first time posting on this forum…
first time posting on many forums.
i thought that perhaps everyone should see this.
i found it through a friend from yet another forum.
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
i’m an american living here near LA… and i’ve been deeply touched and moved by the outpouring of sympathies from people all around the world. as a member of the marine corps, as an american, as a human being… i thank you all
I remember this ‘speech’ way back when. I think they put it to music and it was very popular. I’m guessing I was about 13 and it was probably 1973 or so, judging by how old I was when I ‘discovered’ music and what words were said.
It is comforting to know that there are so many caring and empathetic people around the globe. Their benevolent acts and sympathetic words are greatly needed by America in this dark time. What took place yesterday was a direct act of WAR against everything this nation stands for. It was, in a much greater sense, a barbaric and heartless crime against humanity. I have no sympathy for the perpetrators of this act of MASS MURDER and will do everything in my power, everything asked of me as an American, to see to it that these cowards and any who attempt to shield them are held ACCOUNTABLE for every drop of blood, for every tear shed. It would please me greatly if I found men and women of other nations sharing that sentiment and resolve. Semper Fi.
Yes, thanks xlarbarx. I remembered it and it was by Byron McGregor and I saw somewhere it hit #4 on the charts that year.
On a sadder note I posted it on a local message board last night and got flamed, and of course they blamed everything on the US. Takes all kinds I guess.
Damn straight, El Queso Grande. I’m afraid that the way we (myself included) extend the fight against ignorance to include immediately debunking newbies’ first posts. We could AT LEAST have thanked and welcomed xlarbarx before pointing out that “tribute” was older than he. Gentleness when bringing people on is important if we want to keep them and, especially, if we want to turn them away from the dark side of ignorance, spam, and glurge.
Welcome aboard, xlarbarx. Thanks for the article, it is still good reading, and as drop said, it was indeed kind of you to pass that along. I come from a military family, both my dad and FIL retired from the AF, my hubby, Mr Bear, recently retired from the AF, my older brother was in the Army, and our son is currently in AF ROTC up at UT Austin, on his way to becoming a JAG officer. I have worked around many jarheads on Lackland AFB here, and always found them to be great people. <Incorrigible flirts, but hey, that’s not a bad thing.>
And all even a straight guy has to do to keep 'em buying the drinks all night is to tell them how much you appreciate what they are doing for the country. Doesn’t work with the other branches. But (AF brat comment coming) why was a nice, respectable Air Force base infested with Marines, anyway?
And Unc, no prob. I practically beg for getting told off, lemme see, most of the time.
