Americans Offers Condolences to Britain, to Londoners, to Go
Over two centuries have passed since Americans and British raised their guns toward each other in war. We drove the Red Coats out of our land but we kept them in our hearts in many ways. After all, surpassing the Irish, French and Italians, the largest group of immigrants in this country is still the British. Our ancestry could not be extricated from Great Britain any more than the Sun could be disassociated from the morning.
With dignity you finally recognized that a new country was being birthed. We joined in trade and commerce and later in war, fighting common enemies and working toward common causes. From the trenches of the Great War to the Second World War we fought and died, side by side, as friends and for some as brothers. At this moment you stand with us in places throughout the world where people are struggling to be relieved of oppression, dictators, and economic woes.
As Americans we are seen as the klutzes of the world the arrogant and unsophisticated country bumpkins that think people should not beat up the innocent, the unarmed and the oppressed. Perhaps we are a bit unsophisticated but as our friends you have sweetened the pot a bit. We borrow from your dignity all the time. We borrow from a long list of noble kings and queens. We borrow from Shakespeare, Churchill and Diana and yes, Mr. Blair.
Yet perhaps we are not borrowing at all, maybe we are just carrying on with civilized actions and higher causes that you gave us from the start.
Since the attack on our citizens on 9-11 we have in part at least been softened to the sufferings of others. From far across the pond we can feel your sorrow and grief. We honor those who were lost and wounded in your underground and send our condolences to them and their surviving families.
By now any American would expect that our President has already offered his condolences to your Prime Minister as is fitting in diplomat protocols. Please allow one small man from the rank and file of our nation to offer the same condolences. I am sure that millions of Americans with little dissent are standing with me in this offering. There would not be enough time left in my lifetime to ask each American for their permission to offer their condolences along with mine. I am also sure that I would not have enough time left to offer each one an apology for not doing so.
God bless you good friends in your great sorrow.
About the Author
Rev Bresciani is from New Orleans La and the author of