Hat tip Het Vrije Volk
A lot of friends send me the latest video from British commentator Pat Condell. Up to now I don't think I have ever posted one, but this is an exception. Condell doesn't much care for any religion, but in this piece he attacks President Obama for not speaking up about the persecution of Christians in Islamic nations. It is worth a listen.
Since when is it the business of the President of the United States to speak about persecution of Christians in foreign nations?
ReplyDeleteWe have come to expect the White House to serve as a bully pulpit for All Good Things and Condemning Evil. It is no such thing. It serves as the center of the executive branch of the government of the United States.
Just as the president really should not have said anything about gay marriage, because it is simply not in his jurisdiction, the president should not be making abstract remarks about persecution of Christians.
I say "abstract," not because the persecution is abstract, but because the measures which could be taken are almost nonexistent, so the condemnation would be abstract.
Answer these questions:
Will any of those engaged in such persecution be PERSUADED to cease, by the president's words?
Will the president be able to exercise sufficient force to REQUIRE then to cease?
If the answer to both questions is "No," then to speak hollow condemnations will only bring discredit upon the United States as a "paper tiger."
Abraham Lincoln never said one word about abolition of slavery until he could be sure of having both public opinion and the sentiment of the army behind him in doing so.
John Adams, when Spanish colonies revolted and looked to support from the United States, said "The United States goes not forth seeking dragons to slay." Sure, our hearts were with them, but we didn't have the troops, money, ships, to go fight Spain on their behalf. The Monroe Doctrine, weak in practice though it was, came AFTER most Spanish possessions freed themselves, to deter attempts to send armies from Europe to RE-TAKE them.
So, lay out your program ye who call upon the president to condemn persecution of Christians: shall we send the Marines, impose economic sanctions, flood their lands with unarmed apostles of civil disobedience?
The president should speak of those things the president has real power to act upon. And remember, this is not a Christian Nation, is it Findalis?
The point being made in Condell's video is that no nation or group of religious fanatics shall murder others in the name of their religion, in this case Islam. To ignore the murder, is heinus and this is what Obama is doing by not condemning it. As human beings, we have the responsibility to point out atrocity and do as much as we can to help or fellow man. This is the point Siarlys, humanity saving humanity, not your banal banter about past history,
ReplyDeleteSquid
Squid, as I'm sure Miggie knows, those who fail to study history are condemned to repeat it. Your choice of quaint adjectives is the banter of an ignorant man who doesn't want facts getting in the way of his prejudiced thinking.
ReplyDeleteYou offer a more specific point than Gary, but the question remains, what shall we do about these murders? Words should be supported by action.
In the case of Nazi persecution of Jews, there was a legitimate critique that the United States could have done something: it could have accepted the boatloads of Jews that got out of Germany, which would also have put some pressure on Hitler. He maintained the Theresianstadt myth for a reason.
If the president were to, e.g., emphasize that anyone with a credible fear of being killed for their religious faith is eligible for asylum under U.S. law, that would be concrete.