Why The Apology?

[Zane71464]

At a time when our president and other politicians tend to apologize for our country's prior actions, here's a refresher on how some of our former patriots handled negative comments about our country.
JFK'S
Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, was in France in the early 60's when
DeGaule decided to pull out of NATO. DeGaule said he wanted all US
military out of France as soon as possible.
Rusk responded,
"Does that include those who are buried here?"
DeGuale
did not respond.You
could have heard a pin drop.

When in England ,
at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the
Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of
'empire building' by George Bush.
He answered by saying,
"Over the years, the United States has sent many of
its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom
beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for
in return is enough to bury those that did not
return."You
could have heard a pin drop.

There was a conference in France
where a number of international engineers
were taking part, including French and American. During a break,
one of the French engineers came back into the room saying, "Have you
heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft
carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he
intend to do, bomb them?"
A Boeing engineer
stood up and replied quietly: "Our carriers have three
hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are
nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to
shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to
feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand
gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a
dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and
from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships;
how many does France have?"You
could have heard a pin drop.


A U.S. Navy Admiral
was attending a naval conference that included
Admirals from the U.S., English, Canadian, Australian and French
Navies At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large
group of officers that included personnel from most of those countries.
Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a
French admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn many
languages, Americans learn only English. He then asked, "Why is it that
we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than
speaking French?"
Without hesitating,
the American Admiral replied, "Maybe it's because the
Brit's, Canadians, Aussie's and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't
have to speak German."You
could have heard a pin drop.

AND
THIS STORY FITS RIGHT IN WITH THE ABOVE...
Robert Whiting,
an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane.
At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport
in his carry on."You
have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer asked
sarcastically.Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France
previously."Then
you should know enough to have your passport ready."The American said,
"The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it.""Impossible..
Americans always have to show their passports on arrival in France !"
The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he
quietly explained, ''Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in
1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchmen
to show a passport to."You
could have heard a pin drop..
If you are proud to be an American, pass this on!

I am proud to be of this land, AMERICA

[Hurryin' Hoosier]

Bravo, Zane!

[Insulation Tim]

The year is young, but this may well be one of the best posts of 2010.

Well posted Fellow Buckeye

[Suwannee Tim]

We in this United States of America don't seem united these days. Maybe we should change the name to Unappreciated States of America.

[Trouble 45-70]

Under similar circumstances, I wonder what Obama would have said.

Some sort of apology I suppose. Couldn't say the press wouldn't report it.

[Claude Clay]

We in this United States of America don't seem united these days

to para-quote the much referenced R A Heinlein:

"when people's within a nation begin to identify within sub-groups foremost rather than as citizens of the nation at large: its time to move on, that country is dieing."

unlike L Long, we can't yet hop a passing space craft for another planet.

Zane....great quotes for a time when leaders lead. not bowed.

[Eddie N]

This is beautiful!

[hound]

Love this!

[TheGunClinger]

Good post. I bought this shirt quite awhile ago. I hope that it is on topic.

[Ranb]

Originally Posted by Zane71464

"Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom
beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for
in return is enough to bury those that did not return."

Interesting post, I have read ones like it before and it is fun. But it is hyperbole. The United States has a long history of taking much more land than it needed to bury the dead in wars or conflicts outside of our borders.

When the USA started to expand west and south, we encroached upon Native American and Spanish territory in Florida eventually taking much more land than required to bury our dead. When Louisiana was purchased from the French, we had to forcibly take it from the Indians living there. When Americans moved into Texas with their slaves, they took it from Mexico and form their own union after being refused statehood for a while. American citizens used the US Navy to back their takeover in Hawaii and ask for annexation.

Guam, Philippines and Puerto Rico were taken in over after wars with their "owners" and in the case of the Philippines, American soldiers killed about 200,000 Filipinos to keep it.

Ranb

[red14]

Ranb, you are a happy little camper aren't you. Do you like anything about our country? Do you like your mother? Sounds like you weren't breast-fed long enough, or at all.

