Peggy Noonan's article on immigration

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But we are not communicating love of country. We are not giving them the great legend of our country. We are losing that great legend.

In enthalpy and entropy systems (sketchy rememberings here), there is always fluxes and balances. I like to compare human behavior to scientific principles, because a lot of human behavior is based upon evolution. And evolution was nothing but scientific trial and error.

One of the reasons, and Neo spoke about this in our email correspondence, is the worry over willpower and the nature of willpower. Neo doubted that we had as much willpower as we did in WWII, when black people signed up for the Tuskegee Air Squadron even though the military was still segregated and they were treated worse than Nazi prisoners. On a recent Oliver North War stories program, I saw first hand testimonies of these WWII veterans. They said that regardless of the cost, they would do it over again. Because to them, "you fight for your rights and debate, but when your country is attacked you go to the call". In an ironic sense, that Call of Duty, was what made desegregation possible. When Americans saw how brave and valorous these blacks were, they saw them not as second class citizens but as Americans. Americans, in both civilian and military, but primarily military, were shamed into treating blacks better. Just as they were shamed into treating women better. Why? Because blacks and women had EARNED their rights, for they responded to the call of duty when America was in her darkest days of despair and lifted us up beyond the height of liberation and success. It is the primary reason why the military, more in tune with black sacrifices, desegregated a full 15 years before the civilian sector.

I tend to think, that willpower is not inherent in a generation. Willpower comes from facing insurmountable odds, and either defeating them or going down in a blaze of glory. The Japanese have much to teach in this sphere, and their culture is both vibrant and educational. Because America is so successful, we perhaps do not have to invoke the sheer determination required to survive, as the human race had to do back in the past. This happened to the Roman Empire, this happened to Britain, Canada, Australia, France, and Germany. All successful nations have an expiration date. How long they may stay effective is based upon many factors, but the primary factor is whether you still have patriots willing to kill and to die for your country. You can survive without such things as the Roman Empire did, but you still have to maintain military supremacy. But that would mean that the nation would be nothing but a parasite upon the strength of others.

(I once asked a great historian if he had thoughts on this, and he nodded. He said he had come to believe it was "providential.")

It was indeed the grace of God. I'm not a religious man, since I'm a follower of Deism, not Revealed Religion. As you look at history and look at how many times we may have stumbled, you had to conclude that all these "coincidences" were more than the sum of people's actions. You had to conclude, as I did, that there had to be something more working in America's favor.

What kind of nation does this?

As I termed it in Neocon's comment section. We are the pre-eminent civilization in the history of mankind, with the pre-eminent military of all time to go with our civilization.

The good news is that the Vietnam generation is fading out. The "good old days" of the 60s greatly impacted our ability to transcend the bounds of human limitations. The challenge of the War on Terror is a great opportunity to prove that this country is yet worthy to wield the power of a pre-eminent civilizatin.

Another good news is that it isn't as bad as Europe. Which means, we still have time judging from what is going on in Europe. However, this produces apathy in the politicians, and that cannot be allowed to happen. Five years have already been wasted. In a way, this is another opportunity rendered unto us by God.

For had 9/11 not occured, what then would our chances of being able to solve the immigration problem be? How many people would have not cared? How many would still feel the pain of an unresolved doubt about Vietnam? Too many, perhaps, for us to succede with reinvigorating patriotism.

To those who oppose the belief that America is the pre-eminent civilization in the history of mankind, 9/11 was a disaster. Not in the amount of lives lost, but the progress that was setback as Americans "woke up" from their brainwashing. 5 years is not enough to turn back the clock on decades of corrosion, no, but it is far better than nothing. For as we see in Europe, there will come a time when not even the "wake up call" of hundreds dieing will stop the assimilation of socialist ideals and hand out philosophies from taking hold of men's minds and souls.

I don't like Europe, but I do have to say that I am rather grateful, for my nation, that they serve as an example of just how wrong, moronic beliefs can get you if you turn your back on your ancestors.