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America, The Good


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america-good-jonah-goldbergNational Review/The Corner:

Jonah Goldberg

July 4, 2015

 

Yesterday a friend suggested I repost this old piece for the Fourth. The offices are of course deserted but I can still mess with the Corner. So here goes.

 

Back in 2007 I was invited to debate at Oxford the question of whether or not it was a good thing the United States of American had ever been established in the first place. It was a really fun experience, particularly since most of my debate opponents were loons........(Snip)

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Mr. President, Members, thank you.

 

 

 

As both a committed Anglophile and patriotic American, I am honored to be here.

Though, I must say that the proposition tonight saddens me.

 

Until recently, it never would have dawned on me that good, decent, and wise Britons, proud of their heritage, proud of their culture, honored to call themselves sons and daughters of this great nation and co-authors of its future achievements, would lament the birth of a sister democracy and comrade-in-arms — particularly when that democracy stands upon the shoulders of British giants.

 

There is no denying the question before this house is shameful.

No decent mother questions whether her daughter should ever have been born lest she already has an answer in mind.

And whatever regrettable commentary it may be on the child, the mere posing of the question is even more pitiable comment upon the mother.

 

Unless. Unless, of course this is all a grand joke in the great satirical tradition of Monty Python, Simon Pegg and the farcical oxymoron that is David Cameron’s “conservatism.”

There is hopeful evidence on this front.

 

When I learned that tonight’s proposition would have as its champions two passionate defenders of sharia law and the hijab plus one spokesman for the Communist party, it dawned on me: “Aha, this is all a joke.”

This house regrets the birth of America as much as Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail had naught but a “flesh wound.”

 

[pause]

 

(Snip)

 

 

Yes, anti-Americanism fashions itself a form of anti-globalization. But this is most often a ruse. Do keep in mind that my opponents represent a truly tyrannical form of globalization. Whether it’s “Workers of the World Unite” or the World Caliphate, the choice they are presenting is globalization for losers, while America, to the extent it represents globalization at all, offers the globalization of liberty.

 

The mere fact that you had to select three men from outside this heritage to defend the proposition, is proof enough that it is indefensible from within it. For, again, if you want to lament the birth of America, you must lament all that has been born of America.

 

And if you are prepared to do that, you are prepared to regret all that was born of Britain as well.

 

To which I say again: Surely you must be joking.

 


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