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.
United we Stand
Stand proud, America!
We got this from a friend in Norway. You may pass it on to who ever
you think may appreciate it.
"Dear friends:
It's almost midnight on Wednesday evening in Oslo, and I have just
come home from a walk down to the American Embassy, where I added my
flowers and candles to those already there. I'd like to describe it to you:
* A perfect evening, very dark, but lots of stars, around 60 degrees,
not a breath of wind.
* On one side of the street the embassy itself, where they were hard
at work adding a second row of concrete barriers.
* On the other side of the street, in front of the railings alongside
the palace grounds, a hundred yards or so of outpourings of sympathy from
the people of Oslo.
* Thousands of candles, all sizes, some standing alone, others
arranged in patterns - hearts, crosses, the letters USA.
* Bouquets of flowers of all kinds, from the simplest wildflowers to
beautiful bouquets.
* An exquisite wreath from the firefighters of Oslo.
* Norwegian and American flags.
* Letters and cards in many languages. Messages of hope, love,
sympathy - and outrage.
* Children's paintings and drawings - some depicting the horror of
the plane about to hit the tower with childlike simplicity, others
showing children on their knees praying to God to give America comfort.
* A placard with the words "The Atlantic is a creek, our sympathy is
an ocean, America is the world"
* Many, many people of all ages, walking slowly, reading cards and
letters, and adding their own contributions.
* Not a sound to be heard, except for that of people trying to
control their tears.
It was extraordinarily beautiful, and incredibly moving. I think it
was the utter silence that was the most powerful aspect. The silence of
grief and mind - numbing outrage.
