I don't know, the nuking of anyone is pretty criminal... Especially if they surrender first, and more than a half dozen attempts at surrendering are made. Harry Truman killed civilians because he would not negotiate a peaceful surrender. It's the only time in history that a nuke has been used against a civilian population. (Unless you count Woomera, when the Brits bombed the aboriginals in 1950s - that was a nuclear test, see, and so it doesn't count).
As far as being the best the world's got - that's pretty jingoistic. How about Sweden? or Denmark? France? The United Kingdom? Or Canada? How about Switzerland? Oh, what about Japan? Oh, here's a good one - Bahrain. They're all pretty damn good.
Even if you believe that we are the so all and end all of government and foreign policy, it's seems fair to say that we could still be better. Significantly better. Visibly better. I'm not talking about invention - I'm talking about morals and ethics that have been established for hundreds (and in some cases thousands) of years. Certain principles - altruism, egalitarianism, fair play, justice - even compassion - things that we preach, we don't practice. That's what I'm on about - sure, we'll continue to screw up, but one would hope that the screw ups are inadvertant, not intentional.
I'll agree that we have more mobility - socially, financially, etc. This is a land of exceptional priviledge. I sincerely belief that the reason things are THE WAY THEY ARE in this country is that the majority of people have a lifestyle that would make them practically royalty in most other countries. It's easy to sit back and watch the world go by - odds are, you personally will be unaffected by any but the most major disasters. And why would you do something that might lessen your personal empire? I mean, I could volunteer at a soup kitchen, but I've got a Nintendo, for chrissakes.
But there is no excuse for political apathy. We grouse about the hows and whys, but how have you (the rhetorical you) changed the way things are done? Is voting enough?
It's a big mess. And who's to blame? Well, if Democracy works the way we claim it does, it's on you and me.
This is on my mind lately, but I'm not sure it's true: Does the two party system keeps our country at war with itself? Clinton reduces the deficit, and Bush wages war to the tune of umpteen billion.
Re: Off subject, but still relevant
As far as being the best the world's got - that's pretty jingoistic. How about Sweden? or Denmark? France? The United Kingdom? Or Canada? How about Switzerland? Oh, what about Japan? Oh, here's a good one - Bahrain. They're all pretty damn good.
Even if you believe that we are the so all and end all of government and foreign policy, it's seems fair to say that we could still be better. Significantly better. Visibly better. I'm not talking about invention - I'm talking about morals and ethics that have been established for hundreds (and in some cases thousands) of years. Certain principles - altruism, egalitarianism, fair play, justice - even compassion - things that we preach, we don't practice. That's what I'm on about - sure, we'll continue to screw up, but one would hope that the screw ups are inadvertant, not intentional.
I'll agree that we have more mobility - socially, financially, etc. This is a land of exceptional priviledge. I sincerely belief that the reason things are THE WAY THEY ARE in this country is that the majority of people have a lifestyle that would make them practically royalty in most other countries. It's easy to sit back and watch the world go by - odds are, you personally will be unaffected by any but the most major disasters. And why would you do something that might lessen your personal empire? I mean, I could volunteer at a soup kitchen, but I've got a Nintendo, for chrissakes.
But there is no excuse for political apathy. We grouse about the hows and whys, but how have you (the rhetorical you) changed the way things are done? Is voting enough?
It's a big mess. And who's to blame? Well, if Democracy works the way we claim it does, it's on you and me.
This is on my mind lately, but I'm not sure it's true: Does the two party system keeps our country at war with itself? Clinton reduces the deficit, and Bush wages war to the tune of umpteen billion.