The things we should thank America for

Konovalov · 11-21-07, 11:23 AM

I read this excellent opinion piece from a newspaper back home that I thought I'd share here:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...1-7583,00.html

Quote:

* Freedom of speech: Americans didn't invent it, but they embrace it more than any nation on earth. At every level of US society, it is empowering.
* Freedom of inquiry: It brought down one president (Nixon), nearly got another (Clinton) and remains the most important element of the checks and balances a decent democracy needs in order to improve itself.
* Cultural and religious tolerance: The US is truly the world's great melting pot. Just take a trip on the New York subway. It's not uncommon to hear five or six different languages spoken in one short journey. And guess what? Nobody cares. For religion, try a Mormon running for president. Could it happen anywhere else?
* Baseball: An acquired taste, but a game of wonderful nuance and sublime skill that is a worthy rival of cricket. One of life's great joys is a sunny afternoon at Yankee Stadium - with a couple of beers, of course.
* The Marshall Plan: Unlike the Bush-Cheney cock-up in Iraq, this was a horses-for-courses foreign policy founded in common sense. The result is the thriving Europe we see today.
* Muhammad Ali: Fighter, poet, patriot and one of the inspiring figures of modern history. "Ain't no Viet Cong ever called me ******," he said. Did anyone in the 20th century make a more profound observation?

Anything else that could be added to the above?

So thank you America and also happy Thanksgiving Day to all the Americans on this board for tomorrow.

Thought I'd get in a day early.

joea · 11-21-07, 11:37 AM

Very nice post for a change.

Biggles · 11-21-07, 11:48 AM

Well really, I can think of loads of things that we should thank (and curse) america for.
Same goes for Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Mexico, Italy, Finland, Russia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Greece, Ireland, China, Japan, and any other country in the world.

The only difference is that america is so powerful, so it brings more curses towards it. Most of them are rubbish, some aren't.

mookiemookie · 11-21-07, 12:23 PM

Jazz music, rock and roll, and our role in coming to the rescue in WW1 and WW2.

Letum · 11-21-07, 01:28 PM

"Cultural and religious tolerance"

:rotfl:
From America?
Certinaly not in America!

Kapitan_Phillips · 11-21-07, 01:44 PM

Thank you, guys

joea · 11-21-07, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Letum

"Cultural and religious tolerance"

:rotfl:
From America?
Certinaly not in America!

Oh and where else then? UK perhaps. Not better though.

Konovalov · 11-22-07, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joea

Very nice post for a change.

Thanks Joea.

DeepIron · 11-22-07, 10:27 AM

Benjamin Franklin and the Founding Fathers.

Without these guys, I'd be paying a lot more taxes on my cup of Earl Grey and eating dishes named "Spotted Dick" or "Luxury Toad in the Hole"...

Subnuts · 11-22-07, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeepIron

Benjamin Franklin and the Founding Fathers.

Without these guys, I'd be paying a lot more taxes on my cup of Earl Grey and eating dishes named "Spotted Dick" or "Luxury Toad in the Hole"...

We'd all be speaking English, too!

CCIP · 11-22-07, 11:06 AM

Simple answer: Americans.

I've met far too many awesome Americans to discount

nikimcbee · 11-22-07, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeepIron

Benjamin Franklin and the Founding Fathers.

Without these guys, I'd be paying a lot more taxes on my cup of Earl Grey and eating dishes named "Spotted Dick" or "Luxury Toad in the Hole"...

but wait, they're building round-a-bouts here

U49 · 11-21-07, 07:34 PM

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
Benjamin Franklin
See http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin

Can't see anything more important ..

11-21-07, 08:55 PM

I thank america for protecting the whole world against muslim terrorists, and i thank you for bringing democrasy to iraq... you are so cool america

11-21-07, 11:48 AM	#3
Biggles Silent Hunter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sweden (I'm not a Viking...) Posts: 3,529 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Well really, I can think of loads of things that we should thank (and curse) america for. Same goes for Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Mexico, Italy, Finland, Russia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Greece, Ireland, China, Japan, and any other country in the world. The only difference is that america is so powerful, so it brings more curses towards it. Most of them are rubbish, some aren't. __________________

11-21-07, 12:23 PM	#4
mookiemookie Navy Seal Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 9,404 Downloads: 105 Uploads: 1	Jazz music, rock and roll, and our role in coming to the rescue in WW1 and WW2. __________________ They don’t think it be like it is, but it do. Want more U-boat Kaleun portraits for your SH3 Commander Profiles? Download the SH3 Commander Portrait Pack here.

11-21-07, 01:28 PM	#5
Letum Navy Seal Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: York - UK Posts: 6,079 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	"Cultural and religious tolerance" :rotfl: From America? Certinaly not in America! __________________

11-21-07, 01:44 PM	#6
Kapitan_Phillips Silent Hunter Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Swansea Posts: 3,903 Downloads: 204 Uploads: 0	Thank you, guys __________________ Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into.

11-22-07, 10:27 AM	#9
DeepIron Sea Lord Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Too far from the Pacific right now... Posts: 1,634 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Benjamin Franklin and the Founding Fathers. Without these guys, I'd be paying a lot more taxes on my cup of Earl Grey and eating dishes named "Spotted Dick" or "Luxury Toad in the Hole"... __________________ RFB / RSRDC Beta Tester RFB / RSRDC Modding Forum: http://forum.kickinbak.com/index.php RFB Top Post link: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=125529 RFB Loadout: RFB_V1.52_102408: RFB_V1.52_Patch_111608: RSRDC_RFBv15_V396

11-21-07, 11:37 AM	#2
joea Silent Hunter Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: At periscope depth in Lake Geneva Posts: 3,512 Downloads: 25 Uploads: 0	Very nice post for a change.

11-22-07, 11:06 AM	#11
CCIP Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Canada Posts: 8,700 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 2	Simple answer: Americans. I've met far too many awesome Americans to discount __________________ There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers. -Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart)

11-21-07, 07:34 PM	#13
U49 Grey Wolf Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: D/Niedersachsen Posts: 777 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin See http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin Can't see anything more important .. __________________ SH3 battle capability upgrades: GWX2.0, JSGME2.0, SH3Commander 2.7, SH3Gen 0.8.2, TorpDamageMod 2.0, OLC GUI 1.1.5 Awaiting combat readiness for GWX2.0: SH4 effetcs for SH3, SH3Weather 1.5 Following development of: www.subwolves.com Realism: 90%

11-21-07, 08:55 PM	#14
Swede Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	I thank america for protecting the whole world against muslim terrorists, and i thank you for bringing democrasy to iraq... you are so cool america