| Author | Message | | dangerousdna | | Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 3:52 pm Post subject: The Israeli lobby counts on your ignorance |
| http://www.pbs.org/georgewashington/milestones/farewell_address_read3.html
The Israeli lobby counts on your ignorance
These are the people who wield the most influence over our government's foreign policy in the Middle East. And it's because YOU, ME and the rest of the American public have refused to stand up and be counted. The Israeli lobby has filled this void because they know that you are not paying attention. They also know that you, being good complacent American sheep, are not likely to go rooting around for the answers to this entire ME puzzle. This lobby counts on your ignorance. AND IT HAS COST US DEARLY, and it likely WILL AGAIN. Now, nobody's expecting you to don a kaffiyeh and sing allah's praises, or join hands in a rendition of Kumbaya. But for chrissakes people, 'SNAP OUT OF IT!' (Olympia Dukakis to Cher, 'Moonstruck'). This next (neocon) war (Iran), may be the deadliest and costliest yet. What do you suppose George Washington would do if he were alive today? Would he not raise his voice, would he not STAND UP FOR JUSTICE?
George Washington warned us early on about the evils of a passionate attachment:
So, likewise, a passionate attachment of one Nation for another produces a variety of evils. Sympathy for the favourite nation, facilitating the illusion of an imaginary common interest, in cases where no real common interest exists, and infusing into one the enmities of the other, betrays the former into a participation in the quarrels and Wars of the latter without adequate inducement or justification: It leads also to concessions to the favourite Nation of priviledges denied to others, which is apt doubly to injure the Nation making the concessions; by unnecessarily parting with what ought to have been retained; and by exciting jealousy, ill will, and a disposition to retaliate, in the parties from whom eql. priviledges are withheld: And it gives to ambitious, corrupted, or deluded citizens (who devote themselves to the favourite Nation) facility to betray, or sacrifice the interests of their own country, without odium, sometimes even with popularity; gilding with the appearances of a virtuous sense of obligation a commendable deference for public opinion, or a laudable zeal for public good, the base or foolish compliances of ambition corruption or infatuation.
As avenues to foreign influence in innumerable ways, such attachments are particularly alarming to the truly enlightened and independent Patriot. How many opportunities do they afford to tamper with domestic factions, to practice the arts of seduction, to mislead public opinion, to influence or awe the public Councils! Such an attachment of a small or weak, towards a great and powerful Nation, dooms the former to be the satellite of the latter.
Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence (I conjure you to believe me fellow citizens) the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake; since history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of Republican Government. But that jealousy to be useful must be impartial; else it becomes the instrument of the very influence to be avoided, instead of a defense against it. Excessive partiality for one foreign nation and excessive dislike of another, cause those whom they actuate to see danger only on one side, and serve to veil and even second the arts of influence on the other. Real Patriots, who may resist the intriegues of the favourite, are liable to become suspected and odious; while its tools and dupes usurp the applause and confidence of the people, to surrender their interests.
Washington's farewell address | |  | | | ©2002-2009 WarWithoutEnd.co.uk |
