Tell us an American that you admire

[unclepercy]

I am trying to get a feel for what Canadians might think about American public figures, and not just political ones. I'm curious.

I realize that you haven't met this person, and probably you've just read about them or seen them on TV.

One American who was a true/blue lady was Mary Kay Ash. The founder of Mary Kay cosmetics. I knew her slightly, and I saw her doing some philanthropic work for the Susan B Komen Foundation.
However, I never worked for her or visited her. I know someone who knew her for over 35 years, and what I hear is all good.

Who do you admire - an American, please? And please keep the thread going - tell us another one if you think about it later. Maybe we can see what image the media creates.

Uncle

 

[Jersay]

One American I admire would be Martin Luther King Jr, as well as Colin Powell.

 

[unclepercy]

One American I admire would be Martin Luther King Jr, as well as Colin Powell.

Excellent choices.

Uncle

 

[Finder]

There are many Americans I admire. Historically none of them are clean to our standerds but the standerds of the day they were a cut above the rest. I think a good example would be Mr Benjamin Franklin.

 

[fuflans]

There are many Americans that I admire. Several have been mentioned already but I'll add Bill and Melinda Gates to the list. Also, Gordon Bombay (he's real in my heart, dammit)

 

[Colpy]

How about Warren Buffet, who just gave 37.5 BILLION dollars of his 44 billion away to charity. Gave it to the Gates' foundation, who have done wonderful things in Africa.

They deserve kudos.

Americans I admire? Just the best one per category?
Living politicos:
John McCain.

dead politicos:
Thomas Jefferson

Military guys:
Lewis (Chesty) Puller

Writers
William Manchester
Shelby Foote

 

[Finder]

Re: RE: Tell us an American that you admire

How about Warren Buffet, who just gave 37.5 BILLION dollars of his 44 billion away to charity. Gave it to the Gates' foundation, who have done wonderful things in Africa.

They deserve kudos.

Americans I admire? Just the best one per category?
Living politicos:
John McCain.

dead politicos:
Thomas Jefferson

Military guys:
Lewis (Chesty) Puller

Writers
William Manchester
Shelby Foote

Isn't John McCain a communist!!!! Your so red Colpy!









j/k

 

[Colpy]

A commie Republican?

Now THAT is a shocker!

Where's Tailgunner Joe McCarthy when you need him?

 

[Finder]

Re: RE: Tell us an American that you admire

A commie Republican?

Now THAT is a shocker!

Where's Tailgunner Joe McCarthy when you need him?

McCarthy is my hero... At least with the one great quote I can think of him ever saying.

If this fight against Communism is made a fight against America's two great political parties, the American people know that one of those parties will be destroyed and the Republic cannot endure very long as a one party system.

Though I would say... he did not listen to his own words of wisdom.

 

[Finder]

oh and Colpy you should know better then anyone that the Democrats and Republicans have a very loose philosophical base in which changes and morphes with the times. Conservatism, and leiser fair capitalism are just two main ones which it holds onto today, but could change slowly over time to something else.

BTW I like Mr John McCain as well.

 

[Colpy]

Yeah.

I don't like some of McCain's politics. For instancwe, he is for stricter gun control laws in the States, something that seems to me to be completely out to lunch.

However, he is a real hero. He is honest, IMHO. When he comes out against torture, he KNOWS what he is talking about.

A good man.

 

[Champloo]

RE: Tell us an American t

Steven Colbert. Best political satyrist ever.

 

[Finder]

Re: RE: Tell us an American t

Steven Colbert. Best political satyrist ever.

I like him and John Stewert, but I wouldn't say I admir any comedian, well unless I was one I guess.

 

[Champloo]

RE: Tell us an American t

John Stewart isn't funny, his "reporters" are though.

 

[#juan]

McCarthy accused a man of being a communist. When the man answered that he was an anti-communist, McCarthy replied "Well I knew you were some kind of communist".

McCarthy wasn't one of my heros and I was always surprised at how far he got on just plain BS.

----------------------------------------------------

I admire all of the astronauts. The three disasters(two shuttles, and one Appollo accident on the ground) have shown just how fragile those vehicles are and these men, and women keep standing up to do it again.

 

[missile]

Just a few off the top of my head : Lewis & Clark,John Paul Jones, Jim Bowie,Hank Williams, Robert E. Lee. George S. Patton and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

 

[Champloo]

Just a few off the top of my head : Lewis & Clark,John Paul Jones, Jim Bowie,Hank Williams, Robert E. Lee. George S. Patton and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

I really don't know why one would list Robert E. Lee. Sure, he was one of the greatest millitary strategists / generals of his time, but he fought on the side that wanted to preserve slavary.

 

[Dexter Sinister]

Aw jeez, how long a post can you stand? In no particular order, except maybe the order my eye fell on things by or about them on the shelves in my study:

Marion Anderson, Paul Robeson, Abraham Lincoln, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Jim Brown, William Manchester, Carl Sagan, Richard Feynman, Freeman Dyson, Melville Bell Grosvenor, Isaac Asimov, Poul Anderson, Brian Kernighan, Dennis Ritchie, Orson Scott Card, Michael Shermer, John Shelby Spong, Frank Herbert, Robert Heinlein, Stephen King, John Irving, James Michener, Noam Chomsky, William Blum, Susan Faludi, Jared Diamond, Robert Silverberg, Stephen Jay Gould, Ernst Mayr, P.J. O'Rourke, Ray Bradbury, John Allen Paulos, Loren Eiseley, Paul Simon, Phil Plait, Robert Carroll, Martin Gardner, John Fogerty, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, John von Neumann, LInus Pauling...

...and thousands more who are widely and rightly loved and honoured.

 

[Dexter Sinister]

And Emmylou Harris. Sweetest voice this side of heaven, second only to the inimitable Patsy Cline.

 

[#juan]

I thought George S Patton was crazy as a loon. He thought that in another life, he was a famous Roman general. He slapped a private who was suffering from shell shock. He wore two pearl handled six-shooters. He was definitely a looney but he did have a gift. He could lead men.