Thursday, November 13, 2003
Moral Patriotism
But this essay is particularly relevant to myself, because I do not live in the United States, but, in certain ways, I feel closer to America than Canada. So how should I deal with that?
Maybe it boils down to the crux of what Lyman wrote:That means that the first duty of every citizen, who is, as I have said, the author of the government's actions, is the protection of fellow citizens.Watching the Canadian military waste away in the irresponsible belief that America will protect us, and the Liberal government's pathetic position on the Iraq war, maybe it all disillusioned me into focusing on the country that is protecting Canada, which would be the United States.[Two paragraphs later]
Furthermore, subordinating this first duty of the government to the will of foreign governments - to use a domestic analogy, allowing the neighbors to vote (with veto power!) on the question of whether you should feed your children - is treason.
In the sense of the essay, even countries who opposed the war like France and Russia were doing better: they were well aware that the UN was a tool for them to effect their foreign policy (tie up America). Canada's position was completely subordinate to the UN's. What's worse, the Chretien government's decision to deploy to Afghanistan before the Iraq war was blatantly an attempt to avoid a commitment to deploy to Iraq, thus tainting the mission. What a slap on the face to the Canadian Forces, who do serve their country with pride but crippled by their own government.
I can only hope that the unite-the-right movement get somewhere, toss out the Grits, and restore some pride in our sorry state.
