Posted by: Anonymous
[ip: 71.59.40.134]
on July 05, 2008 01:15 PM
As a US citizen, I do not pretend the rest of the world has the same idea of democracy or opinion we in the US hold dear. It is clear most do not. Our representative republic is only one version of democracy in the world and history shows the Greek's were the first to document democracy.
That being said I also find the reference to universal suffrage and subjugation of natives as a US only problem not historically correct even if that was not the intent. There are many countries in the world during that period engaged in the same issues as the US including Europeans / Asians / Australasians. Europeans subjugating Jews and Blacks, Japan subjugating Koreans and Australia subjugating aboriganies.
Lastly the decision to use the US Armed Forces for good or ill is a matter of opinion. Who's good or ill? Another opinion related statement. As a US citizen, I perceive the opinion of when the US sends it's Armed Forces somewhere in the world for good or ill depends on if the US decided or the world decided, i.e. the UN. If the US decided then it is ill and if the world decided then it is good.
Example: WWI, WWII, Bosnia, Korea, Darfur(Did not go) were okay by the world. Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan were not okay.
As a US citizen of the country with the most powerful Armed Forces in the world and a contributor of taxes to pay for said Armed Forces, I want my country to decide when to use or not use it's Armed Forces. I am not concerned with world opinion. A statement of arrogance? From your perspective yes, but from mine no.
As a US citizen, I will be glad to here a treatise on universal democracy, military support, health care, food distribution were all people are treated justly and fairly. It will probably never happen. The concept of justice and fair play are opinion based. Throw in religion then universal justice and fair play become impossible.
Though 1776 was not the birth of democracy in the world, it was in the American Colonies. Before 1776, the colonies did not have representation in Britain. One of the reasons there was a rebellion. It is our country's birthday and we celebrate it regardless of what the rest of the world's opinion of us is!
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Posted by: Anonymous [ip: 71.59.40.134] on July 05, 2008 01:15 PMThat being said I also find the reference to universal suffrage and subjugation of natives as a US only problem not historically correct even if that was not the intent. There are many countries in the world during that period engaged in the same issues as the US including Europeans / Asians / Australasians. Europeans subjugating Jews and Blacks, Japan subjugating Koreans and Australia subjugating aboriganies.
Lastly the decision to use the US Armed Forces for good or ill is a matter of opinion. Who's good or ill? Another opinion related statement. As a US citizen, I perceive the opinion of when the US sends it's Armed Forces somewhere in the world for good or ill depends on if the US decided or the world decided, i.e. the UN. If the US decided then it is ill and if the world decided then it is good.
Example: WWI, WWII, Bosnia, Korea, Darfur(Did not go) were okay by the world. Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan were not okay.
As a US citizen of the country with the most powerful Armed Forces in the world and a contributor of taxes to pay for said Armed Forces, I want my country to decide when to use or not use it's Armed Forces. I am not concerned with world opinion. A statement of arrogance? From your perspective yes, but from mine no.
As a US citizen, I will be glad to here a treatise on universal democracy, military support, health care, food distribution were all people are treated justly and fairly. It will probably never happen. The concept of justice and fair play are opinion based. Throw in religion then universal justice and fair play become impossible.
Though 1776 was not the birth of democracy in the world, it was in the American Colonies. Before 1776, the colonies did not have representation in Britain. One of the reasons there was a rebellion. It is our country's birthday and we celebrate it regardless of what the rest of the world's opinion of us is!
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