<HTML>I didn't know you were in the US now .... welcome to the country (belatededly) with the most difficult national anthem in the world to sing...
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I have always loved "The Star Spangled Banner." It is perhaps the most poetic of all the world's Anthems. Many criticize America for chosing a war song for an Anthem (and Canada might criticize the US in particular for chosing a song inspired by the war of 1812!) but the power of the Lyric is so strong, it cannot fail to inspire.
"...and the rocket's red glare,
The bombs, bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night
That our flag was still there."
What an increadible image! Such a visual! And it transports us to a moment in time forever frozen by a Nation's national song.
When I was very young, I was quite anti-american. many Canadians consider criticism of America the only thing that unites us as a Country. But as I got older, I came to recognize that the anti-americanism with which I was raised was nothing but a manifestation of national *reseantement* (sp?) - jealousy if you will.
At university, I was a member of the student paper so of course, all my friends were virolent left-wing pseudo-socialists with an axe to grind against the US. I thought no more of their academic anti-americanism than I did of my own childhood imature version of the same. No mater how many books they's read sinse the age of twelve, their sentiments shared a common source with those that had once been my own.
I am no blind patriot of America. To my mind, too many americans are uncritical of their government - and often ignorant of the many tragic "errors" America has made throughout the world (those Americans who are critical ignore the real evils perpetrated by their government and manufacture phoney assasination conspiracies and UFO cover-ups!).
But I know that freedom has had no greater defender than America! I know that no nation has ever given more credence to the principles of morality in the conduct of its foriegn policy! (a point so many critics ignore). Even under the worst circumstances, I'd rather "suffer" under American Imperialism than be Liberated by the Soviets or Chinese.
But I need not use these extreem examples. I might simply contrast the Japanese post-war experience with the United States with that of India's experience with Britain during the same period. And of course, the farther back in time we go, the worse European Imperialism appears by comparison with ever the greatest excesses of the American nation.
America is truly the greatest political body ever assembled by falible human beings. It is time for the rest of the world to look upon her success with ambition rather than with envy.
ISHMAEL</HTML>
