As we say at Antiwar.com, the best way to spread the best parts of the American way - the rights of the individual, free markets, self-government and so forth - is by example. That when we export our way with force, we lose our own liberty and, by killing people overseas and setting a bad example for those who would like to emulate us, we make matters worse for the average foreigner.
As John Quincy Adams put it in 1821:
"[America] has seen that probably for centuries to come, all the contests of that Aceldama the European world, will be contests of inveterate power, and emerging right. Wherever the standard of freedom and Independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will her heart, her benedictions and her prayers be. But she goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy.
"She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own. She will commend the general cause by the countenance of her voice, and the benignant sympathy of her example.
"She well knows that by once enlisting under other banners than her own, were they even the banners of foreign independence, she would involve herself beyond the power of extrication, in all the wars of interest and intrigue, of individual avarice, envy, and ambition, which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom.
"The fundamental maxims of her policy would insensibly change from liberty to force. She might become the dictatress of the world. She would be no longer the ruler of her own spirit…."
Here is an anecdote from an Antiwar.com reader in the comment section here at Stress. It seemed honest enough to pass on to the rest of ya’ll and a good way to illustrate the larger point:
"Did you know that the Malaysian government used America
Good Afternoon, Scott -
As I read the words of J. Q. Adams and compared such with what loosely passes for “leaders” in our times, it struck me as to the WHY of the ascent of America in the world. Without wars, a nation prospers and prospers handsomely – both in freedom and wealth. On the other hand, given the choice we, the people have made to totally defer to our “leaders”, who, over time, have become our masters, involving us in all manner of aggression, it is equally obvious why we are less prosperous, both in wealth and freedom, than before we made this choice.
When one reads the words of J. Q. Adams and G. W. Bush, the DEVOLUTION of America to amerika becomes quite obvious. For what we have allowed to become our master, we have, are and will continue to pay an exhorbitant price until we are reduced to third world status, replete with all the ignorance and poverty that the third world endures. It will be deserved. After all, we elect, support and believe the cheap con men that each, in turn, lead us over some cliff.
We have lost much that will not be gained. We will, ultimately, lose all. This is the course we have chosen.
kah
Kah,
It’s funny in a way. I saw a list of the pictures of the presidents in order recently, and it is inescapable, just from a portrait, the decending quality of men with that job from 1791 onward. Once you get to the antebellum period, it becomes very clear that the top politicians are mearly mediocre hacks of the Morgan and Rockefeller empires. Wilson the “dreamer,” Truman the Klansman, Clinton the rapist, and now Bush Jr. the legacy spot.
Perhaps it is because I want so badly for it not to be true, I still believe that most Americans would want to fix it if they thought they had a chance to. But we are pretty well donw the path to empire and ruin now. It would take an entire executive branch full of Ron Pauls eight years to repeal the mess that’s been made.
Note: I realize that
I blame the government schools and the goddamn TV.