Posted on 10/28/2001 10:45:12 AM PST by clee1
Time for America to DOMINATE the world!
I know this post will probably provoke some heated reactions, but I am going to say what is really on my mind. I think it is time for America, or rather "the Ideals of America" to dominate the planet Earth.
This Nation was founded by immigrants/colonists that wanted to prosper and worship as they chose to, without interference from hereditary monarches in Europe. They tired of living a life where foreign Kings decided how they would worship God, major portions of their productivity were "taxed" by the landed Nobility, and their station in life was set by birth. All wanted to live in freedom and enjoy the fruit of their own labors.
The Founding Fathers stated this American theory of government in the following passage from the Declaration of Independence:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness - That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, - That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Then, after winning our independence on the battlefield (take THAT, ya peaceniks!) some stumbles and false starts (Articles of Confederation), the Constitution was established. It created the framework of a representative (republican) form of government, in which the People would elect their representatives to do governmental business. The reasons for and definition of governmental business are stated in the preable to the Constitution:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
The government's Powers were restricted and further defined in the Articles of the Constitution, and the first ten Amendments to the Constitution enumerated the specific rights of the People. The US Constitution established the means for a free people to live and worship as they saw fit. When asked what kind of government had been established, Ben Franklin replied, "A Republic, Sir, if you can keep it."
For 214 years, the People of the United States have kept it: by living, working, prospering, and yes, by sometimes fighting and dying for it.
OK. I can already hear the flamers - what about slavery, what about a women's right to vote, what about low wages, high crime, support for totalitarian regimes, etc, etc, ad nauseam. Hey! I'll be the first to say it: We are not perfect. We learn from our past and or sucesses and failures, correct our mistakes, and move on in life as we choose to. This has often caused desent, and has cost blood. We apologise for our errors and try to make amends. That is the American Way. Part of what urks our enemies the most is that we are so prosperous while adopting an open and tolerant attitude at peace and ferocious tenacity at war. You can do what you want until it affects me, then we have a problem. Attack us - you have made a serious mistake.
The ideals of America triumph over all others that have come against it. Western civilization IS better than Middle Ages fudalism. People the world over seek to come to America to live in freedom and prosperity, to be safe from constant threats, and to raise their children in peace. This is a fact and as an American Citizen, I for one am tired of apologising for it!
Sept. 11th, {my birthday 8^( } 2001, has made profound changes to American thinking and attitude. We are no longer talking about "lock boxes" and "prescription drugs" and "SocSecurity". We are now discussing freedom, safety, and the defeat of terrorism.
IMHO, I think Americans will be under constant attack from forces of evil unless we get with the program and eradicate these forces from the face of the earth. Terrorists, Leftists, non-constitutional monarchies, dictatorships, theocracies and oligarchies are all enemies to the American Way and should be eliminated by all the force we can muster. Diplomatic, economic, military and covert means should be used to destroy thes groups so that the world can finally live in peace and prosperity.
I say it is high time that we as Americans stop buddying up to tyrants and totalitarian regimes, and we toss them bodily into the dustheap of history. Countries like China and Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are not our "friends", they are merely "trading partners" or in some cases just politically convenient to have around or leave alone. We should immediately revoke all support and trade with governments that are not democracies or free market economies, and deport their citizens living here. We will never again be safe until all the people of the world enjoy the benefits of democracy and a free market economy, and our duty as Americans is to help bring it to them any way we can while protecting ourselves from internal attack. I don't want to occupy the world - Imperialism and colonialism don't work either (Just ask the ancient Romans, and 15th to 19th century England, France, and Spain) - I just want it all to be made free; by force if necessary. Pax Americana should be the order of the day.
You are either with us, or you are against us. That should apply to our ideals as well.
C. Lee
Georgia
What do you do when "the people" believe that a form of government you think dangerous is "most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness?" Hitler came to power legally and democratically (sort of). Truly free elections would probably result in the election of Islamist governments in much of the Muslim world. Certainly the Islamists in Algeria a decade or so ago won the election overwhelmingly. The Iranian Revolution was tremendously popular with "the people."
I'm afraid your approach is based on the premise that other peoples all share our ideals. What about those who don't? Do we then conquer and attempt to impose our values on them? In Islamic countries this would necessitate something very close to religious persecution to be effective. Is this something we want to get into?
I don't disagree with your basic premise. I just don't think it is practical when much of the world's population doesn't just want the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
That is essentially a libertarian ideal. The vast majority of the world's population holds other ideals. So what do you do with them? Just kill them? That's a LOT of dead people.
Abortion on demand (killing of the young); open floodgates of bloody imagery into the young psychic minds via television and hollywood; rampant establishment induced anomie; multicultural dislocation; deracination; demolition of common historical past in favor of mass consumerism. I wouldn't wish the ideals of America on the rest of the world.
Say Pal, We couldn't get rid of Saddam Hussien. I'll bet we never bring OBL to justice.We didn't defeat Korea, or Viet Nam. I think you have your work cut out for you.
Of course you wouldn't. One wonders how you can stand to stay here yourself.
Maybe you'd prefer a theocracy, as radical Islamists do?
You're free to leave, and I'd drive you to the airport if I didn't think you'd stink up my car.
Yep, but he just used the democratic process to subvert the authority of the people. As soon as he declared he was "dur Furer" he should have been taken out by German or American covert actions.
Truly free elections would probably result in the election of Islamist governments in much of the Muslim world. Certainly the Islamists in Algeria a decade or so ago won the election overwhelmingly. The Iranian Revolution was tremendously popular with "the people."
If freely elected, democratic, free market, I could care less how other countries govern themselves. If they bring war to us, they should be exterminated.
...other peoples all share our ideals. What about those who don't? Do we then conquer and attempt to impose our values on them? In Islamic countries this would necessitate something very close to religious persecution to be effective. Is this something we want to get into?
Absolutely. I don't care what a person's religion is. Accept the fact that freedom requires you to tolerate other views and to live with your neighbors in peace or you pay the consequences.
I don't disagree with your basic premise. I just don't think it is practical when much of the world's population doesn't just want the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
People that have never known freedom will fight and die to keep it, once they have it.
The vast majority of the world's population holds other ideals. So what do you do with them? Just kill them? That's a LOT of dead people.
Not necessarily. I want the world to be free and democratic. Those countries electing governments other than that should be left to go it alone. If they make war on us, they will be distroyed by us.
This is EXACTLY why they hate us. Pure arrogance. If the American Way is so great, then let the rest of the world adopt it on their own. Don't force your ideals on others.
These are NOT the "ideals" of America. These are some of the unfortunate manifestations or results of our freedoms. Hey I don't like abortion or multiculturalism either!
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