A TRIBUTE TO THE UNITED STATES

Our Gary Till sent me this tribute by a prominent Canadian newspaper columnist from Toronto. While we know what has gone on it's still an eye opener. And also controversial as to whether we are doing too much at times; using taxpayer dollars to rescue a world that don't appreciate Americans. That would apply to what the NMFS is doing for the Columbia Indian gillnetters for sure. But it does portray much good principle in this country. to wit:


> TRIBUTE TO THE UNITED STATES
> >
> > This, from a Canadian newspaper, is worth sharing.
> >
> > America: The Good Neighbor.
> >
> > Widespread but only partial news coverage was given
> > recently to a remarkable editorial broadcast from
> > Toronto by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian television
> > commentator. What follows is the full text of his
> > trenchant remarks as printed in the Congressional
> > Record:
> >
> > "This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the
> > Americans as the most generous and possibly the least
> > appreciated people on all the earth.
> >
> > Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and
> > Italy were lifted out of the debris of war by the
> > Americans who poured in billions of dollars and
> > forgave other billions in debts. None of these
> > countries is today paying even the interest on its
> > remaining debts to the United States.
> >
> > When France was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it
> > was the Americans who propped it up, and their reward
> > was to be insulted and swindled on the streets of
> > Paris. I was there. I saw it.
> >
> > When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the United
> > States that hurries in to help. This spring, 59
> > American communities were flattened by tornadoes.
> > Nobody helped.
> >
> > The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped
> > billions of dollars into discouraged countries. Now
> > newspapers in those countries are writing about the
> > decadent, warmongering Americans.
> >
> > I'd like to see just one of those countries that is
> > gloating over the erosion of the United States dollar
> > build its own airplane. Does any other country in the
> > world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo Jet, the
> > Lockheed Tri-Star, or the Douglas DC10? If so, why
> > don't they fly them? Why do all the International
> > lines except Russia fly American Planes?
> >
> > Why does no other land on earth even consider putting
> > a man or woman on the moon? You talk about Japanese
> > technocracy, and you get radios. You talk about German
> > technocracy, and you get automobiles. You talk about
> > American technocracy, and you find men on the moon -
> > not once, but several times and safely home again.
> >
> > You talk about scandals, and the Americans put theirs
> > right in the store window for everybody to look at.
> > Even their draft-dodgers are not pursued and hounded.
> > They are here on our streets, and most of them, unless
> > they are breaking Canadian laws, are getting American
> > dollars from ma and pa at home to spend here.
> >
> > When the railways of France, Germany and India were
> > breaking down through age, it was the Americans who
> > rebuilt them. When the Pennsylvania Railroad and the
> > New York Central went broke, nobody loaned them an old caboose. Both
> are
> > still broke.
> >
> > I can name you 5000 times when the Americans raced to
> > the help of other people in trouble. Can you name me
> > even one time when someone else raced to the Americans
> > in trouble? I don't think there was outside help even
> > during the San Francisco earthquake.
> >
> > Our neighbors have faced it alone, and I'm one
> > Canadian who is damned tired of hearing them get
> > kicked around. They will come out of this thing with
> > their flag high. And when they do, they are entitled
> > to thumb their nose at the lands that are gloating
> > over their present troubles. I hope Canada is not one
> > of those."
> >
> > Stand proud, America!

[Barnyard]

Kinda makes one proud to be an American....

[FEAR NO FISH!]

That reallys says it all. The canucks do make a better beer though. The japanese have kicked in 50,000 cases of viagra. They heard we couldn't get an election. Can't wait to fish the Wind for Springers this coming season. You Oregonians have got to fish this, plenty of room and plenty of fish!

------------------

FEAR NO FISH!

[DanS]

God Bless America, land that I love.

Buy that Canadian Gentleman a Labatt's !!

[Centerpin]

Sounds like one of your draft dodgers got into the malt liquor and blew his cover. When our dollar gets to be of equal value I will be the first guy down there ****** your streams. For now I have to be content with the lowly Skeena.

Hey CP. Come on down. Us Yanks are so generous, really, I will take you and Billy out on a couple of our better rivers (big one in the sled and a zipperlip by foot or on the cataraft) and cover you for tackle, boat gas, and beer. You just gotta fill your own truck tank. That's it. And we won't mind if ya "****" our rivers. - RT - As long as you stay within set keep limits of course

[This message has been edited by RT (edited 12-08-2000).]

