" in any way for that nation's behaviour? And why the nation? Why shouldn't I be more concerned about - oh, say the entire planet? Why do I have to be like any other tribesman and feel that other members of my tribe somehow represent me?

The country that I am a citizen of is I assure you a very SMALL part of my life.

 

[Blue-Spheroid]

This is not an appropriate forum in which to explain democracy to those who do not appreciate or understand it. Not is it the right forum to explain logical discourse. "Barnacler" clearly needs lessons in both.

We are all many things in addition to our citizenship, of course. However, our citizenship, which affords us many privileges, does bring with it some responsibilities as well. Those who take without honouring their responsibilities abuse and disrespect their fellow citizens.

 

[barnacler]

Nothing you just said in any way negates my point. Your first paragraph is merely assertions without the benefit of evidence or supporting logic and can therefore of course be discarded. What does my non-excitement about patriotism have to do with democracy? Patriotism means "Love of the Fatherland" - nothing whatsoever to do with democracy.

Of course, your talk about responsibilities also does nothing to address my point. What does honoring responsibilities have to do with self-identity, praytell? You are trying to say, I believe, that by not wearing my citizenship on my sleeve and regarding it as the main way in which I identify myself I am somehow 'abusing and disrespecting' my fellow citizens?

And of course, this is all in the narrow venue of athletic competition, no less. Why are some people so arrogant that if other people don't behave the same way they do that they feel they can make all sorts of fantastic logical leaps, imputing motives, and essentially calling other names?

Please explain that zinger of logical ineptitude.

 

[barnacler]

ATTITUDES TOWARD CRITIQUE:
BLIND AND CONSTRUCTIVE PATRIOTS
Among those who study and theorize about patriotism, the question of whether patriotic commitments foster democracy often highlights a crucial distinction — between blind and constructive patriotism. Blind patriotism. Blind patriots adopt a stance of unquestioning endorsement of their country — denying the value of critique and analysis and generally emphasizing allegiance and symbolic behaviors.11 Studies also indicate that blind patriots frequently engage in nationalism — asserting their nation’s superiority and supporting their nation’s dominance over others.12 Blind patriotic commitments are well captured by comments like “My country — love it or leave it” and by notions that it is “unpatriotic” to criticize one’s own country.

This form of patriotism is inconsistent with educational and democratic institutions because its intolerance of criticism signifies a lack of “free and full interplay.”

This perspective obscures the value of reasoned debate and fails to recognize analysis and critique as engines of improvement. Thus, while some
forms of patriotism might broaden citizens’ concerns to include the whole nation rather than just themselves, their family, and friends, blind or nationalistic patriotic commitments can narrow one’s concerns in dangerous and antidemocratic ways.

 

[Blue-Spheroid]

Simply put, because you seem to prefer simple, democracy means you share power and share responsibility. If you are a Canadian, the actions of your government reflect, in part, your wishes. If you do not agree with the actions of YOUR government, you have a responsibility to act. It is foolish and irresponsible to reap the many benefits of this great nation and then claim no accountability for the actions the nation takes.

You probably don't agree but that's because you don't understand. This has nothing to do with your persona perception of who you are. You keep claiming that you don't define yourself by your home. I don't care. There is a social contract in a democracy and pretending you are above it does not get you out of your responsibilities.

 

[barnacler]

Again, nothing you have yet said has even REMOTELY had anything to do with my original post. I made no mention of form of government, democracy, I merely noted that my Nationality is waaayy down there on my list of things that define me, and as such I feel no compulsion to make it higher in importance to quite a few other beliefs , for instance, that are NOT an accident of birth.

The actions of my government may or may not reflect my wishes. So that is a meaningless comment. Sometimes it is the same, sometimes it is the opposite.

You starting point is that we owe the nation many things because of all the wonderful freedoms it offers us etc - but I regard, in the words of Chris Rock,"Those are the things you are SUPPOSED to DO!"

So I don't give a nation credit at all for giving me what I regard as natural rights.

I do understand - and by your merely STATING that I don't understand, that I need simple explanations etc, you reveal a paucity of argumentation, in that you require a cover, a smokescreen of insults and little pathetic putdowns to compensate for your lack of coherent arguments.

