[playa_playa]

To be honest, it's neither refreshing nor original. I understand that in the midst of all the anti-America sentiments, an essay written in praise of America not coming from an American could seem like the greatest thing since the invention of the wheelbarrow. But this article's mindless praise of America and the ideals that America stands for is simply being trivialized by the overly sycophantic and subordinate tone.

Put it in perspective, this article's backbone for all the praise is the fact that America withstood one of the greatest tragedies - in the article's view - in the history of mankind and that it took all the actions proper and did so democratically. That's swell. Except for the fact that these "democratic" actions are what's proper and essential in a democracy. Had America not taken the actions that it did in the manner it did (which is still up for debate; not to mention the expediency with which it was executed keeping in mind that Al-Qaida has not been thwarted nor Osama Bin Laden apprehended, or lack thereof), we should be properly criticized for it. The moment we take things that we must reasonably do as something to be praised, we begin to lose our position in ensuring that the country remains a faithful manifestation of its intents.

Of course, that's not to say that doing what's reasonable does not deserve a praise. Of course it does. However, such a praise in the sense that the writer of this article delineates:

"So a few al-Qaeda tourists got locked without a trial n Camp X-ray? Pass the Kleenex... So some Afghan wedding receptions were shot up after they merrily fired their semi-automatics in a sky full of American planes? A shame, but maybe next time they should stick to confetti."

A praise like this is disturbing. Both disturbing and corrupting. If the writer were basing his praise on the fact that we behaved how a democracy should behave, why is he making a disobediance of the dictates of the international rights of man trivial? Is it because we have, as he puts it "suffered an abomination," and they have not? So in his words, suffering a big injustice should be an excuse for inflicting smaller injustices?

Before anyone gets the wrong impression, I love America and the ideals it stands for. And it is because I love America that I try to veer away from corrupting, sycophantic praises like these that only serve to gain popular support.

"I love my country too much to be an ultranationalist"