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View Full Version : ~An Ode to America~



thedrifter
02-17-03, 08:49 AM
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!

Sempers,

Roger