Pubdate: Mon, 14 May 2001
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2001 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Diane F. Smith

Has Rest Of The World Tired Of U.S. Policies And Demands Made On Others?

Monday, May 14, 2001 - Re: "U.N.'s council of hypocrisy," May 8 William 
Safire column.

Maybe William Safire's hysterical column about the United States' recent 
ouster from the U.N.'s Human Rights Commission holds the answer in itself.

Maybe the rest of the world, as represented by the United Nations, is 
finally fed up with American hypocrisy and self-centered politics.

Maybe they are tired of the United States' childish refusal to pay nearly 
$600 million in back dues - until or unless they do as we say.

Maybe they are tired (and probably fearful) of the recent backward ideas 
coming from Washington, D.C. Tired of broken treaties, irrational talk of 
"star wars" defense raising its ugly head again and the sudden lack of any 
leadership in or knowledge of foreign affairs.

As Safire was writing his diatribe shouting for someone to find out which 
countries "betrayed" us, he was perhaps unaware that the U.S. has also been 
voted off the U.N. International Narcotics Control Board, so he didn't 
include that little item.

But I did read about it and my argument is about the same.

Maybe the rest of the world has tired of U.S. policies and demands made on 
other countries built around our utterly irrational "war on drugs."

Why would anyone want to interact with an entire nation that so obviously 
cannot learn from its own mistakes? Did we learn nothing from failed 
Prohibition?

Can't we figure out after squandering billions of dollars, locking up tens 
of thousands of our own citizens and rapidly heading toward a police state 
that our "solution" does not work?

We want the most, have the most, waste the most of any nation in the 
history of human civilization. But still we insist on always having what we 
want or threatening to take all the marbles and go home.

Are we doomed as a country and a people to an endless, petulant adolescence.

Diane F. Smith

Denver
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