Thursday, May 15, 2008
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Is this true?
This photo came to me in an email this morning. The patch says "Doing the work of" and has the flag of France, Germany, and Russia underneath. Aside from the fact that this is an obvious Photoshopped photo, I think there is a still a good message there, but that the message is wrong.
The better insignia to have added would have been a globe underneath the American flag. America does not just do the work of the three countries who refuse to help with the War in Iraq. America is always at the beck and call of the rest of the world. Granted, I am not saying we are a perfect country or that every single thing this country does is better than another, but by damn, we are there for other countries before almost any other country in the world.
Let's think about that. Remember that little country Kuwait that was invaded? Remember who was over there fighting for that country in order to preserve freedom? Americans. Who had planes sitting on a runway immediately full of supplies for Myanmar? America. Who offered help for the Earthquake in China? Americans...follow me here?
You see, I don't think the war in Iraq should be used as an excuse to hold a grudge against other countries. A lot of the countries out there who live in the same economic status as Americans have not been through anything near what Americans go through on a daily basis. Americans are a strong people and it's because we HAVE to be.
Name another country for me that can go from heat waves that kill people, to blizzards that do the same, earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, and hurricanes? Name me ONE just one other country who deals with these kinds of natural disasters year after year, month after month and yet still picks up it's own people and thrives? We do it. We help ourselves when we do it. We pick ourselves up, dust off our rears, and get back out there.
At the end of the day, we should be proud that we were founded on stronger ground than the other countries who are not willing to hold out a hand for mankind. At the end of the day, we should be proud we were born into a country where we are allowed to hold out that hand for others, and that other people in the world are glad we extend it.
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Comments (27)
I think you're right!! See MightyMenofValor's site too! :)
@guestbrief - I will do that!
america also tends to stick its nose in the middle of everything, even without the consent / backing of the UN. *shrug*
I am with you 100% on this one!!
peace, love and hair grease...
@lyricsninja - Hmm...name one country that doesn't stick it's supposed nose into other country's business...and American tends to look out for America...which is the government's mandate. Just a reply to your comment...not starting an discussion.
Agreed, SL...for all the bad that keeps getting reported we sure do a helluva lot more good... it's funny how you don't really hear that the US just sent $1 Billion to China for Earthquake relief...
Never in recorded history have you a country that actually uses it's strength to help not conquor and subjegate. (waits for the naysayers to respond with their usual diatribe about that).
@Viktorious1 - oh no, youre absolutely right. although going against the UN doesnt make us look like we want a unified world, you know? all in all, every country has to look out for its own. im just waiting for them to actually begin looking out for our own national defecit, or the falling value of the dollar, or... yeah i could go on for a while...
@lyricsninja - FINALLY!! Somethign we agree on :D
@lyricsninja - Yeah, we obviously have our problems too, but all of us could go on for hours and hours and that one! Too bad a bunch of us don't live near each other to have a big round table type discussion! THAT would make an awesome video!
@Viktorious1 - We're a tough bunch of people. It's really amazing some of the disasters American survive everyday. Just in Arkansas alone we have had over 6 DEADLY tornadoes this year, and it's not even tornado "season" yet!!!
@Southernlass - Well, we are a unique group of people...E Pluribus Unum....
You want the name of just one country? What about Israel? It deals with a terrorist threat on its doorstep day in and day out, yet still exists and thrives. Does the US have to deal with such a threat on a constant basis? Israel has been very technologically innovative, especially in the field of science. The Pentium M for laptop computers, for example, was developed in Israel. This is just one out of a monumental list of examples. Israel has been very generous with foreign aid as well. It sent supplies to Sri Lanka after the tsunami of 2005 and humanitarian aid for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Yes, the US is a great country, but it is far from being the only great one. Other countries are also great in their own right and the US can't possibly work on its own. It needs allies, especially from those with similar agendas.
what you said is right about america doing a lot for the world. What bugs me a bit though is just the feeling of supremacy some americans have over other people of the world.
Like championing american values over other cultures' values and imposing them on those cultures
Like freely labeling 'oppression' on certain non-western practices
and others.
America is a great country, I had a wonderful time living there, and I love the american people.
What I wish to see in the future though, is a world where everyone's lives on earth holds the same value for all of us, that one loss of an Uzbek in Uzbekistan is as much a tragedy to the world as one loss of an American.
And no such thing as collateral deaths. Or war for that matter.
Cultural differences and diversity of values celebrated and respected. And no conflict between religious sects or different ideologies.
Darn, why is world peace so impossible to achieve.
