True common interests

Submitted by Jay B. (United States), Mar 13, 2012 at 17:46

The real "common interest" that few understand is that they share a bond much stronger than land or politics. They are among the handful of countries on this planet that still believes in human rights as a fundamental in their philosophy. Both the U.S. and modern Israel were created as an escape from European tyranny - over freedom of worship, thought, expression, etc. They both have similar constitutions with a similar "bill of rights" for the individual which is the "supreme" laws of their land, and does not need "supreme leaders" or kings.

Maybe the U.S. made mistakes in the past when it assumed that most European nations also thought that way, and then took millions overseas to help it free itself from tyranny. Yet it wasn't until 2003, nearly 60 years after WWII, that Denmark's Prime Minister became the first leader to openly admit its government's "morally unjustifiable" collaboration with the Nazi menace.

Only Britain, Europe's first democracy since ancient Greece, stood firm, and thereby honestly deserved our help. Thomas Erskine May, one of the writers of Britain's first Constitution, described ancient Israel as the birthplace of "liberty" and "freedom" :

Israel is the country, above all others, which Christendom regards with respect and reverence, as the birthplace of its religion. Its sacred writings are cherished above all the works of human genius. Scholars revel in the masterpieces of Greek and Roman genius: but Christians of every creed, throughout the world, pay homage to the higher inspiration of the Hebrews. . . . That a race more entitled to our reverence than any people of antiquity should have afforded an example of popular freedom, notwithstanding their Eastern origin, and the influence of Eastern despotism, by which they were surrounded, is a conspicuous illustration of the principle that the spirit and intelligence of a people are the foundations of liberty. The Eastern race which was distinguished from its contemporaries by the purest faith, and the highest ideal of morals, afforded also a conspicuous example of freedom.

What Britain, the U.S. and Israel share in common is that we did not collaborate and throw away our human rights. A "common interest" worth defending? What do you think?

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