On the Road to Global Utopia?
Bonnie Alba
August 05, 2006
Last Tuesday British Prime Minister Tony Blair gave a nice speech to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council. Full of nice words. Instead of Radical Islamic Terrorists, he referred to this global warfare as “reactionary Islam,” an “arc of extremism now stretching across the Middle East and touching, with increasing definition, countries far outside that region.”
He also replaced religious principles and morals with the word “values” or “global values.” Here we go again --- it’s all about “values.” Blair spoke of a visionary future, one where the “values” that win this war will be how the world will be governed. “This is a battle we must win.”
What are these values? “...tolerance, freedom, respect for differences and diversity” as against “reaction, division and hatred.” Does this sound familiar?
The other “values” Mr. Blair stated: “Unless we reappraise our strategy, unless we revitalize the broader global agenda on poverty, climate change, trade, and in respect of the middle East, bend every sinew of our will to making peace between Israel and Palestine, we will not win.”
Mr. Blair painted a rainbow picture of the 21st century global future --- “...in which Muslim, Jew, and Christian; Arab and Western; wealthy and developing nations can make progress in peace and harmony with each other.” Beautiful words. For centuries, Middle East peace accords have been tried, and tried again --- and here we are again watching the struggle continue in the Middle East.
Empirical leaders like Blair and our Pres. Bush have idealistic, utopian visions of “everyone getting along together.” They want us to believe in patriotism, but no longer nationally --- it must become a global patriotism of all countries made one world based on Western “values.” This is where the United Nations may enter the picture. Despite attempts at instituting democratic values and justice, we have seen the United Nations bend to corruption and evil just as much as individual nations.
An idealistic realism. Yes, the world is moving -- whether we old fogies want it to or not -- towards a complete across-all-borders world economy, stomping on other nations’ dictators and governments along the way.
This vision may come to pass and succeed for a little while, but despite the “all are born good” crowd, human nature is not benign and not born innately good. We only have to look at the daily news to see how humans tend towards all manner of mischief and mayhem.
This unconventional war is one that Americans are divided on but what the Congressional Liberals and Democrats have prescribed --- to retreat, hang the white flag, let the terrorists have their way --- is the way of death.
No, I do not like War. No one likes war. But do we act like a deer frozen in the headlights of a speeding car and wait to get hit? In the case of bloodthirsty Islamic Terrorists, we only have two choices, Convert to Islam -or- Die. Those are the only choices available. There is no compromise, no “I’ll think about it.” No negotiation available.
The one thing Mr. Blair said that rang true, we must persuade and show dictator-governed nations “...that our values are stronger, better and more just, more fair than the alternative.”
Is there hope for our leaders’ vision of global economic and trade equality among all nations, built on Western Values? Look at history. Human nature would have to change drastically before such a dream could occur. Historically the reality is that mankind lives in peace between wars -or- is at war between eras of peace.
The Terrorists and even some of the more moderate Middle East Muslims would like nothing better than for the Jews to disappear from the face of the Earth. This hate will continue in either out-and-out war or reside as side-by-side tensions whatever the future. If there exists a peace, it will always be an uneasy peace even when the world goes completely global in its economies and everyone has a credit card to call their own.
But for Christians, this is just God’s plan in action; Christians will continue to be persecuted worldwide; and we must remain Christians wherever we are:
You will hear of wars and rumors of war, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginnings of birth pains.” (Matthew 24:6-8)
2006 Bonnie Alba
Comments: tttalba@hotmail.com
Blair Speech: www.britainusa.com/sections/
articles_show_nt1.asp?a=42436&i=41029&L1=41004&L2=41029&d=-1
He also replaced religious principles and morals with the word “values” or “global values.” Here we go again --- it’s all about “values.” Blair spoke of a visionary future, one where the “values” that win this war will be how the world will be governed. “This is a battle we must win.”
What are these values? “...tolerance, freedom, respect for differences and diversity” as against “reaction, division and hatred.” Does this sound familiar?
The other “values” Mr. Blair stated: “Unless we reappraise our strategy, unless we revitalize the broader global agenda on poverty, climate change, trade, and in respect of the middle East, bend every sinew of our will to making peace between Israel and Palestine, we will not win.”
Mr. Blair painted a rainbow picture of the 21st century global future --- “...in which Muslim, Jew, and Christian; Arab and Western; wealthy and developing nations can make progress in peace and harmony with each other.” Beautiful words. For centuries, Middle East peace accords have been tried, and tried again --- and here we are again watching the struggle continue in the Middle East.
Empirical leaders like Blair and our Pres. Bush have idealistic, utopian visions of “everyone getting along together.” They want us to believe in patriotism, but no longer nationally --- it must become a global patriotism of all countries made one world based on Western “values.” This is where the United Nations may enter the picture. Despite attempts at instituting democratic values and justice, we have seen the United Nations bend to corruption and evil just as much as individual nations.
An idealistic realism. Yes, the world is moving -- whether we old fogies want it to or not -- towards a complete across-all-borders world economy, stomping on other nations’ dictators and governments along the way.
This vision may come to pass and succeed for a little while, but despite the “all are born good” crowd, human nature is not benign and not born innately good. We only have to look at the daily news to see how humans tend towards all manner of mischief and mayhem.
This unconventional war is one that Americans are divided on but what the Congressional Liberals and Democrats have prescribed --- to retreat, hang the white flag, let the terrorists have their way --- is the way of death.
No, I do not like War. No one likes war. But do we act like a deer frozen in the headlights of a speeding car and wait to get hit? In the case of bloodthirsty Islamic Terrorists, we only have two choices, Convert to Islam -or- Die. Those are the only choices available. There is no compromise, no “I’ll think about it.” No negotiation available.
The one thing Mr. Blair said that rang true, we must persuade and show dictator-governed nations “...that our values are stronger, better and more just, more fair than the alternative.”
Is there hope for our leaders’ vision of global economic and trade equality among all nations, built on Western Values? Look at history. Human nature would have to change drastically before such a dream could occur. Historically the reality is that mankind lives in peace between wars -or- is at war between eras of peace.
The Terrorists and even some of the more moderate Middle East Muslims would like nothing better than for the Jews to disappear from the face of the Earth. This hate will continue in either out-and-out war or reside as side-by-side tensions whatever the future. If there exists a peace, it will always be an uneasy peace even when the world goes completely global in its economies and everyone has a credit card to call their own.
But for Christians, this is just God’s plan in action; Christians will continue to be persecuted worldwide; and we must remain Christians wherever we are:
You will hear of wars and rumors of war, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginnings of birth pains.” (Matthew 24:6-8)
2006 Bonnie Alba
Comments: tttalba@hotmail.com
Blair Speech: www.britainusa.com/sections/
articles_show_nt1.asp?a=42436&i=41029&L1=41004&L2=41029&d=-1
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