printThe following is taken from my new WND column, “In Defense Of Obama’s Apologizing”:
“… Contrary to conventional conservative wisdom, there is nothing wrong with expressing regret for wrongs done by your country’s government, as opposed to its people. This is a well-meaning, if perhaps inconsequential, gesture.
Face it, what Republicans are really fuming over is BHO’s public expiation for the Bush I foreign policy, for which they themselves cheered. …
I hope the next president apologizes for the many innocent Afghanis BHO is busy killing in that country.
As do I hope the next incumbent apologizes for this president’s shabby treatment of the Israeli prime minister, or of Mr. Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota.
It’s a bit late, but an apology on behalf of Harry S. Truman is in order for deliberately dropping on Hiroshima and Nagasaki the Little Boy and the Fat Man—as the atomic duo was dubbed affectionately—and vaporizing 210,000 innocent Japanese civilians…
Is ‘America,’ then, bad because of deeds its bureaucratic or political corps commits? Not at all. …”
The complete column is “In Defense Of Obama’s Apologizing.”
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Do you really think there will BE a next president? Just kidding of course, but Obama seems the type to declare himself president for life a week before he has to vacate his office. All in the name of hope ‘n change(tm) obviously…
I can’t help but share the fears of vrye denker, even though I know the chance of such a thing happening is unlikely.History doesn’t step down after all. 😉
Anyway, I do agree with BHO’s decision on this, although I’m skeptical of his motivations in doing so. I’m convinced the bombing did not need to happen, and was a result of early Cold War politics.
Hi! If things go sour here in America, I believe President Clinton established a number of executive orders that enable a president to assume martial law in these states; it is possible that any president might declare himself (or herself) Caesar.
My question is about the penultimate stanza: was the implication that we have devolved into a social democracy from being a constitutional republic, or that we were never a constitutional republic to begin with? [the first] Most Americans have no concept that we were designed to be a constitutional republic [I should have considered that; I thought it was common knowledge] rather than follow the whimsy of its rulers, and instead believe that we live in the mob-rule of a democracy.
Nobody cusses the government more than I do. It’s certainly OK to do so if you are an American talking to Americans. Not if you are the President of Mexico or the American president talking to foreigners. Let’s get real here. Obama is not trying to “do the right thing” in acknowledging past American blunders but rather actively trying to bring down the country as we knew it. I refuse to give him credit for that. For the record, in my opinion, dropping the bombs on Japan was not among our blunders. I’ve covered this many times in this blog and won’t bore all with my rant this time, but if I was in Truman’s place I would have dropped them too.
“Ours is a social democracy, no longer a constitutional republic. Inherent in a social democracy is the free election of freewheeling politicians who are at liberty to do as they please.”
That point being made – and accepted – may excuse Obama’s apologizing but does not excuse thede rigeur nature these litanies have taken on; they’re now just short of protocol.
Also, it’s one thing to make apologies; it’s quite another to rhapsodize the non-existent virtues of those he’s apologizing to – such as he’s done in the past in Mexico and re Islam – it sort of takes the pretty off the rose.
( 1 ) Sorry to point this out but Bush II (not I) was the one who “regime changed” Iraq – Daddy Bush just exaggerated Saddam Hussein as “worse than Hitler” and kicked him out of Kuwait.
( 2 ) The Chinese do not welcome North Koreans crossing over the border – and are perfectly content to shove them back to their death. Yet we have Filipe lecturing that we “discriminate” – does he mean that if I go to Mexico, then (a) I don’t have to show papers, (b) I am entitled to English translators in all transactions, (c) Anna gets Mexican citizen rates at University, and (d) I can get free medical treatment. If you believe that, I have a bridge in Brooklyn to see you.
( 3 ) No problem apologizing to Germans for firebombing their cities since Germany repented for Nazi atrocities. The Japanese government STILL denies all their numerous war crimes (mostly against Asians) and doesn’t deserve that courtesy.
