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In case we find ourselves starting to believe all the anti-American

sentiment and negativity about our government and its policies, we should

remember England's Prime Minister, Tony Blair's words to his own people.

During a recent interview, Prime Minister Tony Blair of Great Britain was

asked by one of his parliament members as to why he believes so much in

America. And does he think America is on the right track?

Blair's reply --

"A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how

many want in... and how many want out."

RIGHT ON!



USA, USA, USA, USA, USA, USA, USA, USA, USA, USA!

yeh but he also said

'I am the prime minister and I do not lie' in 2001, strange that where again were those stockpiles of WOMD in Iraq???

yours gg devoted to ridding Britain of the blight that is tony blair...

BabyRider wrote: Blair's reply --

"A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how

many want in... and how many want out."




:yh_clap :yh_worshp OK

Not to sound like a hater because I'm not, but another way is to look at the way the rest of the world may view America.

The House I Live In

What is America to me?

A name, a map, the flag I see,

a certain word, "Democracy."

What is America to me?

The house I live in, A plot of earth, a street,

The grocer and the butcher and the people that I meet,

The children in the playground, the faces that I see;

All races, all religions, that's America to me.

The place I work in, the worker at my side

The little town or city where my people lived and died

The "howdy" and the handshake the air of feeling free

the right to speak my mind out, that's America to me.

The things I see about me the big things and the small

The little corner newsstand and the house a mile tall;

The wedding and the churchyard, the laughter and the tears,

The dream that's been a growin' for a hundred fifty years

The town I live in the street, the house, the room,

The pavement of the city, or a garden all in bloom,

The church, the school, the club house,

The million lights I see, But especially the people,

That's America to me.

This Is My Country

This is my country! Land of my birth!

This is my country! Grandest on earth!

I pledge thee my allegiance, America, the bold,

For this is my country to have and to hold.



What diff'rence if I hail from North or South

Or from the East or West?

My heart is filled with love for all of these.

I only know I swell with pride and deep within my breast

I thrill to see Old Glory paint the breeze.



With hand upon heart I thank the Lord For this my native land,

For all I love is here within her gates.

My sould is rooted deeply in the soil on which I stand,

For these are mine own United States.



This is my country! Land of my choice!

This is my country! Hear my proud voice!

I pledge thee my allegiance, America, the bold,

For this is my country! To have and to hold.




http://www.amandashome.com/patriotlyrics2.html

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!



Proud to be here:)

God bless America and Texas

Where never is heard

A discouraging word

Where the buffalo roam

And antelope play

And the skies are not cloudy all day

Under the Columbia blue sky

With the best politicians money can buy

Diuretic wrote: Most Americans I know and have known don't care what the rest of the world thinks. Which is okay, because I don't care what the rest of the world thinks about Australia
Exactly!

Mainly because people tend to (wrongly) generalize about americans and America and then are always "surprised" when they actually visit here and see what it's really like and what the people are really like!

God Bless America! :yh_flag I wouldn't want to live anywhere else! :-6

Diuretic wrote: Yep - it's like peering through a keyhole and telling everyone you can see everything in the room - not possible.
What does this mean???? What does it have to do with anything that's been said here?

Amie wrote: Not to sound like a hater because I'm not, but another way is to look at the way the rest of the world may view America.


Nope, I just can't agree with that one.

BabyRider wrote: What does this mean???? What does it have to do with anything that's been said here?
a great analogy on generalizing! :-6

georgie girl wrote: yeh but he also said



'I am the prime minister and I do not lie' in 2001, strange that where again were those stockpiles of WOMD in Iraq???



yours gg devoted to ridding Britain of the blight that is tony blair...
OK, so since you don't like him, and he lied, *GASP* a politician that lies????? we should just discount the rightness of his statement here?

sunny104 wrote: a great analogy on generalizing! :-6
Who's generalizing?

BabyRider wrote: Who's generalizing?
amie's comment about "how the rest of the world views America"

sunny104 wrote: amie's comment about "how the rest of the world views America"
Ah. See how I instantly get all prickly when I think someone is America bashing? Thanks for the clarification...

georgie girl wrote: yeh but he also said

'I am the prime minister and I do not lie' in 2001, strange that where again were those stockpiles of WOMD in Iraq???

yours gg devoted to ridding Britain of the blight that is tony blair...


