By Staff
Tribute to the United States: The Good Neighbor
Marianne Huval, a computer consultant who works with The Meridian Star, sent this on Thursday. It is a transcript of a remarkable editorial broadcast from Toronto by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian television commentator. What follows is the full text of his trenchant remarks as printed in the Congressional Record:
This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans as the most generous and possibly the least appreciated people on all the earth.
Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy were lifted out of the debris of war by the Americans who poured in billions of dollars and forgave other billions in debts. None of these countries is today paying even the interest on its remaining debts to the United States.
When France was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it was the Americans who propped it up, and their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it.
When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the United States that hurries in to help. This spring, 59 American communities were flattened by tornadoes. Nobody helped.
The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped billions of dollars into discouraged countries. Now newspapers in those countries are writing about the decadent, warmongering Americans.
I'd like to see just one of those countries that is gloating over the erosion of the United States dollar build its own airplane. Does any other country in the world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo Jet, the Lockheed Tri-Star or the Douglas DC-10? If so, why don't they fly them? Why do all the international lines except Russia fly American planes?
Why does no other land on earth even consider putting a man or woman on the moon? You talk about Japanese technocracy, and you get radios. You talk about German technocracy, and you get automobiles. You talk about American technocracy, and you find men on the moon not once, but several times and safely home again.
You talk about scandals, and the Americans put theirs right in the store window for everybody to look at. Even their draft-dodgers are not pursued and hounded. They are here on our streets and most of them, unless they are breaking Canadian laws, are getting American dollars from ma and pa at home to spend here.
When the railways of France, Germany and India were breaking down through age, it was the Americans who rebuilt them. When the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central went broke, nobody loaned them an old caboose. Both are still broke.
I can name you 5,000 times when the Americans raced to the help of other people in trouble. Can you name me even one time when someone else raced to the Americans in trouble? I don't think there was outside help even during the San Francisco earthquake.
Our neighbors have faced it alone, and I'm one Canadian who is damned tired of hearing them get kicked around. They will come out of this thing with their flag high. And when they do, they are entitled to thumb their nose at the lands that are gloating over their present troubles. I hope Canada is not one of those.
Stand proud, America!
Join the petition drive
This e-mail is an invitation to you to send this message to all of your friends. At the point it was received at The Meridian Star, it had two signers. There's no telling how many it has now.
To all:
My deepest sympathy is with everyone! Not just to those that were involved but to everyone because we all we struck by a devastating event. Nobody in America or anywhere else has deserved for this to happen, but it has.
So at the time that you receive this letter from me please stop what you are doing and take time to thank God for letting us still remain on the earth.
Also keep in your prayers those that have been affected by this horrible act. If you have children or someone there in your household, turn to them and tell them you love them because you never know what is going to happen with this situation that the nation has been struck with.
I am keeping the prayers and sympathetic lines open because I, as well as you, know that the people that were affected by this are in deep sorrow.  
The next thing we need to remember at this time are the heroic acts being taken. All the places that were affected need us as Americans praying for them non-stop and supporting them to the end!
I am here in Mississippi and, by the grace of God and my family's luck, I am able to say, "I want justice served" to those responsible for this horrific act on my United States of America…
Please, everyone that is still able, sign this petition and keep it going so that maybe the families of the lost and injured will know that they are not alone. Let's see how many people can get this and maybe by pure luck the president or someone in Congress will get it.
Remember our soldiers and our government in all the decisions they make to protect our great nation. Pray that God keeps our soldiers safe and away from harm's way, and that He makes them strong…
Please don't let this go by without signing! May God bless you and yours!
Stephanie Sodders, Meridian
Anna Michelle Wooten, Meridian
Help and information
On Thursday, U.S. Rep Chip Pickering, R-Miss., released this list of contact numbers for people who want to get more information about Tuesday's terrorist attack, or get involved in the relief efforts.
Donation Opportunities:
American Red Cross-Mississippi: (601) 353-5442
Salvation Army: (800) SAL-ARMY
United Way's Sept. 11 Fund: (212) 251-4035
Volunteer medical services: (800) 801-8092
Bulk donations: (800) 7-IN-KIND
Financial contributions: (800) HELP-NOW
Blood donations: (800) GIVE-LIFE
Mississippi Blood Services: (601) 981-3232
United Blood Services: (601) 939-3336
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief: (800) 959-4325
Church World Services: (800) 297-1516, ext. 222
Search, rescue and recovery:
New York City Firefighter's Information Line: (718) 999-2541
New York City Police Officer's Information Line: (718) 677-8238