I'm always slightly offended when I hear sweeping generalizations about "Americans" being made...but really only slightly, because such generalizations only show the ignorance of the person speaking.
Canada, the U.S. and Mexico all carry such cultural diversity within their borders (like most countries), that it really is difficult to say just what it is that makes a person Canadian, Mexican or American...other than the obvious, which is what borders they reside in.
I've had the luxury of living close to both the U.S./Canadian border and also the Mexico/U.S. border at different times in my life...and have traveled and made friends amongst all three countries.
Predictably, you will often find that people that live along the borders of two countries often have a greater understanding of the neighboring country. I think you would find that many Americans living in Maine, Michigan, N. Dakota, Minnesota, etc. are generally pretty knowledgable about Canada...just as you find many people living in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, California (Southern), etc. fairly knowledgable about Mexico.
I'll end this rant on the obvious...you're going to find ignorant jerks (no, not me) no matter where you travel in this world...and if you haven't figured that out yet, you haven't been doing much traveling. There's also a lot of great people the world over, so spend your time trying to find them instead of the other.
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