My goodness I’m tired of anti-Americanism. So as my response I give you why every Canadian should really be saying God Bless America.
For leaving half-a million men on the battlefields of Africa, Asia and Europe during the Second World War, a conflict the United States could easily have sat out. God Bless America.
For that farm-boy from Nebraska who had never even heard of Normandy or Sicily, who wanted so much to walk back from the hill but continued on. For his determination to do his duty and for his dedication to freedom. For his mother and for the stars and stripes flag she hung in her window. For his life, and for the fact that he gave it. God Bless America.
For being prepared to rip the country apart in a bloody spasm of civil war because, however delayed and reluctant in some quarters, the leaders and people knew that slavery was wrong. For seeing the future dawn when others could only see the enveloping night . God Bless America.
For the legion of Nobel Prizes won with grace, for the medical breakthroughs celebrated with decorum, for the sporting records, the intellectual triumphs, the moral victories, the glory. For embracing yes rather than hiding behind no. God Bless America.
For jazz and pluralism, baseball and religious tolerance, burgers and equality. For inventing and pursuing an ideal that, though not always achieved, is still glorious in the making and pristine in the chasing. God Bless America.
For the Marshall Plan and Marshall Dillon, for Tom Sawyer and Tom Hanks, for New York and for the New Deal. God Bless America. For not minding when foreigners actually show more ignorance about American culture than Americans ever do about theirs. For in fact being more polite and sensitive when abroad than many other peoples but merely smiling when described as ugly. God Bless America.
For inviting Irish, Jew, Italian, Pole, German, Hispanic, black, Asian, man and woman, all and every into the highest levels of government. For being the first nation in the world to treat the outsider as a guest rather than a problem. For being a melting pot rather than a melting society. God Bless America.
For allowing God and prayer and faith to enter public life and for not running scared of gratitude to the almighty for all that He has given us. God Bless America.
For your comedies and your dramas, for your movies and your novels, your sentimentality and glamour, your self-parody and self-criticism. For your splendour and for your silliness. God Bless America.
For being right more often than being wrong. For being the nation that still leads the way in so many ways, still lights the path on so many days. For being you. For being. God Bless America.
Great op-ed Michael, very eloquent.
Someone should send a copy of it to “reverend” Wright (you know, Obama’s ex-pastor who loves to shout “G-d damn America”)!
Hello Mike ,but why America?
What about the rest of us Mike. What about the Canadians,English, and Australians who have done all of these except for a civil war fought over slavery because we had already thought it too barbaric for us.
Do we get blessed also Mike or are we not significant for you.
I love our American neighbors but there other things going on in the rest of the world that you had nothing to do with.
Being top dog comes with it’s responsibility ask the French, English ,Spanish, Dutch and Chinese they used to be there and faced all the same criticism.
The Americans are there I say enjoy the moment don’t worry so much about the rest of the world because your just part of it.
Beautiful!
Nicely put Michael. The issue with the US is that they have typically been ‘the good guys’ throughout the 20th Century, but have issues when this image is not quite as ‘black and white’ any more. I quite agree, that the freedoms we won during the last 100 years or so would have been impossible without the dedication, bravery and sacrifice of many US men and women.
George Washington: “The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty, and the destiny of the republican model of government, are justly considered deeply, perhaps as finally, staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people.”…. John Adams:”I always consider America with reverance and wonder, as the opening of a grand scene and design in providence, for the illumination of the ignorant and the emancipation of the slavish part of mankind all over the earth.”…. Thomas Jefferson:”The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time.”…. Winston Churchill:”The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative.”…. Well written Michael !!!….”GOD BLESS AMERICA”….
Michael Coren wrote: “For inviting Irish, Jew, Italian, Pole, German, Hispanic, black, Asian, man and woman, all and every into the highest levels of government. For being the first nation in the world to treat the outsider as a guest rather than a problem. For being a melting pot rather than a melting society. God Bless America.”
Yes, yes, just like the Mexican of today who is greeted with open arms whenever he crosses the border.
