This was sent to me

[Confused]

Subject:

If you love America, this is a must read.

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!
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.

[cobra]

Confused,
I want to personally thank you for sharing that message.
Good point, and so very true.
But as as the most powerful nation on the planet, we can not depend on anyone but ourselves, although humanity goes a long way.
I just watched peter jennings and barbara Walters and saw her post some pictures of people killed in the airplanes, she showed a picture of an entire family that fell victim to this "hellborne" tragedy. I am still emotionally drained, yet feel proud to be an American by the grace of God. Sometimes I could never understand our prejudices(including my own), alas, this historic moment has me viewing my life in a very different light. I shed tears of grief for the victims and their families, and thank God, my loved ones are safe.
Yet I feel the need to reach out to my fellow countrymen/women with open arms, without the blinding prejudice. I pray for everyone, in hopes we can unite not only for the cause of putting and end to this madness, but so we can all live in peace...together...

[audiyoda]

I'd also like to say thank you for posting that. Being an American, those are things I forget about and seem natural -- almost in our nature.

-Craig

[WJWheels]

Thanks for posting that Confused. I too received that in an email from a friend. The biggest kid on the block (Zayd's description) has a duty to care for and sometimes "meddle" in the affairs of the rest of the world. Who's to say to where the Hitlers, Stalins, Husseins, etc. would have led the world without the meddling of the U.S.A.

[Xayd]

Indeed.

It's become an accepted thing here. When some other nation gets itself into whatever trouble, the US sends money, or military, or whatever else is required. We don't generally condemn these actions, and we don't expect anything substantive in return. The requirements for this help? Don't be a willing enemy of the US, that's all.

Yes, Americans have gotten lazy, yes we don't keep up with current events, and yes we sometimes fall behind other countries when it comes to certain industries.

But when an ally needs protection, or when a Hussein or Hitler starts to overthrow other countries, who will be there to stand up to them if it isn't the US?

Xayd

[cobra]

I "borrowed" this
I think it says a lot right now.

[Gintaras]

Moment Of Silence

[deanboyj]

i think the current situation in nyc and dc and the aftermath and war that follows will be the other countries' time to pay back their debt to our fine country

god bless america

[WNeill]

I certainly agree that thr US has continualy helped the nations of the world in their hour(s) of need. I for one am glad to call America a friend and ally and am grateful for their assistance when the UK has called on them. I would however say that as far as WWII is concerned it was not Britain's war it was a World War and thousands of Brits died shoulder to shoulder with American troops in their quest to rid us ALL of a Tyrant. I am also convinced that any attacks on the middle-east during the coming weeks/months will be launched from UK shores(as is the norm in these circumstances) as well as from ships in the Gulf. The UK has and always will be Americas unflinching ally in whatever the despots of the world thow our way.

[LawyerRon]

The commentary by Gordon Sinclair is not new. I remember it well as I was in High School when I first heard it. That's because Gordon Sinclair recorded this piece as a speech with muisic in the background in 1973. It was a hit record in America. It was played by every major radio station in America and was in fact #1 on the charts for several weeks. Also, Gordon Sinclair died in 1986.

[python134r]

I heard that on the radio a few days ago, thanks for posting it.