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Americans abroad are hiding behind a Canadian flag to avoid global scrutiny.
During a recent trip to Japan, a 25-year-old South Florida man took to social media to say that he was looked on “with disdain” every time he told someone he’s from the United States.
The polarizing sentiment by TikTok user Luke Hillman was soon reposted on Reddit and X, where it sparked an onslaught of comments speculating whether Hillman is onto a worldwide trend, or if people in Japan just don’t like him, specifically.
“I’m in Japan right now, and every single time that I say I’m from the United States, people look at me with disdain and disgust, and I have to explain myself every f-ing time,” a beanie-clad Hillman said in the viral vid.
“I’ve been to Europe, the same f-ing thing applies. It is embarrassing at this point; I have no words for it anymore. It’s just disgusting and embarrassing. I have no f-ing words.”
Hillman, a frequent traveler who boasts himself as an “urbanism and sustainability poster boy” on TikTok, has said that when he chatted with other foreigners — specifically Australians, Canadians and Europeans — and told them he was American, they tended to give him “a second glance.”
“They look at you differently,” Hillman exclusively told The Post, clarifying that he did not usually get this “harsh feedback” from actual Japanese people, describing them as kind.
However, the Japanese did seem cautious regarding one particular American stereotype: “They’re especially like, ‘Oh, do you support Trump?’ And that immediately has a negative connotation.”
Hillman further said that he felt the need to make people understand that he does not align with President Trump, and meets skeptics — many of whom express concern about the prevalence of school shootings and “that orange clown” — with whole-hearted agreement.
“Criminals, criminals, criminals,” he said of our US leaders.
Amid the debate prompted by Hillman’s TikTok, Americans in the comment section admitted to “flag-jacking” — lying about their country of origin, claiming instead to be from Canada to avoid catching flak.
Hillman admitted to The Post that his “rage-baity video” garnered much dissent among viewers.
“How f-ing lame you are to be ashamed of your country,” responded one critic, throwing in an American flag emoji at the end, to GBC Media Network’s repost on X, which attracted more than 576,000 views. “Don’t bother coming back. Canadians and Europeans have sacrificed [their] right to free speech in the name of wokeness. Don’t be such a tool.”
“I’ve been to Japan 8 times for months at a time each trip,” commented another. ”Never once have I been looked at with contempt. It’s [either] all in your head or it’s your own personal actions while there.”
Many critics of the clip furthermore claimed that, by and large, “Japanese folk love Americans” — suggesting that perhaps Hillman himself was the reason for any anti-American blowback he experienced.
“I’ll take ‘An American Bullsh-tter in Tokyo’ for $2,000 Alex,” mocked one X commenter.
“I’m not buying it,” said one more. “I think it’s probably just you.”
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