But nearly everyone said America was. It was what our Constitution was based upon. And, ironically, what do we have to say for it? The list goes on, but I'll divulge anyway: Slavery, several unjust, and horrifically destructive, imperialist wars, our own labor camp program in WW2 against Japanese-Americans, cultural suppression of women, and, recently, an answer to the Soviet Union's gulags in Siberia, a grassroots Hitler-Youth-esque Pentecostal children's camp, and an answer to the Soviet Union's gulags in Siberia. That's right, an American Gulag, named Guantanamo Bay. Even more ironic is that its located within a Communist country. The Russians at least had it in their own land.
Even if, in practice, we aren't yet as bad as Jong Il, Saddam, Khomeini, Hitler, Franco, Mussolini, etc, the fact that we said we were the "liberators" and pro-human rights makes all the difference. America the Great Hypocrite. Nicholas Kristof in the NYTimes wrote about how he attempts to rail human rights practices in China only to be met with scoffs and accusations of hypocrisy. And you know what? They're right. Thanks to Curious George and his villainous circle, we, as a nation, as "world police," as a past President once called us, have absolutely no credibility in this regard whatsoever.
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Why did we blow off Angela Merkel's carbon emmisions proposal? Who's decision was it to do this? I'm almost speechless, the words remaining are obsceneties; I am dumbfounded at the utter incompetence, ignorance, and arrogance that our country displayed leading up to the G-8 conference. Even funnier, perhaps, is that the Egg House had to change its mind and Curious George was somehow pursueded to come up with emmissions goals of his own! I am of the opinion that only catastrophes have the power to change human minds; Bush must have gotten a nice slap in the face by someone in his dark circle.
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I don't even want to talk about the latest Repiglican debate. I'm absolutely disgusted. There's a book coming out soon by a Science Columnist in the New York Times about why democracies make bad decisions. The question is, will they do it again?
"I pledge allegiance
To the Christian Flag
And to the Saviour,
For whose Kingdom it stands.
One Saviour, crucified, risen and coming again,
With life and liberty for all who believe."
I don't have much confidence.
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I think I know how to fix this country. As a model, I cite the Articles of Confederation. To start, I think the federal government should be less than minimal, its only function would be to resolve disputes between states and the production of national currency. States would be almost completely independent, much like a tiny EU, with freedom to rule as liberally or conservatively as they wish. There would be no federal military institution, and it would be illegal for any state to possess anything more than the police forces we have now, and illegal to use those forces as paramilitary units. War would thus be impossible. Of course we would have very little role in international affairs, but after Iraq, could we afford to? I see this model as a way to provide the most people with the most freedom. Other states could follow suit after a good idea gestates in another, or conversely, other states could resist a more oppressive measure passed in another.
While being somewhat idealistic, and not without flaws, with some examination and tweaking by political scientists, I think my proposal could be quite useful. But now I'm just tooting my own horn, so to speak. I apologize.
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