The Veil of Ingratitude Separating the US and Europe
by J. D. Longstreet (9/12/08)
The MsM was all “a-twitter” a few days ago about some poll, or other, in Europe, which demonstrated that Europeans wanted Obama to be the next President of the US. The results of the poll were reported all over the planet in a sort of surreal challenge to the “Fates in Charge of Elections” to make Obama the next US President because… the Europeans wish it to be so. Problem is… the folks in the US heard about that poll and they/we bristled.
To describe US national politics as “rough and tumble” is an understatement of gigantic proportions. Our national politics can and often does “get down and dirty”! But, and here’s the thing: It is OUR political process… and we do not like interlopers into our political arena no matter their reasoning… not even in jest.
Many Americans, if not most, have ancestral homes in Europe, as has my family. And… many of us lost loved ones fighting to liberate Europe from the clutches of despotism. So, yeah, we DO tend to get prickly when Europeans look down their aristocratic noses at the way we do things in this country.
Even now the US is attempting to secure Europe’s millions from rogue states with nuclear missiles by installing defensive missile sites in various European countries. Not to mention the fact that it is the US Navy that guarantees to keep the sea-lanes open so that European trading vessels can ply the waters around the globe in safety. Why, one would think Europe has become a permanent ward of the United States. And in many ways… it has.
See, here’s the thing: Americans love Europe. As I said above… for many of us it is our ancestral home. We want to see Europe grow and prosper and be safe. All we ask in return is a little gratitude. Not the bowing and scraping kind of gratitude … no. We DO expect the kind of gratitude in which Europe says “Thanks, guys! Let us know when we can return the favor!” That’s all.
Speaking of returning the favor, many of us feel Europe has fallen way behind in the “returning the favor” part of their expression of gratitude. Our cousins, in the UK, have nearly over extended themselves, on more than one occasion, to stand with the US… even when the cause is unpopular with their fellow Europeans. (Funny, but I hardly ever think of the UK as a part of Europe.) And we here in The States are grateful. See, with Great Britain and the US it is a mother/child thing.
We really don’t care for the insinuations of empire building by the US made by some noted Europeans. As an example note the following:
When in England, at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell (Former US Secretary of State) was asked by an official of a world wide religious denomination if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building’ by George Bush. Powell 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.’
Here is another anecdote that demonstrates why Americans bristle at “put-downs” by Europeans:
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 intended 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?’
And then there is this illustrious story about the language we share with a number of other countries around the globe:
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.
Every one 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 Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn’t have to speak German.’
And finally there is the story of an elderly gentleman of 83 years, arriving 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.
The American senior admitted that he had been to France previously.
“Then you should know enough to have your passport ready,” stated the French Customs Officer.
The American said, ‘’The last time I was here, I didn’t have to show it.
‘Impossible! Americans always have to show your passports on arrival in France!’… said the indignant Frenchman.
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.’
Yes, these are anecdotal stories. But they point up a very important truth. Americans were, and are, willing to put their lives on the line and even sacrifice their lives for the people of Europe and will continue doing so well into the future. And we are willing to accept a quiet “Thank you” whenever it is offered and a pledge to stand beside us when the world is being threatened by fascism… as it is today. That’s all.
J. D. Longstreet
http://csadispatch.blogspot.com/
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