Lowest Common Denominator
I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free
--Proud to Be an American,
Lee Greenwood
Yet I'm the one who dreamt our basic dream
In the Old World while still a serf of kings,
Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true,
That even yet its mighty daring sings
--Let America be America Again,
Langston Hughes
_______________________
Where at least I know I'm free
--Proud to Be an American,
Lee Greenwood
Yet I'm the one who dreamt our basic dream
In the Old World while still a serf of kings,
Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true,
That even yet its mighty daring sings
--Let America be America Again,
Langston Hughes
_______________________
Ranger suggests the lowest common denominator is that we are all immigrants who left "The Old Country" behind when we headed for the United States. That goes for all of us, from descendants of the Green Mountain Boys to today's first generations.
Our grandparents left Europe to escape the wars that characterized the empires which ruled Western civilization. They left everything behind to escape the dissolution and ennui wrought by the wars of empire.
So what has happened in this great nation of hope since 1914? The United States has involved itself in the wars of Europe, Asia, Southeast Asia and untold other zones. As of 2012, the U.S. had a military presence in almost 80% of the world's nations.
Our history since 1914 has been one of aligning and realigning with empires across the globe. in 2015 the U.S. is involved with Iran, North Korea, Russia and Ukraine, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, et al. -- and to what purpose? Is the U.S. destined to destroy itself through continual war, as did the empires of Europe?
We need to determine what we will leave behind, and what is necessary to keep for our future welfare. Ranger's family left Slovakia and he does not think that either NATO or the United States should fight any war on behalf of the Slovaks, just as they should not for Ukraine or any other national entity.
The Slovaks are no longer his concern, nor should they or any other aforementioned nation be the concern of U.S. military policy.
Labels: emigration, European malaise, immigrants, NATO, Slovaks, wars of empire
posted by rangeragainstwar at 7:29 AM
5 Comments:
Jim- not all our grandparents left Europe. Some left Asia, some left Africa, etc. I'm kinda surprised you didn't just settle for them leaving "somewhere". Would not have diluted the very valid point you make one bit.
Hi Aviator,
"Our" = Jim's and mine.
No dilution -- we see the other people out there, too :)
... just cos we live in FLA doesn't mean we're dopes (dupes?), duh! I think you know we don't hang out at the NRA shooting range <*smile*>.
And when you've read K. (per our quotation), you have a pretty fair sense of our indivisibility-out-of-multiplicities.
p.s. to Aviator,
Your comment actually has reminded me of a post I've been meaning to write regarding the shortcomings of this thing we do here, this blogging.
I remembered that you had chastened me once before (not roughly) @ milpub for something similar.
The view of most others who gather here seems to be either straight-line Left or Right; therefore, if we deviate from the course we are seen as "overlooking" something, perhaps due to our perceived isolation. Perhaps seen as a bit hayseed 'round the edges.
But one may actually be a proper liberal-thinking sort and still be pro-Second Amendment / gun rights, Zionist, not go weak at the knees when race issues are discussed, etc. My liberal might not = yours, but it is still informed by Enlightenment thought plus a dose of Weltschmerz.
To us, it's no fun to just hop on a bandwagon and cry the expected crocodile tears or risk audience censure.
Since I've just revisited Whitman's "Leaves of Grass", I'll snag his wonderful sentiment for Ranger and me:
I am large, I contain multitudes
So thanks for the fillip, Aviator :)
Al,
i state that we all left "the old country" meaning any place on this blue planet.
I also went to the specifics of our central european backgrounds,but i get your point.
Folks come to America to escape their old world.
Usually.
thanks for writing,
jim
Just so it's noted for posterity:
I, Lisa, juxtapose the high and the low for ironic effect; ergo, Lee Greenwood and Toby Keith up against anything else. Some readers might think I'm informed by their gungo-ho lyrics.
I'm not, really :)
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