Of Imperialism and Democracy

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Thursday, October 27, 2011


Of Imperialism and Democracy

I recently saw an article calling the American foreign policy thrust over the past decade "imperialism." Usually, these are the words of anti-American trouble makers, but this article was from a more well respected columnist that caught my attention. He was writing what I have been thinking for quite some time. The point that the United States has "garrisons" spread throughout the world, especially in the Middle East is just one telltale sign. Its one thing to respond to an enemy's attack on your own soil, its still another to consistently binge on spreading democracy and spend taxpayer money to build nations, especially when those nations have no intention of being democratic or westernized civilizations.

Our leaders promote democracy saying that it brings peace and stability to a nation. They say that democracies are nations that get along with the rest of the world through trade and cultural exchange. Nice idea. But George Washington looked at nation building a bit differently as indicated in his farewell speech. He said, "...a passionate attachment of one nation for another produces a variety of evils. Sympathy for the favorite nation, facilitating the illusion of an imaginary common interest in cases where no real common interest exists, and infusing into one the enmities of the other, betrays the former into a participation in the quarrels and wars of the latter without adequate inducement or justification."

Washington had a simple approach to foreign policy: "Observe good faith and justice towards all nations; cultivate peace and harmony with all. Religion and morality enjoin this conduct; and can it be, that good policy does not equally enjoin it - It will be worthy of a free, enlightened, and at no distant period, a great nation, to give to mankind the magnanimous and too novel example of a people always guided by an exalted justice and benevolence. Who can doubt that, in the course of time and things, the fruits of such a plan would richly repay any temporary advantages which might be lost by a steady adherence to it? Can it be that Providence has not connected the permanent felicity of a nation with its virtue?"

Washington saw a clear connection between God and country. He said that both foreign influence by nations on America and undue influence by America on foreign nations was a bad thing. He seemed to follow the rule expressed by Jesus Christ in Luke 6:31"And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise." Good faith and justice towards all nations, cultivating peace and harmony does not mean overthrowing governments and establishing Islamic Sharia Law through a vote called democracy. And it surely is not doing on to men as you would have them do to you--who but a tyrant would wish Sharia Law unto a people? Our nation needs repentance for the deeds of our leaders and our part in electing them. Its not a political party thing, its an obedience to God thing.

Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson