Who among us cares what Europe thinks?

Submitted by Scott Brown (United States), Jan 16, 2003 at 00:10

Dear Dr. Pipes:

Firstly, who among us cares what Europe thinks about us? I do not. Yes, it is nice to be liked and wanted by friends and family. But I ask you, have Europeans been successful by themselves over the last one hundred years? In my judgment, No. Where would Europe be without our help over the past 100 years? World War I, World War II, Nuremberg Trials, the rebuilding of Europe, NATO, the Cold War, the Korean War, Bosnian conflict. During major and minor conflicts, for feeding the hungry and funding charities, the US has been there for its European allies.

Yet, nothing breeds contempt like success.   It is human nature to want the underdog to become successful, until it happens. Then the successful become scorned and treated with disdain.

America has always been the 'odd' country out.  Since its birth as a nation, America has never had a Dictator, Tyrant, Emperor, King or Theological ruler.

Europe and all other nations at one time or another have had generations of people live under such conditions. Those generations that survived such rulers did so by 'getting along' and not rocking the hierarchy.

The very inbred nature of self reliance, of not being dependent upon others, angers a lot of people overseas and in America.  As does our inner self rule attitude; a man's home is his castle.  The fact a person can own his own home and the government cannot enter it without a search warrant is mind boggling to many of our foreign counterparts. And add the concept of the protected right to
choose to participate or not participate in democracy.  Not to be forced to vote.

Persons from all over the world do what is necessary to enter this country.  You never read of hordes of people being paid huge sums of money to be smuggled OUT of this country.  The free market rules both for social issues and economic ones.

I place a higher value of the opinions of my family, friends, immediate neighbors and above all others my judgment of self. Those who place a higher value to the opinion of strangers than of their own and family shall never please themselves or enjoy peace of mind.


Scott L. Brown

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