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On The Precipice

”What kind of peace do I mean? What kind of peace do we seek? Not a Pax Americana enforced on the world by American weapons of war. Not the peace of the grave or the security of the slave. I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living, the kind that enables men and nations to grow and to hope and to build a better life for their children - not merely peace for Americans but peace for all men and women - not merely peace in our time but peace for all time.” – JFK


To think that the actions and policies of the United States do not determine what occurs in other countries is representative of the same ignorance that blindly follows, that quickly stereotypes, and can always be counted on to condemn. Tomorrow, the people of the United States will not only be representing themselves at the polls, they will also be representing countless others that are directly affected by US policies.

Democracy is not easy. Democracy is not a form of government that allows for disinterest. It is not for the easily bored, the uncaring, and the lazy. It is a participatory, ever evolving situation that relies on the vigiliance of the citizenry to properly function and be truly representative. Thus, one has to wonder why those who exhibit extreme patriotic fervor have to be coaxed off of their couches to actually participate in their own government.

What happens tomorrow in the United States is, without question, the most important event of my lifetime. The result will immensely influence the geo-political landscape for decades to come, solidify or help nullify numerous precedence, and directly affect hundreds of foreign governments and those they rule or represent.

That is not to say that a Kerry victory tomorrow will change water into wine. It merely represents a chance for the American people to make clear that what has been done in their name over the last three years has been unacceptable. It is a chance for a new American president to attempt to repair some of the damage caused by the most reckless administration in US history. In the end, it will, of course, remain business as usual in the United States. The US will remain the world’s largest weapons producer, it will still retain the largest WMD arsenals, it will still occupy Iraq and Afghanistan, it will still have 700+ active military installations world wide, it will still use NATO as a defacto branch of its own military, it will still economically strong-arm other nations, and it will still be a nation immensely influenced by corporate ambitions.

But if the people of the United States can take this first, small step, perhaps they’ll be willing, in the years to come, to go the rest of the way.

In the name of countless dead Iraqis, Afghanis, Central and South Americans, and South East Asians, one can only hope the people of the United States actually begin to practice what they preach. Some call it democracy. It is, unfortunately, anything but.

It’s time that was changed.


Matthew Good