On June 5th. 1973, Canadian radio commentator Gordon Sinclair decided he'd had enough of the stream of criticism and negative press recently directed at the United States of America by foreign journalists (primarily over America's long military involvement in Vietnam, which had ended with the signing of the Paris Peace Accords six months earlier). When he arrived at radio station CFRB in Toronto that morning, he spent twenty minutes dashing off a two-page editorial defending the USA against its carping critics which he then delivered in a defiant, indignant tone during his "Let's Be Personal" spot at 11:45 AM that day.

While it might be unusual for any foreign correspondent — even one from a country with such close ties to the USA as Canada — to such a caustic commentary about those who would dare to criticize the USA is best demonstrated by the fact that even thirty years later, a generation of Americans too young to remember Sinclair's broadcast doubt that this piece is real. It is real, and it received a great deal of attention in its day. After Sinclair's editorial was rebroadcast by a few American radio stations, it spread like wildfire all over the country. It was played again and again, read into the Congressional Record multiple times, and finally released on a record (titled "The Americans"), with all royalties donated to the American Red Cross. Sinclair passed away in 1984, but he will long be remembered on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border — both for his contributions to journalism, and for his loudly proclaiming a friendship that few at the time were willing to embrace.

Here's a link to that memorable commentary.

Canadian Communications Foundation - Fondation Des Communications Canadiennes

And a link to the Real Player version where you can actually hear Mr. Sinclair read his commentary.

http://www.canadianaconnection.com/cca/gordonsinclair.htm