bodypilot90 0 #1 March 30, 2003 SHAME ON YOU AMERICAN-HATING LIBERALS Sep 11 2002 by Tony Parsons "http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/page.cfm?objectid= 12188969&method=full&siteid=50143" This is certainly worth the read.............. No matter what your views on President Bush's statement of upcoming war, this, from an English journalist, is very interesting. Just a word of background, for those of you who aren't familiar with the UK's Daily Mirror. It is a notoriously left-wing daily that is normally not supportive of the Colonials across the Atlantic. *********************************** Tony Parsons, Daily Mirror, September 11, 2002 One year ago, the world witnessed a unique kind of broadcasting -- the mass murder of thousands, live on television. As a lesson in the pitiless cruelty of the human race, September 11 was up there with Pol Pot's Mountain of Skulls in Cambodia, or the skeletal bodies stacked like garbage in the Nazi concentration camps. An unspeakable act so cruel, so calculated and so utterly merciless that surely the world could agree on one thing - nobody deserves this fate. Surely there could be consensus: The victims were truly innocent, the perpetrators truly evil. But to the world's eternal shame, 9/11 is increasingly seen as America's comeuppance. Incredibly, anti-Americanism has increased over the last year. There has always been a simmering resentment to the USA in this country; too loud, too rich, too full of themselves, and so much happier than Europeans - but it has become an epidemic. And it seems incredible to me. More than that, it turns my stomach. America is this country's greatest friend and our staunchest ally. We are bonded to the US by culture, language and blood. A little over half a century ago, around half a million Americans died for our freedoms, as well as their own. Have we forgotten so soon? And exactly a year ago, thousands of ordinary men, women and children - not just Americans, but from dozens of countries, were butchered by a small group of religious fanatics. Are we so quick to betray them? What touched the heart about those who died in the Twin Towers and on the planes, was that we recognized them. Young fathers and mothers, somebody's son and somebody's daughter, husbands, wives, and children, some unborn. And these people brought it on themselves? Their nation is to blame for their meticulously planned slaughter? These days you don't have to be some dust-encrusted nut job in Kabul or Karachi or Finsbury Park to see America as the Great Satan. The anti-American alliance is made up of self-loathing liberals who blame the Americans for every ill in the Third World, and conservatives suffering from power-envy, bitter that the world's only superpower can do what it likes without having to ask permission. The truth is that America has behaved with enormous restraint since September 11. Remember, remember - Remember the gut-wrenching tapes of weeping men phoning their wives to say, "I love you," before they were burned alive. Remember those people leaping to their deaths from the top of burning skyscrapers. Remember the hundreds of firemen buried alive. Remember the smiling face of that beautiful little girl who was on one of the planes with her mum. Remember, remember - And realize that America has never retaliated for 9/11 in anything like the way it could have. So a few al-Qaeda tourists got locked up without a trial in Camp X-ray? Oh please ... Pass the Kleenex. So some Afghan wedding receptions were shot up after they merrily fired their semi-automatics in a sky full of American planes? A shame, but maybe next time they should stick to confetti. AMERICA could have turned a large chunk of the world into a parking lot. That it didn't ... is a sign of strength. American voices are already being raised against attacking Iraq - that's what a democracy is for. How many in the Islamic world will have a minute's silence for the slaughtered innocents of 9/11? How many Islamic leaders will have the guts to say that the mass murder of 9/11 was an abomination? When the news of 9/11 broke on the West Bank, those freedom-loving Palestinians were dancing in the street. America watched all of that - and didn't push the button. We should thank the stars that America is the most powerful nation in the world. I still find it incredible that 9/11 did not provoke all-out war. Not a "war on terrorism." A real war. The fundamentalist dudes are talking about "opening the gates of hell," if America attacks Iraq. Well, America could have opened the gates of hell, like you wouldn't believe. The US is the most militarily powerful nation that ever strode the face of the earth. The campaign in Afghanistan may have been less than perfect and the planned war on Iraq may be misconceived. But don't blame America for not bringing peace and light to these wretched countries. How many democracies are there in the Middle East, or in the Muslim world? You can count them on the fingers of one hand - assuming you haven't had any chopped off for minor shoplifting. I love America, yet America is hated. I guess that makes me Bush's poodle. But I would rather be a dog in New York City than a Prince in Riyadh. Above all, America is hated because it is what every country wants to be - rich, free, strong, open, optimistic. Not ground down by the past, or religion, or some caste system. America is the best friend this country ever had and we should start remembering that. Or do you really think the USA is the root of all evil? Tell it to the loved ones of the men and women who leaped to their death from the burning towers. Tell it to the nursing mothers whose husbands died on one of the hijacked planes, or were ripped apart in a collapsing skyscraper. And tell it to the hundreds of young widows whose husbands worked for the New York Fire Department. To our shame, George Bush gets a worse press than Saddam Hussein. Once we were told that Saddam gassed the Kurds, tortured his own people and set up rape-camps in Kuwait. Now we are told he likes Quality Street. Save me the range center ... Oh Mighty One! Remember, remember, September 11 - One of the greatest atrocities in human history was committed against America. No, do more than remember. Never forget. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
staticnewbie 0 #2 March 31, 2003 Tony Parsons has been talking bollocks for years, pay no attention - he doesn't represent the majority opinion over here. Most of us don't resent Americans, and most of us DO think this war is bullshit, but we will support our troops. Yes, the Daily Mirror is notoriously left-wing, but in that sense the editorial is presented to support anything and everything the government says and does. Therefore if Tony Blair had decided not to go to war, Mr Parsons would be writing about the over-zealous American desire for war, and how we are the only voice of true reason in the world etc. etc. etc. Basically the editors know they aren't going to win any prizes for outstanding or accurate journalism, so they hope to get in the governments good books, maybe nabbing a CBE for services to publishing in 20 years time. I honestly don't mean to jump on the moral theme for the thread (not sure moral is what I really mean, but it's too late to get the thesaurus out), but I just want to make sure any Americans thinking this is the voice of the British people aren't gravely misled. This username sucks, so I'm BBKid now instead. Replies, insults, sexual favours and death threats to be sent there from now on. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rhino 0 #3 March 31, 2003 QuoteMost of us don't resent Americans, and most of us DO think this war is bullshit, but we will support our troops. Funny.. England's support for the war has gone up 10% in the last week. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
staticnewbie 0 #4 March 31, 2003 QuoteFunny.. England's support for the war has gone up 10% in the last week. Well, since I live here (England), and there are at least ten different surveys every day, all coming out with different findings, I would suggest that the information you are being fed is selective to say the very least. Also, you forgot Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This username sucks, so I'm BBKid now instead. Replies, insults, sexual favours and death threats to be sent there from now on. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rocketdog 0 #5 March 31, 2003 Whateva! Whateva! i think that article was very saddening & touching -- and whether you're pro-war or anti-war, there is still truth to it. it puts a lot of subjects into perspective..... how do you reply to an article like that?!?!?!????? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andie787 0 #6 March 31, 2003 Quote Whateva! Whateva! i think that article was very saddening & touching -- and whether you're pro-war or anti-war, there is still truth to it. it puts a lot of subjects into perspective..... how do you reply to an article like that?!?!?!????? I guess with a lot of weird shit and punctuation. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot90 0 #7 March 31, 2003 QuotePost: Whateva! Whateva! i think that article was very saddening & touching -- and whether you're pro-war or anti-war, there is still truth to it. it puts a lot of subjects into perspective..... how do you reply to an article like that?!?!?!????? There ya go someone with insight!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
