Another wonderful editorial for the world. Thank you, Canada.

[KillerMuffin]

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."


*****

Thank you, Mr. Sinclair.

 

[Dillinger]

Its excellent - I've read it - it seems to be circulating around - I've received it from friends in email as well.

Thanks for posting it KM...

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Interesting. And appreciated.

I never really thought about things like "Tornado Relief" from other countries. We've always taken care of ourselves. And I've never thought twice about government and grass roots efforts to send aid to Central American coutnries devestated by flood or Asian countries devestated by Earthquake. Every school room I was ever in as a child at some point had a "Drive" of some sort to send food or money or medicine somewhere in the world. It's just part of how Americans grow up. I've never once wondered why the favor is never returned.

 

[sexy-girl]

i may be in minority but i dont think its a good time for someone to talk like this ... the article is very negative its not positive about america ... america is great ... america doesn't need to put down other nations to make america seem great

be proud and happy for the patriotism that americans are showing but dont turn in on yourself dont hide from the rest of the world ... america could easy do that now and they shouldn't

i think the whole world has shown itself to be good ... all humanity is showing its best side these last few days since the awful thing happened

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Agree, somewhat, Sexy-Girl. But I think the editorial is reacting to those who aren't putting America's empathy in the proper perspective, and isn't really about calling other nations to task.

Though Americans send aid all over the world, I think we're quite aware of the magnanamity, generosity and compassion of other nations. Which is probably why we don't tend to really see things fromt he perspective of the Canadian editorial. As I said above, we don't tend to think of aid from other countries for America, but we do see it applied elsewhere in the world.

We're also aware that the current space station is an Internationl space station, that the Russians have jets, and that the Europeans, actually, do build good planes, that medical miracles are being developed all over the world, etc. We're aware. And I think the commentator is aware, too. Again, he's reacting, I think, to those who are speaking out without being aware.

 

[willywanker]

KM, I just recieved and was going to post this same letter.

Sexy girl, I think you should reread the original post. The only thing negative is the way other countries have treated the USA. And that is still happening today, just watch the palistinian people celibrating the lose of life in New York.

The United States has acted like the rich uncle to the world, dolling out money, aid and help as needed over most of our history. We have aided and armed countries that then turned away and became our sworn enemies. We have not always been right, but it is nice to see that at least one reporter outside the US has noticed.

 

[sexy-girl]

i see your point DCL ... there has been some feeling that america brought this on themselves ... and that is SUCH crap

so i can understand some why articles like this happen too

 

[Thomas Paine]

In an effort to make sense of some of the references in the Gordon Sinclair piece, it might be helpful for you all to know that it isn't recent. In fact, it's at least 20 years old.

Unless my memory has totally failed me, I first became aware of this during the Iranian hostage crisis. It was actually a recording by Mr. Sinclair which was broadcast widely on the radio during that period.

I certainly have no quibble with the sentiments expressed, just trying to put it into context.

*********

I should have looked this up first. Gordon Sinclair's editorial "The Americans," quoted above, was first broadcast on Canadian radio in 1973 at the end of the Vietnam War. Mr. Sinclair, a Canadian broadcasting legend, died in 1984.

 

[lavender]

 

[dergar]

Personally..when i read this article I had tears in my eye. I am DAMN proud to be an AMERICAN! And yet it seems..if i go to another nation...half of the ppl out there want to spit on me for being american..then take my donations and spit in my empty hand...Few times have I felt like I would be welcome in another nation..but maybe that is part of why I haven't left my nation...then again it could be because im a 20 year old businessman that has worked to hard to leave hte nation for a moment! LOL

 

[Isabella Thorne]

God Bless America

<hugs Muffy>

We are all Americans at this time ....

our Prime Minister has declared tomorrow a day of mourning across our nation ...

 

[naudiz]

A few points.

As stated, this article is at least 20 years old. I read it for the first time well over a year ago, and it was dated back two decades then. It is expressing one man's appreciation for a nation that, right now, happens to be in one of its darkest hours ever. Any kind sentiments are needed right now, so I can't really call it inappropriate.

Personally, I'm heartened by the support from other countries. I'm also heartened by the attention being paid by Americans to the way the rest of the world is being affected as well. We're not as ignorant and isolationist as people may think. I've heard several people here at home discussing Northern Ireland, Rwanda, Bosnia, and other places on Earth that have been suffering for so long now, and how it has to end. Something has to be done. No, we're not just looking to our own troubles and leaving the rest of you to rot. Even now, in the midst of all this, people are talking about: but what about the rest of the world - these people don't deserve to be forgotten.

But we're damned if we do, damned if we don't, you know? If we do get involved, we're meddling where we're not wanted. If we don't get involved, we're failing in our duty to protect the free world. There is just no pleasing people, but we continue to try. It's a thankless lot, but if someone doesn't do it, what then?

As DCL says, growing up, it seems like there was always some drive for money, clothes, food... helping out, either here in our country or abroad. I never questioned it. It just seemed like the thing to do, and getting paid back never entered into the equation.

However, on the matter of foreign aid to the US in times of crisis, a few years ago, when a good portion of the Pacific Northwest was on fire, Australian firefighters came to our aid, with the training and experience to handle these kinds of blazes that our guys simply didn't have, having never had to learn before now. These Aussies saved many American lives, homes, and precious natural resources. They got no fanfare, no ticker-tape parades. They came, they helped. It was the thing to do. Thank you for that.

Assholes and naysayers exist in every culture, in every land, but so do heroes. Let's not get so wrapped up in finger-pointing and line-drawing. We're who we are, humans first and foremost.

 

[Cheyenne]

"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.

Your clue to how old this editorial is can be found in this paragraph. Draft dodgers on the streets of Canada were during the Vietnam war.

Even though the piece is more like 30 years old rather than 20, the sentiments are still good. I had this sent to by email at least 6 or 7 times today. It certainly is making the rounds!

 

[*bratcat*]

this was written by...

 

[Azwed]

America: The Good Neighbor.



"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?

"
Thank you, Mr. Sinclair.

I have seen this before aswell. Here is another clue that this is around 20 years old. Well it is a clue if you are an aviation buff. Lockheed does not even make civillian commercial jets anymore.