From a fellow immigrant, please don't believe everything NYT/CNN tell you (i.e. daily fearmongering).
Trump clearly wants to make everyone fearful of the outsiders, of the elites, and fearful for their future so they can be sold his plan.
Trudeau is almost the polar opposite in how he presents himself and his vision. He thinks about issues deeply and wants to build a united country where people see their differences as strengths and take care of each other.
The media in both countries likes to incite fear because that's what sells, it's far easier than ever before to do that with the current president elect.
The burden of being a minority in rural areas is that anything you do is magnified and generalized for all people in that group. If someone locally commits a crime they can say its a one time thing but if a person of color/minority commits a crime, it literally spreads across a small town and generalized simply because rural areas don't often come into contact with minorities.
Thus is the burden of being a minority in rural America.
It's mostly white people here, and that was never ever an issue before the events of 2016. Seriously, I didn't even think about it. Yes, people were sometimes a little distant or whatever, but I never faced racism that I could point at. It helps that we speak fluently with barely any accent - people (store clerks, etc.) would be standoffish till we spoke and then they'd be fine.
Now, there's a distinctly different feeling when we walk into our grocery store, or go out to eat. People look at us more, there's a chill in the air and it's not just winter.
You might think I'm being paranoid and maybe I am. But I'm taking it seriously enough to upend our life and move to a new country. This isn't something you do on a whim, or just cause you're feeling singled out.
I sent my fingerprints to the FBI for a police check. That's not like buying a coffee.
We are just so disappointed - and let me clarify, I'm not politically active, nor do I care very much for the other candidate. It's just sad to think that this is the best the US could do. It's also terrifying (as immigrants and minorities) to see the people who are getting cabinet positions.
My friend's six year old daughter was told to go back to her own country. She was born here. She is indistinguishable from your average six-year old US kid - except she isn't white and has a name that's different. She never had that happen before.
We aren't going to raise our children here.
I'm going to get off my soapbox now. I'm sorry if this comment isn't a good fit for HN. I am a quiet soul and do not usually speak stridently online or offline. I guess this HN story just caught me at a low point.
The most unpleasant thing I can think of about life up here is that occasionally some YouTube video you want to watch is region-blocked. It's not "being chased by a mob of nationalist vigilantes" bad, but it's still annoying.
It wouldn't be hard to compile a list of things are slightly worse in Canada than in the US (product availability, weather). But, it wouldn't be hard to compile a list of things are slightly better, too (infrastructure, crime rate). I can also think of things that are better in Europe (architecture, mobile telephony, travel) but taken as a whole, I think Canada strikes a pretty decent balance.
what does this mean?
anyway -
you're not going to find any less of what you're describing in canada. possibly even more, depending on where you move. the backlash to their hard-left politics hasn't happened yet, but it will.
-non-white american with immigrant parents
I think OP mentioned it because it's fairly annoying to do, and thus indicates his seriousness.
this is basic US partisan politics 101, and it's scaring people who are not used to it, or do not understand how it works, like this person who has lived here for 7 years and is now shocked that we do not live in a nation that would vote for basically a 3rd obama term. this is literally his first white president (lol, think about that) and now he lives in a racist shithole? come on.
2 of the deepest red states in the nation elected indian american republican governors. louisiana, and south carolina. the entire nation elected obama twice. california has yet to elect a non-white governor, or senator. has new york? i don't know, but i doubt it. silicon valley is still run by nearly 100% white people. the only time i've ever seen open racism was in boston massachusetts.
notice how his justification for moving is "a chill in the air", "people look at me longer" .. these aren't words or actions by other people, these are feelings that arise internally from a heightened state of awareness due to anxiety.
my parents immigrated here in the 80s and faced some really fucked up discrimination and have persevered and succeeded (and so have i) in a great country. if this person is going to throw away their 7 years of work and quarter million dollar income (immigrants making $250k, sounds like an awful place) for a "chill in the air" i say good riddance. they're in for a rude awakening when they meet their first canadian racist and their first canadian tax withholding.
I'm very glad your parents (and you) succeeded here. And the US is undoubtedly a great country.
However, in my particular case, in my particular circumstances, I have made this decision.
If you feel that I'm being silly, and "good riddance" to me, that's your prerogative. People are complex beings, and I will afford you the courtesy that you denied me.
Granted I don't live in the states so I can't comment on the media but have you seen his twitter account the last couple of day?
Doesn't seem to be the most stable guy running the show. Not talking about the scary reactions you will see from a lot of trump supporters with regards of those tweets.
I can only imagine what it must be for some people living in a society like this. And it's seems that this is only the beginning.
Eg: http://history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/japanese-in...
> This is not the 40's.
this time is not different.