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Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee
Joined: 25 May 2003
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 Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2005 6:49 pm Post subject: A reward to Kill an American |
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To Kill an American
You probably missed it in the rush of news last week, but there was
actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a
newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any
American.
So an Australian dentist wrote the following to let everyone know what
an American is... so they would know when they found one. (Good on ya,
mate!!!!)
An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish,
Polish, Russian or Greek.
An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese,
Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani,
or Afghan.
An American may also be a Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache,
Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.
An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or
Muslim.
In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The
only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of
them chooses.
An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will
answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming
to speak for the government and for God.
An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the
world.
The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of
Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each person to
the pursuit of happiness.
An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every
other nation in the world in their time of need.
When the Soviet army overran Afghanistan 20 years ago, Americans came
with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country!
As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any
other nation to the poor in Afghanistan.
Americans welcome the best, the best products, the best books, the best
music, the best food, the best athletes. But they also welcome the
least!
The national symbol of America, The Statue of Liberty, welcomes your
tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the
homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who built
America.
Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September
11, 2001, earning a better life for their families. I've been told
that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 other
countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided
and abetted the terrorists.
So you can try to kill an American if you must.
Hitler did.
So did General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and every
bloodthirsty tyrant in the history of the world.
But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself. Because Americans
are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the
embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that
spirit, everywhere, is an American.
Author unknown
Pass this around the World |
http://www.spiritofamerica.net/site/blog/634 |
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death from above
Joined: 31 Jul 2005
Location: in your head
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| Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2005 9:01 pm Post subject: |
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So did General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and every
bloodthirsty tyrant in the history of the world. |
in the history of the world???
now that's hubris! |
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Alias
Joined: 24 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2005 9:20 pm Post subject: |
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| I guess Napoleon missed out on that one. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
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| Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 12:57 am Post subject: |
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| I guess Napoleon missed out on that one. |
But not by much. He was busy conquering Italy for the Directorate when the Americans had their (undeclared) naval war with France. |
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On the other hand
Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue
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| Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 12:59 am Post subject: |
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Hey Joo, you forgot to include this part in your quote:
| Quote: |
| The message below - "To Kill an American" - has been circulating around the Internet. I don't know if the report it refers to is true |
As for the Australian dentists letter:
| Quote: |
Because Americans
are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the
embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that
spirit, everywhere, is an American.
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Personally, if I were trying to convince people not to be anti-American, I would think that an involuntary baptism of millions of people around the world into American citizenship would be counter-productive. Kinda smacks of imperialism.
| Quote: |
An American may also be a Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache,
Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.
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Lord knows, no major world power has a right to be smug about their treatment of minorities. However, a writer defending Germans(for example) would be well advised to avoid saying stuff like "A German may be Jewish, gypsy, or Jehovah's Witness". Kinda begs for the obvious comeback. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
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| Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:55 am Post subject: |
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An American may also be a Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache,
Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.
Lord knows, no major world power has a right to be smug about their treatment of minorities. However, a writer defending Germans(for example) would be well advised to avoid saying stuff like "A German may be Jewish, gypsy, or Jehovah's Witness". Kinda begs for the obvious comeback.
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I don't know that a comeback is called for. The Indians have a remarkable record of service in the military, dating back to the 1700's. |
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Kuros
Joined: 27 Apr 2004
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| Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 6:00 am Post subject: |
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| On the other hand wrote: |
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An American may also be a Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache,
Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.
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Lord knows, no major world power has a right to be smug about their treatment of minorities. However, a writer defending Germans(for example) would be well advised to avoid saying stuff like "A German may be Jewish, gypsy, or Jehovah's Witness". Kinda begs for the obvious comeback. |
Damned if you do, damned if you don't. And how would we have viewed the letter if it left them out? |
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On the other hand
Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue
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| Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 6:05 am Post subject: |
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I don't know that a comeback is called for. The Indians have a remarkable record of service in the military, dating back to the 1700's.
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I'm sure that's true. However, I've had enough political discussions to know that if someone starts talking about how well Indians are treated in America, someone else is gonna pipe in with "yeah, except for the ones you slaughtered!!" Not that that's neccessarily a fair retort.
As for myself, being Canadian, I usually try to keep my mouth shut about American mistreatment of Indians. |
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On the other hand
Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue
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| Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 6:10 am Post subject: |
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And how would we have viewed the letter if it left them out?
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That's a point I suppose. Staying strictly within the realm of literary criticism, I'd advise the author to metion the Indians, but also include something to pre-empt the sort of comebacks I mentioned earlier. Something along the lines of "while our treatment of Indians has been at times shameful, I can tell you that many native Americans maintain a strong loyalty to the USA, as exemplified by their proud history of military service". |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 7:06 am Post subject: |
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| On the other hand wrote: |
...Personally, if I were trying to convince people not to be anti-American, I would think that an involuntary baptism of millions of people around the world into American citizenship would be counter-productive. Kinda smacks of imperialism. ..
[. |
When has America ever forced millions of people around the world into American citizenship? |
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On the other hand
Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue
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| Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 7:18 am Post subject: |
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On the other hand wrote:
...Personally, if I were trying to convince people not to be anti-American, I would think that an involuntary baptism of millions of people around the world into American citizenship would be counter-productive. Kinda smacks of imperialism. ..
[.
When has America ever forced millions of people around the world into American citizenship?
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That wasn't meant to be taken literally. I was referring to the following line in the dentist's letter:
| Quote: |
Because Americans
are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the
embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that
spirit, everywhere, is an American.
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Obviously, the dentist wasn't speaking literally either. However, if you're someone who's anti-American to begin with, that line is probably going to rub you the wrong way. |
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The Bobster
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:01 am Post subject: |
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I liked reading this. I think the title is misleading, tho, because it tends to talk about something else.
Was there ever REALLY such an offer or reward made? Could be, but the OP of the thread wishes us to simply believe it with no evidence. Saya a lot, right there. |
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Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee
Joined: 25 May 2003
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| Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:18 am Post subject: |
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| Spirit of America seems like an ok source. Probably more sincere in their motives than counterpunch , or Riverbends's blog |
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dogbert
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: Killbox 90210
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| Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:21 am Post subject: |
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| Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee wrote: |
| Spirit of America seems like an ok source. Probably more sincere in their motives than counterpunch , or Riverbends's blog |
Don't you think that anecdotal response from the Scotsman would be more effective were it translated into whatever language those godless heathens in Pakistan speak? |
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Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee
Joined: 25 May 2003
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| Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:31 am Post subject: |
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| Yes, I think it would be a good idea to translate the message into many different languages especially the ones used in the mideast or south west Asia. |
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