Posted on 06/04/2005 12:04:01 PM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
No country lasts forever. Thats an inarguable fact.
History reveals three primary reasons why countries fall, governments change and ways of life vanish.
The Taliban, Saddam, Nazis and many other governments fell because of war with other nations.
Revolutions brought on by internal strife, an insurgency, social unrest and disillusionment, reduced respect and admiration of the nations military (note that the Marines and Army are finding it very difficult and sometimes impossible to meet their recruiting goals), loss or reduction of social values and norms, and political extremism bring down some governments. Examples include Iran in 1979, France in the late 18 th Century, China in the late 1940s, and Mexico and Russia in the early 20 th Century.
Sometimes governments just quit for a variety of reasons, resulting in ethnic fragmentation, like in the case of the Soviet Union.
Perhaps you noted that America is currently suffering from two of the three aforementioned reasons why countries fall.
Right now, America is fighting a type of warglobal asymmetric warfarethat has never been fought before by any nation. Our enemies wear no uniforms, abide by no rules, attack civilian targets, are in 90 countries including our own and want every American dead and the country destroyed.
We are suffering from political extremism mostly on the left; a clear reduction of social values and norms; widespread disillusionment when it comes to the war, social issues, politics, and the economy; and even some strife (a huge homeless population, high bankruptcy rate, a massive illegal alien population consisting of between 16 and 20 million people, etc.).
What makes many Americans think America is invulnerable to collapse or destruction? Such a belief is spectacularly arrogant.
History applies to all countries. According to history, we are far more at risk than what most Americans believe.
Extremists in the media (the Denver Posts Reggie Rivers, the Rocky Mountain News Jason Salzman, the New York Times Tom Friedman, Paul Krugman and Maureen Dowd; Bill Moyers, Air Americas Al Franken, Michael Moore, Barbra Streisand, Tim Robbins, Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon, Ed Asner, et al), politics (Howard Dean, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Rep. Barbara Boxer, Sen. Ted Kennedy, Sen. John Kerry, Sen. Robert Byrd, et al), and our collective societal commode (Ward Churchill, Louis Farrakhan, et al) are trying to dramatically change America as we know it. From their influential (upon many Americans suffering from muddy thinking) positions, such radicals fuel the flames of hate and discontent among those who are repulsed by the very idea of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Fury, frustration and disbelief replace reason and respect when these types are forced to accept major political losses and when they realize most Americans disagree with their fanatical agendas. Their shrill fanaticism acts as an accelerant in creating an emotional inferno among the followers of such would-be tyrants, which increases the chances America falling while advancing the time line for our demise.
Nevertheless, many if not most Americans, in their complacency and ignorance of history, believe we have no reason to worry; that America will always exist regardless of history and the threats currently facing our nation.
How very, very wrong they are.
Eh? You dug up a five-day-old thread for that? Bob wished me well in precisely the way Burger King employees wish me a nice day: because "bugger off!" isn't in the company handbook.
I'm not trying to score points for cruelty's sake. I've been reading diatribes about the "end" of America for decades, and I think they're dangerous because they're melodramatic and wrong. It's important that we understand the actual challenges we face. The way empires fade in the modern world is to stay right where they are and wane in power and influence to the number three or four slot.
Ozymandias has left the building.
And for all your intelligence and knowledge of Shelley, a little courtesy will go much farther than the line of argument and attack you are taking. That is my point.
I do not wish to argue theories of democratic or national recurrence with you. The Muqadimmah has also left the building.
bttt
>>I thought I was the only one with thoughts this dour. I literally fear for the continued existance of this country. Of course, I am branded a whacko if I express it.<<
The Sky is Falling - the Sky is Falling. Nonsense. The Roman Empire is doing just fine. Rome will never fall cuz it never has. End of brilliant argument.
I refuse to believe in this defeatism. We are too relilient a nation. We are winning the war on terror and we are defeating the domestic terrorist at home(liberals)
Besides, we haven't used our trump card in this war yet. I feel sorry for the innocent Iranian people who will be photo copied top the floor.
Some people then say that America should have several hundred years more of dominance, since we're not even three hundred years old yet.
But as a very astute historian once pointed out, it might be more accurate to measure longevity in terms of events, not simple chronological time.
Comparing our event-filled history to an age when it took several years after a declaration of war for opposing armies to meet, instead of a few days, one might say we've alreay lasted a heckuva long time.
Alexander Fraser Tytler
I agree. The greatest Democratic experiment of history isn't about to fail. Free men here would rather do business with other Democracies than fight them. But if attacked, WE HAVE ALWAYS DEFENDED OUR WAY OF LIFE. And we have always rose above it, irregardless of the outcome. (I.E. Vietnam) Some would have said that Vietnam was a sign of the iminent decline of our country, but then came one of the greatest leaders of all time, Ronald Reagan, and with his vision the country rose and he led the fall of the communist Citadel, the Soviet Union. History has always smiled upon us and it is by the grace of God, I believe.
Winning against the domestic terrorists at home? Uncontrolled immigration, outsourcing American jobs, mandatory multiculturalism, the dumbing down of our schools, drugged out kids who listen to "50 cent" and "tu-poc," complusory pre-school gaining momentum, a proposed law to ban spanking, a voodoo economic system, and lots more. What of the quality of Americans these days? Men don't know how to be men any more and feminism is the rule rather than the exception. It's common for able bodied men to live off of their relatives so they can use drugs and avoid responsibility. Mothers abandoning their children so they can be drug addicts while grandma and grandpa raise the kids. Children who abuse their parents and disrespect their elders. Having two cars and a big house more important than raising kids at home. Marriage is faltering even in the bible belt. College kids on ecstasy and experimental homosexuality common there. 1/3rd of Americans obese. These things are not the exception anymore, they are common occurrences.
We are losing the battle against domestic terrorism, and it isn't just the liberals who are responsible.
"No arsenal or no weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women."
Well stated at the time. It's nice to see it in print again.
I'm not sure that arms or barriers of the sea will protect us so much as what President Reagan said.
You've taken a sampling of the worst of America. This is not the majority. How about the conseravative middle class of this country who is going out and putting their lives on the line fighting this war to defend us? This article suggest we fall over and die. We are not perfect by far,but we still are the gratest country on earth.
"You've taken a sampling of the worst of America."
I live in Caleefornia.
A lot of our casulaties in the war on terror are from California.
I pray for each and everyone of them.
nothing a well placed nuke (Mecca) wouldn't resolve.
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