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Neppy
September 13th, 2001, 03:54 PM
This is an email I recieved from a friend. - Neppy

<<The following, from a Canadian newspaper, is worth sharing.

Its subject is "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 ****ed 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!

This is one of the best editorials that I have ever read or heard 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 who has read this, but I SURE HOPE THAT A LOT MORE READ IT SOON.>>


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"Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend."
-Albert Camus

ogb
September 13th, 2001, 05:27 PM
An interesting article, but I have some problems with it. The USA is a highly admired country in Europe, we all live the western way like you do. For sure there are regional differences and every country has it pros and cons. If you read through German statements to the tragedy, you'd know how much the Germans are still thankful to the USA for the Marshall plan. Don't know if you saw it in the media, but the work here was stopped a couple of minutes to honour the victims - no train, no bus nothing worked at 10 a.m. this morning and tomorrow at 12.
But one thing to the airplanes: Europeans are building the Airbus - it is a big Boeing rival. The authors information are definitely wrong in this aspect. I also don't know what he means with the railway system that broke down. I don't have any information about that.
With the help it is quite difficult. Between Europe and the USA is a big distance and often there can only be sudden help. German technical helping groups are always ready to go anywhere in the world (e.g. they have been to Turkey and Greece after the earthquakes), but they have to be asked. Currently Germany is offering a flying medical center and planes with blood could start immediately - but no plane is allowed to fly. The US helps also only came in times of crisis, there wouldn't be any financial support from the US if in Austria the railway system would collapse next week.

I don't criticise the moral of this text, but the details he is giving are strange and wrong.

ogb
September 13th, 2001, 06:06 PM
Maybe you are interested in a German article to get a better insight. I think it is excellent and describes our feelings. It is a comment by Wolfram Weimer, taken of the today's "Die Welt" (= The World):

The mass murder of New York doesn't only hit the heart of America, it also hits us. The world weeps, prays and fears. And it stops the breath - because of fear of new violence and because we recognise that with all innocent people one big hope was destroyes: the hope of a free and secure world.

This attack will change a lot, especially because it is an attack on all of us, on our freedom, our security, our humanity and our believe in the good... This murder shatters the vision of a universe of openminded democrats.

The 90s after the end of the cold war will now be the decade of history, in which the wall came down and a postmodern life was tried, as if the world would be nothing but a big theme park...

...The people in America have to know that they are not alone, that the civilised world is standing close to them. Especially Germany, that owes so many 'thanks' to Americs, has to support the Atlantic friend.

The world has to get to know again that terrorism and violence may have no home. Who tolerates terrorists politically or on a diplomatic base, supports the violence.

America has to strike back, morally and with the army. Once again for us all to defend the holy values of freedom and humanity. Because one thing is for sure especially in this week: WE ALL ARE AMERICANS

Serendipity
September 13th, 2001, 06:52 PM
Remember JFK: "Ich bin ein Berliner".

Also, I don't know of any countries who are gloating, with the few exceptions in the Middle East. More Britons were killed in the attack on the WTC than in any other single terrorist incident, ever. I am particularly moved by the global solidarity with which this crisis is being faced.

aclu14
September 13th, 2001, 09:15 PM
Great article Neppy.
Retaliation-wise, it'll be the world against the terrorists.

Neppy
September 14th, 2001, 02:06 AM
Yeah, I don't know any of the facts about it but I do think the sentiment was in the right place.

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"Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend."
-Albert Camus

Neppy
September 15th, 2001, 03:09 AM
Found this today.

http://news.iwon.com/home/news/news_article/0,11746,164971|oddlyenough |09-14-2001::06:41|reuters,00.html (http://news.iwon.com/home/news/news_article/0,11746,164971|oddlyenough|09-14-2001::06:41|reuters,00.html)

Edit; Found this one also.
http://www.portalofevil.com/news


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"Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend."
-Albert Camus

[This message has been edited by Neppy (edited September 15, 2001).]

PlayCrackTheSky
September 15th, 2001, 04:00 PM
lol i posted the same thing maybe next time ill read other post lol

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Kirk (regarding V'ger): "Bones, there's a thing out there…"
McCoy: "A thing? Why is something we don't understand always called a thing?"