I've lost count of the Prime ministers that have been in office in my lifetime. Blair may be coming to the end of his 'shelf life' but I can assure you that some who have gone before him have nearly bought the UK to their knees.

Strikes, 3 day week, food shortages, petrol shortages, national strikes, 16% mortgage rates.....etc etc.

As for the USA...don't judge by it's political leaders....look at the people...they're great.

The true greatness of a nation is not measured by the vastness of its territory, or by the multitude of its people, or by the profusion of its exports and imports; but by the extent to which it has contributed to the life and thought and progress of the world. A man's greatness is not estimated by the size of his body or of his purse; not by his family connections or social position, however high these may be. He may bulk large in public estimation today, but tomorrow he will be forgotten like a dream, and his very servants may secure a higher position and a name lasting possibly a little longer.

A man's greatness is estimated by his influence, not over the votes and empty cheers of a changing and passing crowd, but by his abiding, inspiring influence in their bidden thoughts, upon their ways of thinking, and consequently of acting. That is why the Wycliffes, Shakespeares, Miltons, Newtons, Wesleys, and Gladstones of English history live, and will live, in everlasting memory, while lesser men are remembered only through them, and the crowd of demagogues, pretenders, and self-seekers are named, if ever named, only to "point a moral, or adorn a tale."

So with nations. A great nation is not one which, like Russia, has an enormous territory ; or, like China, has an enormous population. It is the nation which gives mankind new modes of thought, new ideals of life, new hopes, new aspirations; which lifts the world out of the rut, and sets it going on a cleaner and brighter road.



-L. E. Blaze, Lecture at the D. B. U. Hall, November 26, 1926

This is my land from the California's to the New York Isles, This land was made by you and me....:-4 :-4

This is American the land of brave and the home of the free.

Yes ok politicians lie and it definately began pre - blair (which direction was that battleship going again Margret?) but whats so wrong about blairs form of lying is that it is constructing a political culture of deceit and mendacity that leads to statements such as, noones suprised. I think citizens should be expecting more..

This form of quite so obvious deceit is different from previous eras of political culture, perhaps because citizens accept it..



No US bashing but this goes for both Bush and the psycophantic Presiminister Blair sidekick.... so we should not accept the rightness of his statement because of his outright falsity and because he has his head so far up america's ass (UK sense) he cant actually see to judge anything...



yours sorry Blair jus makes soooo mad

Amie wrote: Not to sound like a hater because I'm not, but another way is to look at the way the rest of the world may view America.








Gotta jump in here. Who is the rest of the world and what do you know about what they think ? Are you speaking for the world ? Not sarcasm here just sober thoughts. What does the world think about Sudan or Iran or or Chinas humanitarian efforts in Tibet ?

I dont agree with everything we do, but Im chilled to the bone when I think of the good we do throughout the world on a daily basis. Our heart speaks louder than words.

It's true.

I may not agree with all that we do . . . but I'll challenge you to find a better country to live in.:-6

georgie girl wrote: Yes ok politicians lie and it definately began pre - blair (which direction was that battleship going again Margret?) but whats so wrong about blairs form of lying is that it is constructing a political culture of deceit and mendacity that leads to statements such as, noones suprised. I think citizens should be expecting more..



This form of quite so obvious deceit is different from previous eras of political culture, perhaps because citizens accept it..



No US bashing but this goes for both Bush and the psycophantic Presiminister Blair sidekick.... so we should not accept the rightness of his statement because of his outright falsity and because he has his head so far up america's ass (UK sense) he cant actually see to judge anything...





yours sorry Blair jus makes soooo mad


Tell us how your really feel, sweetheart?

Every country in this world has flawed politicians. But they are not what makes a country lovely or hated. It's the people.

BabyRider wrote: Ah. See how I instantly get all prickly when I think someone is America bashing? Thanks for the clarification...


If someone criticises the actions of the american govt particularly in foreign policy it doesn't mean they dislike americans or are american bashing for the sake of it. You shouldn't take it personally or make that assumption.

