[Devils-list] Canadian memorial service

[Jason Williams]

This is probably not the best time to mention things like this, but I believe
it will give you some insight as to the state of mind of the global Anti-American
(before the events of last week) opinion.

I'll begin with an example.  The Atlanda Olympics vs. the Sydney Olympics. 
Think about the differences between the horrible Atlanta experience, and the
best ever Sydney experience.  I'll come back to this later.

My roommates sister was on a student exchange program in the US a few years
back.  Canadian citizen, US landed immagrant status.  She was sent to the principal's
office when when she refused to pledge allegiance to the US flag.  Why should
she?  She was there for one year and never was going to be a citizen.  Yet,
it was MANDATORY that she accept the US flag as her own.

What the US suffers from is EXCESSIVE national pride.  In the same way as Albert
Belle and Dion Sanders embrrased themselved and their sports, the US is looked
upon in a similar way by the rest of the world.  We have this New Zeland example
below, my roommate who has been to Britain says the same thing.  My grandmother
who has toured Europe as well as Turkey and Isreal says the same thing.  I don't
think you can doubt the validity of their words.

Back to the Olympic example.  In Atlanta, EVERYTHING was American.  If you won
a medal, and you weren't American, you were ignored.  If an American athlete
won Gold, the amount of (for lack of a better term) media ass kissing was absolutely
sickening.  Even US athletes that didn't medal were completely ignored.  It
is this "Win or die" attitude that is just another example of this excessive
US pride.

Take the Sydney Olympics.  What a wonderful example of how to welcome the world.
 Sydney truly loved every athlete and country that came to compete.  Nobody
was unimportant.  No country forgotten.  No athlete overlooked.


As an athiest, I am the first to call for saturation bombing of ANY facilities
housing such religious fanatics, with no regard for human life.  I truly hope
the US, along with the rest of the world, ERADICATES every trace of any organization
capable of these acts.  The purpose of this message was to explain why Americans
are treated so poorly all over the world, and are such a target for these acts.


I don't expect you to like what I have said, but I want you to read and understand
why these opinions are held.

- Jason


>Yes, I saw that on C-SPAN and was moved.
>
>I had my doubts about Canada ever since my honeymoon in the So. Pacific
>in October of 1996.  We were in the Cooke Islands (4 plane hours
>northeast of Auckland, NZ), and when the local maitre'd was asking who
>was there from which countries, the Canadian came first and of course we
>all clapped, but when he said Americans I noticed a majority of that
>Canadian group booed us quite rudely.  I was shocked and beside myself. 
>I don't know what international thing was going on at that time to make
>them do that but I was quite insulted.  I also notice many Anti American
>comments comming from Canadians, Brits, & others when I read
>Slashdot.org....
>
>Yes, the support the US is getting from Canadians, Brits, and others is
>going quite a ways to expunge the rudeness of recent years.  It IS
>noticed AND appreciated.
>
>
>>>----worlok--->
>
>
>
>Hoonani@aol.com wrote:
>> 
>> Today, while the US memorial service was going on in Washington, I
>> happened to turn to C-SPAN.  They were covering the Canadian memorial
>> service which took place in Ottawa on Parliament Hill.  It was a
>> beautiful day in Ottawa!  The lawn in front of the Peace Tower was
>> filled with people....Canadian, Americans, and I'm sure folks from all
>> over the world.  Canadian and American flags were EVERYWHERE.
>>  Canada's Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, gave a brief but powerful
>> speech and our ambassador to Canada was also quite moving.  The
>> feeling of the service was of our two countries being not just
>> friends, but family.  It was very emotional....very few people in the
>> crowd weren't crying.
>> Having lived in Ottawa, I already knew it was a beautiful city filled
>> with wonderful people....I felt very proud to have lived there!
>> C-SPAN frequently repeats what it has shown...so if you have a chance
>> to catch this, I strongly urge you to do so!
>> Be safe everybody,
>> Judy
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