[Centerpin]

RT,

That is a generous offer but I must insist on covering the beer. How is April down there?

[Gone Fishin]

CP,

You bring the beer and I got a place for you in April. Steelhead to 20 pounds (average 8-12) all catch and release. Awesome water!

Hey Steve,

FEAR NO ANCHOR DRILL or NO ONE
ANCHORED BELOW YOU! Thank you
Canadian tell it like it is
person!




******

[Centerpin]

You guys have some sturgeon down there too. Does anyone head out for some of those bad boys? The problem with canadian beer is it weeds out those with weak livers.

[Shannon]

Centerpin,
If I were you I'd definitely take RT up on that sled trip. Some of us aren't as priviledged. By the way nice piece RT. I'm glad some people appreciate Veterans. I did my 4 years on board the USS Enterprise.

Take care all,

Shannon

[Barnyard]

Center gonna hit the Naselle tomorrow for sturg... will post how we do...Gonna do a little clamin also....Keep fishin

[Pilar]

America..... Love it or leave it. Where would you go? If you love it, defend it, even if no one thanks you. The world is watching and we should all be pretty damn proud.

The bend is your friend!

Shannon and Pilar, we had a very nice tribute to Veterans in a thread on their day, I think started by Os, and it got a very big positive and grateful reponse to our Veterans; who earned and have preserved our freedom. Appreciation to all our Vets! ....

Hey Jay, April is one of the best months to come down here for an excellant mix of fishing opportunity. We have large native steelhead all over at that time. I like the coastal rivers best for those, because they get little pressure due to C&R regs on nates (native fish) and have big brute steelies; kinda like fishing up your way only a little nicer weather, but not quite as large of fish size average. We also have the peak of the Spring Chinook fishing for the best eating fish in the world. The big Columbia and Willamette rivers peak thru April and this year we are expecting a record Columbia R. (our counter part to B.C.'s Fraser R. except much clearer fishable water) run of 364,000 Springs to go above Bonneville (doesn't count the 60,000+ predicted for the Willamette)! Hooo hooo! They are the only salmon in the world I would rate better than AK's Copper River Kings for eating. If the mainstem closes early because of so many fish caught, the tributaries will still be open for them. The big Columbia sturgeon fish year round (I'm going out fishing for some tomorrow in the "Sluttgoddess December Sturgeon and Beer Feastival"), and April is one of the best sturgeon months because of the smelt run in the spring. The keepers between 42" and 60" are excellant eating and the oversized ones, some over 10 ft. long, are fun to C&R up the beautiful Columbia Gorge below Bonneville. You couldn't pick a better month. To top things off, April is the start of the early running Skamania strain of summer steelhead that enter in catchable numbers in the Clackamas and Sandy rivers in NW Oregon; and in the Cowlitz, Lewis, Kalama, Wind, and Klikitat rivers in SW Washington, along with the Springers! The only month that comes close in my mind is mid-Nov. to mid-Dec. on the Tillamook area coastal rivers, when we have normal runs and rains, for a combo of big fall Chinooks and early winter steelhead. Just e-mail me if you decide to vacation down our way and I will set it up to take you 2 fishing and you should experience fishing with Marty too. Kind of like some reverse tourism for a change, eh? You gotta bring some B.C. spoons and your favorite floats and long rods and give out a couple B.C. floatfishing lessons; and LaBatt's will be just fine . - Steve (RT)



[This message has been edited by RT (edited 12-09-2000).]

[Fuzzybutt & Angel]

Thanks for posting that RT, I am also an American Veteran (U.S. ARMY) seems us vets go unoticed most of the time, and most of us just want to be recognized once in a while, for our tour of duty. I know I can say, I would do it again in a heartbeat, no regrets.
hats off to you canucks eh!

Fuzzy




[This message has been edited by Fuzzybutt & Angel (edited 12-09-2000).]

[Big Willie]

Thanks for posting that Steve, I'm glad everybody enjoyed it, I sure did. As you can tell I'm here at work and not on the river.
-Gary