With All Due Respect...

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Posted by Anne Beltestad on September 14, 2001 at 22:20:14:

In reply to: I received this last night and ......... posted by Sienna on September 14, 2001 at 16:03:39:

I am glad that people are touched by this (old?) view of the USA by
Canada. It is indeed a wonderful thing in this world of nationalism
and imperialism, not to mention war, that the US and Canada can have
friendly relations.
HOWEVER,
It is important to put the events of the past few days into context.
What would cause "terrorists" to hate the United States and its
symbols of economic power so much that they would kill thousands of
innocent people, people who were just working and going about their
lives?
Who is this bin Laden character and why does he hate the US? Why is
he so well-trained and well-armed?
Unfortunately, the media for the most part often ignores large
portions of history.
As with many other "badguys" in the Middle East and Latin America,
bin Laden is a creation of the United States' "Intelligence" system.
It is a well-documented fact, documented by "MSNBC", in fact, that he
was in the pay of the CIA while we were using Afghanistan as a pawn
in the Cold War against "communism". When we cut off his payroll, he
got mad, and had the training and expertise of the world's largest
military spender under his belt...to turn against that same
superpower.
I am in no way legitimizing what happened; I saw the second tower
collapse from my roof and it was horrendous and unbelieveable. I am
still in shock that anyone would think that this was right to do,
that these "terrorists" gave their lives to kill peoples' mothers,
fathers, brothers, sisters, daughters, sons, etc. Words cannot
express the rage.
But this event did not happen in a vacuum. It is the culmination of
decades of American arrogance throughout the world. It is a horrible
tragedy, and profoundly wrong, but as my roommate said this morning
it is to some extent the United States' chickens coming home to roost.
Let us not be blinded by the patriotism, the rallying behind the
flag, the waggling of our huge military might, so that we do not see
the role our own government has played in the creation of these
events.
Feel free to email me if you'd like to discuss.

peace,

Anne

: it touched me enough to want to post it here so you all could read
: it. I hope this doesn't offend anyone.
: *
: *
: Subject: America "The Good Neighbor"
:
:
:
:
:
: This, from a Canadian newspaper, is worth sharing.
:
: 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!"
:
:
: This is one of the best editorials that I have ever read regarding
: the United States. It is nice that one man realizes it. I only wish
: that the rest of the world would realize it. We are always blamed
for
: everything, and never even get a thank you for the things we do.
:
: I would hope that each of you would send this to as many people as
: you can and emphasize that they should send it to as many of their
: friends until this letter is sent to every person on the web. I am
: just a single American that has read this.
:
: Sherry Jameson
: Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics
: e-mail: jameson@email.arizona.edu
: 626-3784
:
: "Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they shall never
: cease to be amused." -Unknown source

Follow Ups

Re: With All Due Respect... jen 12:29:12 9/15/2001 (0)
Re: With All Due Respect... Kim 08:02:57 9/15/2001 (0)
Re: With All Due Respect... Kenzi 02:58:33 9/15/2001 (0)
Re: With All Due Respect..., or People don't always want to know Anne in CT 23:32:11 9/14/2001 (0)

Post Followup

Name:
E-Mail:
Subject:
: I am glad that people are touched by this (old?) view of the USA by : Canada. It is indeed a wonderful thing in this world of nationalism : and imperialism, not to mention war, that the US and Canada can have : friendly relations. : HOWEVER, : It is important to put the events of the past few days into context. : What would cause "terrorists" to hate the United States and its : symbols of economic power so much that they would kill thousands of : innocent people, people who were just working and going about their : lives? : Who is this bin Laden character and why does he hate the US? Why is : he so well-trained and well-armed? : Unfortunately, the media for the most part often ignores large : portions of history. : As with many other "badguys" in the Middle East and Latin America, : bin Laden is a creation of the United States' "Intelligence" system. : It is a well-documented fact, documented by "MSNBC", in fact, that he : was in the pay of the CIA while we were using Afghanistan as a pawn : in the Cold War against "communism". When we cut off his payroll, he : got mad, and had the training and expertise of the world's largest : military spender under his belt...to turn against that same : superpower. : I am in no way legitimizing what happened; I saw the second tower : collapse from my roof and it was horrendous and unbelieveable. I am : still in shock that anyone would think that this was right to do, : that these "terrorists" gave their lives to kill peoples' mothers, : fathers, brothers, sisters, daughters, sons, etc. Words cannot : express the rage. : But this event did not happen in a vacuum. It is the culmination of : decades of American arrogance throughout the world. It is a horrible : tragedy, and profoundly wrong, but as my roommate said this morning : it is to some extent the United States' chickens coming home to roost. : Let us not be blinded by the patriotism, the rallying behind the : flag, the waggling of our huge military might, so that we do not see : the role our own government has played in the creation of these : events. : Feel free to email me if you'd like to discuss. : : peace, : : Anne : : : : it touched me enough to want to post it here so you all could read : : it. I hope this doesn't offend anyone. : : * : : * : : Subject: America "The Good Neighbor" : : : : : : : : : : : : This, from a Canadian newspaper, is worth sharing. : : : : 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!" : : : : : : This is one of the best editorials that I have ever read regarding : : the United States. It is nice that one man realizes it. I only wish : : that the rest of the world would realize it. We are always blamed : for : : everything, and never even get a thank you for the things we do. : : : : I would hope that each of you would send this to as many people as : : you can and emphasize that they should send it to as many of their : : friends until this letter is sent to every person on the web. I am : : just a single American that has read this. : : : : Sherry Jameson : : Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics : : e-mail: jameson@email.arizona.edu : : 626-3784 : : : : "Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they shall never : : cease to be amused." -Unknown source
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