Zitat des Tages

I live long enough to well rember USSR. And communism. 1/4 of my family had died of the hands of Nazi Germany, 1/4 of the hands of communists or Soviets.
I was interrogated in kindergarten by my teachers if my parents are presenting any unofficial thoughts. My parents were telling me: "If You tell anyone that we are listening to Radio Free Europe of Voice of America, bad bad people will come and take us."
My teachers at school were teaching us how evil USA is.
I was learnt to double-thinking: truth at home versus lies at school and TV.
As a child I clearly now that I will die as a communist regime slave or I will die in Third World War. It was really depressing for a child to feel the burden of imminent nuclear holocaust, enhanced by official propaganda.

It was really depressing for a teenager to grow in absurd, nonsensecial, boring, negative-selection system.

NOONE has expected fall of communism. In those times, if USA wasn't supporting entire free world and especially Western Europe, everything would look much worse.

Then came Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher and John Paul II, and with a bit of luck, wisdom, money of american taxpayers and help of all people of good will they have defeated communism. Berlin Wall felt. Everything has changed. I will always remember surreality of those changes - for everyone around it was a miracle. First miracle in my life.

For my nation freedom was always most important - communism, as well as Soviet occupation, deprived as of it. I feel as I was sentenced to life inprisonment in a labor camp, and now I am free! FREE! I am crying when I recall it, man. You people who grow in free world or those youngsters who do not remember Cold War cannot understand it. I suppose only those who were slaves and were liberated could understand it.

I will be wholeheartedly greatful for freedom You, Yankees, as a nation, were supplying for whole world. During WWII and during Cold War. Of course I am also personally gratefull to all friends in Western World (esp. Germans and Scandinavians), who were helping us, but hell, without USA even GB, not to say West Germany would be communist in 1945.

Yes, I have been in USA, as well as in many other countries (such job). I saw some bad consequences of USA actions in Thirld World countries. And I saw many good consequences of colonial powers rule in these countries. I have a lot of muslim friends for whom USA is Greater Evil One. (BTW, I was working in Middle East together with my friend, who was much lower, so we both were nicknamed Greater and Smaller Evils Ones [ROTFL])
I am disilusioned about USA political system.
However, side effects are unavoidable sometimes. And USA is country which is trying to change the world for a better, due to naivness or idealism, but is trying. And will be trying, whoever will be 44th president.

All other countries, including my EU, Japan or others are just protecting their state interests.

Please show me any other country which has a will and might to change the world for better. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Scandinavians - they may have will, but not enough might.
We, from EU, or Japan - we have some might, but do not have a will. Our brothers from Ukraine or people of Indonesia, Taiwan, Korea - have their problems. Our cousins from Russia, so mutilated by Soviet system, now are misleaded by nationalists into demographic and health system catastrophy. And I am not to mentioning other powers.

So to all critics of USA: please show me how the world without USA could be.

I am sure that such world would much much much worse.

Thats why I said: God bless United States of America - sometimes erring but usually good-natured and good-willing.

I say even more: please Almighty God give 44th US president wisdom and courage to lead Free World. We, all homo sapiens sapiens, will need it.

Because with USA world is in trouble , but without it would be in much bigger ones.
- User Umpapa, FFG-Message-Boards