And you forgot capitalism. God bless capitalism. God bless the billionaires and the Republican whores that serve them. And God bless the 30,000 lobbyists in Washington that have successfully hijacked what could have been a great democracy.
Absolutely right Michael! I say the same things to people all the time when they resort to mindless knee-jerk anti-americanism.
And to C.H., capitalism keeps you in a job, I assume you work, and your standard of living high. Please use your brain a bit more, my friend.
God Bless America.
For being prepared to rip the country apart in a bloody spasm of civil war because, however delayed and reluctant in some quarters, the leaders and people knew that slavery was wrong
Actually this is an eroneous assumption. Lincoln actually said if he could save the union at keep slavery he would do that. The union was the primary goal until about 1863 early 1864. It was the pressure of Frederick Douglas, Harriet Beecher Stowe and numerous others that actually forced the government into the Emancipation of the slaves. That higher goal finally united the cause of the union who until that time had been more than eager to seek peace with the south.
One of your predecessors at CFRB, Gordon Sinclair wrote the definitive column on America. Back in the 60′s my dad, a British Army vet took me to Arlington and talked about how they’ve had to come along and save the world a few times and would probably have to do it again. I took my kids there in the nineties and told them the same thing, I hope they take their kids there one day
Actually I need to correct myself, Sinclair “broadcast” it back in the 70′s. It was rebroadcast on many American stations after 9/11. I’m sure you can find it online.
Michael, that blog was a real pip. I got a shiver of embarrassment when I read it. I, personally,like Americans. I don’t have an inherent disliking of them that many,many Eastern Canadians have. You have written about them before, using the same sycophantic jingoism. You ascribe to them saintly virtues using spurious historical detail. You say,”For the legion of Nobel Prizes won with grace”. Yet in a recent column you all but called their president a buffoon when you lampooned his acceptance speech for his prize. I am wondering why,with all the slathering devotion you obviously have for America, you are not living there. I will pay for the moving van when you make your mind up.
Lord Byron wrote: “And to C.H., capitalism keeps you in a job, I assume you work, and your standard of living high. Please use your brain a bit more, my friend.”
Ha ha, you’re delusional at best. Tell that to the 30 million Americans out of work right now. And no, capitalism doesn’t keep me in a job, if I could be replaced by a machine at a fraction of the cost then I would most certainly be unemployed.
I thought god blessed Islamic countries? Has there actually been a blessing from god for America? Was that written down somewhere?
What anti-Americanism?
Congratulations on winning the “Young Patriots of America” essay contest!
LHZ
What god?
To C.H.-
Looks like you are just one of the goverment parasites that feed off the taxpayers (i.e. teachers and Govt workers). You contribute nothing but like a drone bee you think you are important. You feed off others hard work and feel you are wiser than the masses. When you are gone, noone will miss you or your thoughts.
In a simple saying- Go put your head where the sun does not shine.
Phil; Get off this post!
You’re just trying to stir up controversy. You can not be so ignorant as to question the obvious anti-americanism that exists with some people, and you definitely are not using your reasoning or your skill of observation to ask “what God?”
Your questioning Him only proves His existence since He is the One who gave you such an ability.
Holy Smokes Mike. Did you just call teachers and gov’t workers “parasites”?!? That’s harsh,dude. Given that you think you know what goes on in the mind of a teensy-weensy bee,though, I don’t think I can believe you know where the sun don’t shine. Not with both hands and a map!
Patrick Garrett had said:
“Your questioning Him only proves His existence since He is the One who gave you such an ability.”
Pat, the only thing that’s “proven” here is your usage of the logical fallacy of circular reasoning. You outright assume that your god exits in the first place and then use the fact that someone is questioning him is “proof” of your gods’ existence.
You have provided no evidence of your claim that god exists, except by assertion.
What’s to stop a Muslim from saying of someone who doubts the existence of Allah: “Your questioning Him only proves His existence since He is the One who gave you such an ability.”
Note that I didn’t even need to change any words there.
