I can't help feeling that the attack on the WTC will have a severe
negative effect on any attempt to metricate. From the news and media
reports, people are really rallying around the flag to an almost fervent
religious level. Despite the fact that people from many countries were
killed in the attack, this fact is being ignored as people concentrate on
"America first". I feel that any attempt by any citizen and/or
organization at this time and in the near future to push for further
metrication would result in a serious reaction. Metrication will/is most
likely be associated with anti-Americanism. The WTC incident will give
rise to any reason to be xenophobic and raise criticism of persons or
organizations that support any foreign ideas or concept. This
incident will be an effective means for America to assert itself in the world
and push American customs and practices further into the world, and condemn as
enemies any nation or person that does not support and worship things
American. FFU is one of the American gods that demands worship.
Over the past few days I have been inundated with all forms of
propaganda, much of it being quickly deleted. However the one that I have
received numerous copies of, was the article by Gordon Sinclair that
appears below. I interspersed some comments and sent it back to
the persons who sent it. A cousin of mine who is a journalistic
photographer told me the article is 30 years old. You can see that the
propaganda looks at Europe as a region that takes from America but never gives
back.
I'm sure more facts can be added to show how untimely and out-dated the
original article really is. I also feel Europeans and others need to
stand tall too. They need to rally and make it clear to America and
Americans that they are sick and tired of the lies and false propaganda
directed at them. That they too live in democracies and can also be
called "greatest nation".
When I get something with "Pray for America" and/or "God bless
America" on it I have been replying to the effect that I hope they
are praying for and blessing the other countries affected. Not one
response back.
Subject: FW: TRIBUTE TO THE UNITED STATES
This was a great article! I do agree with all he has to
write!
Subject: TRIBUTE TO THE UNITED STATES
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.
All of the
above was done to prevent the communists from completely taking over Western
Europe. Plus, the financing of the recovery of Western Europe through
the Marshall plan was meant more to stimulate the American economy at the
end of the war then to rebuild Europe. There was a threat at the wars
end of a continuation of the depression as factories geared up for war
production would be forced to close. The need for building materials
to rebuild Western Europe generated jobs in the US that put your fathers and
grandfathers in the employment line instead of the bread line. America
would not be what it was today if aid for Europe was not
provided.
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.
Which countries?
Renegade Middle Eastern I suppose, but nowhere in
Europe.
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?
Duh! The dollar is at an all
time high against almost all currencies. Even though the Euro has
gained some ground in recent months, the dollar is still strong. In
fact, many are complaining it is hurting US exports.
As for planes, has anyone ever heard of Airbus? Airbus
has been very aggressive over the past few years and has more booked orders
then Boeing.
If so, why don't they fly them? Why do all the International lines
except Russia fly American planes?
See above!
Almost every carrier worldwide now buys mostly from Airbus. Go to
http://www2.airbus.com/ to read more about this company.
A statement from
Airbus: Airbus wishes to express its deepest
sympathy to United and American Airlines, and to offer its sincere
condolences to all those who lost loved ones in the appalling events
recently suffered by the United States. This tragedy has aggrieved the
aerospace industry as a whole and left the entire world in a state of shock
and sorrow. Our thoughts are with all our U.S. colleagues, customers,
operators and suppliers in this difficult
time.
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.
Why has America stopped going
to the moon? And who really put US on the moon? A GERMAN!
Dr. Werner von Braun. He ran NASA from the time he was brought to this
country and his death. When he died, NASA went down hill since.
Without von Braun and the thousands of German scientists and Engineers who
came with him, there would never have been a moon landing.
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.
During the economic crisis of
the late 1980's, Japanese and German citizens collected money and clothes
and other things to give to needy American families as a gesture of thanks
for the help they received in the post war years. But, the arrogant
American press was "insulted", that the American people had to receive
charity from countries considered our inferiors. It made America look
bad.
The truth is Americans don't want other
people's help. They would rather complain that they help the world and
the world gives nothing back.
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! Wear it proudly!!
This is one of the best editorials I have 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, TRIBUTE TO THE UNITED STATES.
An editorial like this
belongs in the archives. None of it reflects the reality of the US in
the 1990's or the new millenium. Anyone with a third grade education
should be able to see this. If you are going to pass around this type
of propaganda, make sure it is timely and up to date!
Thank You!
