A funny thing happened on the way to the forum...
After reading some of the comments left about my Debt post, I thought it would be prudent to post a very brief overview of what I feel America's place to be on the world stage. Just as a good teacher has trained his tongue, as the old rabbi put it, to say "I don't know," and a good man of literature knows, in turn, his own linguistic limitations and therefore leaves what he feels to the words of better men than he, I think it best to describe my own quasi-political feelings in the words of two men wiser in the ways of life and politics than I. The best part is that they are both dead. The first is Virgil. In his immortal Aeneid (If you have not read this work, you should just to be a civilized human being. Break down and take the journey), Aeneas is in the underworld talking to his father who, though dead, knows the will of the gods and prophesies to Aeneas concerning his mission of founding Rome. It is here that he gives Aeneas Rome's overall logos. It is this: "Remember, Roman, you rule the nations with your sway (these will be your talents), to impose law, order peace, to spare the conquered, and to make war on the arrogant..." Rome ruled the world-empire for centuries. Eventually Rome was sacked and burned by barbarians shortly after turning Christian. Augustine says that it was necessary for the city of man to fall to make way for the City of God. Never the less, Rome had the power and then the mission for its use: to rule, to impose law, to order peace, to spare the conquered and to destroy the prideful. The being said, I turn to the insight of another man of politics. John Lennon said, on the topic of New York City, among other things, that "America is the new Roman Empire with New York as Rome itself." This is a very bold statement for anyone, Lennon or no, to make. However, think about it. Is America so different from Rome? Both Rome and the US have/had armies spanning the world. The US is THE center of global economics. If America does not want something, it flat out does not happen. Caesar was a living god to the world/Roman people. Can President Bush not make fire fall from the sky? Rome was paramount to her people. Americans are some of the most, if not THE most, patriotic people on the planet. You will not find natives of France, Germany, Japan, Columbia, etc. so in love with their country as Americans are with America. They will kill and die for theirs. We will not only kill and die, we will live and breath for ours. To my mind, America is an empire that even surpasses glorious Rome. As such, it is America's place, as the most powerful empire in the world, to rule, to impose law, order peace, spare the conquered and make war on the arrogant. Where does this fit in with the Debt issue? Rome, with all her glory and majesty, was sacked and burned. Not by any organized army or rival world power, but by barbarians and hunting/gathering tribes. The same will happen to America. It is not anti-American sentiment to say so, but only the track record of history. Since time is circular and history does repeat, it follows that one end will inevitably meet again with the other. Eventually, America will fall. It is the way of things. However, while we can, we must fulfill the destiny of Rome which we inherited. Rule. Impose law. Order peace. Spare the conquered. Make war on the arrogant. America does RULE the world. We made WAR on Iraq, and the Communists before them and the Nazis before them. We IMPOSEd democracy on the Middle-East. We keep PEACE around the world. A large way we can now SPARE the conquered is by dropping the debt they owe us, but can never pay. They are conquered by war lords and stupidity. It is our duty to spare them. America will fall. It is the way of things. Let's try to make friends in low places. Viva Roma.