Mike wrote: “To C.H.-
Looks like you are just one of the goverment parasites that feed off the taxpayers…”
The fact is Mike, I don’t work for the government—never have, never will, nor have I ever collected unemployment insurance, but don’t let that stop you from making baseless assumptions about people you don’t know and have never met.
But what’s truly sad is how you view those in the public sector and think that teachers, healthcare professionals, police, garbage men, etc, are nothing more than “parasites”… and then go on to say that I’m the one who thinks he’s wiser than the masses? You might want to listen to yourself once in awhile, or maybe ask your friends if they think you’re a hypocrite, that’s if you have any friends.
And let’s be clear about one thing since you feel so strongly about it: YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY TAXES!!! No siree, there are plenty of countries that you can move to where they don’t pay taxes, like Somalia for example, which I’ve heard is beautiful this time of year. If you do decide to make the move, don’t forget to send a postcard! Oh and Mike, if you have trouble finding the post office, it’ll be the shit hole at the end of the dirt road.
Now, now, children. The topic is anti-Americanism, not government workers, or anatomy, or religion (yet again).
My 2 cents worth of philosophy on a beautiful morning……….”If you want to get to the prisoner within, don’t piss off the guard.”
And a brief recollection….in the 90′s I spent a month in Moscow. I had an interpreter for the month and therefore was able to interact with anyone. A huge plus, I traveled their incredible subway system extensively.
The amazing thing was that in conversation with the average Russian, it became obvious that their concerns were the same as ours….the same problems raising children, dealing with the boss, making relationships work, health issues, etc.
I was totally welcomed into homes and loved my experience.
I’ve had the same experience in the South, so……..maybe you get what you expect?
Geez Richie. Way to go off at a tangent. As for your 2 cents worth of philosophy……you are overcharging!
Touche, Reynold.
I should not have left that last comment, it only incited confusion. Nonetheless, Phil was stirring the pot.
As for Allah and the Moslem who would challenge me: Allah is impersonal, God is not, and I hope that a Moslem wouldn’t make such a horrible mistake (within his own faith) in claiming so. One can know God exists because He has made Himself known. Allah has no care for you and may still abandon you at the end of all things if he so chooses despite your strict adherence to his rules; God is honour-bound to take you in as His child, if, in fact you have become one
My goodness I’m tired of Michael Corenism’s.
BTW Patrick Garrett it’s Muslim not Moslem
and God Bless Michael Coren, the only Canadian willing to speak out and take on all comers! For being the light of reason to so many, and naming ignorance when in it’s inescapable presence. I love your ideals and how you represent them big fella.
We are way off topic. So I thought I would stir the pot. Allah,Yahweh, and God are one and the same. They are all the same entity. There is but one God and he has many names. He is the God of Abraham. What do you think of that, Pat Garrett? Can this be true? Are you a straight-shooter? I need verification.
You forgot, for the genocide of Native American’s, God Bless America. For colonialist policies in the Philippines that killed at least a hundred thousand, God bless America. For being the only country ever to use atomic weapons, God Bless America. For beginning at least one war on totally false premises God Bless America. For making certain types of torture acceptable again, God Bless America.
I’ll admit that America has done great things, however, I’m not as willing as Michael to whitewash their bloody expansionist past, or excuse their current excesses. I think people should take off the blinders and see America as it really is. Not as a shining jewel or a bleak abyss, but as a country as flawed as any other.
Cheers,
JRB
Thanks Stephen, but both are acceptable, one just less “american”
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Moslem
Of course Patrick is intentionally using the word “Moslem” as it has offensive connotations for many of those who practice that faith. In modern contexts, You’ll find that it is used mostly pejoratively; “which should be obvious from his “my dad can beat up your dad” tenor of his previous post.
Language is an interesting thing.
LHZ
JRB: I disagree that the U.S. is “as flawed as any other”. That’s way too relativistic for me. Obviously, no country is perfect, but some are much better than others. There’s a reason why the majority of immigrants and refugees make America their first choice.
Actually, matron, (taking the bait) all the names do not apply to the same entity. People make crazy assumptions when someone says he believes in god. When I say I believe in god, they assume I must believe in ‘their’ god with all ‘his’ made-up human weaknesses.
