I watched the movie Peral Harbour the other night. Not truly a Chick Flick, but still a good movie.
As I watched, I was thinking about the United States, and how they are again at war; about how again they stand alone, or almost alone at least.
Twice in the last 50 years they have been attacked on their soil, the loss of life has exceeded 7000 people. Can you think of anywhere else in the world this could happen and the United States would not be there to defend the victims?
The US has appealed to the world for help in Iraq. They are not asking us to drop bombs, they are asking for help to maintain peace and help build democracy in Iraq. Ummmm no one has answered.
During the Gulf war Canada was part of the coilition to free Kuwait. I remember joking about our 'sling shots' we were sending to help. I also remember standing a little straighter and feeling quite proud that we were part of the world community and we were helping. I remember Sadam was seen as a threat to the world back then. Several countries had agreed to remove him. I am unsure why he was threat then, and not now.
I remember being in the United States for a vaction during the Iran crisis when under Joe Clark our embasy resuced the American prisioners in Iran. I remember there were Canadian flags flying everywhere in the States. When the people found out we were Canadians we paid for nothing. Patrons in restarunts sang Oh Canada to us. The appreciation was far past anything you would expect. We hadn't fought a war, we simply helped a few Americans out of hostile territory. The Americans are not used to help, and never take it for granted.
I am also reminded of the News Column that Gordon Sinclair wrote in the 70's, when he became angered with the anti American rhetoric during the war. We should all read it, and remember! The United States are not bullies, true they can be a tad arrogant :) I, for one think they have earned that right. Please read Gordon's words click the extended entry . Here Here Gordon I am with you!
This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans as 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 the franc 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 distant cities are hit by earthquakes, 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 Tristar, or the Douglas 10? 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 American 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 5,000 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.