Old And In The Way (Decline and Fall of Europe)

American Enterprise Magazine ^ | December 2002 | Karl Zinsmeister

[dasboot]

Best article I've read in a LONG time.
Karl is wicked good!

[American in Israel]

This is the vaccume that Islam is moving into. The near future of mankind is not a pretty picture for our Nation is sliding into a self serving mode too. As we abandon morals for a free xxxx society, the load on the remaining workers increases until the roof falls in.

Great post, thanks

[patj]

This is a GREAT post! Thank you so much. I wish that this would get huge play in the US. It counters everything that the NYT and other media "bigs" try to tell us about ourselves. We Americans should be proud of ourselves and not ashamed, as our media would have us believe.

[DB]

Excellent article. Thank you for posting it.

Europe doesn't seem to have a clue to what is rapidly happening to it.

I don't fear the EU simply because it is a destructive economic force, not a constructive one. Their ability to compete is falling, not growing.

[Erasmus]

Splendid article. I do have a couple of factors to bring up that Karl seems to have overlooked.

1.
Near the end of the piece he talks of new world alliances, in particular where the US will have to look for strategic partnerships (as he points out, certainly not "EU"rope). But he fails to mention, unless I blanked out while reading the piece, Russia. In the Western World, it has the best chance of being an economically and socially dynamic democracy, one with which we can make increasingly common cause.

Ironically, Russia standing on the outside of NATO serves this purpose; because it may become necessary, in the face of increasing EU hostility and interference, to abandon NATO and let the deluded Euroweenies take on their own defense. (A good start will be when we pull our forces out of Germany, something that must be done as soon as we can secure alternative facilities, e.g. in CIS states.) Since Russia's not a member, they won't have to go through the possibly tortuous process of pulling out, and it will be easier for us to forge a 'post-NATO' relationship with the only military power in Europe that will really count.

Of course the Russian/CIS connection is in addition to Asian alliances. We all know there may unfortunately be Hell to pay in that region; but perhaps the political and economic difficulties with the big players there (read: China and Japan, respectively) will pass, or at least abate to where they do not blow up world affairs. Or the World <)B^(.

2.
Karl makes illuminating points about the changing demographics of the EU states. But he doesn't use the "I" word, and to me this is the elephant in the powder room.

EU politicians are already afraid of their Islamist populations, and as the 'anglo' population declines, the politicians will become ever more pusillanimously deferential to the Islamic Mob. We're talking about a resurgence of brown-shirtism here, and it has the same potential for wrecking what's left of Western Civ on the Continent.

And, as in 1933, we Americans will not be able to remain aloof. Indeed, as some have said, in historical implications 9/11 in some ways resembles Pearl Harbor; in other ways, Krystallnacht or the burning of the Reichstag.

3.
One final comment. The UK is at one of the great crossroads of her history. She's going to have to choose between EUrope and America. Which way she chooses determines her future, if she is to have one.

[tictoc]

Three webloggers weigh in with their own thoughts on the article. All have good points to make.

Steven Den Beste I

Steven Den Beste II

Eric S. Raymond

Dilacerator (from The Netherlands)

[DB]

This one MUST BE BTTT!

[BlueLancer]

bookmarked ... and BTTT

[Utah Girl]

Interesting article on the future of Europe.

[Diverdogz]

Old And In The Way
Lyrics: David Grisman
Music: David Grisman


Chorus
Old and in the way, that's what I heard them say
They used to heed the words he said, but that was yesterday
Gold will turn to gray and youth will fade away
They'll never care about you, call you old and in the way

Once I hear tell, he was happy
He had his share of friends and good times
Now, those friends have all passed on
He don't have a place called home
Looking back to a better day, feeling old and in the way

[chorus]

When just a boy, he left his home
Thought he'd have the world on a string
Now the years have come and gone
Through the streets he walks alone
Like the old dog gone astray, he's just old and in the way

[chorus]
[chorus]

Recordings

8 Oct 1973 Old And In The Way

[knighthawk]

A long read. Thanks for the ping and BUMP!

[uglybiker]

BUMP

[americanbychoice]

bump
Wonderful analogy, I totally agree

[NathanR]

An interisting article

PING

[sunshine state]

Very interesting. Thanks for posting.

[tictoc]

I like the lyrics.

David Grisman... the name rings a distant bell... popular bluegrass music?

[tictoc]

Is there a chance of keeping this up in "Foreign Affairs"?

[Diverdogz]

You got it. He's a top notch mandolin player who plays bluegrass and jazz. He often collaborated with former Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia.

[tictoc]

Bump