There are many other countries you could take your sunny disposition and cheery views.

You probably torture small animals, and boo the Pastor in church. Have many friends?

[Double D]

Originally Posted by red14

Ranb, you are a happy little camper aren't you. Do you like anything about our country? Do you like your mother? Sounds like you weren't breast-fed long enough, or at all.

There are many other countries you could take your sunny disposition and cheery views.

You probably torture small animals, and boo the Pastor in church. Have many friends?

I agree here red, this is another of his happy posts. I think I will go a little further and say that he should probably join the ranks of the obozo administration. They too are un-american.

[Ranb]

Originally Posted by red14

Ranb, you are a happy little camper aren't you. Do you like anything about our country? Do you like your mother? Sounds like you weren't breast-fed long enough, or at all.

There are many other countries you could take your sunny disposition and cheery views.

You probably torture small animals, and boo the Pastor in church. Have many friends?

I am happy most of the time. I do not go to church, do not need anyone telling I should pray. Leave my mother out of this unless you want her to kick your whiny ass. There are obviously some things wrong with this country, Living in denial or forgetting history is not the way to fix them. I am not that stupid.

Ranb

[Ranb]

Originally Posted by Double D

I agree here red, this is another of his happy posts. I think I will go a little further and say that he should probably join the ranks of the obozo administration. They too are un-american.

Which one of my "happy posts" posts are you referring to? The ones where I asked forum members not to lie to promote their warped vision of what kinds of firearms Americans should not be allowed to own? The ones where I promoted the legal and safe use of every firearm in this great country? Got a link? Don’t be shy, stick your neck out and see if you got the guts to be specific.

Yeah, that is right genius; I am paying $200 taxes straight to the Obama white house every time I make a silencer. That fortune is really going to prop up his stupid policies and make people forget all of the ridiculous promises he made to get elected. It is too bad that are so many people in this forum who are ready to talk down to a person just because they do not support a silly urban myth that someone concocted and passed off as the truth.

Forgive me for having a few brain cells that are still working after 20 years of service in the military.

Ranb

[red14]

I have not read a positive post from you yet. You criticise others ideas, and throw blame around. You question others intelligence, and ethics, on the forum but list no answers to problems you percieve. Why don't you help us make things better by listing positive means of making people more informed. No one can effect positive effects alone. Try to find a common ground, with us, and let's go from there.

I'm all for making sound decisions, and positive change. I think working together accomplishes those goals.

Common ground is what we need, a base for improvement, and teamwork.

[Bobitis]

Originally Posted by Ranb

Interesting post, I have read ones like it before and it is fun. But it is hyperbole. The United States has a long history of taking much more land than it needed to bury the dead in wars or conflicts outside of our borders.

When the USA started to expand west and south, we encroached upon Native American and Spanish territory in Florida eventually taking much more land than required to bury our dead. When Louisiana was purchased from the French, we had to forcibly take it from the Indians living there. When Americans moved into Texas with their slaves, they took it from Mexico and form their own union after being refused statehood for a while. American citizens used the US Navy to back their takeover in Hawaii and ask for annexation.

Guam, Philippines and Puerto Rico were taken in over after wars with their "owners" and in the case of the Philippines, American soldiers killed about 200,000 Filipinos to keep it.

Ranb

Do you have proof of that?

A very dear departed Uncle was a member of the Bataan Death March.
He survived. No amount of liquor would get him to talk of his experience.

You spent 20 years in the military?
Edited for language

Walk 20 days in my Uncles boots.

[Ranb]

Originally Posted by red14

I have not read a positive post from you yet. You criticise others ideas, and throw blame around. You question others intelligence, and ethics, on the forum but list no answers to problems you percieve. Why don't you help us make things better by listing positive means of making people more informed......

I sent you a list of my positive posts, it is too long to list here, but if you want to post the list and discuss it, then please do it in another thread.

