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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:

A TRIBUTE TO THE UNITED STATES

America: The Good Neighbor.

"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."

-- Betsy Ross (A Proud@ .American), September 13, 2001

Answers

Thank you Gordon. Canada could be a better neighbor by ceasing to be a safe haven for terrorists.

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), September 13, 2001.

You're right, Lars.

-- Betsy Ross (A Proud@ .American), September 13, 2001.

This is an urban legend. Check it our for your self at www.urbanlegends.com.

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), September 13, 2001.

Thanks, FS. Now I'm really bummed. At least it was a pleasant urban legend.

Fortunately, I still have a vision of Tony Blair denouncing the terrorists, and this isn't an urban legend.

-- Betsy Ross (A Proud@ .American), September 13, 2001.


Future shock,

That is *NOT* an urban legend, and if that Web site says that it is, they have rocks for brains. I MYSELF used to play the 45 recording of that speech on radio in the 70's!

The author is named Gordon Sinclair; it was originally released as an editorial in a Canadian newspaper and then recorded with patriotic music for release over radio.

-- Stephen M. Poole (smpoole7@bellsouth.net), September 13, 2001.



I think FS meant it is an urban legend associated with the events recently.

The letter is real, but it was written a long time ago. It's sad that nothing Gordon said has changed.

-- Betsy Ross (Red White @nd .blue), September 13, 2001.


Didn't Stephen Polle also say he knew for a fact that the story about George Bush converting a campaign volunteer's son was true and not an urban legend when it never actually happend?

-- Ursala of the Urban Legends (urban@legend.ursala), September 13, 2001.

Definitely a great speech! In the 70's though? When was the San Francisco earthquake??

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthbeach.com), September 13, 2001.


1906, Deano.

-- helen (ask@me.another), September 13, 2001.

How many other countries have offerred to help those stricken in NY and DC? How much aid has the UN sent? How many Muslim countries have strongly denounced this craven attack?

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), September 13, 2001.


OK, helen. When was the "War of 1812?"

-- David L (bumpkin@dnet.net), September 13, 2001.

Biography of Gordon Sinclair

-- David L (bumpkin@dnet.net), September 13, 2001.

David,

Thanks for that link. Wow, that picture brought back memories; I had forgotten what I looked like.

(The bowtie!)

-- Stephen M. Poole (smpoole7@bellsouth.net), September 13, 2001.


Duh .. .. . . make that, "I had forgotten what HE looked like."

(Although I've been busy enough the past few days that I DO have to check a mirror from time to time to make sure I'm still there ...)

-- Stephen M. Poole (smpoole7@bellsouth.net), September 13, 2001.


So how much do you resemble him? ;-)

-- The Toner (the.toner@home.com), September 14, 2001.


Oh, THAT San Francisco earthquake........

Thanks helen, I love you, you know.

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), September 14, 2001.


I love you too, Deano, and I hope your wife comes home safely. I wish all of our loved ones will come home, but not all will.

-- helen (war@is.nervewracking), September 14, 2001.

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