@zionlover - I think you missed the point of what I wrote here, or that I was not very clear in what I said. I was not degrading other countries at all. What I was saying is that the people who feel the need to point a finger at other countries for not helping with the war in Iraq need to remember that not every country is USED to helping others, nor are they in a position to, which is what Americans do on a daily basis at home and throughout the world. I would also tend to think that although it is obvious more countries deal with a more pronounced threat of terrorism on a daily basis, that yes, the U.S. deals with it everyday too on top of the constant stream of natural disasters etc.
@ihsankhairir -
Like championing american values over other cultures' values and imposing them on those cultures
I am not sure I agree with this particular finger being pointed at only Americans. If I recall history correctly, the British were the people who went into Africa, India, and several other Eastern European cultures first. The British were the society in this century who went exploring across the world and took modern technology and medicines to many different cultures. It may be fair to say that Western culture and society is to blame for trying to kill off certain cultural practices. Also, is Western society "labeling" other practices offensive or discriminatory any worse than Westerners being labeled as "infidels"?
I agree it would be nice to see some of your theories played out, but what you are suggesting is called Universal Law in philosophy, and it has been debated many times over that it is nearly impossible to every make that happen. We would have to accept that in some religions it is ok to sacrifice animals for a religious ceremony. Do you think groups like PETA would ever stand for seeing that happen, or that they would care to respect a religion for that belief? What about gay people who want to get married? Do you think every person who is opposed to that for whatever reason, would suddenly decide it is ok?
I have sat around and debated these very topics myself for hours at a time, and although yes, it would be fantastic to see something like that happen, somehow I doubt I will ever see it in my lifetime!
I believe those colors have to be fake because you really don't want the bright colors when you are in the military. It sort of defeats the purpose of the whole outfit.
@Southernlass - I guess we all need to be hippies! hahaha
anyway what i've said i said it because i've experienced being looked and talked down upon by probably old fashioned americans just because they said i look like i came from a third world country and that I am not in my place to be talking to them in the first place.
I've been suspected as terrorist just because I am male and I have a Malaysian passport. I have seen airport staff smiling at me until they read my name on my passport and then the rude treatment comes. This never happened anywhere I've been but America.
I've had debates with americans concerning a lot of stuff and they told me what i said did not matter because I am not american anyways.
I guess it's unfair for me to judge america as a whole based on these specific experiences, but to see them play on a larger scale (probably the media has been quite biased as well) did not help heal the wound. There's always that scar left in me even though I have healed a lot since then.
That's why I wish that for every one every life in this world are worth as much as the next regardless of where we come from. Because I've felt how it was like being told not worth a thing and I did not like it at all.
Sorry if I sound like I'm ranting over here.
@ihsankhairir - I don't think you are ranting at all. You've been a victim of discrimination in this country, and unfortunately, that happens everyday. In the south it's the dreaded N word or harassing Mexicans. In the North, the Italians get the abuse. Unfortunately Oriental people are mistreated all over...for that I have no idea why.
I personally have never understood the ability of some people to not respect other countries and their beliefs, and I find it sad when people go to other countries with the intent of changing the belief system there, especially in regards to religion. I actually find the religious practices very interesting of other cultures, and I think it would be a sad day for humanity if those were destroyed...much in the same sense that I would be upset if another civilization came here and tried to force a religion at us since we are allowed by our country the right to choose. That could be a whole different blog!
@Southernlass - I wanted to refrain from throwing my two cents in to preclude a full-scale argument, but I have to say, we're Asian, not Orientals. Oriental is a type of rug, not person. And yes, I agree, stop hating on the Asians (and everyone else too).
@aznroadrunner - I am sorry and I will keep that in mind in the future! I have heard it said both ways my entire life, and have never once heard it corrected up until now. Noted!
@Southernlass - It's cool, I know it's not your fault. The British, as much good as they've done, messed around quite a bit with names when they were in Asia. Case in point: it's Beijing, not Peking. History lesson for today :P.
According to snopes.com
it isn't true. Even though Americans have done some great things and try to do right against people like Hitler, Saddam, etc etc, sometimes I think Americans get too involved in everyone else's affairs.
*sparkle
@Sparkling_Rainbow - I knew the picture wasn't true. Just curious what others thought about the issue overall!
Yea, I think I'm back. Not sure for how long or how often, but probably a while. Some good stuff going down and felt like I could come back here.
@TheSuperTilly - YAY! *tickle tackles*!!!
I know this is an older post, but i'll still comment. The photo has been altered. I wore the same uniform. The American flag patch displayed in the picture is actually backwards and the other flags were photoshopped in. But I know plenty of people who actually think and feel about america's role, as depicted in the "messege." Craziness.
@Turbodog - I know the other flags were photoshopped in ;) I said it in the original post. It's really easy for me to sopt that kind of stuff now that I use Photoshop.
My brother is in the Army and the flag the Army wears on their arm is just like the one in the picture. It is supposed to be "backwards" because the the flag is properly "waving" as they walk by, or flying by in his case since he's a pilot.