Bill Safire thinks our "personal, political, and national character" are "stronger and better than ever"
The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Columnist: Character Is Destiny:
Call me a chauvinist unilateralist, but I believe America's human and economic sacrifices for the advance of freedom abroad show our personal, political and national character to be stronger and better than ever. This moral advance will be more widely appreciated as an Islamic version of democracy takes root. (What's triumphalism without a triumph?)What universe is he living in?! We're thinking of death squads to supplement our already-impressive assortment of morallly indefensible behavior (extraordinary rendition, detention without trial, torture, etc.) and our national character is "stronger and better than ever"? This is patently fascist speech. I fear for our country...
It is that growing strength of national character - more than our individual genius or political leadership or military power - that ensures the future success of America and brightens the light of liberty's torch.
posted by AmyN @ 1/12/2005 09:56:00 AM
1 comments
1 Comments:
The term "national character" makes me extremely uncomfortable, and it is definitely not inconsistent with fascist speech. But beyond language, I believe that this country's internal problems are so massive that any foreign adventure that does not begin with an armed attack on our soil can only be seen as a wilful distraction from our real responsibilities.
I realize that the commenter probably regards the events of 9/11 as "armed attacks on our soil." I do not. They were acts of rogue terrorism, and if I'm sure of anything it's that the Administration has done nothing to warrant faith in its ability to combat rogue terrorism.
Post a Comment
<< Home