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fandomhigh2018-02-23 05:34 pm
heroic_jawline) wrote in fandomhigh2018-02-23 05:34 pm
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Lies Your Other Teachers Told You [Friday, February 23, 2018]
"American foreign policy is other countries domestic policy," Tony said. "And not willingly most of the time. There has been a very long history of American interference in the business of other nations. Native American nations, Mexico, Cuba, Panama, Liberia... the list literally goes on for a very long time."
Steve nodded. "A very quick summary of the Monroe Doctrine would be: Europe cannot interfere in the Americas. But we can. So there. You can imagine how well the rest of the continent took that."
"Well, to be fair, at first some of the budding leaders in Central and South Americas took it to mean that America would prevent European powers from stopping their struggles toward independence. Same for Canada. But over time, the doctrine was reinterpreted to mean whatever the ruling party at the time wanted it to," Tony replied. "I do believe that the original intent had been to prevent colonialism in the Americas, but high ideals rarely survive the real world when power is at stake."
Steve nodded again. "Especially once we passed out of the 17th and 18th Centuries," he said. "And once the Cold War really heated up, I've read that a lot of elections became proxy battles between the United States and the Soviet Union."
"And it turns out, most of our current enemies are people we trained in those Cold War and on fights," Tony said with a sort of false cheer. "Because this country f--messed up real bad."
Wasn't that the story of the nation?
"But you won't read about any of that in a history book," Steve said. "We're always painted as trying to help, and we do try that too: aid programs, health outreach--it does some legitimate good which is undermined with the darker meddling."
"So, let's discuss," Tony said. "What gives us the right to interfere with other countries? Is it ever acceptable to do?"
Steve nodded. "A very quick summary of the Monroe Doctrine would be: Europe cannot interfere in the Americas. But we can. So there. You can imagine how well the rest of the continent took that."
"Well, to be fair, at first some of the budding leaders in Central and South Americas took it to mean that America would prevent European powers from stopping their struggles toward independence. Same for Canada. But over time, the doctrine was reinterpreted to mean whatever the ruling party at the time wanted it to," Tony replied. "I do believe that the original intent had been to prevent colonialism in the Americas, but high ideals rarely survive the real world when power is at stake."
Steve nodded again. "Especially once we passed out of the 17th and 18th Centuries," he said. "And once the Cold War really heated up, I've read that a lot of elections became proxy battles between the United States and the Soviet Union."
"And it turns out, most of our current enemies are people we trained in those Cold War and on fights," Tony said with a sort of false cheer. "Because this country f--messed up real bad."
Wasn't that the story of the nation?
"But you won't read about any of that in a history book," Steve said. "We're always painted as trying to help, and we do try that too: aid programs, health outreach--it does some legitimate good which is undermined with the darker meddling."
"So, let's discuss," Tony said. "What gives us the right to interfere with other countries? Is it ever acceptable to do?"
Discuss!
Re: Discuss!
Oh hey, Tip wasn't already angry and ranting, today! It was a Friday miracle.
"Of course, then you get into what constitutes hurting someone, and who has the right to decide that, especially when you get religion involved. And how do you balance the potential damage you might do to be people by interfering with how much damage is already being done. . . ."
Instead she was getting stuck up her own ass with regards to autonomy. It was a lot easier when she could just be mad about racists.
Re: Discuss!
Re: Discuss!
Yeah, Tip hadn't known about that one. She was a post-9/11 kid, so bin Laden was something of a distant (very distant, after the alien invasions in her world) boogie man, but she was still aware of who he was and what he'd done.
While she knew the US meddling overseas had had some pretty terrible consequences for those countries, she hadn't realized it had also come back to bite that hard back home, too.
Re: Discuss!
Re: Discuss!
She'd heard vague mumblings about that one on Tumblr, at least.
Re: Discuss!
Re: Discuss!
Re: Discuss!