I've been doing some rather intensive research of late for a project dealing with World War I. 2014-2018 are centenary years and many projects are being planned, or are currently underway. Anyway....
A good deal of my research has been necessarily focused on WWI as it pertained to Great Britain before, during, and after WWI (and even into WWII). Patience...it matters. I hope you will follow me just below the squiggledoodlethingey fold, and consider what I think about it. I'd love to know what YOU think about it.
Before and during the beginnings of WW1, issues central to Britain's domestic preoccupations were focused primarily on a European War not exclusively on British soil--even though artillery bombardments in France could be heard at times in London. One of the preoccupying thoughts of the British citizen during that war was "It could happen here."
Decisions made affecting not only British combatants, volunteers and civilian citizens "on the continent" had more to do with principles and ideas, ideals; i.e., what things are worth standing (and dying) for.
Kaiser Wilhelm II had built a military Navy which would give Germanyt military supremacy on the seas to that of the British Royal Fleet, and subdue it. This was essential to an eventual invasion of England (among other reasons). Aeroplanes, tanks, hand grenades, poison gas attacks, bombings of civilian populations from Zeppelins, barbed wire, trench warfare, machine guns, fighter vs. bomber airplane squadrons (aerial tactics) and many other articles of destruction were invented "for" this war.
The debates in Britain during those desperate days around principles, ideas and ideals were often as contentious as decisions about war materiel. Patriotism, militarism, nationalism, socialism, communism, paternalism, suffrage...and democracy, too all had their constituencies during these days. Honor, Influence, and Power (HIP) seemed, in the coming postmortems on WW1, to be extremely powerful driving forces for the central powers as well as the allies. Every combatant had sufficient reason to believe (they thought) to claim self defense as their reason for entering the war. That's a powerful principle of a nation-state. It can also (as WWI forward, proves) be sincerely held, yet completely wrong. America herself was, while appearing to be non-involved at the beginning of the war, very much involved long before declaring war in 1917. The world itself was learning about what mattered, and how the power of what mattered could bring honor, influence and power to virtually any nation, or any continent.
Decisions Britain would make in the postwar years, and specifically in WW2, would not deal with principles, ideas, or ideals. Rather, conflicts now raged internally around the notions of survival as a nation, survival of democracy anywhere in the world, and western civilization as a whole. Principles, ideas and ideals were still present, but held in a significantly different regard.
What has any of this got to do with us?
We, as citizen, and as a nation must do the right thing. We must do that right thing for the right reasons, in the right way, at the right time. Unlike Britain, however, I believe that first we must fight for the survival of our national identity--for democracy as it was originally founded, endorsed and supported. Like Britain, we must clearly understand that this survival is the only acceptable outcome. We, the citizen, seem unanimously convinced that that survival cannot happen in the current USA configuration--it's documents, its tenents of equality for every person, its leadership...is just wrong. Many sincerely hold these beliefs. I submit that, while they may be sincerely held, such declarations are wrong. We must correct these errors, as a nation. Now. Why?
Here's a really superb talk on that very point. I wish I could have said it as well. Please take the 20 minutes' time to listen, and consider:
Lawrence Lessig is speaking in a theater in Washington, D.C. after a screening of an upcoming movie, "Killswitch!" (My thanks to Eric Byler and the crew over at http://www.storyofamerica.org/ for the production of this video.)
Those words did not somehow magically align themselves into the ether. In reality, they cost the original author of them his life through suicide. They were the final distillation of months of passionate discussion and reasoned debate. I believe they are entirely sufficient today for any requested information regarding the "Why?" of our actions, this nation, each citizen, and what is happening around them all
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Secondly, consider where we as a people, as a nation find ourselves in these present times. Ask yourself if you find these conditions to be positive, or even acceptable to you as a citizen of the United States in 2015. No speeches, just a bit of simple, personal relection and consideration. (Enter the principles, and ideas, and ideals I spoke of before.)
What is it we are attempting to save? Why? Who cares, and why should it matter?
In my personal view, it is imperative that we, each of us, find an answer that we, as individuals can stand upon--no matter what. We must give that answer in not such as way as we will be understood. We must give that answer only in a way so that we cannot possibly be misunderstood. We must give that answer to each of us...quickly.
Most importantly, we must, together, give that answer to our chosen Advocates in such a way as they cannot possibly misunderstand, or misinterpret, or mis-communicate to their electors, the courts--or each other. Their answer must, and must only be, our answer. They are not somhow required to agree with it, or to even believe it. Our Advocates' requirement is to give iour answers voice--with all the skills available to them, in an arena filled with unbiased deciders. Our answers must be given the power of equality against those who would deny or refute them. If we do not give our advocates (elected leaders) this, what s/he requires most, it is our failure alone.
Yes, truth matters first. Truthful Ideas matter. Truthful Ideals and principles? Well, for me they probably matter most. It is the "Why?" of a thing which tends to infuse progressive thought.
It is that power of "Why?" which bends the arc of justice toward justice for all. It can sustain a person, or a movement--or a nation--through very dark days.
If we would but ask those of our fellow citizens who care at all to care still, and to care more, then with our answers to these imperative questions we will have them, citizen who will act. Then equality can happen. It must happen. Now.
If we waffle, or waiver, our cause will inevitably be lost.
I'm not willing to lose this fight because, for me, the cause is not merely a good one. It is the right and best one. For us all. It is the only one.
That's why.
(Further, the Deponent sayeth not.)
Climbs down from it, his box o soap