Received an e-mail from Linda Blevins the other week. What its origin is prior to that, I do not know. Heck, I don’t even know if the story that goes with the e-mail is the truth. It says it was written by an Australian dentist. Whether or not that is true, shucks, I just ain’t sure.
But, in the true sense of American journalism, why should I let the truth be my barometer for what runs in a newspaper? Even if the story behind the e-mail is false, the sentiments within are still valid. That is not to say I didn’t try to validate the information. I put a call in to the Australian Consulate’s Detroit office, located in Oakland County.
I put a call in and left a message that when something like this:
“Umm. This is Don Rush. I work for a newspaper. Umm, I have this e-mail, supposedly written by an Australian. It’s about ‘what is an American.’ Any ideas or suggestions on how I would find out who wrote it? Give me a call . . .”
As of today, nobody from their office has returned my call. Maybe they thought I was a kook . . . now how in the world would they get an idea like that?
Regardless, in true Machiavellian style where the end justifies the means . . .
“What is an American?
“You probably missed it in the rush of news last week, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American.
“So an Australian dentist wrote the following to let everyone know what an American is, so they would know when they found one: An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani, or Afghan.
“An American may also be a Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.
“An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses.
“An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.
“An American is from the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each man and woman to the pursuit of happiness.
“An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need. When Afghanistan was overrun by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country. As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan.
“Americans welcome the best — the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best athletes. But they also welcome the least. The national symbol of America, The Statue of Liberty, welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed.
“These in fact are the people who built America. Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11, earning a better life for their families. I’ve been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 other countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists.
“So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and every bloodthirsty tyrant in the history of the world. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself.
“Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.
“Pass this around the World.”
I always did like the Aussies . . .
* * *
Comments for Don can be e-mailed to: dontrushmedon@aol.com

Received an e-mail from Linda Blevins the other week. What its origin is prior to that, I do not know. Heck, I don’t even know if the story that goes with the e-mail is the truth. It says it was written by an Australian dentist. Whether or not that is true, shucks, I just ain’t sure.
But, in the true sense of American journalism, why should I let the truth be my barometer for what runs in a newspaper? Even if the story behind the e-mail is false, the sentiments within are still valid. That is not to say I didn’t try to validate the information. I put a call in to the Australian Consulate’s Detroit office, located in Oakland County.
I put a call in and left a message that when something like this:
“Umm. This is Don Rush. I work for a newspaper. Umm, I have this e-mail, supposedly written by an Australian. It’s about ‘what is an American.’ Any ideas or suggestions on how I would find out who wrote it? Give me a call . . .”
As of today, nobody from their office has returned my call. Maybe they thought I was a kook . . . now how in the world would they get an idea like that?
Regardless, in true Machiavellian style where the end justifies the means . . .
“What is an American?
“You probably missed it in the rush of news last week, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American.
“So an Australian dentist wrote the following to let everyone know what an American is, so they would know when they found one: An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani, or Afghan.
“An American may also be a Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.
“An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses.
“An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.
“An American is from the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each man and woman to the pursuit of happiness.
“An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need. When Afghanistan was overrun by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country. As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan.
“Americans welcome the best — the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best athletes. But they also welcome the least. The national symbol of America, The Statue of Liberty, welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed.
“These in fact are the people who built America. Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11, earning a better life for their families. I’ve been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 other countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists.
“So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and every bloodthirsty tyrant in the history of the world. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself.
“Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.
“Pass this around the World.”
I always did like the Aussies . . .
* * *
Comments for Don can be e-mailed to: dontrushmedon@aol.com