America: The Good Neighbor

Commonwealth

Commonwealth

Active member
This is from an editorial broadcast from Toronto by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian television commentator. The following is the full text of his 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."

----------------------------

I think that this is one of the most inspirational things that I have ever read. As a proud American, I feel I could never live anywhere else. I am not saying that other countries are "not as good as America", but I am saying that I couldn't picture myself in another nation.

God Bless America.
 
In the past 8 years, america went downhill. I had some respect for american when Clinton was in power. Now American politics, destroyed the country's economy, reputation and Eastern countries.

All you see now it the overly pratriotic, ignorent encouraging, capitalistic extremist and religious fundamentalism of the right wing with segragational ideologies...in short terms, southerners. The world shouldnt be thanking the US, the US should apologize to the world for being idiots.

 
That's what YOU see.

On TV, we see scumbag terrorists burning OUR flag, dressed in clothes that we made and driving cars that we manufactured.

I'm not saying the United States is perfect - it's not. But what I'm saying is that this commentator (in my opinion) is right. The United States gets bashed for being the only country to stand up and do something.

Now, I know you're going to say "Was it right to invade Iraq?". I'm not going to go into that, because this isn't one of those threads. This is a thread to help people understand how much the U.S. is underappreciated for all of the work its done.
 
if we do that, will all the European countries pay to fix the continuing devastating effects from their colonial imperialism?
 
I have to agree the US leaders made good decisions in the past. People were greatful at the time. But I am talking about the present...americans should be ashamed about their current leaders.



Let me give you an analogy: say a person donates money, clothes and time to the people in need for 20 years, but once in awhile gives disease to a group of people and calls it accidents. So he continues to help. But, for 8 years, he started to attack his friends and start making poor decisions making more harm than good. Should he still be praised. Its like the priest who helps, them molests children and ask for foregiveness...its irrational. To erase the black mark, the US must review policy, internal and external to promote freedom, justice and equality.

That is all from me

 
I'll say this: I did not/will not vote Republican (I'm 18). But I wouldn't go as far as saying I'm ashamed at my leaders. Sure, they've made mistakes (plenty). But they're the leaders of my country, and the people that bad-mouth them make me sick because we should be loyal to those that make our nation what it is, no matter how poor their judegments are.

And drew., good point on the guns. I guess karma is coming around to bite us in the ass, yea?
 
i am in concurrence. DC10s pown noobs. too bad not too many people fly them anymore. My friend Jonas (pronounced Yo-nus) from Belgium visited me last week. This was his first time in America, and he saw how some of the stereotypes are true, while many others are false. I think travelling to a foreign country is one of the best things a person can do to broaden thier perspective of how others live.
 
I gree with your origional post, but the part I quoted made me want to throw up. Blindly follow our leaders? That's pretty unamerican if you ask me. 
 
Drew, you are insane to think we didn't have to drop those bombs. Thousands of people our age wouldnt exist today because our grandfathers were on the boats ready to invade japan. Had they not dropped them bombs, US causalties would've been in the millions.
 
"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?"

not trying to beat you up, because i can identify with some of what you have said.

some of the best planes in the world are foreign produced, go google the RJ85, my dad used to fly that plane commercially and let me say, THAT plane pwns all other small commuter jets. you cant hear it when you are in the air(its nickname is the "wisper jet" ) from what my dad, and every other pilot i have talked to says it is one of the best planes to fly. the only down side is they guzzle down the gas like no other.

"yeah, Airbus is located in Tulouse, France. American based companies

fly their planes. I'm actually not aware of a major american based

airline that doesn't have at least a couple of A320s." (Drew)

i think this is the 3rd time i have agreed with "drew" Airbus does make some really really amazing planes. look at the A380

but you have one part wrong, Southwest fly's only Boeing 737's.
 
while they are at it, why dont they repay us for ww2 also.

also the British had a huge ass "empire" compared to america, and i dont see them being constantly beaten up on. (on NS)
 
You know i didnt want to get in to this thread, but some people seem to think they know every thing about everything. Sure America has black marks on its record, but so does just about every single other country in the world. Almost every single European nation has at one point had a colony in Africa, countless numbers of atrocities took place during these times. As the article stated, the United states leads the world in humanitarian efforts, is it because of guilt? maybe. If you dont like the way the country is lead vote for someone else....wow you are lucky to get this freedom, as many nations around the world dont offer this. You get to spew this hate off about the US, another freedom you are lucky to have. Before you look at the smallish number of horrible things the US has done, look at the large (and growing) number of great things the US has given to the world.
 
because the historically-and-geographically challenged children of NS fail to realize just how many political boundaries around the globe were drawn by european hands during the great colonialism expansion period for resource extraction purposes. and that numerous "conflicts" around the world today are a direct result of demographically/culturally unique groups being lumped together or split apart by these same borders.
 
that fact that these same 60% of 18 year-olds can't find Iraq or New York City on a fucking map (according to National Geographic, sans "fucking")...........means they shouldn't be allowed to open their mouths.
 
So what, people should either be giving Europe its critical due for its dark role in history or else shutting the fuck up about America?

Can't you see the fallacy in this? YES Europe fucked with much of the world and sure there are repurcussions today on a phenomical scale. But the point of history is to learn from these mistakes. The foreign policy actions taken by the U.S. replicate so much of what happened 2-300 hundred years ago that its a wonder they aren't criticized more. We are supposed to enlighten ourselves through the study of history so that the same mistakes aren't made. Europe was a colonial power yes, but back then colonialism was the norm.

The reason America is presently recieving so much criticism is because of its collosal failure to measure itself in a historical perspective. Other countries do not get involved in the middle east to the extent that America does for the precise reason that sovereignty and self determination (two fundamental rights of nationhood, developed through historical enlightenment) are the rpesent day norm. They are able to recognize that meddling in another soverign nation's foreign affairs is a self-destructive policy worthy of contempt. In short: They've been able to learn from their colonial past.

I could keep going but I'll leave it at this. Please debate.

 
I never said that the US involvement in the middle east isnt wrong, all I am saying is that people fail to see that they live in the GREATEST, thats right the greatest country in the world. This is the part where I could list out the bill of rights and tell you why they are great but I am sure you have heard them. In this respects America was and remains to be one of the most progressive countries in the world. I know the right wing republicans can bear down and try and limit our rights, but the fact of the matter is that we have them. Guess what we are in an election year and we will truly see if our country really thinks we need to change. I think we do, but I still am able to see that this is a great country. I think you people need to quit your bitching and thank your lucky stars you werent born in a poor ass third world country. You have more opportunity here than you do anywhere else, take it and use it, if you think there is a problem find a way to change it.
 
here is my viewpoint on America in a nutshell.

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haha, I didn't write this, a Canadian man did.

but drew, while i respect your opinion, i don't necessarily agree. i just feel that as my country has allowed me to live the life i have, i should respect it more.
 
those "terrorists" are people fighting against a foreign occupation. our army is the "war of terror" not on terror.

at least saddam could set up some sort of educational system instead of this shitshow we have going there.

Year Civilians Killed

2003 10,077 – 12,010

2004 9,741 – 10,573

2005 13,071 – 14,324

2006 25,699 – 27,519

2007 22,586 – 24,159

that's one out of every 5 american soldiers shooting a civilian.

if you ask me, the oil war is worthless for the cost of human lives.
 
"Now, I know you're going to say "Was it right to invade Iraq?". I'm not going to go into that, because this isn't one of those threads. This is a thread to help people understand how much the U.S. is underappreciated for all of the work its done."
 
Iraq's Oil Reserves: Untapped Potential

While its proven oil reserves of 112 billion barrels ranks Iraq second in the

work behind Saudi Arabia, EIA estimates that up to 90-percent of the county

remains unexplored due to years of wars and sanctions. Unexplored regions of

Iraq could yield an additional 100 billion barrels. Iraq's oil production costs

are among the lowest in the world. However, only about 2,000 wells have been

drilled in Iraq, compared to about 1 million wells in Texas alone.
http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aairaqioil.htm

Huh, wonder who all that oil is going to eventually go to?

 
o dang i just owned myself. i thought you wrote the airplane part. my BAD

but i still agree with just about everything you have said about, loving this country.

I'm proud to be an American!!!

and nothing anyone in this thread says, will ever take that away from me:)
 
these numbers are still miniscule compared to the number saddam killed.

and i hope you could perhaps link a source?

and just because there was a death doesn't mean it was at the hands of American troops.

this will give you an idea of how many saddam ruthlessly murdered

"Yet

this serial mass murderer killed over half a million of his own

countrymen (by conservative estimates) during his reign of terror and

several hundred thousand more Iranians and Kuwaitis while invading his

neighbors. This makes him responsible for the deaths of more Muslims

than any single leader since the Mongol hordes invaded the Middle East

in the 13th century."
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Iraq/wm1247.cfm
 
not true! the best planes in the world are washington produced:

the B-17 "bomb the fuck outta germany" flying fortress

the B-29 "bomb the fuck outta japan" superfortress

the B-52 "bomb the fuck outta vietnam" stratofortress
 
where did you get those numbers? i would like to see some legitmate sources. even the lowest death totall for one year is far higher then the entire armed forces death toll which according to globalsecurity.org is as of now 4,020.

