An interesting editorial about the U.S.

MetalManCPA

Papa Opeth
May 19, 2001
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This, from a Canadian newspaper and is worth sharing.
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America: The Good Neighbor.
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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:
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"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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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."
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Stand proud, America!
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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 usually blamed
for everything, and really never even get a thank you for the things we do.
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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, I SURE HOPE THAT A LOT MORE READ IT SOON.
 
This was another one of my major concerns. What the rest of world was thinking about all this. This is quite comforting.
 
You may add to the list:

America is the main weapons supplier of "unsecure" governments in the world, America has waged the most wars in the last century, America has economically robbed the developing countries the most, American-supported terrorists have killed thousands of people...

-Villain (not anti-American, just anti-pro-American)
 
The world hates us... I honestly wish we'd just mind our own business. I mean, you aid one group that's having trouble, and you make enemies with the group that's causing the trouble...

Anyway, France did help us during the revolutionary war.
 
Rogue:

We can't encase ourself in a bubble. If we mind our own business, chaos would occur worldwide. Love us or hate us, our power keeps this world in the best balance. If it wasn't us, who else then? I know we've made a lot of mistakes, and will continue to do so. But unless I'm blind, I envision an entirely different world without us.
 
Granted - the powerful want to stay powerful, and do things for themselves. But I think global balance occurs because of it. I don't see too many countries with the same definition of freedom, democracy, etc like the U.S.

Again - if it wasn't the U.S. the #1 power, it would be someone else putting their countries message out to the world. I just don't see anyone else with that ability.

Chaos? Yeah - I could see it. Too many extreme views in the world that our "power" keeps in check and localized. I don't see the U.S. as extreme. From an individual standpoint, I love this country despite its shortcomings.
 
>I don't see too many countries with the same
>definition of freedom, democracy, etc like
>the U.S.

Yea, I can't think of any either. For example, here in Sweden 'democracy' means that the people (more than half of it, as it were) actually choose the leader, not that the people vote for a recommendation to electorates(sp?) who then decide who gets to be the big man (or woman).

Also, freedom is more like 'no censorship whatsoever' and a great law called 'allemansrätt' which means that the land is free for everyone. Everyone has the right to walk any land except where they would trample crops or disturb people living there (ie, don't go near houses).

(It is rather funny to see u.s actors go "I CAN SAY FUCK ON TV AND IT WON'T GET BEEPED OUT??" in the movie reviews.)
 
As a whole, the American people are very good. Generally, they are friends of freedom and justice, etc.

The only problem I've had with them is widespread ignorance about the rest of the world. The government is certainly helpful to many nations, but the average individual isn't that well informed.

Both my parents are American, and I've been to the states probably almost 50 times. This is NOT bashing America or Americans, it's speaking from observation.

I really liked the editorial though. Very very nice.
 
It's no secret that US likes to get involved in every little thing around the world, and they always make it seem that they are in there as the good guys. Sometimes this is true and sometimes it is not, but it is hard to be so involved in everything that goes on and not offend anybody...Most of the time US is only worried about offending it's own citizens, which is a smart thing to do, since public opinion is very important here.
When United States practiced the policy of isolationism nobody in the world hated Americans...After WWII US became a world power and therefore was expected to be involved...By doing this America has stepped on a few toes, mostly Arab toes...
In short, USA is neither a saint nor a villain; she is just paying a price of being the world’s most powerful country.
 
Originally posted by Protocol
>I don't see too many countries with the same
>definition of freedom, democracy, etc like
>the U.S.

Yea, I can't think of any either. For example, here in Sweden 'democracy' means that the people (more than half of it, as it were) actually choose the leader, not that the people vote for a recommendation to electorates(sp?) who then decide who gets to be the big man (or woman).

Also, freedom is more like 'no censorship whatsoever' and a great law called 'allemansrätt' which means that the land is free for everyone. Everyone has the right to walk any land except where they would trample crops or disturb people living there (ie, don't go near houses).

____________________________________________________

Ok, I'll add one more thing...
Thats great Protocol - your country does understand freedom and democracy. But you don't have the capacity to help anybody else see it your way. America believes in the principles of freedom and democracy - and they fight for it worldwide. Most other countries sit on their hands and watch everybody else "do their thing". If we all want to make the world a better place, keeping to yourself is no way to spread the word.

At least the U.S. attempts to get the message out, and fight to protect that right, and help others to achieve the same freedom and democracy. As with most things in life, big or small, its better to have tried and failed then to never have tried at all.
 
I guess some US citizens are wondering how the other countries relate to the terrorist acts.. well, I'll let you know that today here in Finland will be held a one minute silent moment at mid-day at every work office for the memory of the lost ones.

Call me a bitch, but I won't partake.
 
Practically speaking, of course it's not going to do anything. But it's not supposed to. It's as a mark of respect, for the thousands of people who are dead or dying as we sit here, alive and healthy with our families and friends.

I turn on the TV and I see a teenage girl in tears, holding up a picture of her father who no doubt is one of those people who didn't survive...pleading to people if they have seen him. It's up to you, but if they decide to hold a minute's silence anywhere I am, I will do it.
 
I do wish more people in the US weren't ignorant of other countries in the world.

I also don't know if a country has to "Impose" their message of democracy on others. I mean, it's not our business to worry how other countries are governed. Sweden sounds like it's being run just fine. They don't need to tell others how it ought to be done, they just need to be happy.