Re: [OT] Liberals was: Personal hoody-hoo

> > You are missing fact that hegemonies and imperiums
> > invariably end up
> > crushing freedoms and liberties.  In other words "if
> > we can force other
> > states to do what we want all the time, why can't we
> > force our own citizens
> > to do what we want.  It's for their own good, after
> > all."
>
> The British managed to avoid such.  And they ran 2/3
> the planet's surface for a couple centuries.

Most of the American colonies were so pleased with "benevolent" British
rule
that respected their freedoms and liberties that the colonies revolted
and
kicked the British out.  As for not following their own laws, that is a
matter of interpretation.  Most British Lords of the time did not view
the
colonials as equals, and hence not privileged to the same treatment. 
The
colonials had the radical and revolutionary ideas that they were equal.

The British Empire was founded on two great principles.  The first
dominated
until the middle of the 1800's (until new colonialism).  That principle
was
economic exploitation.	The "savages" were subjugated not for any
concern
for their well being, but rather to make it more efficient to extract
money.
The second principle was prestige.  In the mid 1800's it became
prestigious
to be a large empire, aka new colonialism.

The British maintained their empire because most of the empire paid for
itself plus.  The key ingredient was superior military technology. 
Going up
against breach loading rifles with spears is not any fun.  Going up
against
gattling guns with spears is much worse.  Trying to take on a Frigate
with
spears and catapults isn't any better.	Water cannons don't cut it
against
an armored cruiser.

The Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact were an Imperium and Hegemony for
defense.
It crushed freedom's and liberties in pursuit of its goal and destroyed
the
economies and environment of all the countries it was "defending."

In order for the U.S. to set up its Imperium and Global Hegemony; then
it
will either destroy it's economy if that Global Hegemony is for defense,
or
it will have to systematically sack and plunder the planet to pay for
it.
Neither option leaves any room for consideration of the freedoms and
liberties of the countries in the Global Hegemony.  While the economic
Global Hegemony does allow the continuation of freedoms and liberties in
the
U.S, it will make the U.S. a global hypocrite.	The ideals of the
Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution are only for
Americans.
Not for anyone else.

ias