The only ideas I have criticized here are the ideas that silencers are illegal in the USA. Got a problem with that? If so why? The only blame I throw around is at those who repeatedly lie, got a problem with that too? I have provided answers to many posters here.

Ranb

[Ranb]

Originally Posted by Bobitis

Do you have proof of that?

A very dear departed Uncle was a member of the Bataan Death March.
He survived. No amount of liquor would get him to talk of his experience.

You spent 20 years in the military?
.....

You remember how large the original 13 colonies were? About 455,000 square miles and maybe 2.5 million people. If America had not expanded to what it is today by whatever means it did, it would not be the massive 3.7 million square mile super power populated with 300 million people it is today. If we were not the super power that we are today, then we would not be able to provide for the security of out people like we do now, even if we could be doing a better job at it.

If you read my post again, I was not making any judgments, just saying that the USA has taken more land than it needed to bury the dead. You are making a mountain out of a mole hill. It is unbecoming of you to do so.

Yes I did spend twenty years in the military. Most of it in the submarine force. I served on the Tautog, Jacksonville, Wm H. Bates and the Cavalla. What kind of proof do you want? I might be able to provide it.

Ranb

[Zane71464]

Originally Posted by Ranb

Interesting post, I have read ones like it before and it is fun. But it is hyperbole. The United States has a long history of taking much more land than it needed to bury the dead in wars or conflicts outside of our borders.

When the USA started to expand west and south, we encroached upon Native American and Spanish territory in Florida eventually taking much more land than required to bury our dead. When Louisiana was purchased from the French, we had to forcibly take it from the Indians living there. When Americans moved into Texas with their slaves, they took it from Mexico and form their own union after being refused statehood for a while. American citizens used the US Navy to back their takeover in Hawaii and ask for annexation.

Guam, Philippines and Puerto Rico were taken in over after wars with their "owners" and in the case of the Philippines, American soldiers killed about 200,000 Filipinos to keep it.

Ranb

I'm 45 years old and I have never served in the military, but wished I had of right out of high school.
However I did graduate collage shortly there after.
I consider myself a rational individual and know right from wrong. I treat people the way I would like
to be treated. I'm a plain spoken person and I usually (with discretion) tell it like it is. However, when
it comes to right is right and wrong is wrong (and not by my judgement) I will stand up for whats right
come HELL or high water or anything else that is thrown my way.
I dont give people hell nor do I expect to get hell from anyone (less deserving) and I can take it like the
man that I am. I am 100% AMERICAN and proud of it to the fullest extent and yes, I'd die for my family
and country without hesitation no questions asked...NONE!
I have worked and been around alot of people and different ideals that they share, and one of my mottos
is "freaking live and let live", everyone has a right to thier own opinion. Differnt nationalities, walks of life,
religion, color, race and etc., each to their own unless it is something that is a threat to another human
being.
I'm slow to judge another but by reading some of your BULL S#^% that you seem to have a habit of
posting in this forum and constantly trying to put others down, or correct them with your "kid like approach".
you IMO, my friend you have a lot to learn about PEOPLE!

No one here has tried to put you down...some have tryed to understand your BS views but your the one that
just cannot restrain yourself from acting like a child (aimlessly guided) and trying your best to prove "something"!
What the heck are you so insecure about? I know your "type", and your like a bad habit, hard to break free from.
My advice for what ever it's woth is this; Dont question peoples intelligents in the forum here and try not going on
and on about a particular subject...Let it go man! You have absolutly not one thing in this fine forum with fine
people to prove, NOTHING! We are all here to learn and share and interact and my advice to you my friend,
if you have a problem with that, move on. (Speaking for myself here), but no ones asking you to stay in here and
repeatedly question others knowledge/intelligents and ETC., so with that said, cant you just get along and get
over it!!!

ZANE

[navis128]

Ranb - Dude you're bumming me out...

