RickL
April 15th, 2009, 12:04 pm
Barely one month after inaugurating our first African-American president, our first black Attorney General declared that, regarding race, America has always been and still remains a "nation of cowards". Barely a month after that, America's head of state toured Europe apologizing for everything from our Christian roots to our supposed "arrogance" in dealing with the rest of the world. While I do not subscribe to the my-country-right-or-wrong philosophy, one must seriously wonder if President Obama realizes that he is now the symbol of the country he so routinely criticizes.
Unfortunately, the reaction to Mr. Obama's statements might be seen as actually validating his comments. Many suggest, at least implicitly, that Europe must forever bow to America's wishes because we "saved them" time and time again. These comments do indeed give off an air of arrogance. In truth, we only "saved" Europe when our national interests were at stake. We did not charge right in to free Europe from militaristic and colonial monarchs right away. Nor did we march to Germany in 1938 when Nazism and Fascism began to show their true intentions. We fought in 1917 and 1941 respectively when our national interests and safety were threatened. But this is not anything to apologize for either.
While we did indeed fight for our national interests, the bottom line is that we ultimately did shed blood to save Europe from itself. While America was busy creating the most enduring and dignified form of government ever known to man, Europe tried time and time again to destroy itself with the most vicious and evil forms leadership. Whether it was nationalistic monarchies, Nazism, Fascism or Communism which threatened to destroy their continent, America spent her blood and treasure to defeat those threats to the dignity of mankind. Whatever our initial goals, the ultimate outcome was victory for humanity at the cost of America's young. It is our blood which cries out from the ground and now it is our President who ignores their screams.
In its first three months in office, this administration has insulted the memories of almost all America's heroes. Those who died on the battlefields of Antietam and Shiloh in order that men should be free and that America should live up to its creed are deemed "cowards". Those whose lifeless bodies swung from the trees of the segregated South in order that every American have the right to vote are also now remembered as cowards. Now, their memories are forever connected with those of the "arrogant" lives lost on Omaha Beach as our new President replaces the heroic leadership shown by Lincoln, Wilson, FDR, Truman, Kennedy and Reagan with his own brand of American exceptionalism; he is exceptionally good at apologizing for his country's exceptionalism.
Anytime I am about to say or do something of significance, I ask myself "what is the upside". If nothing can be gained out of saying or doing something, perhaps not saying or doing it is the best choice. So, what is the upside of President Obama's recent comments? None. Comments along the lines of "nation of cowards" and "arrogant America" only serve to validate the thoughts of our enemies and lead our supporters to question exactly what it is they are supporting. No good can come from it. I would hope that the leader of the free world would routinely ask himself, prior to speaking or acting, "what is the upside". How can we trust a leader who avoids this question? I am sure that leaders such as Lincoln and Truman routinely asked themselves this question before responding to the grave crises they faced. President Obama is fond of telling us that he has been thrust into a crisis comparable to those. While the commanders in chief who preceded him got us through our tough times with pragmatism and class, our new "Apologizer in Chief" seems to lack those qualities.
No, I do not think the world should bow to America. But, neither do I think it is productive for our President to bow to the world, figuratively or literaly. Stop apologizing, Mr. President. It is neither productive nor becoming.
Unfortunately, the reaction to Mr. Obama's statements might be seen as actually validating his comments. Many suggest, at least implicitly, that Europe must forever bow to America's wishes because we "saved them" time and time again. These comments do indeed give off an air of arrogance. In truth, we only "saved" Europe when our national interests were at stake. We did not charge right in to free Europe from militaristic and colonial monarchs right away. Nor did we march to Germany in 1938 when Nazism and Fascism began to show their true intentions. We fought in 1917 and 1941 respectively when our national interests and safety were threatened. But this is not anything to apologize for either.
While we did indeed fight for our national interests, the bottom line is that we ultimately did shed blood to save Europe from itself. While America was busy creating the most enduring and dignified form of government ever known to man, Europe tried time and time again to destroy itself with the most vicious and evil forms leadership. Whether it was nationalistic monarchies, Nazism, Fascism or Communism which threatened to destroy their continent, America spent her blood and treasure to defeat those threats to the dignity of mankind. Whatever our initial goals, the ultimate outcome was victory for humanity at the cost of America's young. It is our blood which cries out from the ground and now it is our President who ignores their screams.
In its first three months in office, this administration has insulted the memories of almost all America's heroes. Those who died on the battlefields of Antietam and Shiloh in order that men should be free and that America should live up to its creed are deemed "cowards". Those whose lifeless bodies swung from the trees of the segregated South in order that every American have the right to vote are also now remembered as cowards. Now, their memories are forever connected with those of the "arrogant" lives lost on Omaha Beach as our new President replaces the heroic leadership shown by Lincoln, Wilson, FDR, Truman, Kennedy and Reagan with his own brand of American exceptionalism; he is exceptionally good at apologizing for his country's exceptionalism.
Anytime I am about to say or do something of significance, I ask myself "what is the upside". If nothing can be gained out of saying or doing something, perhaps not saying or doing it is the best choice. So, what is the upside of President Obama's recent comments? None. Comments along the lines of "nation of cowards" and "arrogant America" only serve to validate the thoughts of our enemies and lead our supporters to question exactly what it is they are supporting. No good can come from it. I would hope that the leader of the free world would routinely ask himself, prior to speaking or acting, "what is the upside". How can we trust a leader who avoids this question? I am sure that leaders such as Lincoln and Truman routinely asked themselves this question before responding to the grave crises they faced. President Obama is fond of telling us that he has been thrust into a crisis comparable to those. While the commanders in chief who preceded him got us through our tough times with pragmatism and class, our new "Apologizer in Chief" seems to lack those qualities.
No, I do not think the world should bow to America. But, neither do I think it is productive for our President to bow to the world, figuratively or literaly. Stop apologizing, Mr. President. It is neither productive nor becoming.