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Quotational Therapy: Part 115 -- George Washington

George Washington-

From George Washington's farewell address, some advice for diplomats the world over:

The nation which indulges toward another an habitual hatred or an habitual fondness is in some degree a slave. It is a slave to its animosity or to its affection, either of which is sufficient to lead it astray from its duty and its interest. Antipathy in one nation against another disposes each more readily to offer insult and injury, to lay hold of slight causes of umbrage, and to be haughty and intractable when accidental or trifling occasions of dispute occur.

So, likewise, a passionate attachment of one nation for another produces a variety of evils. Sympathy for the favorite 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.

How relevant is that to today, on so many levels?

Mark Steyn, in the November WILLisms.com Classy book recommendation of the month, America Alone, adds (p. 160):

"That neatly sums up the Euro-American relationship: the United States has become a slave to its habitual if largely misplaced fondness for Europe, while Europe has become a slave to its habitual if entirely irrational hatred for America."

Indeed. Can you imagine what someone like George Washington would think about the United Nations and the fact that the U.S. must gain the permission of the likes of Congo, Tanzania, and Qatar (all current members of the UN Security Council) before doing just about anything, internationally?

Previous Quotational Therapy Session:

Milton Friedman.

The right quote can be therapeutic, so tune in to WILLisms.com for quotational therapy on Monday and Friday.

Posted by Will Franklin · 15 December 2006 07:29 PM

Comments

Posted by: zsa zsa at December 15, 2006 08:41 PM