My Daddy's folks came ashore at Plymouth...an ancestor of mine got busted playin' nasty girl in the woods and tried to cover her Puritan butt by accusing everybody in town of witchcraft...then her pop took their land.

My Mother's folks are American Indian...yep American Indian...she said that nobody asked her before the label and that anybody born here is a Native American, but not everybody here is American Indian. She also knows they were tribal and unorganized.

Whatever Dude...it's doesn't matter what happened then...it took all our horrid history and the Manifest Destiny and the innate explorer's character to get what we got now. Hey...coming here as a slave must have sucked hard...but the Congo sucks harder...Washing laundry and building rail...whatever, it took ALL of it and ALL of us...get over it...my mama did.

It's going to take ALL of US again to GET IT BACK. Do you honestly think if a true slave was able to rise from the dead that ALL of us wouldn't get a tongue lashin' for letting our freedom slip?

It's a free country still right...I mean the last time I checked...you can move. Don't want to?...then please find another venue to dis MY COUNTRY...somewhere along the line you traded your citizenship for somethin' and I bet it wasn't as valuable.

[Bobitis]

Originally Posted by Ranb

You remember how large the original 13 colonies were? About 455,000 square miles and maybe 2.5 million people. If America had not expanded to what it is today by whatever means it did, it would not be the massive 3.7 million square mile super power populated with 300 million people it is today. If we were not the super power that we are today, then we would not be able to provide for the security of out people like we do now, even if we could be doing a better job at it.

If you read my post again, I was not making any judgments, just saying that the USA has taken more land than it needed to bury the dead. You are making a mountain out of a mole hill. It is unbecoming of you to do so.

Yes I did spend twenty years in the military. Most of it in the submarine force. I served on the Tautog, Jacksonville, Wm H. Bates and the Cavalla. What kind of proof do you want? I might be able to provide it.

Ranb

Show me where the US killed 200,000 Filipinos.
Were they enemies? Did they support those that condemned my Uncle?

I wish my Uncle was still alive. I'd like you to meet him.

[navis128]

Is he blaming us for the Batan?

[Suwannee Tim]

Originally Posted by Ranb

Interesting post, I have read ones like it before and it is fun. But it is hyperbole. The United States has a long history of taking much more land than it needed to bury the dead in wars or conflicts outside of our borders.......Ranb

I don't have the patience to argue with this kind of crap anymore. Why does this forum not have an "ignore" button?

[pinecone70]

Originally Posted by Suwannee Tim

I don't have the patience to argue with this kind of crap anymore. Why does this forum not have an "ignore" button?

I think it does, can't remember where it is just now though....

Trolls. Feh.

[Ranb]

Originally Posted by Zane71464

.....No one here has tried to put you down........if you have a problem with that, move on. (Speaking for myself here), but no ones asking you to stay in here and
repeatedly question others knowledge/intelligents and ETC., so with that said, cant you just get along and get
over it!!!

You may have noticed in my original comment on your post was that it was interesting and fun. The only comment I made was that it was hyperbole (exaggeration). There was no need for anyone to get all excited, especially you.

Your post said in part, “The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.” Did you really believe that sentence when you posted it? I didn’t and said so. No big deal.

According to what I have read about the speech Colin Powell gave, he kept on speaking after that quote that was attributed to him. So unless his microphone was turned off, there was no pin dripping that would have been heard. I know Powell was engaging in hyperbole when he read that speech, but I am sure it had a great impact on those who were listening to him. It would have on me had I been there.

No one is putting me down you say? I beg to differ. After I said that making a silencer was not illegal and told those who lied about it otherwise, I get these posts directed at me. I’m sure if I told you these words after you said you were going to make a firearm, you would object.

You are making no friends and are showing yourself to be an ass.
I would suggest you abandon your silencer building idea because it could fetch you many years in a federal prison.
To me your post came off as some idiot trying to build a silencer for an FN 5-7

Ranb