I wasn't referring to Al Qaeda or the Taliban when I said that America needs to stop being the bully. I was referring to Iraq and Iran, South Africa, and pretty soon North Korea. Sure, the end result has been "better"... but what I was referring to was America's thoughts that WITH OR WITHOUT the help of NATO and our allies, that we had the right to swoop in and MAKE things better.
Sure, its prudent and necessary for us to ask for help in defeating our enemies. But when that help isn't offered, its bull-headed and arrogant of us to assume that we should go plowing our way in anyways. Your Nazi example is a great one. After Germany invaded its surrounding countries, we did nothing. After France and its Allies were partially successful in thwarting the Nazi efforts, we did nothing. Finally, after Russia, Japan, China, and half the middle-east were involved in the conflict, America got involved. It wasn't a situation where a dude was going around insulting people, America said "lets stop this", and was told by the majority of the world to stay out of it. Apologize for American exceptionalism? Never. But America is LOSING (if not already HAS LOST) its exceptionalism. Those freedoms you speak so fondly of are quickly disappearing. What is exceptional in discrimination of homosexuality (not Religious shunning.... POLITICAL discrimination)? What is exceptional about Guantanamo Bay? What is exceptional about National Security where we can't even carry a toothbrush onto an airplane cuz somebody who hasn't shaved in a few months looks a little questionable? Most Charitable? What is exceptional about lawsuits over spilt coffee and short-changed orders? Largest Economy? What's so exceptional about a financial recession (dare I say depression) second only to that of the 30s (and soon WILL be second-to-none if things don't change) ? The only exceptional thing we have left are the thousands of men and women who risk their lives everyday so that Americans can go about our normal lives pretending we aren't even AT war becuase it's not happening here. But those same men and women are serving a governent so corrupted and so immoral that the term "human" barely fits, let alone "exceptional". We have become so spoiled, so numb to the world, and so sheltered that we are no longer an Exceptional country. And I think its about time America.... not its president, not its government... but its PEOPLE started apologizing to the world-community. ~Jay On Fri, Apr 10, 2009 at 10:27 AM, Jarrad Reiner <[email protected]> wrote: > Magnanimity and Arrogance??? > > Stop assuming that Al Qaeda and the Taliban are US enemies only. And that > we want NATO's help to fight an enemy they do not share. Nothing could be > farther from the truth. Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups are at war > with European democracies and have staged attacks on at least 5 members of > NATO: Denmark <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Danish_embassy_bombing> > (2008), England > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_July_2005_London_bombings>(July > 7, 2005), Turkey <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_Istanbul_bombings> (Nov. > 15, 20 2003), Spain<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Madrid_train_bombings> > (Mar. > 11, 2004), as well as multiple attacks against the > US.<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_al-Qaeda_attacks> > > > And don't assume we're trying to force our allies to help fight a common > enemy, Obama asked them at NATO, they declined and thats it. The US IS NOT > FORCING anyone to help us defeat terrorism. > > Its not arrogant to ask our allies to step up the fight against a common > enemy, one that has attacked multiple countries in our NATO alliance. Its > prudent Obama do so, especially since he cherishes the idea of the "world > coming together" for the common good. Before US entrance into both WWI and > WWII, our allies in Europe begged for military assistance and even though we > had not been attacked directly (or officially even entered the war) we sent > them the tanks, planes, guns, gear and equipment they needed to fight off > the Nazi menace. > And as was the case in both wars; once attacked we entered the war with a > full out effort and sacrifice of American blood that ensured a victory > against multiple enemies on several continents. > > Don't apologize for American Exceptionalism.... > > American Exceptionalism is what drives the largest Economy > <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html>the > world has every seen, the strongest military > <http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Which_nation_has_the_strongest_military>the > world has ever witnessed, and the most charitable > giving<http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/233106/america_the_most_charitable_nation.html> > the > world has ever known. What drives American Exceptionalism??? Freedom. > > I'll boast all day long about the unique Freedom's our Constitution and > Bill of Rights grant the American Individual. Those Freedom's are what set > us apart and allow us the opportunity to Excel. We are unique in that > regard, and to apologize for it, be ashamed of it, or even to take it for > granted is a crying shame. > > > Jarrad > > > > > > On Apr 10, 2009, at 11:35 AM, Jay Wilson wrote: > > > In our minds and hearts, most Republicans go straight to Reagan’s > description of the shining city on the hill when we hear the term “American > exceptionalism.” We see America as the solution to the world’s most > intractable challenges. While we understand that we are not perfect, we see > America as the nation that gives the most, works the hardest, and fights the > fights that need to be fought to protect free people everywhere. > > > Sure, we used to be. We used work the hardest, give the most, and fight the > fights that need to be fought. But somewhere along the line, we started to > work a little lazier, give a little less, and fight the fights that we WANT > to fight. We migrated from protectorate to bully. > > Obama could have said to the Europeans: “We may be a young country, but we > are a great country. We are not perfect. We make mistakes. But a whole lot > of good has happened at the hands of generous and brave Americans over the > last eight years. We have saved countless lives on the continent of Africa > from senseless deaths by fighting AIDS and malaria. Despite ongoing > challenges, a vibrant democracy is growing in Iraq. Women and girls have > returned to school in Afghanistan. America has prevented further attacks at > home and abroad. Yes, we face challenges. Our economy is in crisis, and > America will do her part, but you must do yours. The threat of terrorism is > dire. The fight in Afghanistan is at a crucial juncture. We need you to send > troops to fight alongside our brave men and women. It is the only way to > ensure that we will all be safe and free.” > > Yes, this is all true. But that doesn't give us the right to sit back and > gloat. If nothing else, we must strengthen our resolve and continue to > better ourselves. And who made America the "safety police" and gave us the > right to say you (other countries, specifically allies) must fight to keep > others safe and free. This is exactly the magnanimity and arrogance for > which Obama is apologizing. > > Maybe next time America will have acted more appropriately for an "American > Exceptionalism" speech. > > On Thu, Apr 9, 2009 at 5:28 PM, Joel Brauer <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Because someone needs to! >> >> Joel Brauer >> >> Only you can decide to be happy! The rest of life is in the details... >> >> >> >> On Thu, Apr 9, 2009 at 6:34 AM, Jarrad Reiner <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> >>> >>> http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-04-08/why-is-obama-apologizing-for-america/full/ >>> >>> >>> Jarrad >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> > > > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Politically Opinionated Outspoken People Expounding Religion" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/pooper?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