the only way i see those number being even close to correct is if it's causulties(dead,missing, and injured) not dead, and that report counts enemy insurgents as civillians because they aren't technically the iraqi army just the resistance
 
seriously. after fighting a "oil war" for this long you'd think oil prices would go down, instead of up to record highs.

i'm not saying going to war was the right choice but people need to realize that we went to stop a tyrant who was keeping his people in constant fear. it was not for oil seeing as how gas prices only go fucking up
 
dude, i couldnt agree more, i love American products, but you kinda took my words out of context, i said "some" not all. and then i stuck up for American aviation when i sited that Southwest only flew American planes.

and if you know anything about commercial aviation, then you know that southwest is one of the better off airlines in the USA.
 
Blind patriotism is definitely not the way to go. And I am ashamed as fuck of our leaders; if we get another regime like this, moving to another country suddenly will seem not so implausible.
 
Reports vary, but I think the concensus is at least over 100,000 Iraqi for the entire war. Civilians are killed in every war, and while our soldiers might not have pulled the trigger for every death, it was our actions that instigated their deaths.
 
some of the responses to this thread sicken me. What the canadian man said is true. You cant deny it! Sure some of our actions may not have been the best in the last decade, but it shouldnt even come close to wiping out what we did for the world it is today.
 
You're analogy is inappropriate. Let me give you an analogy:

Let's say Me (America) is sitting back minding his own business for weeks during recess. One day on the playground, all of a sudden Nigel, Pierre, and Kielbasa are all in trouble because Glockenspiel is beating them all up and taking their lunch money. Glockenspiel has a gun by the way. I come in and stop huge Glockenspiel from literally killing Nigel Pierre and Kielbasa. Glockenspiel goes away crying but comes back soon with revenge. This time he's even beating up Sasha Gold-Feinstein. Glockenspiel, Tanakastibushu and Mario now team up with knives and guns and nearly kill everyone again. Once again I come to save everyones LIVES. Everyone finally behaves. All of a sudden Vladimir who could always handle himself decides he needs to start beating people up now. With the looming threat Vlad imposes, I save everyones lives again or at least defend them for a while. Now fast forward. Akshay, the new kid, angry with non acceptance, destroys my favorite dump truck toy. What the fuck! I go and kick his ass. But now, a war which has almost nothing to do with him, gets Pierres panties in a bunch. Now all of a sudden a ton of Left wing propaganda and bullshit starts popping up clouding the minds of My younger generation.

Cliff notes: We didnt just help people, we literally saved their countries multiple times over. Had we not done what we did, the world would be a terrible, terrible place right now. The world owes us many times over; enough times that their gratefulness should in almost all cases, supersede their dislike of our tourists and diplomacy.

 
here's what i know about commercial aviation: the former CEO of alaska airlines died in a plane crash in cashmere last year.......irony
 
Sovereignty and self-determination are the norm? BULLSHIT. Absolutely not true. Neo-colonialism is the norm. European nations are a major player in the Middle East, hence the Russian and French objections to the Iraq invasion - Iraq went from being a French economic sphere of influence to...well, I was gonna say an American one, but chaos would probably be a more accurate descriptor.

Also, it's ironic that you mention the idea of self-determination. You know where that came from, right?

Finally, you are completely blind to world affairs if you think the US is the only nation that meddles in the affairs of others. Look at Europe. Look at China. International politics is a global struggle for hegemony between a handful of superpowers, semi-superpowers, and rising superpowers. The only lesson that Europe has learned from their colonial past is that in this day, empire is much better maintained through underhanded economic means than by flying, for instance, the Belgian flag over Rwanda.

 
lol you can't be fucking serious kid. he's one of the more intelligent posters on ns.

what does it mean to 'hate' america? i mean i guess it's cool that you took 5 min out of your day to respond to a thread about the US, but other than that, i'm guessing you don't exert a lot of brainpower when it comes to current affairs. but then again, who does?

this sub-culture of faux-patriotism is very amusing. and when i say faux, i mean it's false. fake, phony, fraud. you care only as much as you're supposed to. only to the extent that popular politics demand of someone. you're pathetic.

 
I don't care to read all the posts after the original, I'm sure they are mostly senseless drivel.

Anyway, one thing I have learned in my life is this (cynical, but oh well): "No good deed goes unpunished." Think about it.
 
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