~An Ode to America~

[stormchazer]

We rarely get a chance to see another country's editorial about the USA.

Read this excerpt from a Romanian Newspaper. The article was written by Mr. Cornel Nistorescu and published under the title "C"ntarea Americii meaning "Ode To America") on September 24, 2002, in the Romanian newspaper Evenimentulzilei ("The Daily Event" or "News of the Day")

~An Ode to America~

Why are Americans so united? They would not resemble one another even if you painted them all one color! They speak all the languages of the world and form an astonishing mixture of civilizations and religious beliefs. Still, the American tragedy turned three hundred million people into a hand put on the heart.

Nobody rushed to accuse the White House, the army, and the secret services that they are only a bunch of losers. Nobody rushed to empty their bank accounts. Nobody rushed out onto the streets nearby to gape about. The Americans volunteered to donate blood and to give a helping hand.

After the first moments of panic, they raised their flag over the smoking ruins, putting on T-shirts, caps and ties in the colors of the national flag.

They placed flags on buildings and cars as if in every place and on every car a government official or the president was passing.

On every occasion, they started singing their traditional song: "God Bless America!" I watched the live broadcast and rerun after rerun for hours listening to the story of the guy who went down one hundred floors with a woman in a wheelchair without knowing who she was, or of the Californian hockey player, who gave his life fighting with the terrorists and prevented the plane from hitting a target that could have killed other hundreds or thousands of people.

How on earth were they able to respond united as one human being? Imperceptibly, with every word and musical note, the memory of some turned into a modern myth of tragic heroes. And with every phone call, millions and millions of dollars were put in a collection aimed at rewarding not a man or a family, but a spirit, which no money can buy.

What on earth can unite the Americans in such a way? Their land? Their galloping history? Their economic Power? Money? I tried for hours to find an answer, humming songs and murmuring phrases with the risk of sounding commonplace.

I thought things over, but I reached only one conclusion...Only freedom can work such miracles.

Cornel Nistorescu

[Stephanie]

Very nice! Thanks for sharing!

[GalvestonDuck]

...Only freedom can work such miracles.

Bravo!

[pojo]

I had chills down my spine! That was wonderfully written and I really don't know the answer to that question.... why are americans so united?

[Amanzi]

The unity of Americans was one of the first things that totally amazed me when I first came over to the States... It was certainly a new emotion for me.. lets just say my Homeland does not know the meaning of the word.

[Guest]

Amen - and someone get Paolo to read this....

[CaptinCrunch]

cool, thanks and I pass it along

[JCT777]

Excellent article! Thanks for posting it, Jara.

[cycloneye]

Wow that was a great articule and here in Puerto Rico the vast majority of the people are with the US and someday in the future we will be the state #51.

[CaptinCrunch]

"Sure I wave the American flag. Do you know a better flag to wave? Sure I love my country with all her faults. I'm not ashamed of that, never have been, never will be. I was proud when President Nixon ordered the mining of Haiphong Harbor, which we should have done long ago, because I think we're helping a brave little country defend herself against Communist invasion. That's what I tried to show in The Green Berets and I took plenty of abuse from the critics." - John Wayne

[coriolis]

The people who have experienced repression, such as Romanians, know how precious freedom is. Those who take their freedom for granted are quick to find fault.

[stormchazer]

I'm glad you felt the same about this article that I did. God Bless! :usa