With us or against us?

Submitted by C. Atkinson (United Kingdom), Apr 28, 2004 at 07:43

I resent the continued use of the term "they're either with us or against us" that has pervaded US politics in recent years.

When I was younger, I used to hear kids in the playground use the exact same words and it sounded as immature and weak-minded then as it does now.

I find it arrogant beyond belief that a supposedly free and open-minded society such as the one that exists in the United States can find such objection to what is often simply a difference in opinion. The way France's stance on the Iraq War was taken in America beggars belief, simply because - and this is ignoring France's historically selfish political stance - it held a different view on the invasion.

Can Americans really believe that the entire world is governed by such simple black-and-white rules? That there exists an obvious and good way and an obvious bad way and that it is possible for an invidual or country to choose the latter and thereby side itself against the US.

I do not wish to sound pompous, but that notion is child-like at best. The reality is that this is simply not a workable way to exist, and the sooner America learns that the better. There are people out there who, rightly or wrongly, object to your existence and will do all they can to end it. Accept this and things can move on. All that is occuring now is simply fueling ignorance, hatred and segregation.

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