This is simply the same exercise used in being ‘for America’, etc. Whose view of America?
One could use a previous argument and say that America is proven to be great because of the fact that we are arguing about it. (Oops, just bit my tongue!)
And I say they ARE all the same entity.Some religious guy,(maybe a Muslim)told me that Allah was the god of Abraham. Like the Jewish god. I’m not sure. I drink a lot.
Matron; Yes, I am a straight shooter. I realise the God of Abraham was the basis for Allah, but I agree with Richie who also points out that these names are not synonymous.
JSilva: What is so pejorative about the use of Moslem instead of a variant (and admittedly more popular) spelling? Let me know; you seem to judge me as being mean on purpose; I simply prefer this spelling as I prefer “Qur’an” to “Koran”
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?dict=L&key=HW*12754;
and using ‘s’ instead of ‘z’in words, etc. No malicious intent; I apologise if I offended any of the post readers.
PS. In response to Richie’s original challenge, I offer these words, (Not my own)
“If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be without meaning.”
As a result, I feel any doubt in God’s existence is, not a circular fallacy, but a show for how He must exist. I think we have already dealt with whom we’re talking about here: the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob. I am not saying anyone’s father willl beat up another’s.
Moe: I would contend two things in response to your argument. First I would contend that people respond more to the myth of America (the story America tells about itself) than to the reality of America (Which is actually a fairly dirty place often plagued by poverty). Second I would contend that people chose America not because they believe in the ideals espoused by that country, but because they believe that they can make a life in the economic sense. I believe that if America was a poor country that espoused great values no one would go there.
Cheers,
JRB
Patrick, your statement is valid in that we would not know light without darkness, for those with eyes.
However, a caution about the ‘meaning’ thing. Inherently, the universe has no meaning. That is a valid comment. Our brains are hardwired to give it meaning.
The brain is a survival tool and for it to help us survive, it must give some kind of meaning to everything, even though that meaning is found to be inaccurate. The brain will just pile more meaning onto the inaccuracy and try to survive that, ad infinitum. The brain wants to ‘be right’ (survive) at all costs!
Give it religion and it’ll use that to be right at all costs, as well. It’s all made up! The same with politics…and patriotism.
So, the fact that I doubt there are fire-breathing dragons must confirm that there are? Sorry. My bad. Couldn’t resist a little innuendo like Michael uses in his TV show.
“I believe that if America was a poor country that espoused great values no one would go there.”
But, JRB, can there be such a place? The countries that do espouse these “values” are wealthy. I believe the reason for their wealth is because of their values, if by “values”, we mean individual liberty, rule of law, personal and economic freedom, social welfare, etc.
It’s no accident that the wealthiest countries in the world are the ones that guard these ideals. Are there any examples of poor countries with “great values”?
All immigrants want a good life, and the majority accept the host’s values along with its promise of riches. I’d think, in most cases, what immigrants are looking for is freedom. It’s freedom that will lead to economic prosperity.
The U.S. is in terrible financial shape due to its profligate overspending. Definitely not a virtue. When it wanders from its own ideals, it runs into trouble.
Cheers backatcha.
First time here. Great commentary MC. And of course right on cue the usual suspects show up to berate the Americans and Christians. These self described “beautiful people” never let us down. I guess there aren’t any PETA or OCAP rallies in the past few days for them to attend.
Well said Moe. “Moe says:
March 19, 2010 at 9:07 am
“I believe that if America was a poor country that espoused great values no one would go there.”
But, JRB, can there be such a place? The countries that do espouse these “values” are wealthy. I believe the reason for their wealth is because of their values, if by “values”, we mean individual liberty, rule of law, personal and economic freedom, social welfare, etc.
It’s no accident that the wealthiest countries in the world are the ones that guard these ideals. Are there any examples of poor countries with “great values”?
All immigrants want a good life, and the majority accept the host’s values along with its promise of riches. I’d think, in most cases, what immigrants are looking for is freedom. It’s freedom that will lead to economic prosperity.
