Janet Albrechtsen is a young, conservative Australian female journalist with a doctoral degree in law – which, as the SMH points out, puts her in a “category of one.”
She can also pen quite the column. Writing in the Australian, Albrechtsen points out a tediously familiar brand of anti-American tub-thumping:
THERE is a certain familiarity to the concomitant series of actions and reactions when disaster strikes in the world. The US stands ready, willing and able to offer assistance. It is often the first country to send in millions of dollars, navy strike groups loaded with food and medical supplies, and transport planes, helicopters and floating hospitals to help those devastated by natural disaster.
Then, just as swift and with equal predictability, those wedded to the Great Satan view of the US begin to carp, drawing on a potent mixture of cynicism and conspiracy theories to criticise the last remaining superpower. When the US keeps doing so much of the heavy lifting to alleviate suffering, you’d figure that the anti-Americans might eventually revise their view of the US. But they never do. And coming under constant attack even when helping others, you’d figure that Americans would eventually draw the curtains on world crises. But they haven’t. At least not yet.
She points out that whenever disaster strikes we have ships and airplanes a-tiptoe on the eaves before the UN can get its sneakers laced up. And that our levels of public and private charity are unmatched abroad. And yet:
There is a teenaged immaturity about the rest of the world’s relationship with the US. Whenever a serious crisis erupts somewhere, our dependence on the US becomes obvious, and many hate the US because of it. That the hatred is irrational is beside the point.
Ah, well. “May those that love us, love us. And those who don’t love us, may God turn their hearts. And if he doesn’t turn their hearts, may he turn their ankles, so we’ll know them by their limping…”
Gordon Sumner wote and recorded somethng similar in 1974. The more things change…
Sadly, I don’t believe anyone will ever learn.
There is an old Chinese saying which goes something like “why do you hate me? I’ve never done anything special for you.”
Humans seem to be so constructed that gratitude for extended kindness is extremely hard to express and to feel. The bad little child in us looks for things to carp about.
There’s an old Jewish joke [from the days when we could tell good Jewish jokes without being accused of political incorrectess] about the mother who took her child to the seashore. A huge wave came up to shore and swept the little boy away. Mama knelt and prayed to God, “please bring my little boy back. I’ll do anything you ask.” The next wave deposited the boy, soaked and gasping, at her feet. She looked up to the heavens and said “he had a hat, you know.”
Marianne
Seems I recall Kofi Annan criticizing the US for not doing enough for the Thailand tsunami.
Ms. Albrechtsen is bang on the mark.
I noticed on the TV news tonight they were talking about the “delay” in getting supplies to the people who needed them in Burma. And how this “delay” was killing people. No particular country was mentioned but I couldn’t help but notice that neither did they mention the fact that repeated offers of US aid had been pretty consistently turned away.
So yeah. You could have a point there.
This article is a nice change from the same ol’ same ol’. Some of our homegrown ‘journalists’ could take a lesson… some of our politicians could too.
And weren’t some of those same pundits talking about the “delay” also suggesting that it may be time to invade Myanmar? Mind you, if the invasion option takes more than 100 hours and there is a single civilian casualty, any support from the pundits would evaporate. Talking heads…God save us.
Thank you for this. I have felt a bit icky lately about my dear country and the affect its foreign policy has had on her standing both internationally and domestically, and this article, written by an outsider, makes me feel a wee bit better, and reminds me that despite my misgivings about certain of our foreign policy actions over the past seven years or so, we really are, indeed, well intentioned and in fact wanting to Do the Right Thing.
Thanks again.
‘Ah, well. “May those that love us, love us. And those who don’t love us, may God turn their hearts. And if he doesn’t turn their hearts, may he turn their ankles, so we’ll know them by their limping…”’
Such a lovely prayer!
And I hope we never do stop. It is what defines us as a “super power” – not just our military might and force, but the force of will of our people to help others. Somehow I do believe it is a genetic trait unique to Americans. As long as we don’t change that, I’m OK with the fact that part – and a small part – of the world doesn’t like us.
Kris from New England, it is certainly not a genetic trait unique to Americans. That’s a snooty thing to say. Perhaps you should travel to other parts of the world and experience the hospitality of other cultures, and then remember that all Americans came from another country at some point in their ancestry. As far as other people disliking the US, all we can do is continue to show our good will and generosity and hope they can realize that we are all the same people, living on the same planet together.
Anj:
What a presumptious (and untrue) thing to say. My ancestors fed everyone else who came here. I hail from the Pentecook and Passamaquoddy Indian tribes; we were here long before the Europeans came.
Yes other countries may indeed offer tremendous hospitality in their own countries – as do Americans. However I submit that in times of disasters such as the ones being talked about in the article Lex referenced, Americans are always the first ones offering help.
A bit of a moot point, I think, Kris.
What’s that quote … mangling it badly I know, but something to the effect from those given great gifts, great things are expected. I think that’s kind of apt here. The sad part comes, I think, in a situation like this when American generosity isn’t appreciated, resulting in hurt feelings sometimes leading to comments that might be misinterpreted by some and deliberately seized upon and twisted by others (the jerks of the world). A vicious circle kind of thing.
Not sure if that was very clear. What I’m trying to say is that there are some in the world who might misinterpret a comment like Kris’ as snobbery and others who would intentionally twist it and use it further their own agenda. That being that America is a bad guy, of course.
Okay, I think maybe I will shut up now.
Michelle – I got it. And thank you.
I’m proud of my country and what she stands for. We always stand up first, always. That’s the point I was trying to make.
When someone else stands up first, I’ll take back what I said.
Kris, Let me take this opportunity to correct the record and to thank you and your fellow tribesmen/women ( you sure don’t look Indian) for feeding my grandparents( both sides) when they first arrived here in the late 19th century… they never did mention it …the ingrates. Best
PS, We help others because we can, because it’s expected and as Americans we demand it of ourselves…if gratitude follows all the better… to expect or demand it is naive.
PPS, Kris…think Asian land bridge in the way way way back between what is now Alaska and Siberia…ring any bells?
Snake Eater makes a good point. It doesn’t matter if those receiving our aid show gratitude, and I’m embarrassed when some of my fellow Americans seem to demand it at times (naive, yes, and immature). We should do it because it’s the right thing to do, and because we can. We should simply ignore our critics. Except when they berate us at an international conference, in which case we should walk out. Enough is enough, after all.
Snake – since that is a “PS”, I presume it’s directed at me for previous comments. I never insinuated that I expected gratitude. Quite the contrary. If you would reference my original comment #9, you will see I don’t particularly care if the world likes us – or not. When it comes to offering help, it is the right thing to do. I never said otherwise.
As for the rest of your comment – I’ll presume that you knew what I meant and are just being your snarky-self.
Best…
Mike, Thanks for the support.
Kris, Beware… words especially sweeping generalizations like “your ancestors fed everyone else who came here” are grist for the Snark-Meisters mill… a jucy target of opportunity presented itself and I struck…I did mean what I said… and thanks again to your ancestors for feeding my Grandparents. Best