In the linked article, written by Time, a US media outlet, there is the sentence: "But after handing over command of the station to Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov ahead of his return to Earth on Monday, the Canadian astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield had one more treat for his fans down below."
I think Cmdr. Hadfield himself would like to be referred to - first and foremost - as an Earthling. This can be seen in his updates, often using the word "us", inclusively, even when the people in question are usually grouped as "them" in the popular rhetoric.
It is well known among astronauts how the experience of seeing the Earth from space makes such concepts as nation-states and national borders seem banal, silly, not something a space-faring species should concern itself with.
As a Canadian I am a bit uncomfortable with the constant nationalizing of Hadfield (never by Hadfield himself, but instead by people who want to make something of it online).
The I in ISS is about international cooperation, and Hadfield's adventure was made possible by many great people in many great nations. He is a great person, but the fact that he's a great person doesn't make me a better person beyond that we share a world.
The most I've seen about Hadfield being Canadian is on YouTube where there are comments that basically amount to "Go America". There is the standard reply that "You know he is Canadian, right?".
As a US citizen, I'm uncomfortable with the constant jump by the masses to assume that everybody that does something has to be from the US. You are correct that the ISS is about international cooperation, so isn't it good the nations that are involved get their recognition?
I would have thought that if the I in ISS is about international cooperation, it would be important to emphasize, where it's not obvious, that the people in the station actually do come from different countries.
WTF is with Canadians and their inferiority complex that they need to mention this? Canadians are like whiney insecure girlfriends that are constantly wondering whether Americans are thinking about them.
