Les americains idealistes?
President & Mrs. Bush are takin' off for Europe to "mend fences," according to CNN. On the subject, our President said the following:
"We do not accept a false caricature that divides the Western world between an idealistic United States and a cynical Europe. America and Europe are the pillars of the free world," he said. "We share the same belief in freedom and the rights of every individual, and we are working together across the globe to advance our common interest and common values."
What do you guys think? Is this a "false caricature"? Does it cause a truly grave division, or is it a harmless form of satire to see things this way, a sort-of backwards way of appreciating differences by poking fun?
posted by Abbey von Gohren at 4:34:00 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
My thoughts are this…The President of the United States going to Europe to mend fences is a complete waste of time and a waste of our tax dollars. Until the corrupt governments in Europe admit to participating in the $64 Billion dollar scandal also known as the United Nations oil-for-food program and forgive Iraq of the moneys owed to them by Saddam, (who really doesn’t have the money for a good defense lawyer much less, Johnny Cochran), and not by anyone else including the elected government of Iraq.
The United States should be looking as to what countries in the world want to work with the United States of America for a better world. We should embrace these countries and work with them and give those countries whatever help we can.
The fact that this country is the greatest on earth shouldn’t be a drawback to other countries in the world. If they don’t want money from the United States or its citizens, don’t ask for it and furthermore we shouldn’t give it to them. If they don’t want to be our friend, fine. We should pull our embassy out of said country and tell our citizens that they are on there own in that country.
I for one am sick and tired of the United States being the punching bag for Europe. In the next war, you know who will come to their aid, the United States, but as soon as it is over they will complain that we stepped on their mushrooms and pissed in there wine. And of course the United States will be the insurance company of the world and pay to fix everything and make it all better.
Fight your own battles, go to work and stop complaining about the only country that stepped up and made sure that you weren’t all speaking German right now.
2/21/2005 11:39:00 PM
As for fun-poking, it would not be diplomatically useful for Bush to make a crack about the "French Military School of Our Lady of Capitulation" and Chirac to call him a fat ignoramus in return (wait, didn't he already do that?). Things get taken the wrong way, etc. In most cases, it's not the appropriate way for world leaders to publicly appreciate their differences.
For many citizens on both sides, it probably is a harmless form of satire (Triplets of Belleville, anyone?). But when satire turns mean-spirited, the satirist can easily spawn division despite any "not my intention" protests.
We do have plenty of cynics on our own shores as well; they just aren't President at the moment.
I think a true leader should be mangnanimous, even humble enough to maintain diplomatic good will with foriegn powers, however unhelpful they were in certain endeavors. It's no waste to be the better man, especially when representing a country.
Caricatures only work when, beneath the distortion, the true image is still recognizable. A "false caricature" wouldn't have any staying power.
Drop the word "false," and I think he's got the right approach.
2/22/2005 07:20:00 AM
Whereas I understand Matt's point- of-view, I agree with David that humility is an essential component of our attitude towards Europe and the rest of the world. God has blessed this great Nation (and our current leader) with a paradoxical mixture of humility and pride. I think Matt expressed quite well the pride and patriotism on an American, but this must be augmented by humility and forgiveness. Both points of view are necessary, and either one may be (and has been) mis-understood since our country came into being. One of the things that makes America great is having citizens on both sides of the paradox, so we balance each other out.
I guess I see America coming of age. We still have have ideals, but these ideals are being tempered by difficult situations. (WWI & WWII, 9-11, etc.) We must pray for this country and its leaders to keep their American pride and yet continue to sacrifice themselves humbly on the behalf of the downtrodden.
2/22/2005 08:16:00 AM
http://powerlineblog.com/archives/2005_02.php#009642
2/22/2005 10:45:00 PM
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