We have learned nothing

Submitted by Stephen E. Connor (United States), Apr 7, 2009 at 14:09

"Freedom has limits we should respect what is sacred." Why make this sound so insidious? This is not a new concept. We are all (who are not sociopaths) in agreement that freedom has limits. We are constantly in dispute about the exact placement of the boundary. The common phrase that "your freedom stops at the nose of your neighbor," expresses one idea of such boundaries. ... We should have learned by now that this is not a productive enterprise. We should have learned from our experience in Korea that the way to victory over oppression is to introduce an inclusive vision of freedom and allow it to naturally overcome its opposition.

The existence of a prosperous S. Korea has done more to defeat the forces of N. Korea than any of our troops and weapons did. The existence of Shang Hai and Taiwan has had the same liberalizing effect on Communist China. Victory in Iraq did not begin until the insurgents were incorporated into the plan for liberty and democracy and that is precisely the way to defeat Islamist oppression. By rejecting Turkey we send exactly the wrong signal to all Islamic people. By grouping them among "the enemy" we make them our enemy. History has shown us that this is not only idiocy but futility. We should have learned that from recent history even if our society is ignorant of ancient history.

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