I rest my case regarding Americans......

[Tiger Shark]

Some of you may remember my staunch defense of America and it's people exemplified by comments such as:-

What is really unfortunate though is that if you did cry out for help the chances are that the USA would come to your assistance, regardless of how you treated them in the past. WHY???? Because that's the kind of people they are. They see, understand and care about freedom, and they also try to help wherever they see that basic right being denied. They do not just sit back on their free butts and watch like so many in Europe..... They will come to your aid if your plight is egregious!!!!!

found in this Message

Well, my local radio station brought the following to my attention this morning:-

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - What started as a prayer on the way to work has turned into a small miracle.

The night before, James Thornberry had seen a news story about a 15-year-old Iraqi girl who was burned during coalition forces bombing near her home.

"I kind of put myself in their place," the 54-year-old freight train conductor from Davisburg said. "How would I feel if my daughters had suffered those kinds of horrific injuries and I couldn't secure the help for them that they needed?"

Following nearly a month of persistent phone calls and e-mails, the girl, Hannan Shihab, is in Ann Arbor to be treated at the University of Michigan Hospitals' Trauma Burn Center.

No Iraqi hospitals were able to treat the extensive burns she received when a kerosene lamp near her bed overturned during the bombing raid.

The entire article is here

This kind of act typifies many Americans. This is not a wealthy man, the hospital does not have to treat her free of charge but they are helping where they can see it is needed.

This is a fine example of the "evil ones" many of you criticise so easily.......

How many of you have gone to this much effort to assist an Iraqi? Come to that, how many of you have even thought about assisting _any_ Iraqis?????

[KorpDeath]

Great story. Thanks, TigerShark. I'm glad to finally see some good news. May she recover quickly. I tip my hat to James Thornberry. He's a hell of a guy.

P.S. Like all of my short sentences.

[vescovono]

Thanks for the story Tiger Shark. Having a little one of my own intensifies the feelings when I see children suffering because of us. Hope she makes it alright. As my son would say "Thumbs up!" to James Thornberry. I hope we can see more of this help made public, no matter who does it.

That reminds me to get off my duff and help out too.

Thanks again!

[powertoad5000]

Irony so thick, you can chew on it. Too obvious to mention at any rate.

One American man did this (hats off for his effort). You hate it when people generalise and say that 'all Americans are fat/stupid/lazy etc etc'. Yet you don't mind flipping that over when it comes to praising yourselves (you're naturalised or dual-citizenship right Tiger?). I guess what I'm saying is that I'm fairly sure that like any other nation on the planet, there are good people in the United States, and there are dickheads in the United States. Over this end of things you see a lot more of the dickheads (read: tourists) than the good people, which is unfortunate, but there's not a whole lot you can do to influence people's opinion of your citizens if this is all they see. Regardless, you won't hear me seriously saying 'all Americans are <whatever>' (seriously anyway), and I think most people's issues are with the government of the United States rather than the people.

How many of you have gone to this much effort to assist an Iraqi? Come to that, how many of you have even thought about assisting _any_ Iraqis?????

Don't look at me buddy. I wasn't screaming for the war that injured her. I think I was supporting a more direct and peaceful method of disarmament (as unlikely as you believed that would be).

[FrameWork]

I guess what I'm saying is that I'm fairly sure that like any other nation on the planet, there are good people in the United States, and there are dickheads in the United States.

Your right on that Powertoad, i think that statement holds true for the globe.