Canada will never be 51st state
Kevin Grabb
I’m Canadian. Painfully so, even. My "outs" and "abouts" might not sound quite right to some. I am but one member of the wide, diverse and inclusive world of waygook-dom. It’s a tag shared by many. I have friends from all over the world on this peninsula we call home. But there’s something that has been heavy on my mind recently.
I’ll get to the point: U.S. President Donald Trump’s proclamations about my country. No, not the tariffs. It’s more insidious than that, if one could believe that were possible. I'm talking about his “51st state” remarks. Trump has been declaring publicly and loudly that Canada should be the newest addition to his country. “Canada only works as a state. They drew an artificial line through Canada and the U.S. and it makes no sense," he said. Instead of prime minister he has called our now former head of government, Justin Trudeau, “governor" — a title used for the heads of American states. In his inaugural address, Trump claimed “During my second presidency, the United States will expand its territory.”
What do I do with this? I know two people who live in Korea and voted for the man. How do I deal with this? Do I ignore it? Do I ask them? Granted, most of my American friends who live here are quite open and liberal. These are pretty good traits to have when living abroad, but they don't apply to all of my American friends, or all of the Americans I deal with on a day-to-day basis. Surely some of the Americans I talk to in Korea voted for the man and that leaves a nonnegligible amount of Trump voters who are either okay with the threatened annexation of my country, or outright support the notion. What am I to do with this? Keep calm and carry on? Push it aside and ignore it?
My fiancée and stepchild live in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. I am down there a lot. Being there, it’s quite easy to go to the areas outside Camp Humphreys and Osan Air Base. I’m there a couple of times per month. When I’m walking around, I see hundreds of Americans. They’re my friends, my brothers and sisters. Do I need to have that tiny voice in my head asking “What percent of these people support the taking over of my country by military force? Is it..…five percent? Ten? Hell, half?” I shouldn’t need to disclaim that American soldiers are not a hive mind and don’t necessarily support the invasion of Canada, but some obviously do. It’s not zero.
We’re not joining voluntarily. It will have to be by military force. Are these friendly military-folk whom I banter with at the bar in Pyeongtaek potential future invaders? If not by choice and with glee, then by congressional order? Why must I think these things? Why is this necessary? We’re best friends and I’ve had to think about this nonsense for a month now.
I plan on moving back to in the spring of 2027, and earlier if I need to go back to defend my country. Is the American that I talk with about Korean craft beer today someone whom I will be shooting at in a year’s time?
Canada will never be 51st state of the U.S. Elbows up.
Kevin Grabb is a Canadian homebrewer and YouTuber. His channel Korea Brewing Adventure covers Korean alcohol from production to consumption.