I am calling it “patriotic purging.” I may have coined that saying, but it seems accurate.
It's when you go through your belongings and get rid of the items that in some way go against your love of country.
All of this has come about since the second term of U.S. President Donald Trump and his threatened trade tariffs against Canada and his unhinged suggestions of turning Canada into the 51st state.
I am sad to say my patriotism was too quiet. I always felt the pride, but didn’t necessarily wear it on my sleeve.
When Trump drew a line in the sand symbolically, I felt my ire rise up and I asked the same question of many of my fellow citizens: What can we do to fight back?
We are seeing it now as so many people are searching out Made-in-Canada products and trying to purchase more of them while boycotting American-made items.
It's the same story for travel agents and air carriers, who are seeing a drop in U.S. vacation destinations in favour of Canadian locales or even European getaways.
Amra Durakovic, head of communications for Flight Centre Travel Group, says she’s seen an immediate pivoting away from American vacations.
“It’s really highlighting our power of values-driven decisions to, in a quiet way, protest the U.S. administration’s 25 per cent tariffs. It’s a powerful message," she said.
We likely all know people who have decided they won’t be doing any cross-border shopping in the short term.
Many snowbirds are foregoing the annual migration even if it means hefty cancellation costs.
Part of it is the value of the loonie, part of it is the decision to fight back against Trump with the power of the purse and some are actually afraid of what kind of reception we might get from our American neighbours.
Personally, I have started small.
I’m trying to seek out Canadian products at the store and shop locally.
I haven’t yet pulled the plug on Twitter, sorry X, or Amazon, although I’m close.
The other thing I’m doing is getting rid of items I own that no longer feel right having in my home.
I used to decorate in what was called Americana. You know, red, white and blue, stars and stripes, Uncle Sam, American flag decor, but now it seems wrong to me. So, out it goes.
Not sure if this seems petty or impressive, but I am dumping my vast library of Dr. Phil McGraw books. I was a huge fan since his days on Oprah. I thought, though full of himself and overly opinionated, I found him very intelligent. He had memorable quotes.
"How's that working for ya?"
There was a countrified common sense about him and I liked it.
I never missed his talk show. I saw him speak at a conference in Toronto. Once I saw his one-on-one with Trump where he kissed the ring. I was appalled.
So, while he may have had some valuable advice about relationships, nutrition and human nature, I just can’t abide his political bent.
So, the books (and there’s a lot!) are being donated.
Same story with country artist Lee Greenwood. I followed his career, loved his raspy voice and saw him in concert a few times.
Seeing him hobnobbing at Mar-a-Lago and pimping out his song God Bless the USA at rallies and campaign stops has turned me off. Not to mention he now hawks Bibles ('God Bless the USA Bibles') advertised as large print and easy to read. They are printed in China. A mere $59.99!
There’s also home decor with the song lyrics on it. Also tacky.
Let’s face it. That was Greenwood’s best and only really amazing song, but now it's ruined for me. So, take your gravel voice and get out of my space.
Please understand, it is not even about their politics. It is more about how they can support someone with such poisonous policies.
Plus, I am angry. I'm done trying to make things I feel are fundamentally wrong seem OK.
If dumping anything Trump-like makes me feel better, I'm doing that. Maybe like an exorcism?
The purging is just my way of taking a stand.
And it may not be worth much in the grand scheme of things, but it’ll make me feel truer to myself.