Canadian Editorial

[wortcraft]

In light of whats going on, I think this is news everyone should hear. This, from a Canadian newpaper.

"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 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 lifed 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 ans 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 International lines except Russia fly American Planes?

Why does no other land on earth even consider putting a man or women 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 the 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 and old caboose. Both are still broke.

I can name you 5000 times when Americans raced to the help of other people in troubke. 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!

[draziw]

This is a pretty old piece, actually... came out many, many wars ago now.

But yes... still a pertinent and powerful piece, IMO. (but then again, I'm American and (obviously) there are people in this world with quite different opinions)

[draziw]

Here is one of the sources of the original broadcast (June 5, 1973), originally in a segment called "Let's be Personal." There's even a real audio sample of the original.

[wortcraft]

Yes it is very old I thank it came out in 76 or 77. Something like that. Yes I understand that we all don't thank the same. But I had to post it. Just to see what people thank. Getting ready for the neg. pts. :P


wortcraft

[wortcraft]

Wow Thank so much for the up date. I like it better with out it being edited. greenies time for you. Thanks again.


wortcraft

[draziw]

Nah... I think this is different than the typical n00b posting "l00k at dis kewl tut I'm p0sting 4 u" and getting bombed with reds after it becomes apparent that:

• said n00b can "0nly 5p34k n kewl d00d w0rdz" but can't type in english
• the tutorial was originally written by a "legend" in the security world, such as mudge
• ...you get the idea...

[Terr]

Let's just realize that America, as a nation, has also gone after trade concessions, etc... it's not all charity, it's at LEAST a sort of enlightened-altruism

[blow]

The US has given a lot of money in charities and this is a great thing but it also has to be mentioned the amount of money the US has compared to many european countries. If the US ever is in worse condition than european countries (which will not happen anytime soon) the US will get help from europe instantly. Besides money given in charities is given not loaned.
P.S. Europe should have at least thanked the US for their contributions.

[ammo]

P.S. Europe should have at least thanked the US for their contributions.

Well, if you're talking WW2 here, I hope you know where the Statue of Liberty came from.

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?

(Now we know its an old article but) Europe does build the Airbus line which is very successful.

I think we/you have to be carefull when making such comments: proportions have to be accounted for: The US have a population of about 290 millilon and lots of resources.
So somewhere it's normal for the US to help more than others...

However, I think the appreciation problem is mostly because people don't really know what's going on everywhere... Americans often hear from the news that they helped that country, but won't necesseraly here the thank you from the population they helped, not because the population isn't gratefull, but because this (the thank yous) doesn't make prime time news in the us... And on the other hand, in many less developped countries, facts about the US get distorted either by the foreign governments (propagenda in some ways) or simply prejugment transmitted by word of mouth...

You know, it hasn't been that long since we've started considering the planet has a "global village"... We have to learn to live along, and it might take time...

Ammo

[thesecretfire]

This guy has no idea what he's talking about...I mean that. Is he talking about corperations, government, people, NGO's, what? He's speaking very generally. And just because they do some nice things, doesn't mean a government can't do some rather reckless and inconsiderate things. "I helped starving people X, so let's go and bomb starving people Y a little further into the stone age."