One Romanian's View
One of my favorite blogs is One Marine's View. I mean... come on! How can you *not* love a cee-gar smokin', kilt-wearin', Elvis-lovin' hunka hunka burnin' luv?!?! He fights to defend the freedoms we hold so dear to our hearts, like the thousands of other US Marines, Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen. They pledged to defend us and promote "Americanism" around the world- many of whom took that pledge after 9/11, knowing we're a country at war.
Immediately following 9/11, so many people asked a simple one word question- "WHY?" Why would anyone target us in that manner? Many have answered "because of your arrogance". I don't consider it arrogance at all. When people all over the world are trying to gain entry and citizenship into our country, that's not arrogance. When people all over the world cry out for American assistance in times of great national need, that's not arrogance. What we have to offer the world is something special. The freedom we enjoy came, and still comes, at a heavy price. Many wars have been fought to defend these freedoms, and much blood has been shed.
It angers me to see so many Americans spitting on the sacrifices of those who defend us. People like John Kerry, John Murtha, Nancy Pelosi, Cindy Sheehan, Michael Moore.. they just don't get it. True, Kerry and Murtha served our country.. ONCE. But not anymore. People across this country are yelling for us to pull out of Iraq, and leave them to squander in islamofacist hell. Insurgent leaders in the Middle East rejoice whenever any Americans speak out against President Bush's tactics in the GWOT. So I ask you... if we, as American's, don't appreciate what we have, why, and what makes it so special, how can anyone else in the world understand it?
Perhaps this editorial from a Romanian will answer that question. I received it today via email. Snopes verified that it's real, but I really don't care. What I care about is the message. The article, written by Cornel Nistorescu, originally appeared in the Romanian newspaper "The Daily Event" on Sept. 24, 2001, under the title "Ode to America". Thank you, Mr. Nistorescu. You're a man who "gets" America... sadly, better than some Americans do these days.
~An Ode to America ~
Why are Americans so united? They would not resemble one another even if
you painted them all one color! They speak all the languages of the world
and form an astonishing mixture of civilizations and religious beliefs.
Still, the American tragedy turned three hundred million people into a hand
put on the heart.
Nobody rushed to accuse the White House, the army, and the secret
services that they are only a bunch of losers. Nobody rushed to empty their
bank accounts. Nobody rushed out onto the streets nearby to gape about.
The Americans volunteered to donate blood and to give a helping hand.
After the first moments of panic, they raised their flag over the smoking
ruins, putting on T-shirts, caps and ties in the colors of the national
flag. They placed flags on buildings and cars as if in every place and on
every car a government official or the president was passing.
On every occasion, they started singing their traditional song:
"God Bless America !" I watched the live broadcast and rerun after rerun
for hours listening to the story of the guy who went down one hundred floors
with a woman in a wheelchair without knowing who she was, or of the
Californian hockey player, who gave his life fighting with the terrorists
and prevented the plane from hitting a target that could have killed other
hundreds or thousands of people.
How on earth were they able to respond united as one human being?
Imperceptibly, with every word and musical note, the memory of some
turned into a modern myth of tragic heroes. And with every phone call,
millions and millions of dollars were put in a collection aimed at rewarding
not a man or a family, but a spirit, which no money can buy.
What on earth can unite the Americans in such a way? Their land? Their
galloping history? Their economic Power? Money? I tried for hours to find
an answer, humming songs, and murmuring phrases with the risk of sounding
commonplace.
I thought things over, but I reached only one conclusion.
Only freedom can work such miracles.
"Only freedom can work such miracles"
Truer words have never been spoken.
Immediately following 9/11, so many people asked a simple one word question- "WHY?" Why would anyone target us in that manner? Many have answered "because of your arrogance". I don't consider it arrogance at all. When people all over the world are trying to gain entry and citizenship into our country, that's not arrogance. When people all over the world cry out for American assistance in times of great national need, that's not arrogance. What we have to offer the world is something special. The freedom we enjoy came, and still comes, at a heavy price. Many wars have been fought to defend these freedoms, and much blood has been shed.
It angers me to see so many Americans spitting on the sacrifices of those who defend us. People like John Kerry, John Murtha, Nancy Pelosi, Cindy Sheehan, Michael Moore.. they just don't get it. True, Kerry and Murtha served our country.. ONCE. But not anymore. People across this country are yelling for us to pull out of Iraq, and leave them to squander in islamofacist hell. Insurgent leaders in the Middle East rejoice whenever any Americans speak out against President Bush's tactics in the GWOT. So I ask you... if we, as American's, don't appreciate what we have, why, and what makes it so special, how can anyone else in the world understand it?
Perhaps this editorial from a Romanian will answer that question. I received it today via email. Snopes verified that it's real, but I really don't care. What I care about is the message. The article, written by Cornel Nistorescu, originally appeared in the Romanian newspaper "The Daily Event" on Sept. 24, 2001, under the title "Ode to America". Thank you, Mr. Nistorescu. You're a man who "gets" America... sadly, better than some Americans do these days.
~An Ode to America ~
Why are Americans so united? They would not resemble one another even if
you painted them all one color! They speak all the languages of the world
and form an astonishing mixture of civilizations and religious beliefs.
Still, the American tragedy turned three hundred million people into a hand
put on the heart.
Nobody rushed to accuse the White House, the army, and the secret
services that they are only a bunch of losers. Nobody rushed to empty their
bank accounts. Nobody rushed out onto the streets nearby to gape about.
The Americans volunteered to donate blood and to give a helping hand.
After the first moments of panic, they raised their flag over the smoking
ruins, putting on T-shirts, caps and ties in the colors of the national
flag. They placed flags on buildings and cars as if in every place and on
every car a government official or the president was passing.
On every occasion, they started singing their traditional song:
"God Bless America !" I watched the live broadcast and rerun after rerun
for hours listening to the story of the guy who went down one hundred floors
with a woman in a wheelchair without knowing who she was, or of the
Californian hockey player, who gave his life fighting with the terrorists
and prevented the plane from hitting a target that could have killed other
hundreds or thousands of people.
How on earth were they able to respond united as one human being?
Imperceptibly, with every word and musical note, the memory of some
turned into a modern myth of tragic heroes. And with every phone call,
millions and millions of dollars were put in a collection aimed at rewarding
not a man or a family, but a spirit, which no money can buy.
What on earth can unite the Americans in such a way? Their land? Their
galloping history? Their economic Power? Money? I tried for hours to find
an answer, humming songs, and murmuring phrases with the risk of sounding
commonplace.
I thought things over, but I reached only one conclusion.
Only freedom can work such miracles.
"Only freedom can work such miracles"
Truer words have never been spoken.
posted by AFSister at 9:44 AM | 
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