Posted on 11/06/2004 7:45:47 PM PST by my_pointy_head_is_sharp
Not everyone agrees with the concluding line in a recent column that "this is a great country." Remarkably, you can't please everyone.
One of those dissenters put his thoughts into an e-mail not so much delivered to me as aimed like a dart at a bull's-eye. Although it was courageously signed - let that be a lesson to you anonymous complaint-flingers - I'm withholding his name out of an abundance of caution, much like election-night network anchors who delayed calling Electoral College gimmes Mississippi and South Carolina for George W. Bush.
Without the benefit of misleading exit polls, let's just say he's a frequent contributor to the Tribune's letters pages from east Pasco and leave it at that.
Anyway, our correspondent writes, in America, "Ignorance and greed are the dominant qualities now, replacing reason and compassion. We are hated and feared throughout the world."
Worse, we have abandoned our principles by attempting to free the people of Iraq: "If you force democracy on people, it's not really democracy anymore, is it?" (Suppressed for the moment, a hearty, "hoo, boy.")
They Say It's Our Fault
He furthermore complains that "We condemn our less able and/or fortunate people to a life of hopelessness and poverty, while those of us who have achieved success fight greedily to keep every penny for ourselves."
Alas, this is not the attitude of a lone constituent dismayed by Tuesday's election outcomes. Reports in the old media and the new confirm that the animosity animating the anti-Bush, anti-Republican cohort did not fizzle with the elections confirmation of a rightward shift in U.S. sensibilities.
The hate-America-first crowd is not dispersing; it's reloading. And once again, from The New York Times' clueless, condescending columnists' cabal to the guest rants on Slate.com to lefty bloggers whose conviction that the election was stolen is "seared, seared" into their reality, they just don't get it. As Times flibbertigibbet Maureen Dowd recently wrote, "The president got re-elected by dividing the country along fault lines of fear, intolerance, ignorance and religious rule."
Tour The Red States
OK, I just can't stand it anymore: Hoo, boy.
Really, Ms. Dowd, you need to get out more. Visit some red states. Better yet, visit some red counties. Start with this one, where ignorant, intolerant, fearful church-going folks run food pantries, build houses, give away truckloads of toys at Christmas and lately voted a tax on themselves to build more schools and roads.
As for my local correspondent, what follows constitutes much of my response:
Of course the United States remains a great nation. The idea that "forcing" democracy on people, on being decisive about helping individuals of other countries chart their own course, rather than being oppressed by despots, is somehow tragic and misguided is simply silly.
In fact, we "forced" democracy on Japan and West Germany following World War II, and those countries became thriving engines of justice and economic egalitarianism. The brief history of the United States has been consistent in its philosophy of spreading self- determinism, liberty and the rule of law, not men; that is precisely what has happened in Afghanistan (to widespread joy, it's worth adding), and it is the road we are traveling in Iraq.
If this inspires hate and fear, it is only among those people who would prefer to be spoon-fed limited rights by national governments that put quotas on human freedom and individual accomplishment.
At home, we condemn no one. Schools are free and open to all. Employers who discriminate based on ethnicity or gender are subject to legal smackdown.
Furthermore, there is a simple, but virtually flawless, path to economic well-being in America: Graduate from high school. Delay marriage. Postpone children. Avoid drugs and the overuse of alcohol. Show up on time. Folks who follow that simple formula almost invariably find themselves comfortably in the middle class, at least.
I defy anyone to demonstrate any government program, any federal, state or local law, or any line in the Constitution that actively represses or oppresses individuals or classes of people; in fact, just the opposite is true.
Meanwhile, the class of people accused of fighting "greedily to keep every penny" are the most generous on the planet. In 2003, Americans contributed nearly $300 billion to charities, a record in a year that most would agree saw only the beginnings of a nationwide economic recovery. The fact that many of those people donate more to charity than they pay in combined state and federal taxes should be seen as a sign of extreme societal health, not a lack of compassion.
Happily, the evidence strongly commends ours as a nation that values decency, generosity, respect, self-reliance and, to be sure, a safety net for those who fail to cope with America's dynamic freedom.
With all this going for it (not to mention four more years) I reiterate: It is, indeed, a great nation.
Columnist Tom Jackson can be reached at (813) 948-4219.
Chew on that, Shrew Dowd.
Like Zell Miller said last night, " One day after their utter defeat, Nancy Poliskinky is on National TV spewing her play book liberal VENUM. They will NEVER GET IT".
there is a simple, but virtually flawless, path to economic well-being in America: Graduate from high school. Delay sex until marriage. Postpone children until marriage. Avoid drugs and the overuse of alcohol. Show up on time.
It's precisely folks who DON'T get married, who have kids out of wedlock, that are in the greatest economic trouble.
"We condemn our less able and/or fortunate people to a life of hopelessness and poverty, while those of us who have achieved success fight greedily to keep every penny for ourselves."
Um, uh, where, exactly, would this be happening? Exactly?
In the 1700's our patriots "forced democracy" on British sympathizers living in this country. We "forced democracy" on Japan.
People need to read history. It works!
I don't always agree with President Bush, but he is right on the money when it comes to the Bush doctrine on foreign policy. The human spirit yearns freedom everywhere.
This should be laminated and passed out at schools.
They accuse us of black-and-white thinking, but demonstrate they don't understand Americans outside of their liberal metropolises. Hyperboles like "religious rule" is better left describing the theocracy of Iran or Saudi Arabia. In America we say "religious freedom", Maureen.
I am totally over them, the first two words of your post sums it up ever so clearly....They accuse. I suspect that they all have extremely arthritic fingers, with all their finger pointing. Obviously their mothers never taught them manners, such as whining is not acceptable and turns people off, as well as if you can't say something nice just keep your trap shut.
The dems lost for a number of reasons among them being a lack of morals and ethics and let us not forget their constant whining and negativity. And although the election is now over, they continue to whine, typical case of Al Gore syndrome.
Not to mention Our Creator wishes religion for every human being.
It's the "blame America" crowd who have contributed to aiding and abetting the enemies of freedom and democracy.
> "If you force democracy on people, it's not really democracy >anymore, is it?"
Funny, somehow I doubt the only people whom democracy is being FORCED on is the previous dictator. Stupid idiots like Dowd can't grasp that maybe the PEOPLE of Iraq might actually enjoy picking the leader that doesn't systemically kill and rape them.
bttt
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