Has America returned to the 1930s?

Imagine if you will, that it’s 1939, Hitler has just invaded Poland and England and its allies are on the brink of war.  Winston Churchill, about to become Prime Minister, says “lets not get on our high horse – remember that we were rather vindictive towards the Germans after World War I.  They are understandably still mad at us.” 

If that were the attitude of its foes, do you think the Third Reich would have lost the war to come? 

The point is not that our “reflective” Winston Churchill was being inaccurate, the observation is actually quite correct – but so what?

The job of a nation’s leader is to identify the threats to it and to mobilize and fight the enemy.  The fact that England was not perfect – and in the past had not been right and good in all respects – was irrelevant.  Perhaps it would be a worthy subject in, say, a University of Chicago classroom, but it would have no proper place in a speech by a Prime Minister.  Nor would the fact that western Christians conducted Crusades in the Middle East in the 12^th century, nor that in Salem, Massachusetts “witches” were burned at the stake four hundred years ago. 

So why does Barack Obama make such comparisons when commenting on 21^st century atrocities by professed Muslims?  Is it a plea for tolerance, for understanding people who do evil things?

And if we Americans became more tolerant and understanding of the underlying motivations of Islamic enemies, what is the desired result of such a new attitude? Are we to say to our enemies that although we’re not sure why you hate us, we’ll try to right the wrongs you believe we committed centuries ago?
 

Crazy!

It matters not one whit why the enemy wants to destroy us.  The why is in the past and can’t be erased.   What counts in the present are intentions.  We ignore them at our peril.

The reality of life is that nothing – and no one – is perfect.  Choices always involve shades.  But that does not mean that choices necessarily involve doubt.  Choosing the greater good – or the lesser bad – is always the right decision.
 

For those of us who have long considered America as a beacon of freedom and justice in the world, these are very difficult times.  Has providence forsaken us?
 

Is Barack Obama our Neville Chamberlain?  If so, those who fear for the future of our country ask, where is our Winston Churchill?