As a coffee addict who is very picky, I've always found that an Americano—espresso diluted with hot water—is a reliable alternative to drip coffee when my preferred brew isn't available. But you won’t find them in some Canadian coffee shops for a while.
In what might be the most pathetic display of anti-Trump virtue signaling since those pink p—y hats that were all the rage for a few minutes in 2017, coffee shops across Canada are renaming "Americanos" as "Canadianos" to protest President Trump's trade policies. Yes, really.
The Washington Post (of course) is breathlessly reporting on this groundbreaking act of "resistance" as if renaming a coffee drink will somehow make Trump reconsider his proposed 25% tariff on Canadian goods—a measure he's implementing unless Canada gets serious about stopping the fentanyl flowing across our border.
Let's be clear about what's happening: Trump is trying to stop a deadly drug epidemic, while Canadian coffee shop owners are busy playing word games with their menus.
One coffee shop owner, William Oliveira of Toronto's Cafe Belém, told The Washington Post, "It's good for us to just, you know, stand up for being ourselves and reminding other people... that we're not to be pushed around and bullied by others."
Yes, nothing says "don't push us around" like passive-aggressively renaming an espresso drink. I'm sure Trump is rethinking his entire foreign policy as we speak.
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Oliveira proudly adds that his employees now "correct" customers who dare order an "Americano," explaining, "It's definitely me saying, 'Hey, just in case anybody was wondering, this is where we stand on that subject: We are pro-Canadian.'"
So brave.
If this all sounds vaguely familiar, it should. Do you remember how, back in 2003, during the lead-up to the Iraq War, France, a key NATO ally, refused to support the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, prompting a backlash from some American politicians and citizens who saw this as a betrayal?
A wave of anti-French fervor prompted some to push to rename "French fries" to "freedom fries" in the cafeterias of the U.S. House of Representatives. The idea quickly caught on in certain circles, with some restaurants across the country following suit, slapping the new name on menus as a middle finger to the French. I’m sure I thought it was amusing at the time, but it didn’t exactly do anything.
And sure enough, the "freedom fries" fad didn’t last long, and within a few years, even the House cafeterias quietly reverted to calling them French fries again. Even the man behind the effort, former Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.), later expressed regret over the stunt as his views on the Iraq War soured. It’s now a semi-forgotten, cringe-worthy footnote in American culture.
The "Canadiano" stunt is headed for the same dustbin of cringe-worthy political statements. It sounds as stupid as it is—a knee-jerk reaction from people who apparently have nothing better to do than politicize your morning coffee run.
