| |
|
Christ, I was gonna start a thread on this very topic: thought of calling it "Sifting the Rubble for Diamonds"...
See, about the only thing that's keeping me going right now is the hope that somehow, a finer world will come out of this. The post-World War II era is often thought of as a "golden age" in the US. It wasn't, of course, but there were huge, important social changes across the world, both positive and negative: the seeds of the Women's and Civil Rights Movements (planted by Rosie the Riveter and the integrated armed forces), the democratization of Japan, pan-European cooperation, the collapse of the British Empire. And if nothing else, World War II guaranteed that Fascism (as a political movement) never again be regarded as acceptable, even intellectually fashionable, as it was in the 1920s and 30s.
So what are the best outcomes we can hope for?
- A national/international dialogue on the sins of America's foreign policy, and a recognition that, in large part, we brought this upon ourselves: putting our house in order.
- An understanding, in the US, that we are part of the international community and NOT to be afforded special privileges as so-called "leader of the free world."
- A discrediting of religious fanaticism generally: in particular, an abandonment of the distorted, bloodthirsty Islam preached by a handful of pissed-off mullahs and an embrace the true faith, rooted in compassion and mercy.
- The United States signing on to an international tribunal. We cannot be above the law: if those with grievances against the United States have an honest chance to air and settle those grievances under international law, then violence and terror are no longer the imperative and the necessity that they are now.
SO many dead: dear God, let them not have died in vain. |
|
|