(4) However, the relatives of the 4 million Indochinese killed unnecessarily because the US pursued this “Domino Theory” by prolonging a civil war at their expense are entitled
to a big apology.
You are wrong a hundred different ways when you say Obama is just apologizing for the policies of Bush.Obama is saying “sorry”because most Americans have still bitter feelings towards Muslims because of what happened on 9/11.He is sorry because we are still angry that no Muslim came out on 9/12 and condemned the brutal acts.He is sorry because we will not bow down to Muslims and their “peaceful”religion.He is sorry because Americans believe in freedom,we believe that America is indeed a Christian Nation.Obama is sorry because he has not been able to turn America into his dream land where Americas are meek helpless beings and sharia law is the law of the land.
In regard to your comment on apologizing about dropping the “A”bombs on Japan on behalf of Harry Truman;
What would be the alternative?
It seems to me more people would have died on both sides, had the {Americans) allies invaded the main land.
Governments are a legal fiction. Politicians rarely regret anything they themselves have done, but are more than willing to apologize (on behalf of their government) for things other politicians did before them. IMHO, apologies from politicians are as fictional as the governments they represent.
Thou hast made valid point in a most invalid way. Obama is not a deep thinker nor is he a caring person. He is a disgrace of the highest order. I would have dropped the bombs were it I at the time. I lost lots of kin to the japs and the Germans. Apologize, not on your life. I believe we should never go to war without declaration but apologizing is bunk, period. There is no defense for Obama, he is a traitor of the highest order and I am having problems with this article being one of your long time fans. Defend this country against all comers outside or inside our borders, never apologize.
I’m trying to stay on-topic here, but as you’ve pointed out, Ilana, violation of the borders of a sovereign country and the refusal to defend our own are related issues. If apologies are in order, both Obama and Bush must apologize to the American people for refusal to defend our sovereignty. How much moreso is that true when, even today (the subject of your recent post), Homeland Security is refusing to recognize the Arizona law (and its own constitutionally-prescribed duty.)
It might be worth noting that Obama, like JFK, has filled his foreign policy positions with the so-called “best and brightest” (Ivy League academics, with no connection to the American people at all) http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/05/americas_death_by_professor.html) which is an ominous sign of things to come. I’d take 100 Sarah Palins any day over these clowns. Hopefully, I will never have to make such a decision.
We used to have a constitutional republic instead of a social democracy until the American people were foolish enough to vote President Obama into power.
[The republic died almost century before BHO.]
I do agree with you regarding Truman dropping the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki for which our government has never apologized. The deaths of 210,000 civilians can never be justified. The end can never justify the means. President Obama is not apologizing for any of the incidents you mention. Instead, he is apologizing for Arizona enforcing a law which is already a federal law. Neither he nor any of his administration have read the law. Arizona has taken a stand and done what the federal government should be doing, which is protecting our southern border. The President tells the Mexican President that we do not have borders only familial ties with Mexico. Obama bows and apologizes to the Muslims while mistreating our friends and allies, the British and the Israelis. No wonder the Europeans do not trust our government and there have been 14 terrorist attacks since Obama took office.
There’s one big difference, the government of the U.S. is the people and vice versa. It is one thing for dictator #2 to apologize for the past actions of dictator #1 etc. but it doesn’t work that way with us. That may sound naive to many who feel that we’ve lost control of our government in recent times, but that’s us by definition until we change that definition. It does more harm than good to pretend to the World that we already have.
As a pastor friend told me once Ilana, “It looks like you stirred up the Brethren” Out of my respect for the Japanese, and my understanding of the defenses of Japan in 1945, I have supported the bombing; however, we also said that we would accept no surrender but an unconditional surrender. I wonder if we explored any other means of taking their surrender BUT bombing and invasion, which would have resulted in the extinction of the Japanese race. I do agree that the president should apologize for some of the US’s activities; but, again not just that perceived as Bush’s infractions, but the Democrat’s as well. An example of which is the US having ‘agent provocateurs’ to interfere in the politics of other governments promoting abortion and other US policies, which he is openly doing.