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| Thread: Wow, I never thought of it like this, |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 · NEXT» |
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deth8
Promising
Known Hero
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posted September 14, 2001 11:16 PM |
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Wow, I never thought of it like this,
but it was nice to hear.
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."
Stand proud, America!
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dArGOn
Famous Hero
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posted September 15, 2001 06:14 AM |
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It is about time to finally hear some positive stuff about USA...sure we have our faults but our goodwill is generally unmatched. Even our own media, educational system, and entertainment community often times criticize us relentlessly...really is quite sad. I for one am proud to be an American! I really appreciate the sympathy and assistance I hear about from other nations about our current situation.
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LordPaul
Promising
Famous Hero
Crazy Bat Guy.
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posted September 15, 2001 06:18 AM |
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I've heard that too. By Gordon Sinclair, right? I think it was written way back in 1974. I've heard it a lot on the radio recently. I think it sums up things nicely. 
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Still
Famous Hero
Your Ultimate Slayer
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posted September 15, 2001 09:52 AM |
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Quote:
I've heard that too. By Gordon Sinclair, right? I think it was written way back in 1974. I've heard it a lot on the radio recently. I think it sums up things nicely.
True!
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Slayin' all evil for good!
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arachnid
Promising
Famous Hero
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posted September 15, 2001 04:35 PM |
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Nice of a Canadian to snub so many nations, by the way what the hell has Canada ever done? What planes have they made? What great achievements has Canada made for mankind?
Talks cheap
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deth8
Promising
Known Hero
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posted September 16, 2001 05:50 AM |
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thanks :(
I think that is why it was nice to hear rather than some American bragging like an idiot. It would be worthless if said by some U.S citizen. If another nation says something like this it was a nice compliment.
Why the anger? I could speculate why your oppinion came in its form but it seems futile. Sorry to see how even a nice compliment can be turned negative.
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arachnid
Promising
Famous Hero
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posted September 16, 2001 01:05 PM |
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You see it as a compliment because its saying nice things about America i dont since its saying bad things about my country.
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Mad_Unicorn
Famous Hero
I am a mean person shame on me
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posted September 16, 2001 03:05 PM |
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lol
what country you from
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Kruel
Adventuring Hero
Gropabo
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posted September 17, 2001 08:21 PM |
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speaking as a french and new yorker...
True is USA saved european countries (among which France).
True is they spent tons and tons of money for others and won't ever see half of it back.
True is USA's economy is the strongest in the world.
But also it is true that Marshall's plan had as a political consequence that europe became a USA dependancy (so was it goodwill or politics ? certainly both).
How can anyone call nuclear bombing 2 japanese cities ?'
Who brought the talibans to power in Afghanistan ?
And where was this goodwill when 500.000 (yes you can read 5 zeros) of people got killed in Rwanda ? This is not especially an attack against america, french goodwill and whatever other country goodwill seemed to have disappeared at that time too.
What I mean is I saw much more about new-york's dead in one week than i ever did for those african people, so this probably means today 2 people's lives are not equal depending on where these people live.
I don't want a political debate or whatever here (it's surely not the right place), all I want to say is that it's easy to make nice sentences for both congratulating or kicking someone's ass, but really nothing is always black or white, we live in a gray world.
Sure you can try to define gray scales, but who is smart enough to do that ? That's easy to list good points like this man did, but many others listed only bad points, so what ?
All i really know is the only thing we can do is try to improve and that critics help to improve.
I'll just like to add after this crazy week that seeing the new yorkers' rush to help or give blood was really amazing, i was there myself and couldn't even give my own as there were too many people and they only accepted negative blood.
And as i said critics help to improve, i'll just remark how France and other countries were pretty quick to offer their help, knowing it wouldn't be needed, when they were so deaf to some other countries' cries in other times.
Kruel
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Kuma
Promising
Supreme Hero
u can type so much text in her
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posted September 20, 2001 04:41 PM |
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Dang!, I almost have to agree wif a Frenchie here...
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People used to call me crazy, but now that I'm rich I am excentric.
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Phantom1500
Adventuring Hero
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posted September 21, 2001 11:16 PM |
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The tragedies in New York have been horrible and my home will never be the same ever again, but as someone said earlier, how quickly everyone forgets who brought the teleban in to power to begin with. Tons and tons of supplied weapons and heavy machinery pumped right into Afghanistan to fight with those Russians and then Russia leaves, US don't care no more and what we have is a whole country filled with death and weapons and young children remembering what their father use to look like. Some time passes with the place forgotten but people don't forget death. People go on and the product can be seen now on innocent New Yorkers. In the end, the United States doesn't care about anybody out there who they don't directly profit from and no one expects them to, it's none of their business. But the world saviour attitude becomes rather nauseating after periods of time and oh how quickly they turn on those they were "saving". This tragedy has affected me very strongly and now i have to deal with losses of people i knew and the area where I work is now a wasteland, but perhaps the US should turn that finger of blame around and point at itself.
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Ash-NIR
Known Hero
the Black Warlock
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posted September 21, 2001 11:18 PM |
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...nuff said
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"ana:l nathrakh, u:rth va:s bethud, dokhje:l djenve"
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pluvious
Promising
Adventuring Hero
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posted September 22, 2001 09:31 AM |
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No, I don't think that is nuff said. That was one of the worst posts I have seen here.
Yes, the US has meddled in the affairs of other nations throughout recent history. But as a global power this is to be expected. All other supreme powers throughout history have done far worse with their power than the US...so give it a rest. Look at Russia or Germany as recent examples.
