Posted on 05/19/2004 2:54:18 AM PDT by Theodore R.
What do we offer the world?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: May 19, 2004 1:00 a.m. Eastern
"So, how do we advance the cause of female emancipation in the Muslim world?" asks Richard Perle in "An End to Evil." He replies, "We need to remind the women of Islam ceaselessly: Our enemies are the same as theirs; our victory will be theirs as well."
Well, the neoconservative cause "of female emancipation in the Muslim world" was probably set back a bit by the photo shoot of Pfc. Lynndie England and the "Girls Gone Wild" of Abu Ghraib prison.
Indeed, the filmed orgies among U.S. military police outside the cells of Iraqi prisoners, the S&M humiliation of Muslim men, the sexual torment of their women raise a question. Exactly what are the "values" the West has to teach the Islamic world?
"This war ... is about – deeply about – sex," declaims neocon Charles Krauthammer. Militant Islam is "threatened by the West because of our twin doctrines of equality and sexual liberation."
But whose "twin doctrines" is Krauthammer talking about? The sexual liberation he calls our doctrine belongs to a '60s revolution that devout Christians, Jews and Muslims have been resisting for years.
What does Krauthammer mean by sexual liberation? The right of "tweeners" and teenage girls to dress and behave like Britney Spears? Their right to condoms in junior high? Their right to abortion without parental consent?
If conservatives reject the "equality" preached by Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, NARAL and the National Organization for Women, why seek to impose it on the Islamic world? Why not stand beside Islam, and against Hollywood and Hillary?
In June 2002 at West Point, President Bush said, "Moral truth is the same in every culture, in every time and in every place."
But even John Kerry does not agree with George Bush on the morality of homosexual unions and stem-cell research. On such issues, conservative Americans have more in common with devout Muslims than with liberal Democrats.
The president notwithstanding, Americans no longer agree on what is moral truth. For as someone said a few years back, there is a cultural war going on in this country – a religious war. It is about who we are, what we believe and what we stand for as a people.
What some of us view as the moral descent of a great and Godly republic into imperial decadence, neocons see as their big chance to rule the world.
In Georgia, recently, the president declared to great applause: "I can't tell you how proud I am of our commitment to values. ... That commitment to values is going to be an integral part of our foreign policy as we move forward. These aren't American values, these are universal values. Values that speak universal truths."
But what universal values is he talking about? If he intends to impose the values of MTV America on the Muslim world in the name of a "world democratic revolution," he will provoke and incite a war of civilizations America cannot win because Americans do not want to fight it. This may be the neocons' war. It is not our war.
When Bush speaks of freedom as God's gift to humanity, does he mean the First Amendment freedom of Larry Flynt to produce pornography and of Salman Rushdie to publish "The Satanic Verses" – a book considered blasphemous to the Islamic faith? If the Islamic world rejects this notion of freedom, why is it our duty to change their thinking? Why are they wrong?
When the president speaks of freedom, does he mean the First Amendment prohibition against our children reading the Bible and being taught the Ten Commandments in school?
If the president wishes to fight a moral crusade, he should know the enemy is inside the gates. The great moral and cultural threats to our civilization come not from outside America, but from within. We have met the enemy, and he is us. The war for the soul of America is not going to be lost or won in Fallujah.
Unfortunately, Pagan America of 2004 has far less to offer the world in cultural fare than did Christian America of 1954. Many of the movies, books, magazines, TV shows, videos and much of the music we export to the world are as poisonous as the narcotics the Royal Navy forced on the Chinese people in the Opium Wars.
A society that accepts the killing of a third of its babies as women's "emancipation," that considers homosexual marriage to be social progress, that hands out contraceptives to 13-year-old girls at junior high ought to be seeking out a confessional – better yet, an exorcist – rather than striding into a pulpit like Elmer Gantry to lecture mankind on the superiority of "American values."
Bump to that, and to all of it.
Thanks, Long Cut. :-)
The French did not remain for several years to "install democracy."
So what they really obtained was a military defeat of the English, resulting in partial French control of Canada.
But not a several-year engagement in "nation-building."
As to Germany and Japan: the analogy does not hold. This war, as it was originally sold, is a war on terrorism, not on Iraq. Iraq managed to become a part of it, and now GWB wants to impose democracy--an extremely long-term project which has nothing, zip, zero, NADA to do with "terrorism."
