John Quincy Adams on U.S. foreign policy

Excerpts from Secretary of State John Quincy Adams speech to the House of Representatives, July 4, 1821.

Would it be that what he said then was still true today.

“She <The U.S.> has, in the lapse of nearly half a century, without a single exception, respected the independence of other nations while asserting and maintaining her own.

She has abstained from interference in the concerns of others, even when conflict has been for principles to which she clings, as to the last vital drop that visits the heart.

Wherever the standard of freedom and Independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will her heart, her benedictions and her prayers be.

But she goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy.

She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all.

She is the champion and vindicator only of her own.

She will commend the general cause by the countenance of her voice, and the benignant sympathy of her example.

She well knows that by once enlisting under other banners than her own, were they even the banners of foreign independence, she would involve herself beyond the power of extrication, in all the wars of interest and intrigue, of individual avarice, envy, and ambition, which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom.

The fundamental maxims of her policy would insensibly change from liberty to force….

She might become the dictatress of the world. She would be no longer the ruler of her own spirit…. “

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The fiends are everywhere

A Naval Commander fears terrorist attacks in Riverside CA, as well as scary monsters under his bed at night no doubt.

Should we tell him that Riverside is, in fact, seriously inland. Further, can we take seriously a Naval Commander who apparently can not find the ocean?

From the Inland Anti-Empire

“‘There might be local people in Riverside aligned with Islamic fundamentalists who would want to attack us,’ said Commander Jeff Taylor.

Yes, you read that right. The biggest fear is not an attack from Osama bin Laden, but a fear from Muslims in Riverside. That is what Commander Taylor, the Public Information Officer for the Norco center, is telling us. Those nasty Muslims up in Riverside.

I couldn’t believe it either, so I called up Stefanie Frith, the reporter who wrote the article. She confirmed that the quote was accurate — and that the supposed threat from Riverside really was taken seriously by the Navy.”

I asked Kynn Bartlett, who publish Inland Anti-Empire, about the antiwar movement there. He replied;

“It’s getting up steam — don’t know if you caught it before, but up in San Bernardino, a city council member introduced an anti-war resolution, and it was promptly tabled by the other members.  The next day, the city council member had her life threatened by someone with a rifle.”

Update: I have been chastized, properly it appears, for my flippant remarks about naval bases not being near oceans:

Um, Bob?

The Naval facility at Norco/Corona is strategically very important. I think it might be a primary target, in old Cold War terms.

Sue
Daughter of Lt Cmdr

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Warblogs:cc

This new meta-weblog capsulizes news and views from multiple weblogs to “provide you with a birds-eye view of Gulf War Redux, the American government and civil liberties issues in the United States”

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Political humorists raise eyes to heavens in thanks

“Bill Simon (R), ‘who lost a close race for California governor last year, has started a new political action committee that could position him for another run for office, possibly Congress’ “

Yes, Simon, who ran one of the stupidest, most blundering campaigns ever, is back for another try.

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The smoking duct tape

Lookie here. A duct tape magnate has been, brace yourself for some shocking news now, a generous donor to the Republican Party.

“That most lamentable duct tape suggestion last week by a Homeland Security official — which drove countless panicked citizens out to buy the product — has been widely derided as useless and pretty crazy.

But maybe not so crazy. Turns out that nearly half — 46 percent to be precise — of the duct tape sold in this country is manufactured by a company in Avon, Ohio. And the founder of that company, that would be Jack Kahl, gave how much to the Republican National Committee and other GOP committees in the 2000 election cycle? Would that be more than $100,000?”

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Free money!

From Michael in S.F.

“If you log-on to www.musiccdsettlement.com you can avail yourself of the opportunity to receive $5 - $20 from the music industries worst gougers,
Don’t say I never gave you anything!

Deadline is March 3, 2003.

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