Suddenly It’s Cool To Be American Again

Posted by | November 7, 2008 00:05 | Filed under: Top Stories


William J. Kole, an ex-pat who reports for the Associated Press as its Vienna bureau chief, says that after years of having his Americanism assailed because of unpopular American policies now being hailed for being from what is suddenly a more popular country.


It happened on the bus on my way to work Wednesday morning, a few hours after compatriots clamoring for change swept Barack Obama to his historic victory. I was on the phone, and the 20-something Austrian woman seated in front of me overheard me speaking English.

 

Without a word, she turned, pecked me on the cheek and stepped off at the next stop.

 

Nothing was said, but the message was clear: Today, we are all Americans.

 


Americans abroad who have been used to being whipping posts are suddenly being congratulated with smiles and pats.  The truth is, the rest of the word wants to like us; wants us to succeed, wants to show its support.  We haven’t encouraged it.  Now, there is a new sense of hope, as demonstrated by a simple peck on a reporter’s cheek, who earned such a gift simply for being overheard speaking English.

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Copyright 2008 Liberaland
By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.

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