Bill Sykes' Newsletter
from America.
(Mid-April 2003)
An ex-Brit gives his views-(without fear
or favor)---of the American Scene
A little bit of American history.
I think at this time of world unrest, where American
and British youths are joined in battle with the people
of Iraq, that we should look back at the roots of the
American nation and perhaps come up with a viable reason
why after all these years we are still engaged in war.
 In
the period 1861-1865, the Northern States fought the Southern
States in the American Civil War. This war pitted father
against son, brother against brother, and on the 19th
of November 1863 the 16th President, Abraham Lincoln delivered
the Gettysburg Address, in Pennsylvania, which I consider
to be an amazing document for its time which is just as
applicable in many ways now as when it was when it was
written. The exception of course is that instead of fighting
amongst ourselves we have in the past sixty years been
engaged in battle with the people of more countries than
I like to remember.
The Gettysburg Address. (Quoted verbatim).
Four score years and seven years ago our fathers
brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived
in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men
are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether
that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated
can no longer endure. We are met on a great battlefield
of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that
field, as final resting place of those that gave their
lives that this nation might live. It is fitting and proper
that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate---we cannot
consecrate—we cannot hallow---this ground.
The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have
consecrated it, far above our power to add or detract.
The world will little note, nor long remember, what we
say here, but it can never forget what they did here.
It is for the living, rather, to be dedicated here to
the unfinished work, which they who fought here have thus
far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here
dedicated to the great task remaining before us---that
from honouring the  dead
we take increased devotion---that we here highly resolve
that these dead shall not have died in vain---that this
nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom---and
that government of the people, by the people, for the
people, shall not perish from the earth.
Comment: Great words of wisdom to live
by - so why are we not trying to solve our own internal
problems first, before trying to solve all the problems
of this world by going to war with other nations.
Patriots and Patriotism.
Dictionary definition: A patriot is one who loves
and zealously supports one’s own country.
A patriot can also be one who, although he/she will die
for their country, has the right to criticise things which
he or she does not agree with, or does not believe the
actions of his/her Government to be in their countries
best interests.
Americans do not like to hear, or see criticism from
external sources aimed at their President, their Government,
their country, or their people. Yet on the other hand
Americans are always willing and vociferous in their verbal
attacks on any country, or the people of that country,
who they feel do not support the American position.
We welcome feedback about any of the contents
of these newsletters. Please send all correspondence to
bill_sykes@huddersfield1.co.uk
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