OT: From a Romanian Newspaper

[Guest guest]

Ah yes! The rah rah side of foreign editorials... Howsome ever, there are 10x

more to the contrary.

 

With the brave and bold act of entering Iraq to save the world from WMD (have

they found any yet or haven't we had enough time to plant them?) we have

earned ourselves in the special place of many peoples hearts.

 

Slowly we are isolating ourselves. Oh people will still do business with us,

and they will smile and show us their pearly teeth but behind those smiles

will be/is an awful lot of hatred.

 

A friend and I talked about this last night. She, like many, are unable to

see what entering Iraq alone (well, we did manage to get Blair to follow

along for the ride) is going to cost us. And like many, she doesn't care.

F... them she says... " Them " is an awful lot of people in an awful lot of

countries. That's an awful lot of hate directed against us...Fear and hate.

Nasty combination.

 

My friend and I decided that perhaps we shouldn't share our opinions any more

on this war in Iraq. She pointed out the statistics of 75% of the people are

behind Bush and behind his war, interesting statistics. I know no one has

ever asked my opinion ( I give it freely anyway ;-).

 

Well, it's pretty much done now. Only history will tell us if this was one of

the stupidest moves that the president could have taken or one of the most

brilliant. I know what I think and I know what a lot of others think...

 

And yes, I know that this post will more than likely piss off those with

military backgrounds, staunch defenders of the Flag, those with children or

parents in the military and those who are overseas and reading this. But I

figure, if we can have " Rah Rah Notes " then we can also point out another

opinion. I mean, we STILL have that freedom don't we?

 

Kathleen Petrides

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I don't think people mind the expressing of opinions and being pissed off at our

pres. I think people mind when this anti-war turns into hate the military, cut

off their supplies, treat supporters nastily, etc. So, anti-war says we're

hurting people over there, but don't worry: we'll hurt those people right back

over here. Where's the sense in that?

 

Supporting our country also means supporting our right to effect a change from

within. It's a shame to believe that effecting change has to be done so

harshly. Sometimes it's warranted though.

 

Don't ever forget that we do have a right to effect change in our country.

Don't forget our country gave us that right. I appreciate the gift. I like to

see it used and I don't take it for granted.

 

Total peace cannot come without conflict and sometimes outright war happening

first. We are all individuals born with a free will (until it's quashed

sometimes depending on where you were born!). I think some of us who are

parents can understand that.

 

There is a system of checks and balances before the word 'go' can come from the

president. I believe democracy means we agree to majority rule without

bloodshed. These anti-war protests have been getting a bit unpeaceful lately,

but they are being heard.

 

While there are many on one side and many on another I believe we will find that

there are many more somewhere in between. Supporting our country doesn't have

to mean pro-war. Anti-war doesn't have to mean hating our country.

 

Maybe change is coming...change never comes without turmoil. Change can be

good.

 

Dale

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

We rarely get a chance to see another country's editorial about the USA.

 

This is an excerpt from a Romanian Newspaper. The article was written

by Mr. Cornel Nistorescu and published under the title " C " ntarea

Americiim meaning " Ode To America " , on September 24, 2002 in the

Romanian newspaper Evenimentul zilei ( " The Daily Event " or " News of the

Day " ).

 

~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.

 

And 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 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!

[Guest guest]

I swore I was going to stay out of this, but I can no longer bite my tongue.

 

This is the only country in the WORLD where freedom of speech is so highly

prized.

 

What most Americans do not realize is that the military hate to fight. That's

right, they do not like to go to war, but when they signed on that bottom line,

they became property of the US government.

 

It is a moot point as to whether or not we should be there. We are there! And

yes, I am a veteran, mother of military personnel over there, and a wife to

someone who has helped build those oil fields.

 

I have not always agreed with the President of the United States as an

individual, but will stand behind the office of the President.

 

Funny thing that the three countries that were against the war are the same

three countries that the coalition troops have been finding weapons from.

Hmmmmm, wonder why?

 

Also. If you have ever gotten a letter saying why or how your child died for

their country, remember this. There were probably about 20 or 30 drafts of that

letter littering the floor, just to get the final product. I have written those

letters and have cried with every one of them.

 

Last week my family laid to rest a veteran, my father. One of the first on Iwo

Jima.

Just remember our troops fight and die so that you can say what you want and

when you want.

Linda

http://www.lillizard.com