Posted on 04/29/2005 5:30:29 AM PDT by Tolik
<< Who then are America's friends?
Perhaps one billion Indians, who appreciated that at a time of recession we kept our economy open, and exported jobs and expertise there that helped evolve its economy.
Millions of Japanese trust America as well. Unlike the Chinese, who on script vandalized Japanese interests abroad in anguish over right-wing Japanese textbooks, Americans — who at great cost once freed China — without such violence urge the Japanese to deal honestly with the past. After all, the Tokyo government that started the war is gone and replaced by a democracy; in contrast, the Communist dictatorship that killed 50 million of its own and many of its neighbors is still in place in China. At a time when no one in Europe seems to care that Japan is squeezed between a nuclear North Korea and a nuclear China, the United States alone proves a reliable friend. >>
BUMPping
[Thanks for the ping, T'lik!]
I thought that was the best line of the piece. I also enjoyed the entire last paragraph.
True enough.
That's gonna leave a mark.
I remember reading that they were shocked then. But I don't read French, and really would love to know, how long did they stay shocked, did they do anything about it, do they still remember or care?
"The EU is well past being merely silly, as its vast complex of bureaucrats tries to control what 400 million speak, eat, and think."
"Its biggest concerns are three: figuring out how its nations are to keep paying billions of euros to retirees, unemployed, and assorted other entitlement recipients;"
Well, we've got one thing in common.
Exactly. -- That same line makes perfect sense when altered to apply to us:
'-- The USA is well past being merely silly, as its vast complex of bureaucrats tries to control what 300 million speak, eat, and think. --'
"...Personally, I'd rather live in a country that goes into an anguished national debate over pulling the plug on a lone woman than one that blissfully vacations on the beach oblivious to 15,000 elderly cooked to well done back in Paris...."
That's gonna leave a mark.
27 CGVet
Given VDC's political stance on individual rights, I would doubt that he supports State control over the way we die. But he wants to "live in a country that goes into an anguished national debate" on that subject, just like millions of the rest of us.
It's the freedom to have that debate that's important.
- And the freedom to reject State controls on the issue.
First were the reports of the heatwave, then came the overflowing hospitals of heatstroke victims, then the deathcount... the final news report was that the elderly who had died weren't being picked up by their kin; ie: they "preferred" to stay on their vacations and decided to keep their family on ice in the local morgues rather than cut short their most-highly important vacations. After that, other "more important" news took the foreground, and the issue sort of just embarassingly was swept under the rug.
The intellectual side of me recognizes that this sort of thing happens whenever the people have become complacent enough to let the government handle all it's problems (any government big enough to give you everything you need is strong enough to take everything you have") - and that's what the socialism-blunted euros have allowed themselves to devolve into. But my visceral gut roars out in rage against such a despicable act. No vacation; NOTHING!!! is more important to me than the welfare of my kin.
And these people deign to criticize our country? Me rozo los cojones con ellos! Their nation is dead; they just don't know it yet.
This is true and something that I immediately kenned from VDH's writing from the moment (3 years ago) I first read his work.
I wouldn't be so sure about that.
Victor Davis Hanson: A Secretary for Farmland Security
Question Time: What to Ask John Kerry; Spread Democracy
Somehow, I missed the latter.
Long live strategery...and VDH!
This is one of VDH's best.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.