Serious thoughts.

I am an [American], and [proud] of that fact. [United States of America|My nation] was founded on a set of [philisophical] [principles] which I share. They were [revolutionary] at the time. Actually, they're pretty [controversial] now, if you take them seriously.

[Declaration of Independence|I believe that all men - and women - are created equal].

Note that I didn't say all [Americans] there. People in the [Third World], who don't speak [English] and aren't as [wealthy] as I am, are my [equal]s. Their [suffering] matters, and their [lives] matter.

[Declaration of Independence|I believe that we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, including the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness].

Again, that means all of us, including people who will use those [right]s in a way I don't approve of, and people who will [voluntarily] [relinquish] said rights. I will address the issue of [liberty], and the [missing link] to [responsibility], another time.

[Declaration of Independence|I believe that sovereignity derives from the consent of the governed], and that governments are [accountable] as a consequence.

This is the one I want to talk about right now, in the light of some [reactions] to my comments on [September 11, 2002|September 11].

If [sovereignity] derives from the [consent] of the [governed], then any [ruler] - [monarch], [parliament], [dictator] or [president] - who is not in [power] because the people want it that way is a [tyrant]. This applies whether they are in place because of a [coup] or are installed by a [foreign power]. And any [society] that advocates the displacement of a [legitimate ruler], uses its funds to influence [foreign election]s or [civil war]s, or directs its efforts to the [overthrow] of another country's rulers is participating in [tyranny]. This is true no matter how much we dislike the ruler in question or his politics. (Note that assisting in [blessed are the peacemakers|making peace], [arbitrating] between [disputants], and [keeping the peace] with the consent of the people affected are not tyranny.)

This also means that my [government] is my [employee], [answerable] to me. I have the right to [question] and even [criticise] it if I think it is doing the wrong thing. Actually, I have a [responsibility] to do so. [McCarthy|Historically], of course, this right and responsibility have been more honored in the breach than in the observance. Governments don't like [criticism], and when the national mood is particularly fervent, neither do ordinary citizens. That does not [dilute] the [responsibility].

On a more [pragmatic] note, criticising bad government policy is the only way to get good government policy. [Not even mine|No one]'s ideas are universally [correct]; good ideas are developed by [discussion] and [concensus], and bad ones killed by the same process. [Writers] know this - submitting your work to [criticism] is the only way to [hone] and [improve] it. Government is no different, and it is the duty of [responsible citizens] to participate in public debate to help improve policy. The most [pernicious] trend in US public life today is the stifling of this [debate], the denial of this responsibilty, and the relentless [kowtowing] to the government.

But surely, comes the answer, in the [national interest], we have to do things that are [incompatible] with our [Constitution]? They are [unpleasant], but they are [necessary].

I believe we cannot [write straight with crooked lines]. [The ends do not justify the means].

Not even desperate times. This is when we need to cling to our [principles] more tightly than ever.

NB: I believe these are the principles that [USA|our nation] should use in its foreign policy, not as an excuse to [evangelise], but to [limit] our actions. Any [American] policy which deprives a people of their [unalienable rights] is a bad idea. As I said above, a people can voluntarily [relinquish] their rights if they so choose, for instance, by consenting to live in a country whose laws limit them. That's none of our business. Our duty is not to take these rights away against others' will. In my nine years living outside the US, I have yet to find anyone who objects to this approach.

September 13, 2002 (idea)