05.04.08
Exporting Democracy
Should the United States be exporting Democracy? Exporting Democracy seems to be the rational for war these days. As in the Middle East today, a democratic country would stabilize the region.
The requirements for a Democracy include a civilized population willing to pay the price with the courage to stay committed to the ideas of freedom. Should any country, let alone the US, try to export Democracy all three requirements must be met.
The naive among us (including politicians and academia types) think a mission for the US is to export Democracy around the world. Truth is Democracy has been around longer than the US.
Why isn’t Democracy more prevalent around the world? The answer is that there have been very few civilized populations. Respect for others is key to a civil behavior. Respect comes in many forms. Killing, maiming, mind control (religious in some cases), greed and the quest for power are some of the over riding non-respect factors blocking Democracy. Where you find these factors you see a form of government other than Democracy.
Examples of non-Democracy can be seen as close as south-central LA or around the world in places such as Africa and Asia. The lack of civilized behavior in these areas precludes any form of Democracy. The rule of law is power. Simply, the group with the most guns rules. There’s no mutual respect in guns. Guns control using fear not mutual respect.
The US began paying the price for freedom with a war. The enemy was the terribly civilized
British. A war between civilized peoples (now there’s an oxymoron) resulted in the birth of the US. The US exporting Democracy in the 21st century involves war between or among the uncivilized. Whether it is the Middle East, Africa or Asia, the enemy is uncivilized. The uncivilized will never accept Democracy.
The US is hardly an example of the Democracy it is trying to export through war. Can anyone say that we are 100% committed to the ideas of freedom the country was founded? We have presidential candidates today that clearly advocate socialist (sometimes boarding communist) philosophies.
No, the US should not be exporting Democracy. Peoples and countries wanting Democracy should pay the price and fight for their own freedoms. Then they will gain the respect for personhood necessary to have a true Democracy.
Those uncivilized people that want to play with guns and rule people through fear should be isolated. The civilized world should cut off all money, food and weapons from the uncivilized. Strategic missile hits on the headquarters of the uncivilized would send a message that uncivilized behavior is not acceptable.
Hasn’t anyone with power figured out that the uncivilized are no more than children with guns!
