Posted on 03/27/2002 9:26:41 AM PST by Roger_W_Isom
An interesting line of thought, Justine. Hold that line and you may remember Brooklyn Jews getting knifed and stuff. Should be good for your wet dreams for a week, at least.
Why don't you follow your leader?
"In the execution of such a plan, nothing is more essential than that permanent, inveterate antipathies against particular nations, and passionate attachments for others, should be excluded; and that, in place of them, just and amicable feelings towards all should be cultivated. The nation which indulges towards another a habitual hatred or a habitual fondness is in some degree a slave. It is a slave to its animosity or to its affection, either of which is sufficient to lead it astray from its duty and its interest. Antipathy in one nation against another disposes each more readily to offer insult and injury, to lay hold of slight causes of umbrage, and to be haughty and intractable, when accidental or trifling occasions of dispute occur. Hence, frequent collisions, obstinate, envenomed, and bloody contests. The nation, prompted by ill-will and resentment, sometimes impels to war the government, contrary to the best calculations of policy. The government sometimes participates in the national propensity, and adopts through passion what reason would reject; at other times it makes the animosity of the nation subservient to projects of hostility instigated by pride, ambition, and other sinister and pernicious motives. The peace often, sometimes perhaps the liberty, of nations, has been the victim.
"So likewise, a passionate attachment of one nation for another produces a variety of evils. Sympathy for the favorite nation, facilitating the illusion of an imaginary common interest in cases where no real common interest exists, and infusing into one the enmities of the other, betrays the former into a participation in the quarrels and wars of the latter without adequate inducement or justification. It leads also to concessions to the favorite nation of privileges denied to others which is apt doubly to injure the nation making the concessions; by unnecessarily parting with what ought to have been retained, and by exciting jealousy, ill-will, and a disposition to retaliate, in the parties from whom equal privileges are withheld. And it gives to ambitious, corrupted, or deluded citizens (who devote themselves to the favorite nation), facility to betray or sacrifice the interests of their own country, without odium, sometimes even with popularity; gilding, with the appearances of a virtuous sense of obligation, a commendable deference for public opinion, or a laudable zeal for public good, the base or foolish compliances of ambition, corruption, or infatuation.
"As avenues to foreign influence in innumerable ways, such attachments are particularly alarming to the truly enlightened and independent patriot. How many opportunities do they afford to tamper with domestic factions, to practice the arts of seduction, to mislead public opinion, to influence or awe the public councils 7 Such an attachment of a small or weak towards a great and powerful nation dooms the former to be the satellite of the latter.
"Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence (I conjure you to believe me, fellow-citizens) the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake, since history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government. But that jealousy to be useful must be impartial; else it becomes the instrument of the very influence to be avoided, instead of a defense against it. Excessive partiality for one foreign nation and excessive dislike of another cause those whom they actuate to see danger only on one side, and serve to veil and even second the arts of influence on the other. Real patriots who may resist the intrigues of the favorite are liable to become suspected and odious, while its tools and dupes usurp the applause and confidence of the people, to surrender their interests.
"The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith. Here let us stop...."
Forget Israel. Forget the Palestinians. And start remembering your own American heritage.
They are to busy intercepting our e-mails and spying on US citizens to bother with Arafat.
This battle has been going on for over a millenuium now...the Infidels are fluid and do change proxies and whatnot but the Islamist side is rather static. Turkey being a big exception....but their fight was more pure hegemony than Islamic hegemony at least during the last Ottomans.
Arafat doesn't want peace, I am convinced, he wants the complete destruction of Israel. Yes, it would be nice to have two states live side by side in peace, but I don't see that happening. It causes me pain to see this happening every day.
Andrew
Imagine that Fonzie, if you and all of your "friends" today had wooden teeth, you would spend most of the day taking out splinters.
Just another example of the negative effects of Clintonized politics. It was the meddling of the "war-room" crowd of Clintonistas (Carville, etc.) who saw to it that Isarael's best defender was removed from office.
Gette'm Bebe.
True not all, but according to polls a majority do, especially in the US. If they did not then you can be sure that they would be doing more to combat the problem themselves.
Instead they say "Oh, we don't support violence but the victims have brought it on themselves." This is another way of saying US and Isreali citizens deserve to die.
If you refuse to recognize the enemy, they will kill you without giving you a chance to defend yourself.
Hmmmmm.... examples please? I really don't see Israel as being in a position to pressure America. Lobby yes, but if Israel told America to go take a hike, that could not be termed pressure, as if the reverse were true that would be lots of pressure.
Translation: Abandon the innocents to be butchered by the Palestinian jihadists.
Forget the Palestinians.
Translation: Leave the Palestinian jihadists to carry out their genocide unopposed.
I don't doubt there are some bad apples here. Let's take corrective measures. I think prudence is the only rational course here. I just want to make sure we don't over react.
Thanks. D1
Ah, TD. Either-or, it took you long enuff to start using your backup, eh? How's "Original Dissent" coming? A little dead? The EU-nazis seemed to think it was run by a wuss. Joke's on them, huh? ;)
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