Many years ago, mid-1973 to be exact, Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian broadcaster wrote and broadcast a tribute to 'Americans' in which he sternly reprimanded the rest of the world for turning its back on the United States. While some of it was warranted at the time, much of his rant was in itself, indulgent and self-righteous. You can find the audio file here http://www.canadianaconnection.com/cca/gordonsinclair.htmSinclair never was a tactful personality and most Canadians either enjoyed his persona or hated it. My father always became angry during 'Front Page Challenge' because he figured that Gordon Sinclair was obsessed with nothing beyond money and sex.
Sinclair's broadcast has frequently resurfaced whenever the US felt threatened or insecure and it seems to give them an emotional lift, even if it was written at a much earlier time and under much different circumstances than exist today. Perhaps because of that, you can find copies of the audio in hundreds of web sites.
Interesting enough, a commentary in response to his broadcast during the same year titled 'The Canadians' never made it into posterity.
For years, I knew I had an audio copy of that one and from time to time would find it and misplace it again. Finally, I made myself a promise to at least put it into digital form before it was lost entirely. So, here is the audio and a transcribed text........
Written and recorded by Gordon Moroto, December 1973
Broadcaster at CFCH, North Bay, Ontario
One of the most popular selections presently being heard on US radio stations and a few stations in Canada is a recording made by the eminent Canadian reporter and broadcaster, Gordon Sinclair, entitled ‘Americans’. I do not entirely disagree with Mr. Sinclair’s observations, but I question whether or not a country which already fancies itself as the only place where people are truly civilized, where streets are paved and where tall buildings are built needs to be reminded that it should have its hat band let out two sizes.
I love Americans too and to quote an old cliché, “Some of my best friends wave the stars and stripes.”
However; if any country needs psychological bolstering because of a lack of self-pride, it’s our country, Canada. So, here’s my tribute to the Canadians:
Where in the world is there another country like Canada, so relatively small in population, contributing so much per capita to foreign aid or to the refereeing of worldwide squabbles and wars? Where else is there a country like Canada, which so often has come to the diplomatic aid of the United States, and been listened to because we are more respected?
Yes, it’s true. No one helped the United States with financial assistance for the Mississippi floods or the San Francisco earthquake, but did Canada ask for money during the Red River floods or its own hurricane Hazel?
Wealthy countries are not entitled to foreign aid from lesser (sic) fortunate countries, but they do have a moral obligation to assist those impoverished countries in their times of need; and we provide every bit as much as the Americans.
It’s also true that the Americans build the biggest airplanes and have landed men safely on the moon, but does any American know that a Canadian invented the telephone or that Canadians discovered penicillin, insulin and cobalt radium treatments? And, I wonder which of these truly has the greatest social impact.
Sure, the Americans put their scandals in the front window. But did we hide the Laporte murder, the Cross kidnapping or the Munsinger affair? And if our Prime Minister involved himself in a Watergate incident, how long would our political system allow him to remain in office?
Folks; we contributed more than our share towards the St. Lawrence Seaway, the MacKenzie River Project and other joint US-Canadian endeavours and we do our share to help defend the North American continent through NORAD.
I don’t want to see the Americans face their troubles alone, and Canada doesn’t let them.
For what we have contributed to this world, why don’t we start waving our own flags, writing our own patriotic poems and songs? Name me an equivalent to ‘The Battle Hymn of The Republic’ or ‘America’. How many of you even recognize this background music as ‘The Maple Leaf Forever’? Let’s not be smug, self-righteous Canadians who criticize the self-pride of our neighbours. Let’s develop that same pride in ourselves. And the best way to start is for our prominent citizens to write glowing tributes to our history. Let’s write some patriotic songs and sing them while we wave our flags at football games.
Wake up Canada. We’re great too.
Transcribed by Ian Mathers, Yellowknife, NT October 2007.
broadcast as a response to Gordon Sinclair’s ‘Americans’ in 1973. That one seems to have survived on many sites to this day, but this tribute to ‘The Canadians’ was almost lost in the mists of time. I recorded it on CFPL radio, London, Ontario in late 1973 or early 1974 with some pretty crude equipment, periodically rediscovering it and finally transferring it to digital format in 2007 before it disappeared for good. I apologise for the sound quality, but it’s the best I could do.
A history of Sinclair’s account of the events leading to his broadcast appears at:
http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/news/unique/american.html
archives of the Canadian Communications Foundation
as well as many other private sites including CFRB where he worked at the time.From Wikipedia:
The Americans was widely revived on the Internet, radio and newspapers in 2001, following the September 11, 2001 attacks, and again in 2005 in the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Some revivals of the message incorrectly state that it was newly written as a direct response to recent crises; in this question of its authorship alone, the address has become a part of urban legend.
Footnote: if you listen to Gordon Sinclair's rant, he mentions that the US is the only country to build large aircraft. October 28, 2007 this article appears in the Associated Press: World's largest jetliner completes maiden voyage
Slowly, the US is losing its place in the world.