Since the native American was not prepared to accept the early American way of life, George Washington wisely set up enclaves for them as sovereign nations, rather than states subject to the white man’s laws. Washington hoped that in the distant future the natives would gradually assimilate to the new way of living. However, in the throes of the Manifest Destiny their sovereignty was violated, causing bitter, lasting resentment, even though Washington’s vision is finally beginning ever so slowly to take shape.
Washington’s example should be followed in foreign policy. Actually that is what the UN is basically all about: virtual equality of sovereignty among nations possessing mutual respect and cooperation designed to ever so slowly lead to more freedom and human rights within their respective borders. Critics here obviously take issue with this because there are too many nations that are against this goal. Instead there should be a league of democratic nations working coöperatively, improving upon its own shortcomings and thereby perhaps encouraging others to join. Yet this would be tantamount to international isolation, denying the good with the bad challenge, though admittedly there would still be the imposition of sanctions against roguish nations that flagrantly violate the spirit of civilized human rights.
In a sense, the European Union is in the process of achieving this by inviting various sovereignties to forgo some of its national identity such as currency and protected borders for the greater good of limited hegemony in behalf of assimilation. Given our own 238 year history, this is a difficult path fraught with much foundering on the way. Had not the original thirteen states ratified the Constitution and the necessity for central sovereignty, even the heated, yet civilized divisiveness experienced today would never have materialized out of thirteen warring states vying for the massive territory to the west.
Most of the globe, however, does not have our history of founding fathers gazing into the future of propitious probabilities. It is covered in thousands of years of bloody conflict, tribal and religious obstinance that have forged an uncompromising global psyche. The major powers, the UN and the European Union should follow the Washington example and accept, however begrudgingly, the primitive sovereignty of other nations. Only in cases of patent — Washington did not view native actions as such — “savagery” erupting out of customs and beliefs gone awry and only when negotiations are exhausted, should united armed action be launched.
Copyright © 2004 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: October 14, 2004.
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