A Time-Travel Interview With Our Founders
By James T. Moore (09/15/07)
Last night I propelled myself mentally into the past - how I did it will remain my secret--and had a chat with three former presidents--George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Quincy Adams--about our intervention in foreign disputes. I quote their exact words so you'd know I wasn't pulling your leg or making this up.
MOORE: Thank you, gentlemen, for being here. Let’s begin with the stigma of isolationism. They call people who don’t want us to get involved in foreign affairs, isolationists. What’s your take on that, General?
WASHINGTON: “The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is to have as little political connection as possible.”
MOORE: I see. Can we explore that further?
WASHINGTON: “Europe has a set of primary interests, which to us have none, or a very remote relation. Hence she must be engaged in frequent controversies, the causes of which are foreign to our concerns.”
MOORE: What then, should be our policy? And does it pertain to all nations of the globe?
WASHINGTON: “It is our true policy to steer clear of any permanent alliance with any portion of the foreign world.”
MOORE: With all due respect, sir, that seems a bit drastic. What is your opinion on isolationism, Mister Adams?
ADAMS: “For the repose of Europe as well as America, the European and American political systems should be kept as separate and distinct from each other as possible.”
MOORE: Why is that necessary, sir?
ADAMS: “America goes not abroad for monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is champion and vindicator only of her own. She well knows that by once enlisting under other banners than her own, were they even the banners of foreign independence, she would involve herself beyond extrication in all wars of interest and intrigue.”
MOORE: You’re nodding Yes, Mister Jefferson. Why?
JEFFERSON: Our first and fundamental maxim should be, never to entangle ourselves in the broils of Europe; our second, never to suffer Europe to intermeddle in our affairs. America has a set of interests distinct from those of Europe. She should therefore have a system of her own, separate and apart from that of Europe.”
MOORE: Well, I thank you for the interview and your wise observations, gentlemen. We shall certainly bear that warning in mind.
* * * * *
But we have not. What the Founding Fathers warned us about has come to pass. We have scattered ourselves all over the globe “looking for monsters to destroy.” And some of these monsters are now striking back, some in the form of “terrorism.”
As our Founders feared, by meddling in foreign disputes our republican system has been infected with the debilitating “other” World ideas of socialism, militarism, bastard forms of democracy, and tribalism. And it’s destroying us.
It’s time that we replaced our global meddling and endless wars with the old-fashioned virtue of minding our own business.
James T. Moore
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