Admittedly, I missed the first part of the clip in which the President talked of his hopes for Latin American vitality, and it's always dangerous to extrapolate much from little. Nonetheless, the comments I did here from a Presidential news conference over the weekend were stark. We want the people of these countries to prosper, the President asserted, because the healthier their economy, the more U.S. goods they will buy from us; and the more prosperous they are at home, the less likely they will be to cross our borders. At least in the portion of the news conference I heard, the President could think of no other real reasons for our compassion -- like the simple value of their lives or our own human obligation.
It is fascinating -- in a detached sort of way: religion is said to play such a formative role in our culture, but its influence seems conspicuously absent in such a rationale. I'm not a scholar on world religions, but I can think of no religious tradition -- Christian (liberal or conservative), Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist or Hindu included -- in which such a motivation would find rooting soil. Simple, selfless compassion -- respect for the well-being of all human life as something holy and precious -- is, rather, the basic undergirding conviction. In the Christian tradition the parable of the Good Samaritan comes to mind. But, then, we are citizens of a country whose leaders preached that the best response to the terrorist acts of 9/11/01 -- the best way to heal our wounds -- was for all of us to go out and shop. No mention of "listening to understand" or penitential self-examination; absent was any thought of forgiveness, let alone any consideration of it. Aside from teeth-clenched promises of retribution, the only word we were given was, "shop."
The President's remarks over the weekend put U.S. foreign policy in a whole new light. It's not really about creating a safer world or promoting global peace, it's about holding onto our own and expanding market share. The State Department as national "national advertising agency" and the Pentagon as assertive "sales force." So to speak.
Perhaps Saddam Hussein's real crime was not that he thuggishly terrorized and murdered his own people -- despots, after all, seem to do that all the time with impunity. Perhaps his real crime was that he simply started shopping elsewhere.
And we hate to lose a customer.
It is fascinating -- in a detached sort of way: religion is said to play such a formative role in our culture, but its influence seems conspicuously absent in such a rationale. I'm not a scholar on world religions, but I can think of no religious tradition -- Christian (liberal or conservative), Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist or Hindu included -- in which such a motivation would find rooting soil. Simple, selfless compassion -- respect for the well-being of all human life as something holy and precious -- is, rather, the basic undergirding conviction. In the Christian tradition the parable of the Good Samaritan comes to mind. But, then, we are citizens of a country whose leaders preached that the best response to the terrorist acts of 9/11/01 -- the best way to heal our wounds -- was for all of us to go out and shop. No mention of "listening to understand" or penitential self-examination; absent was any thought of forgiveness, let alone any consideration of it. Aside from teeth-clenched promises of retribution, the only word we were given was, "shop."
The President's remarks over the weekend put U.S. foreign policy in a whole new light. It's not really about creating a safer world or promoting global peace, it's about holding onto our own and expanding market share. The State Department as national "national advertising agency" and the Pentagon as assertive "sales force." So to speak.
Perhaps Saddam Hussein's real crime was not that he thuggishly terrorized and murdered his own people -- despots, after all, seem to do that all the time with impunity. Perhaps his real crime was that he simply started shopping elsewhere.
And we hate to lose a customer.
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2 comments:
"Religion" is not the opiate of the people.
Consumerism is the true opiate of the people, one which can truly compete with religion for peoples deepest affections and aspirations.
There is a reason why Jesus talked so much about money, and how you cannot serve both God and money. The pull money offers is so strong as to compete with the Almighty for our loyalty.
Tim:
Dad sent me this link...Greg and I are a so thankful for your counsel, and I see that you continue to "council" through your trip and commentary. I've asked you before, but I assume a book is in order? I hope this finds you well...we have two boys--Grayson (9) and Griffin (6)...I am in Galveston with them...wondering why exactly Greg has to "work" this week. I believe I know why...did Christopher and Merrill fight like this????? Love to you...Tana Brown Weiss
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