Friday, June 19, 2009
War from the Right? War from the Left.
Sympathy and good will to the Iranian people. We share in your disappointment if the election did not turn out the way you had hoped. We know what that's like in America, that feeling that something wonderful was going to happen but someone pulled the rug out from under the wonderful. I felt that way in 2000 when a lot of ballots in Florida seemingly destined for Al Gore were (due to a jumbled up, misguided voting page) instead marked for Pat Buchannan. And this threw our election to George W. Bush.
To my liberal and progressive friends who empathize with the plight of the Iranians who are marching for a true Democracy, please realize that there are forces at work in the world who very much want to encourage war with Iran - and will use any avenue. When they want to drag us into war from the right, they prey on our fears. They fill our heads with horrible scenarios of imminent nuclear annihilation, bloodshed, death and turmoil. They create and exploit anxiety. They say we have to go to war otherwise we'll be attacked. We cannot be made vulnerable, we must be diligent and ever on the offense.
When they feel the nation is more liberal and progressive, for instance, and under the leadership of a more thoughtful, compassionate President - they have other ways. They'll appeal to our humanitarian instincts. They'll tell us that we must go and stand by others in the world who want freedom. That we must help them in their struggle. It's the right thing to do.
When they want to drag us into war from the right, they prey on our fears. When they want to drag us into war from the left, they appeal to our higher angels. Please keep this in mind. Either way, war in Iran has been on the agenda for certain powerful people for many years now. They don't care how they get us into war - it's war they want. How it happens is no matter to them.
Sympathize with the Iranians, yes, but always remember that our own Democracy here in the USA is also very fragile, vulnerable and imprecise.
- Jayson Tanner
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Excellent post Jayson. Human beings have a natural inclination toward fanaticism - it feels good to be revved up about something. Although it is incredibly liberating to be able to embrace the causes of other lands and cultures that are trying to break free from dictatorships, it is more important than ever to do your research, because in doing so you will strengthen your ability to truly affect change, should you so desire. Just waving the proverbial flag of peace, albeit with the best of intentions, without doing the reseach, could do more harm than good.
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