"In the beginning"

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The views expressed in this blog are not necessarily the views of the blog management, (on the other hand, they are not necessarily not the views of the blog management).

No effort has been made to stay within the bounds of the truth in this blog as it has always been the view of the management that the truth should never be allowed to stand in the way of a good story.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

To Kill an American


I have been rummaging through some old files and came across this one (and a few others) that I thought deserved to see the light of day again, in most ways this would also fit "an Australian"



You probably missed it in the rush of news last week, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American.

So an Australian dentist wrote an editorial the following day to let everyone know what an American is . So they would know when they found one. (Good one, mate!!!!)

"An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan.

An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.

An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim, in fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan, the only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses.

An American is also free to believe in no religion, for that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.

An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world, the root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.

An American is generous, Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return.

When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country!

As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan. Americans welcome the best of everything...the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best services. But they also welcome the least.

The national symbol of America, The Statue of Liberty , welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who built America.

Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11, 2001 earning a better life for their families. It's been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 different countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists.

So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself. Because Americans are not a particular people from a
particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an
American.

13 comments:

Jack K. said...

Peter, you are right, it does deserve to be read again and again.

We are all more alike than different.

If only folks would realize that it is love that binds us all. If you don't love yourself you are unable to love others.

Thanks again for sharing.
An interesting side note. Snopes.com has the background on this piece. It makes interesting reading.

Keep on letting your love shine through.

LZ Blogger said...

Peter ~ Excellent post! That Aussie Dentist really knows what he's talking about in his editorial. Thanks for picking up the ball and running with it! I hope all is well? ~ jb///

Christina said...

Good post, Peter.

Merle said...

Hi Peter ~~ I liked this post and it needs to see daylight again and again. There are a lot more good stories and good people, but it's the baddies we see on the news and in the media. Let's have more good stories.
I can remember at the movies when we were small, me asking Mum if "they were the goodies or the baddies?"
Must have been before white hats and black hats!
Take care, Love, Merle.

Puss-in-Boots said...

What a fantastic post, Peter. I could feel myself getting all indignant on behalf of Americans over the first article...absolute crass nonsense. Three cheers to the Aussie dentist who has the nous to recognise and illustrate all those things of being American and congratulations to you to, Peter, for posting it.

Merle said...

Hi again Peter ~~ Just finishing all
the replies I owe. I said Hi to the Flints feom you and actually Brendan said to say Hi to you first - that reminded me. I am so relieved to be over the pain I had when you were here. The fall didn't help, but mainly the getting up. Thanks for your comment to water it down!!
Take care, Love, Merle.

Dave said...

Wow... wonderful post Peter!

Thank you.

Walker said...

I remember this and you can't post it to many times.

Jamie Dawn said...

That is a superb piece!!
I agree wholeheartedly, and I think the man who wrote this.
Like you said, an Australian could be substituted in most of this also since Australia is similar in many ways to America, and Australians are a free people who understand the value of liberty for all.
Thanks for sharing this, Peter.

:-)

Cliff said...

Yeah what JD said. The aussies are our equal and the only other place I would live.
But if I move down there you'll have to straighten the seasons out.
I like a little frost bite in January.

karisma said...

Lovely! We are all a mixed bunch of beautiful humans these days, if only everyone thought so! Hmmmmmm!

And Cliff, stay where you are, if we go straightening out our seasons, it will be nice and warm all year! I don't do cold weather! (Seriously I have already been stocking up on firewood and its not even winter yet!)

JunieRose2005 said...

Thank you Peter!

That was great!


June

Joy Des Jardins said...

Peter this is just wonderful....thank you so much for posting it. Awesome!! ~Joy