When our current President uses the phrase, “America first,” this catchy phrase implies he has a true understanding of what it really means.
Historically, America first, has meant our country would take actions that, ultimately, would benefit our citizens.
Joining the Allies against the Axis powers after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, clearly, was in line with America first.
Did President Roosevelt opt to go it alone after Germany declared war on the United States and Japan bombed our sleeping sailors in Hawaii? No.
Roosevelt was savvy enough to realize that our country needed to join the European Allies, recognizing that in unity, there is strength.
On the contrary, our current President seems to believe that, going it alone and eschewing our NATO partners, is putting America first.
In my opinion, our President’s aforementioned philosophy endangers our country tremendously and is very short-sighted.
America has bases located on our NATO partners’ lands.
Even if our NATO partners are not contributing what our President seems to believe is their ‘fair, financial share’ of costs, I believe America’s best interests will be served only by maintaining a strong alliance with NATO.
It is clear that the only reason that Hitler, Hirohito, and Mussolini were defeated during World War II was because the Allies banded together, supported one another, and fought the Axis powers in unity.
If France decided to be isolationist and not help the American Patriots during our Revolutionary War, we might not be enjoying the freedoms we hold most dear today.
Again, in unity with France, our rebelling colonists found strength to defeat the British monarchy.
When our President uses disrespectful terms regarding the political leaders of our traditionally-friendly, NATO allies, he chips away at the foundations of a unified power that is necessary in today’s already-fractured world.
In my opinion, when our President uses complimentary language regarding Vladimir Putin (a former KGB agent whose political enemies seem to meet poisons-or-bullets), he is not putting America first.
Most certainly, our President did not put America first when he responded to Bill O’Reilly recent statement, “Putin’s a killer,” when our President replied, “Got a lot of killers. What, you think our country’s so innocent?”
By implying America is on the same moral ground as Putin’s Russian regime, our President denigrated America and, in my opinion, it seems his statement gives aid and comfort to an enemy of our American way of life.
I grew up in the duck and cover age of children living in fear of a possible Russian-atomic bomb blasting New York City.
On a weekly basis, all schoolchildren had to practice sitting under their desks in the event of an atomic bomb blast.
Even as a child, it was clear to me that sitting under a table would not protect us from the devastating effects of a Russian-atomic bomb. I could see the Empire State Building from my classroom window.
The Soviet Union’s (Russia’s) oppressive government was and is antithetical to our American way of life.
Putin represents an oppressive government that, even recently, has sought to impose stronger controls on religious freedoms.
Hence, when our President told Bill O’Reilly in his interview, “What, you think our country’s so innocent?” he, essentially, implied America is no better than the Russian government.
If that were true, immigrants from around the world would be flocking to emigrate to Russia, as well.
Perhaps, our President does not understand Vladimir Putin’s background as a KGB agent.
Perhaps, our President does not understand the lessons of history.
Contrary to our President’s statement’s implications, our country’s doctrines are “innocent” when compared with the authoritarian, dictatorial tenets of Russia and Vladimir Putin.
Americans must understand and know history in order to prevent the disintegration of our own freedoms.
In his Evil Empire speech (March 8, 1983), President Ronald Reagan warned Americans that the leaders of the Soviet Union (Russia): “…preach the supremacy of the state…they are the focus of evil in the modern world…because they sometimes speak in soothing tones of brotherhood and peace….some would have us accept them at their word and accommodate ourselves to their aggressive impulses. But if history teaches anything, it teaches that simpleminded appeasement or wishful thinking about our adversaries is folly. It means the betrayal of our past, the squandering of our freedom…. So, I urge you to speak out against those who would place the United States in a position of military and moral inferiority…. I urge you to beware the temptation….(to) label both sides equally at fault, to ignore the facts of history and the aggressive impulses of an evil empire.”
Let’s be clear: There is no moral equivalency between America and Russia. Our current President needs to understand…and, embrace… this fact.
Otherwise, it might appear he is giving comfort to an enemy of our American way of life. America first.
Kathy Rittel
East Williston
