Monday, April 09, 2007
RANDOM ORATION POST
Gladstone 1879-on the domstic and foreign affairs of england. b1809 d1898
waded thrugh boring stuff about wheat and such and how well america produces and blah blah blah-then before i skipped over the whole thing i hit this-here is my first principle of foreign policy: good government at home.(georgie fails there)
my second principle of foreign policy is this: that the aim ought to be to perserve to the nations of the world-and especially, were it but for shame, when we recollect the sacred name we bear as christians, especially to the christian nations of the world- the blesings of peace. that is my 2nd principle.(ooh, georgie bad on the 2nd)
my third principle is this: even, gentlemen when you do a good thing, you may do it in so bad a way that you entirely spoil the beneficial effect(iWaq? or is it afganistan?)and if wwe were to make ourselves the apostles of peace in the sense of conveying to the minds of other nations that we thought ourselves more entitled to an opinion on that subject than they are, or to deny their rights-well, very likely we should destroy the whole value of our doctrines. (talks about unity of europe)-because by keeping all in union together you nuetralize, and fetter, and bind up the selfish aims of each. i am not here to flatter either england or any of them. they have selfish aims, as unfortunately, we in the late years have too sadly shown that we, too, have had selfish aims. common action means common objects; and the only objects for which you can unite together the powers of europe are objects connected with the common good of them all. that gentlemen, is my third principle of foreign policy.(do we still have poland?)
my fourth principle is: that you should avoid NEEDLESS and ENTANGLING engagements(emph mine). you may boast about them, you may brag about them, you may say you are procuring consideration for the country.-blah blah blah-but what does this all come to, gentlemen? it comes to this: that you are increasing your engagements WITHOUT INCREASING YOUR STRENGTH; and if you increase engagements without increasing strength, you DIMINISH STRENGTH, you abolish strength; you really reduce the empire and do not increase it. you render it an inheritence less precious to hand on to future generations.(can you say draft?)
damn, i am glad i didn't skip this beaut!
Gladstone 1879-on the domstic and foreign affairs of england. b1809 d1898
waded thrugh boring stuff about wheat and such and how well america produces and blah blah blah-then before i skipped over the whole thing i hit this-here is my first principle of foreign policy: good government at home.(georgie fails there)
my second principle of foreign policy is this: that the aim ought to be to perserve to the nations of the world-and especially, were it but for shame, when we recollect the sacred name we bear as christians, especially to the christian nations of the world- the blesings of peace. that is my 2nd principle.(ooh, georgie bad on the 2nd)
my third principle is this: even, gentlemen when you do a good thing, you may do it in so bad a way that you entirely spoil the beneficial effect(iWaq? or is it afganistan?)and if wwe were to make ourselves the apostles of peace in the sense of conveying to the minds of other nations that we thought ourselves more entitled to an opinion on that subject than they are, or to deny their rights-well, very likely we should destroy the whole value of our doctrines. (talks about unity of europe)-because by keeping all in union together you nuetralize, and fetter, and bind up the selfish aims of each. i am not here to flatter either england or any of them. they have selfish aims, as unfortunately, we in the late years have too sadly shown that we, too, have had selfish aims. common action means common objects; and the only objects for which you can unite together the powers of europe are objects connected with the common good of them all. that gentlemen, is my third principle of foreign policy.(do we still have poland?)
my fourth principle is: that you should avoid NEEDLESS and ENTANGLING engagements(emph mine). you may boast about them, you may brag about them, you may say you are procuring consideration for the country.-blah blah blah-but what does this all come to, gentlemen? it comes to this: that you are increasing your engagements WITHOUT INCREASING YOUR STRENGTH; and if you increase engagements without increasing strength, you DIMINISH STRENGTH, you abolish strength; you really reduce the empire and do not increase it. you render it an inheritence less precious to hand on to future generations.(can you say draft?)
damn, i am glad i didn't skip this beaut!
