America must provide moral clarity in a dangerous world
Mike Koprowski
freshman
President George W. Bush recently stated, "The United States possesses unprecedented — and unequaled — strength and influence in the world. Sustained by faith in the principles of liberty and the value of a free society, this position comes with unparalleled responsibilities, obligations and opportunity. The great strength of this nation must be used to promote a balance of power that favors freedom."
I agree.
The United States is the greatest nation in the history of humanity, and we have a responsibility to preserve freedom, liberty and equality around the globe. Time after time, the United States has proven itself to be a bastion of free thought, human rights, civil liberties and freedom — and it is essential to ensure that these ideals be extended to the oppressed and disenfranchised.
Yes, I said it, but I said it because it is an absolute truth. The United States is the sole superpower in the world, and we must lead the world's people in their endless pursuit for liberty.
The United States is a moral country — a country whose ideals have led the world through a sea of darkness. The United States has inspired democratic movements around the world. Europe turned to the United States to help rid the world of the evil regimes in Germany, Italy and Japan. We succeeded.
South Korea turned to the United States to contain the spread of communism. We succeeded. Eastern Europe turned to the United States to catapult the collapse of the evil empire in the Soviet Union. Once again, we succeeded. This is our legacy — a legacy of strength and moral opposition to evil.
It concerns me that a considerable portion of Americans, many of whom are in the academic arena, feel that it is unjust or improper to extend our morality to destitute and deprived nations.
How can it be unjust to demand freedom? How can some Americans, who enjoy such magnificent independence and prosperity, compromise with evil authoritarian regimes who slaughter their own civilians? How can America's most privileged citizens criticize the government for extending the blessings of liberty?
All too many people in this country take our freedom for granted. This type of behavior is irresponsible and hypocritical. The ideals of human dignity and liberty are non-negotiable. It is not impolite or politically incorrect to demand these moral essentials; it is just and right.
To ensure the continued existence of liberty in the United States and the world, we must maintain our military superiority. We must not be naive to the evil in this world — these threats are very real and must not endanger us any longer. As citizens of this great nation, we must recognize the evil before us and forcefully and responsibly rid the world of such terror.
The United States cannot ignore another evil empire, such as the Soviet Union of the 1960s, to threaten free society. The aggressive regime of Nikita Krushchev brought civilization to the brink of nuclear destruction. Evil dictators, with horrific intentions, were allowed to possess deadly weapons. This scenario is far too dangerous to ever let happen again. As President Bush said, "History will judge harshly those who saw this coming danger but failed to act. In the new world we have entered, the only path to peace and security is the path of action."
U.S. superiority is essential to the stability, survival and peace of this world. We must defend peace through strength. The last few decades, in which the United States has been the only superior strength, have been the most stable times in world history, and it is no coincidence — no coincidence because the United States exemplifies the level-headedness to restrain and utilize power appropriately. Unlike other countries in history, we will not use our superior strength to destroy innocent lives or pursue imperialistic desires. Our strength will be guided by a moral compass.
The United States is one of the few countries in the history of mankind to send its own soldiers to die for the liberties of foreigners. We have built a reputation on defending the weak from tyranny and oppression, and now, more than ever, we must combine our moral and military strength to lead the world, once again, to freedom. Never before has such incredible might been harmonized with such moral principle. If we remain committed to our ideals, our service to the world will never be forgotten.
I am confident that we will, once again, find the steadfastness and fortitude to remain committed to our ideals. We must take pride in our standards and not be ashamed to extend them to others. The United States has moral authority over oppressive dictatorships around the world — we always have, and we cannot negate our responsibilities now.
All Viewpoint Stories for Tuesday, November 19, 2002
