david in boston |
posted 09-13-2001 08:09 AM ET (US)
> >> > Subject: TRIBUTE TO THE UNITED STATES > >> > > >> > > TRIBUTE TO THE UNITED STATES > >> > > This, from a Canadian newspaper, is worth sharing. > >> > > America: The Good Neighbor. > >> > > Widespread but only partial news coverage was given > >> > > recently to a remarkable editorial broadcast from > >> > > Toronto by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian television > >> > > Commentator. What follows is the full text of his > >> > > trenchant remarks as printed in the Congressional > >> > > Record: > >> > > > >> > > "This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the > >> > > Americans as the most generous and possibly the > >> > > least appreciated people on all the earth. Germany, > >> > > Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy > >> > > were lifted out of the debris of war by the > >> > > Americans who poured in billions of dollars and > >> > > forgave other billions in debts. > >> > > > >> > > None of these countries is today paying even the > >> > > interest on its remaining debts to the United > >> > > States. When France was in danger of collapsing in > >> > > 1956, it was the Americans who propped it up, and > >> > > their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the > >> > > streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it. > >> > > > >> > > When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the > >> > > United States that hurries in to help. This spring, > >> > > 59 American communities were flattened by tornadoes. > >> > > Nobody helped. The Marshall Plan and the Truman > >> > > Policy pumped billions of dollars into discouraged > >> > > countries. Now newspapers in those countries are > >> > > writing about the decadent, warmongering Americans. > >> > > > >> > > I'd like to see just one of those countries that is > >> > > gloating over the erosion of the United States > >> > > dollar build its own airplane. Does any other > >> > > country in the world have a plane to equal the > >> > > Boeing Jumbo Jet, the Lockheed Tri-Star, or the > >> > > Douglas DC10? > >> > > > >> > > If so, why don't they fly them? Why do all the > >> > > International lines except Russia fly American > >> > > Planes? Why does no other land on earth even > >> > > consider putting a man or woman on the moon? You > >> > > talk about Japanese technocracy, and you get radios. > >> > > You talk about German technocracy, and you get > >> > > automobiles. You talk about American technocracy, > >> > > and you find men on the moon - not once, but several > >> > > times - and safely home again. > >> > > > >> > > You talk about scandals, and the Americans put > >> > > theirs right in the store window for everybody to > >> > > look at. Even their draft-dodgers are not pursued > >> > > and hounded. They are here on our streets, and most > >> > > of them, unless they are breaking Canadian laws, are > >> > > getting American dollars from ma and pa at home to > >> > > spend here. > >> > > > >> > > When the railways of France, Germany and India were > >> > > breaking down through age, it was the Americans who > >> > > rebuilt them. When the Pennsylvania Railroad and the > >> > > New York Central went broke, nobody loaned them an > >> > > old caboose. Both are still broke. > >> > > > >> > > I can name you 5000 times when the Americans raced > >> > > to the help of other people in trouble. Can you name > >> > > me even one time when someone else raced to the > >> > > Americans in trouble? I don't think there was > >> > > outside help even during the San Francisco > >> > > earthquake. > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > Our neighbors have faced it alone, and I'm one > >> > > Canadian who is damned tired of hearing them get > >> > > kicked around. They will come out of this thing > >> > > with their flag high. And when they do, they are > >> > > entitled to thumb their nose at the lands that are > >> > > gloating over their present troubles. I hope Canada > >> > > is not one of those." > >> > > > >> > > Stand proud, America! Wear it proudly!! > >> > > This is one of the best editorials that I have ever > >> > > read regarding the United States. It is nice that > >> > > one man realizes it. I only wish that the rest of > >> > > the world would realize it. We are always blamed for > >> > > everything, and never even get a thank you for the > >> > > things we do. > >> > > > >> > > I would hope that each of you would send this to as > >> > > many people as you can and emphasize that they > >> > > should send it to as many of their friends until > >> > > this letter is sent to every person on the web. I am > >> > > just a single American that has read this, TRIBUTE TO > >> > > THE UNITED STATES
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