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TRIBUTE TO THE UNITED STATES

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 the 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!

At this moment or any other moment in time America is never stood alone as far as the people of Great Britain is concerned.The British people have nothing but love and respect for America and it's people. Whatever the scum of the free world do to America,never ever let it drive a wedge between Britain and America,that's what they want. God Bless. We are all thinking about you today and always. Colin from Scotland

This is an old tribute but it is still mostly appropriate.... except for the last sentence. I think in Canada we have proven our friendship, especially when helping our American friends leave Libya with Canadian passports (Ken Taylor - ambassador at the time) and most recently with the acceptance of inbound US flights that were rerouted to Canadian airports. We are mourning the senseless destruction and great loss of life and are in the midst of a large drive for the donation of blood for NY. I just hope that President Bush realizes the most important relationship is between US and Canada and not Mexico.

I live in Southwestern Ontario, Canada in a relatively small town. Watching these horrid events unfold for the last 2 days - well, I can just say that I honestly cannot image how any of you must feel. But, I need to let you people know in the U.S. that you are not alone - we are here with you. You are our neighbours - just like our neighbours down the street. Shock beyond words that such a thing could happen with such cowardly acts. I have not posted much worth in this forum, but I come back to it time and time again because there are so many here who help others. I felt helpless, like so many others yesterday, wanting to do something to help. We were told this A.M. to give to the Red Cross - I called and it took me forever to get through. They have been bombarded with calls and have added extra staff - (good, especially in a small town like this ) Please know that we all care, and know you are not alone. We all stand by you - The majority of this planet is behind you. I have every confidence that your government (and others) will seek and find these terrorists. Sorry if I'm babbling, but one last thing. Last night on CNN I saw your representatives break out in "God Bless America" and I wholeheartedly sang along. It broke my heart - keep your chins up and spirits high. Prayers and thoughts are with you, now, tomorrow and always ---- eh?

I received that via email today. It starts out great but ultimately I find it narrow-minded. Do you really think the USA would accept help from other countries in assisting us when we were in trouble on our own soil? We're too proud, we'd probably say "nice, but we don't need your help. We'll be just fine thanks, we take care of our own." Today NATO proclaimed support. If we starting something over this, many of our friends in Europe are going to be right next to us, ready to help out. Just one person's opinion....not that this has a thing to do with travel...!

As an American, I have to say that the Canadians have been wonderful neighbors. I will never forget that they helped us when we had American hostages held in Iran.

First, almost all of Canada grieves for what happened in America Tuesday. However, Gordon Sinclair was laughed at and derided as a right-wing kook by most Canadians when he made that radio address over 25 years ago. This is the same country that elected the anti-American Pierre Turdeau as Prime Minister for almost 15 years. Trudeau was Canada's PM when Sinclair made his statement in the 70s.

What Mr. Sinclair recognized (although I think he was too hard on the rest of the world-- probably due to the times he spoke in), and what those who deride and hate America always overlook, is that we are a problem-solving nation, single-minded when necessary. In recent years we have done a lot of sniping at each other, we've been excessively materialistic and we have been a little too hung up on our individual cares and problems. Someone apparently mistook that for weakness. The actions of thousands of people over the last few days show how quickly we turn from a bunch of raging individualists to a committed team. It is perhaps our greatest strength as a nation. Major donations to the relief effort (including a specific pledge to the children of the victims) are coming in from corporations from GE to the NBA. The tremendous lines at blood donation centers are gratifying signs of individual effort. The most difficult thing for many of us across the country is not being able to do anything when we desperately want to. Just to give proper credit, I heard an interview with Bernadine Healy, head of the Red Cross, where she made clear that sister chapters of the Red Cross around the world have been very quick to respond. Aid is not always unidirectional.

I, too was e-mailed this message (3 times). I think a lot of people need any words of encouragement available right now. It is, in fact, from a radio address in 1973, so the specifics are more in reference to the Vietnam situation. Gordon Sinclair, the author passed away in 1984. Like others, I think it is a stirring message. Nevertheless, America has been very blessed, and I believe it is our--perhaps I should say, MY--duty to provide assistance when and where we can, without keeping score. Much of the world will lend support on this situation before it's finished, I suspect. If anyone's interested, the full original message and a bit of background is available at http://www.snopes2.com/quotes/sinclair.htm