Opinion: America has the opportunity to lead progress toward a just and free world
Unfortunately, many Americans today view globalization as a bad thing, as if America should isolate itself from the rest of the world. Isolationism did not work out well by keeping us out of the League of Nations after World War I, which contributed to the coming of World War II. Today, more than ever, the world is inter-connected, and America has the opportunity to lead progress toward a just and free world.
When I was a boy in Japanese occupied China, Japan was our enemy. After coming back to America on an exchange ship, I would closely follow all the terrible battles fought in the Pacific, as well as the battles in Europe. I remember the great desire for the success of the invasion of Europe and in the Battle of the Bulge. Now, Japan and Germany are allies while former allies, Russia and China, have become competitors and threats. Much more could be said about how international relationships can change. One of the most dramatic recent changes is that after a terrible war with Vietnam, we now have friendly relations with Vietnam.
In the end, the people of all nations, including ours, are not that different from each other and can be helpful to each other. What so often goes wrong? A major cause for disruption and conflict between nations is the rise of leaders who want power for themselves and have a vision of gaining power by dominating and conquering other nations. Right now, it is clear that Putin has such a vision. Before World War II, the leaders of Germany and Japan had such a vision. After around 1500 and up to World War II, leaders of colonizing nations had a similar vision. Thankfully, the colonial period was brought to an end with the two World Wars. These wars virtually bankrupted the Western colonial powers and Japan. Unfortunately, one result of colonialism was that communism was able to gain power in a number of nations by aligning itself with anti-colonialism.
The yearning for healthy international relations was demonstrated in important events. The League of Nations was founded after World War I, but because of American isolationism it failed. Then, the United Nations was founded after World War II, with American, especially Eleanor Roosevelt’s leadership. Although not a strong organization yet, it represents a real attempt to establish healthy, mutually benefiting, relationships between nations and particularly undertaking cooperative efforts to meet emergency needs of many nations. In addition, to the United Nations, multi-lateral security agreements like NATO have greatly increased national security for many nations. Also, multi-lateral trade agreements have increased living standards for nations.
The United States is in the best position to model how diverse peoples can work together or at least point to such an ideal. This is because America has the most diverse population of any nation in the world. Respect and appreciation for the many national heritages enriches the cultural life of America. At the same time, Americans can enrich their knowledge of the peoples of the world by visiting the lands of their personal heritage, remembering or even learning the language of their childhood or their forebears. These persons can aid America in its international relations.
A major obstacle to working toward this better world is lack of leaders with a vision of a peaceful world with nations working together. Instead, so many national or aspiring national leaders promote a narrow nationalism that supports their personal power. I remember being very proud of my country during World War II and since then by the ethnic-racial diversity of our people in the armed services. We continue a high ethnic-racial diversity in scientific, academic, and government fields. I was especially proud at the election of our African-American President. America is stronger when the people of the world can identify themselves with the American people and the democracy which we have maintained through many struggles. At the same time, we can learn from the successes of our international friends. Health care, adequate food and housing for all, prison reform, are among the areas we can learn from other nations. We already benefit in science and education from our citizens from around the world. Demonstration of being a country of “the rule of law” is a major contribution of our country to the world. Let us turn away from the narrow nationalism that impoverishes and weakens our nation that we love.
Rev. Dr. Robert L. Montgomery is a Presbyterian minister with a degree from Emory University in the Social Scientific Study of Religion.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Opinion: America has opportunity to lead progress to just, free world
