It's an inevitable topic of mine. For someone as anti-violence as I am (which, oddly enough, does not coincide with my attraction for action movies, speculative fiction or men wearing thigh holsters. Don't ask.), it's going to come up.
This war (war? Let's quit the bull and call it by its real name, the Crusades for the Rights to
I posed this question to my family at one point in an argument about whether or not we should still be involved in this CRAP. To which the standard issue red-blood American response was given that Saddam was evil, and do you really think an evil dictator should remain in power while everyone in the country suffered? Of course we're doing the right thing by making sure Iraq is a democracy, giving the people of Iraq the right to elect their officials and freedom.
To which I asked (ignoring the urge to ask what a dictator was and didn't that kind of describe our current 'democracy'?), "that's assuming a democracy is the correct answer. Is democracy the best thing for Iraq?"
And the car was silent, the crickets chirped and my brother giggled and sputtered nervously from his side of the car.
Of course, the tidal wave defending CRAP ensued, implications that I was being unAmerican made, being a Saddam supporter, insulting and not support our troops, supporting terrorism (because everyone in Iraq is a terrorist) et al.
Why is it so wrong to think that, while something is working (or not working) for you, that it might not be the best solution for everyone? That's saying reading text books in black print works for me, so therefore, everyone must acquire knowledge in that fashion. Never mind people who are blind and can't read black print, they must adapt to whatever works for you instead of using Braille to achieve the same outcome.
Am I being unAmerican by saying that democracy might not work for everyone?
It's this xenophobic centrism which is just adding to the CRAP. When you are so idealistic that you are blind to any alternative, you doom everyone and everything you touch with CRAP. Sure, educate. Share the how's and the why's and what it looks like. But you can't force people to accept and think the way you do. It might not work for them. They might find that audio tapes work better than your Braille. If you're going to help, ask questions - find out what they need and what will work for them don't assume that because you use Braille, they must use it as well.
And for CRAP's sake, quit the childish semantics of everyone's picking on me, I'm going to do things my way temper tantrums. When seen on adults, temper tantrums look ridiculous and you're made a fool and the whole world sees it.
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Cyd: "It's not exactly comforting to know that others have to go through this too"
I think everyone has to go through it at some point, in some fashion. It's the one uniting factor for all people - kind of a universal constant. If it could be bottled and sold, you'd make a killing. Ooh, now talk about your business idea!
Mo: "#2 parent doesn't have a basis for comparison or way to understand child's new life decisions, challenges, etc."
Good point. Applies to everyone as well - friends, siblings, spouses, parents/children, coworkers, etc... - being able to connect on a level beyond small talk-related conversations about weather and things within your immediate (small) circles. Making that leap from connecting on superficial levels or the things you undersand is a huge hurdle - but once you can, I think a relationship actually develops, not just a familial bond which exists no matter what. (Hence the phrase you can pick your friends, not your family ;) )
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