These Colors Don't Run
My Friends, a fellow American passed this to me today and asked if I would post it here at Diamondback Bobbers. Gladly I said to him. I told him that I am a Vietnam Era War Veteran, having proudly served in the US Army’s Big Red 1. And, two things that are certain…I love my country and I love motorcycles!
It just goes to show you what some of the world thinks of us and most of all what a lot of the French think when you are in their country. If you do not believe me, take a trip to Paris (I was there in the military several times for joint military exercises with French Canadian Soldiers) without speaking French and be dressed in an American Military Uniform! Therefore I would like to pass along my friend’s little quotes that he sent to me today.
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When in England , at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if Iraq were just an example of empire building by President George W. Bush.
Colin Powell 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.
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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 President Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intended 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.
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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 Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn’t have to speak German.”
You could have heard a pin drop.
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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 your passports on arrival in France!’
The American senior gave the cocky 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.”
If you are proud to be an American, pass this on!
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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
awesome read.