And please seperate the government and the people when you say the US did this or that. The whole population isn't responsible for every single decision made...just like all the people in iraq aren't all like Husain.
This kind of thinking is so flawed it is very difficult to know where to begin when breaking it apart. Yes, the US as a nation is not saintly or an example to every other nation even. But they don't deserve to be attacked by terrorists either...and even if that isn't waht you meant you came way too close to saying that.
Oooohhh...the US government is motivated by economics. Wow, what a revelation. So is every nation. But we have basically had free reign to do what we want and the government is still kept in relative check by the American people. We don't go around trying to conquer more land and we don't sit around and do nothing either. Yes, mistakes have been made and the American people have been ignorant of many important issues concerning our government. But try to keep things in perspective. Give me a break...
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...Pluvious...
-The Storm Before the Calm-
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Phantom1500
Adventuring Hero
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posted September 22, 2001 07:15 PM |
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You misunderstand me, but take a look at it realistically. All that I see from the US now is the "let's go kick some @ss" attitude and for everyone person you kill now, many more will come back to haunt you later. It's the US foreign policies that get them to be hated in many parts of the world. I just want people to seriously think about the question why the US was attacked. You watch television and hear these people speak and all you hear is that freedom and the united states way of life is attacked. "Today we will stand strong and defend our freedom". That is so full of crap, it amazes me that even in a time like this the United States still makes up BS, so people don't think for themselves and just go along with the "freedom fighter" crap pushed on all here, there is no solutions to the problems, only further problems. I don't see how you possibly derive that I even hinted at US deserved to be attacked, cause no one ever deserves such horror and I am not even gonna start talking about flawed mentalities, but I do appreciate people's comments and thoughts here cause that is a good way to gain more understanding, considering how many people from all over the world are present here.
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Jinxer
Legendary Hero
*****
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posted September 22, 2001 07:44 PM |
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hmm if I didnt know better it sounds like you are not an American Phantom???
The bottom line is the US cannot let this attack go unanswered!! No matter what reasons we were attacked for. The US is far from perfect I dont think anyone says we are perfect but compared to every other nation on the EARTH the us way of life is as close to perfect as you can expect to get.
I will give you an example phantom. If my 3 year old does something bad I MUST administer some kind of punishment or he will just keep doing it over and over.
If we dont stop the terrorist and anyone who supports them then yes they will just keep doing it and getting stronger and stronger. There will always be people in the world who will follow but each time they must start over from scratch.
Dont get me wrong I dont have all the answers, but I appricate my freedom and if people want to come over here and murder 6000 people they better expect us to retaliate and retaliate big!
This would all be over very easily if these contryies turned over all the terrorist cells as requested by USA, by them not doing so they are spitting in our face and saying they will continue to try and destroy us...so its us or them.
Proud to be an American!
Jinxer
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Phantom1500
Adventuring Hero
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posted September 22, 2001 08:00 PM |
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Good point Jinxer and I am not an American, just lived in NYC for long long time. The difference though i think is that your 3 year old when punished is not gonna live the rest of his life with vengeance in his eyes towards you. I sincerely hope they can solve this anti-terrorist problem, but in my opinion it's root is not in Afghanistan and not in Bin Laden and that was all i was trying to say. I spoke to some of my friends from Pakistan and around the middle east and the best analogy they could make is that imagine that you had 6000 people dying in a matter of hours all the time around your country. And then you look around and all the bullets and explosives and weapons of death have american company names and stamps on them. Imagine if this tragedy was a common thing in the US, what kind of animosity would the US citizens go to. Jeez, this is all such a big mees, I sure hope they can figure something out.
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arachnid
Promising
Famous Hero
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posted September 23, 2001 12:27 AM |
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Quote:
This would all be over very easily if these contryies turned over all the terrorist cells as requested by USA, by them not doing so they are spitting in our face and saying they will continue to try and destroy us...so its us or them.
hmm maybe Britain should do the same thing to deal with the IRA?
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Jinxer
Legendary Hero
*****
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posted September 23, 2001 05:01 AM |
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Well I do hope something, the right thing gets figured out. Prayer is the best solution I think.
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dArGOn
Famous Hero
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posted September 23, 2001 05:55 AM |
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Phantom...by the US foreign policy are you referring to...millions of dollars in humanitarian aid....freeing countries from being taken over by other countries...stopping ethnic cleansing...giving millions ins loans to countries that will never pay us back...building back countries that have gone to war against us???? I was just curious which of these foreign policies you found objectionable.
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Mad_Unicorn
Famous Hero
I am a mean person shame on me
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posted September 23, 2001 05:56 AM |
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figured i post as a non american view aswell
Since i am Canadian tied to the states i have some what same reaction that the americans do but on top of that i have a more realistic mind set like phantom does. Yes america has to be defended from terrorists since it IS the BIGGEST target for it; because it meddles, because it helps causes and so on and so forth. Right now i think the mind set of most true blood americans is Shoot first ask questions later. I mean look at whats goin after the fact you got hate crimes happening everywhere store owners being killed or threatened becuase they look middle eastern. Lets get a grip people death brings more death which brings more death as phantom said. Whats worse it was targetted at a civilian area and the millitary(not the brightest idea the terrorists had cause now they got the ENTIRE population in an uproar).
Me being very athiest in the sense that i dont wanna turn my problems to god and pray...(to me thats a weakness of character to others its a strength) I believe u do whatever u have to morn your losses then come back with a CLEAR head and figure out the root of the problem and strike the root so that particular weed does not grow back.
btw jinxer there is a more close to perfect place than america its called Canada 
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