It deals with how some of our former patriots handled negative comments about our country.
I prefer to offer them as examples of the insensitivity of man to the sacrifices of others and a total lack of gratitude for the pain and suffering endured on their behalf. It proves, beyond any question of a doubt, that the battles you fight today are today’s battles, and will have no effect on anyone else when the sun comes up tomorrow.
1. France, after WWII
JFK'S Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, was in France in the early 60's when DeGaule decided to pull out of NATO. DeGaule said he wanted all US military out of France as soon as possible.Rusk responded, "Does that include those who are buried here?" DeGaule did not respond.…………..You could have heard a pin drop.
2. Empire Building in Iraq
When in England , at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of 'empire building' by George Bush.He answered by saying, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return."
…………You could have heard a pin drop.
3. U.S. Might at Sea
There was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break, one of the French engineers came back into the room saying, "Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intend to do, bomb them?"
A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: "Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?"
………You could have heard a pin drop.
4. Speaking English only
A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S. , English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English. He then asked, "Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?"
Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied, "Maybe it's because the Brit's, Canadians, Aussie's and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German."
………..You could have heard a pin drop.
5. Return Visit
Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane. At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on."You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer asked sarcastically.Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously."Then you should know enough to have your passport ready."The American said, "The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it."
"Impossible. Americans always have to show their passports on arrival in France !"
The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained,
''Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate
this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchmen to show a passport to."
……….You could have heard a pin drop.
HOW QUICKLY WE FORGET!!!!!
< >
The legacy of heroes is the Memory of a great name;
- And the inheritance of a great example.
…….Benjamin Disraeli
Who kept the faith and fought the fight;
< >
The legacy of heroes is the Memory of a great name;
- And the inheritance of a great example.
…….Benjamin Disraeli
Who kept the faith and fought the fight;
The glory theirs, the duty ours.
…….Wallace Bruce
The patriot's blood is the seed of Freedom's tree.
…….Thomas Campbell
On thy grave the rain shall fall from the eyes of a mighty nation!
The patriot's blood is the seed of Freedom's tree.
…….Thomas Campbell
On thy grave the rain shall fall from the eyes of a mighty nation!
……Thomas William Parsons
With the tears a Land hath shed,Their graves should ever be green.
……. Thomas Bailey Aldrich
With the tears a Land hath shed,Their graves should ever be green.
……. Thomas Bailey Aldrich
Posts
All five of these are great examples. Other countries seem to always look for the negative pertaining to the USA, even when we are doing something positive. We need to have tough skins when negatives come our way and accentuate the positive things we do to help around the world. This can also be applied to our daily lives as well.
ReplyDelete