The social contract is that I be a law abiding citizen. That is IT. We are a nation of LAWS. Anything else is YOUR definition of how you feel I must behave. Why exactly you feel that YOU should be able to tell ME how I must act is beyond me. It is EXACTLY that kind of thinking that caused freedom-seeking people to leave Europe when this nation was founded.

 

[barnacler]

Suppose you are a black, muslim, male, Canadian from Toronto who is somewhat left-wing and poor.

Why do you want a Canadian athlete to win, and if he does, what is your reaction and why? What if a white Christian Canadian from Quebec who comes from a rich business family is competing in a final against a black muslim from Nigeria from a poor farm village.

Why do you feel that of al the characteristics you see before NATIONALITY is the most important? Or why do you feel that ANY of these characteristics are important.

 

[Blue-Spheroid]

Suppose you are a black, muslim, male, Canadian from Toronto who is somewhat left-wing and poor.

Why do you want a Canadian athlete to win, and if he does, what is your reaction and why? What if a white Christian Canadian from Quebec who comes from a rich business family is competing in a final against a black muslim from Nigeria from a poor farm village.

Why do you feel that of al the characteristics you see before NATIONALITY is the most important? Or why do you feel that ANY of these characteristics are important.

I call plagiarism!

I looked up the word non-sequitur" in the dictionary and saw the exact same phrasing. So now you are wrong and unoriginal.

I never said you have to care if a Canadian wins a medal.

This thread is about how your government treats winning athletes. It's your government so it concerns you.

 

[barnacler]

I call plagiarism!

I looked up the word non-sequitur" in the dictionary and saw the exact same phrasing. So now you are wrong and unoriginal.

I never said you have to care if a Canadian wins a medal.

This thread is about how your government treats winning athletes. It's your government so it concerns you.

1) Be specific, what EXACTLY are you saying I plagiarized, because , actually I didn't.

2) MY post was about patriotism. I regard professional athletes the same as I regard bricklayers or consultants or hairdressers: people doing their jobs. they don't 'Represent' me

 

[Blue-Spheroid]

I have to admire the spirit of those who do nothing by half measures. When my friend here wants to be obtuse, he uses a;; 179 of the available degrees.

 

[barnacler]

Please at a minimum answer question 1. Otherwise there is reason to believe that you have lied.

 

[elwoodinontario]

Olimpics medalists deserve better treatment, than any average John Doe.(

So, all men are not created equal then?

 

[t.o.leafs.fan]

The U.S. just passed a law saying the rewards from winning a gold, silver and bronze medal will no longer be taxed. Hopefully Canada follows suit.

 

[barnacler]

The U.S. just passed a law saying the rewards from winning a gold, silver and bronze medal will no longer be taxed. Hopefully Canada follows suit.

Why?

Why not make them tax-free for life?

Maybe a loaf of bread should cost them less, too?

 

[JackBurton]

Absolutely they should be taxed on the 15 bronze medals they won. Canada always shows poorly at the Olympics. If the Canadian athletes were a business it would have been cancelled and buried long ago. I can't imagine how emotionally tough it is to train your whole life to accept that third place is probably the best you will ever do.

Basically the Canadian government paid them to go to Rio to party. That's a waste of our taxes

 

[t.o.leafs.fan]

Why?

Why not make them tax-free for life?

Maybe a loaf of bread should cost them less, too?

As a big supporter of national athletes and a believer that the gov't doesn't do enough to support them then yes, I believe the gov't should be buying their bread as well.

 

[basketcase]

Absolutely they should be taxed on the 15 bronze medals they won. Canada always shows poorly at the Olympics. If the Canadian athletes were a business it would have been cancelled and buried long ago. I can't imagine how emotionally tough it is to train your whole life to accept that third place is probably the best you will ever do.

Basically the Canadian government paid them to go to Rio to party. That's a waste of our taxes

You obviously have never competed at anything. Third place in the world is a phenomenal result. Yes they want to do better but even qualifying for the Olympics is a major achievement.

 

[basketcase]

...I believe the gov't should be buying their bread as well.

Or at least making sure they don't go hungry.