Just as if you make derogatory comments about the british, the queen etc I wouldn't automatically assume you dislike the britsh people just some of the things we do and might even be poking fun at us (taking the **** even. Maybe all the british posters should get together and give americans coaching in taking the **** out of each other and other nationalities. We been doing it for generations and do it almost as second nature. As a group you seem to lack the ability to come up with really colourful insults with which to take the ****. The main things is not to take things too seriously. Take a tip from the british-who cares what johnny foreigner thinks!)

Let's face it if you can't laugh at each others foibles what's the point in having them?

Nor do I take umbrage when you talk about Englands prime minister because I appreciate you didn't intend to give offence and I'm not particularly bothered anyway. In fact if we could only persuade TB and GB to pretend they are not scots there are almost 6 million of their fellow countrymen who would prefer it if they weren't. The connection is embarrassing.

You're entitled to criticise, that's what friends are supposed to do, real friends don't just tag along for the sake if it but will tell you when they think you are wrong.

posted by georgie girl

Yes ok politicians lie and it definately began pre - blair (which direction was that battleship going again Margret?) but whats so wrong about blairs form of lying is that it is constructing a political culture of deceit and mendacity that leads to statements such as, noones suprised. I think citizens should be expecting more..


Can't decide about George Galloway but he does have a good selection of one liners, one of my favourite is "I saw a shiver run along the government benches looking for a spine to run up"

Can't decide about George Galloway but he does have a good selection of one liners, one of my favourite is "I saw a shiver run along the government benches looking for a spine to run up"[/QUOTE] gmc

not got the hang of quoting yet.. must try harder

so true:)

for some reason GG remains me of Robert Gilroy Silk:yh_think

not sure I trust him, especially after he entered BB

yours gg vvhot (in heat way)

georgie girl wrote: Can't decide about George Galloway but he does have a good selection of one liners, one of my favourite is "I saw a shiver run along the government benches looking for a spine to run up" gmc

not got the hang of quoting yet.. must try harder

so true:)

for some reason GG remains me of Robert Gilroy Silk:yh_think

not sure I trust him, especially after he entered BB

yours gg vvhot (in heat way)


GG's a better debater, be interesting to see if he gets re-elected. After he appeared before that american senate committee I hoped someone would take him on in an american ourt. Should have done if they really thought there was truth in the allegations. Would have been great fun

Nomad wrote: Gotta jump in here. Who is the rest of the world and what do you know about what they think ? Are you speaking for the world ? Not sarcasm here just sober thoughts. What does the world think about Sudan or Iran or or Chinas humanitarian efforts in Tibet ?

I dont agree with everything we do, but Im chilled to the bone when I think of the good we do throughout the world on a daily basis. Our heart speaks louder than words.
There's a lot of questions in there. I'll answer them one at a time.

Who is the rest of the world and what do you know about what they think ?

I'm presuming you aren't really asking that first bit, and the second bit, I know what I see all around me, and read, and here. No more, no less.



Are you speaking for the world ?

I don't believe I ever professed to speak for the world, and it sounded more like sarcasm than sobering thoughts. A fair amount of public opinion and data can be found at the link below. I mean on an international or world scale whichever term you wish to use, just let me reiterate again I'm not the worlds personal spokesperson.

http://pewglobal.org/

The BBC also has a number of differing articles on teh subject, and if I could be bothered I'd link you but I'm just a lazy Australian, and I'd rather have a beer.

What does the world think about Sudan or Iran or or Chinas humanitarian efforts in Tibet ?

Not really sure what point you're trying to make here, or what it has to do with the point I was making, but again I'm pretty sure you're "not" being sarcastic there again.

I dont agree with everything we do, but Im chilled to the bone when I think of the good we do throughout the world on a daily basis. Our heart speaks louder than words.

I never said you don't do good, nor did I say you were even bad. I simply provided another view point or another way of looking at how well one's country is doing. I do the same thing about Australia and I think everyone should. You can be patriotic while still being objective and looking inward (and outward).

The average American person I have met in my life have been just as lovely as any Australian (except maybe a little louder and with much whiter teeth :wah: ). I have nothing against American's on the whole, as a people.

Just because someone questions something about one's country or doesn't believe it to be quite as perfect as you may, doesn't mean they think you should be less patriotic, or less passionate, or that they're attacking you or your country.

Looking in, isn't such a bad thing, when you're a powerful nation or when you're a one man island. That is all I was suggesting...