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February 6, 2005
Our Time in the Sun
Every nation, or people, has or will make a unique contribution to our world. Some cultures contribute music, art, or literature that lasts thousands of years. Some are more famous for their food. Many can trace their origins back thousands of years. They do not really consider something "old" until it can be dated into the B.C. years. Still others have developed better systems of law than others. Whatever it is, it is something that they are justifyably proud of.
During any period of world history one or more civilizations or nations is predominant in it's influence. They are said to have hegemony throughout a significant region of the world, or perhaps most of the world. These have often been described in terms of empires; the Persian Empire, the Roman, The Mongol, the Chinese, Spanish and the British being some of the more famous.
Usually it is when a nation is predominant that they make their primary contribution. The Romans introduced a concept of law that may seem crude to us today, but given that the peoples they conquered were reading goat entrails to determine guilt or innocence, it was a huge advance. Likewise with the British. While the subjects of their empire may have chafed at what we today would call racism, they learned everything from engineering and government to Shakespeare.
So it is today. We live in a period of time when the United States is the predominant world power. And we're not just talking about mere military power, for rarely is military power separate from the "unique contributions" mentioned above. Only the Mongols, rare among empires, contributed little other than military technology. The two prime contributions that America has made to the world are first, our system of government and the modern sense of a civil society, and two, the power of free enterprise.
For let's face it, we really don't have a whole lot of history behind us. Buildings in "historic" sections of towns and cities need only be perhaps a hundred years old; and often not even that. Perhaps all things are relative, but one suspects that Europeans, let along Egyptians, must smile inwardly when they see our historical markers.
Nor have we made contributions to the arts in the same manner as others. This is not to denegrate our artists, musicians, or writers; most have simply not stood the test of time. And those that have are simply not in sufficient numbers to challenge an Italy or China.
But the contributions we have made are so significant that they have already changed the world forever. Regardless of how Iraq turns out, by simply defeating the great totalitarian menaces of the twentieth century we have earned our place in history. Despite the rantings of Noam Chomsky, we have been a force for good in the world.
To all of the foreign complainers, here is my message: This is our time in the Sun. You either had your time, or will. You've either made your contribution, or will. If you've had your empire, then you well know the resentment of the rest of the world. If the situation were reversed I'd be complaining about you and you would be acting as we are.
So I ask is that you tone it down a bit, and give us a break. You've had your time, now it is ours. We are a force for good, and you know it.
Posted by Tom at February 6, 2005 3:27 PM
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