Lessons In Our HIstory

Woodrow Wilson

When it became fashionable for our politicians to apologize for our nation's prior actions, there were some refreshing moments created for us by more clever men in government and the military.  We wish their attitude and skills could be taught in our schools.  As George Orwell wrote in "1984," "Those who write the past control the future."  What he did not say anything about was what they are not teaching in our schools.  But, in our illustrious past:

President Kennedy's Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, was in France in the early 60's when DeGaulle decided to pull out of NATO. DeGaulle said he wanted all US military out of France as soon as possible. Rusk responded, "Does that include those who are buried here?" DeGaulle did not respond.  He was stunned with the realization of what he had said.

Some years later in England, at a large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of  "empire building" by George W. Bush.

Ambassador Powell said, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return." The Archbishop was clearly caught and had no response.

Then at a conference in France where a number of international engineers were attending, including French and American. During a break, one of the French engineers came back into the room saying, "Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done?  He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intend to do, bomb them?"

A Boeing engineer stood up and replied: "Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people. They are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities. They have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day. They can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships:  How many does France have?" The room fell silent and the French engineer was as if turned to stone.

A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S., English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped drinks but a French admiral complained loudly that, where Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English.  He then asked, "Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than French?"

Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied, "Maybe it's because the Brit's, Canadians, Aussie's and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German." You could have heard a pin drop.

Ordinary citizen Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane.  At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on bag.

"You have been to France before, monsieur?" snarled the customs officer sarcastically and Mr. Whiting replied he had been to France previously.

"Then you should know enough to have your passport ready."

The American said, "The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it."

"Impossible!" snapped the official.  "Americans always have to show their passports on arrival in France !"

The old American gave the Frenchman a long look. Then he quietly said, ''When I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchman to show a passport to."  The French Customs Officer stood as if ossified in place.

We are the first nation in history not fight wars for territory and treasure.  We are the first nation to rebuild much of what we destroyed to free the people and adjust our economy to help defeated nations as we know a free world economy, that is not corrupt, is better for everyone.

And, make no mistake, "Free Trade" has come to mean, "America loses."  Why are the provisions in the new "free trade bill" secret? History tells us:

We have "free trade" with China and their tariffs are 11 times ours. And, some are far greater.  The tariff on frozen chicken, for example, is 100% where ours on Chinese chicken is two percent. Apparently Tyson has not make enough "contributions."  Where is the chicken lobby?

The only way this happens is that officials and elected people are paid off with bribes, money deposited in foreign "number accounts."  Have you ever seen a poor US Senator?

For 137 years Federal government income was from trade tariffs and whisky taxes.  In 1913 Woodrow Wilson changed the focus of Federal taxes to the people and corruption began apace.  If we had true "Free Trade" with nothing more than a tariff mirror we could abolish the IRS and require the elected ruling class to learn how to optimize the economy for all and not just themselves. Manufacturing would return to America and we would never have another depression if we put some Senators in jail.  There are great lessons in our history.

Adrian Vance