Maybe, I am too generous. There are four things which are uncompatible with Conservatism:
1. Free market/free trade fundamentalism. Worship of wealth.
2. Neo-wilsonian globalist post-Trotskyite interventionism, rejection of patriotism.
3. Secular hedonistic permisive libertinism. Godlessness.
4. Pseudo-messianic hubris, self-righteousness and lack of self-restraint.
So with all the flack that Hitler gets here on FR, he must REALLY be on target. Huh?
And so is Hillary, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.
Meg, those who so love "banning" things which fill them with hate NEVER stop at just ONE.
You're a mind reader?
Perhaps YOU consider imposing democracy in Iraq to be "enlightened."
Others, a LOT of others, disagree--unless you are using YOUR children to carry the M16A2's.
That's why the RINO's, especially those who support intrinsic evils, must be driven out of the party.
Ping to # 341
Buchanan was on target with this one.
I think reasonable people can interpret Pat differently on that. I agree with the person who said that Pat was referring to things like the joint Vatican/Islamic effort to block the left wing agenda at the UN Cairo conference.
Islamic culture has never been the paragon of moral society, and it isn't even when compared to the lowest point of American morality.
I disagree there. We kill 1.3 million babies a year. I don't think they do. And our arts are a cesspool.
Funny thing. Consistent with APole's description, I just don't recall ANY US troops entering Germany from the East.
On the other hand, I DO recall the Soviets allowing US planes to land in Russia (quietly) during bombing runs over Japan.
But according to your view, the US won the war on at least three fronts. Wow!
With the exception to save the life of the mother and rape.
Life of mother can take precedence, and I would grant the right to reject rape forced pregnancy.
Great..but what other laws would you make about movies, TV, morals, dress,lyrics, the internet, etc and religion?
Same laws as it used to be or are still in the books. But to enforce/interpret them correctly the source of morality - religion would have to be brought back into public sphere. Let us start with Ten Commandments, prayer in the schools. I would also gave vouchers for religious schools and introduce religion classes in public schools by the denomination (priest would come to teach Catholic kids, minister to the Protestants, rabbi for Jews etc ...) Atheist kids would get ethics/philosophy teacher.
I realize I am more socially conservative than you, Long Cut, but I am just as concerned about where to end the banning...I don't like posters who want to nuke em all there or here...
You are right...our military fights for all Americans..even the ones who don't think it is necessary...
I despise the left wing who denigrate our military and undermine our values..who Blame America First and sound treasonous. I don't want to kill them. I wish I could change their minds or, barring that, I call them anti American commie useful idiots or isolationist useful idiots
From Pat's mouth, the culture he'd presumably export.
"There were no politics to polarize us then, to magnify every slight. The 'negroes' of Washington had their public schools, restaurants, bars, movie houses, playgrounds and churches; and we had ours."
My sentiments exactly - and it is one reason why I have become so suspicious of the "culture warriors" here.
I will go further: These "culture warriors" have hurt conservatives by their actions and pronouncements. They are what gives Jesse Jackson and his ilk just enough to make their phony charges of racism and bigotry stick to the detriment of ALL conservatives.
These people are only for freedom when it provides results THEY like. But when a Howard Stern becomes too popular, and makes too much money, they are all too eager to use the GOVERNMENT to yank him off the air. Freedom of religion? It's only okay so long as it's a religion THEY like.
As far as I am concerned, today's America is a net improvement over the older days. I'll gladly deal with Howard Stern's radio show, Britney french-kissing Madonna, and some of the other problems we have today as opposed to the stuff America tolerated in the past - like the KKK, segregation/Jim Crow, and mob violence based on religious intolerance.
The tactics were different because the situation was different, but the long-term goals were the same - to advance the interests of one's own nation by acting within the wider world.
Iraq managed to become a part of it, and now GWB wants to impose democracy--an extremely long-term project which has nothing, zip, zero, NADA to do with "terrorism."
Really? "Nothing"? How many democratic societies are currently engaging in terroristic campaigns against others? Take as much time as you need to compile a list.
Out of context!!! [/Buchananista response]
The "separation" is Ivri, is it not? Abraham's condition as "another."
Fine, and thanks for the explanation. I am willing to learn.
Having said that, the poster to which I was replying at the time made the claim that the restrictions were MORAL commands.
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