The U.S. is in terrible financial shape due to its profligate overspending. Definitely not a virtue. When it wanders from its own ideals, it runs into trouble.
Cheers backatcha.”
Point taken. Thanks for going easy on me, Richie.
Though I have enjoyed myself and, unintentionally, created some controversy of my own, I respectfully withdraw from the conversation; I doubt I will truly be missed. Let it be known, however, I haven’t seen Phil since my original post
Now I eagerly await Michael’s next blog entry.
Patrick, my point really is that we should all notice how we humans relate. Once we understand our survival mechanisms, we can generate communities that don’t drag us into survival mode….which usually means conflict.
When we peel back the veneer, we see that we all are fundamentally related and are doing our darndest to separate ourselves from each other.
cheers
Dear Mr. Coren,
Don’t be dismayed by the regular bloggin’s which go on ref your comment. Dat’s the way it goes sum’times.
Being a hardcore Canuck and fearful of our southern neighbours, I thought very much as those you would pretend to admonish…and then I grew up.
My posts on the site linked to my moniker explain it all. Americans are our southern cousins and the litmus bastion of freedom in the west. God save us all if Canada should supplant them in that role.
I remain,
let us know when you decide to move back to Ireland, I`ll hold the door for you.
I’m an American citizen, and I don’t have a very high opinion of my country. I concede that “anti-Americanism” may be warranted for a number of reasons – but I try to avoid contributing to it myself.
Mr. Coren, I can understand being exasperated by the bigotry 9for lack of a better term), but I can also understand why it’s so prominent. The only thing I can do is try to work toward and hope for a better future. For my country and for its neighbors.
Delusional U.S. refuses to look in the mirror:
“The catalogue of horrors includes crushing debts and deficits, a vast army of unemployed workers, a chronically sick housing market, huge unfunded liabilities in key entitlement programs like Social Security, political and media elites that are brazenly out of touch with Main Street, and a gnawing sense among regular voters that they’ve been shafted by the suits on Wall Street and their pals in Washington.”
–Gary Lamphier
God Bless America!
Michael,
As an American I just want to take a moment to say THANK YOU! I have lived on an American / Canadian border all my life and unfortunately more times than not all we see on CBC news and read is the negative and hatred toward our country. We are not perfect, this I know, but the blind hatred (as read in some of the posts on here) is enough to drive me crazy. This is very refreshing and for that I THANK YOU!
I see that the big guy has sent out a token apology to the sexually abused victims of clerical perverts.
Tim, Whateverman, a lot of Canadians feel the same way Michael does about America.
You have a great country.
I have read Michael’s excellent post several times, and said nothing previously because I could add absolutely nothing, until now.
American hospitality is legendary. I’ve experienced it. I’ve lived in the US.
I’ve formed my opinions from first hand experience… not from negative, leftist, CBC propaganda.
My father was in the RCAF, and our family spent 4 years in Mobile, Alabama at Brookley, AFB through the RCAF/USAF air force exchange program. We all received bomb shelter cards during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Just after Canada got a new flag in 1965, the USAF women’s auxiliary stitched together new Canadian flags, for all the Canadian families on base. When mandatory retirement, at age 50, from the RCAF forced my father to resign his commissioned rank, and return to Canada… an offer was tabled immediately by the USAF to him to stay, and to join the USAF!
My father was deeply moved by the gesture. He loved airplanes. And Canada had already thrown away the Arrow. Besides you guys were having such a hard time learning how to play hockey, he never even attempted to show you guys how to curl!
His work was not done.
We did return home because the pinko Canadian government expressed such umbrage at your natural God-given generosity, and ordered him home where no job awaited him!
Just before we left, someone from the USAF recommended an American aerospace company that had Canadian operations in Toronto, and sure enough with a letter of recommendation from said USAF, my dad was hired!
Much to his relief.
Americans, you have a great, GREAT, country… and never let anyone fill your head with the ugly, and empty lie, that America is not great.
the best thing about america is the alamo, davy crockett and howdy doody..the rest is a lie.