Wishful thinking


I often daydream about being an American citizen. This morning was one of those times.

Mom has dual citizenship. I've got cousins across the border. My childhood heroes were the American astronauts and John F. Kennedy. I came of age, culturally, politically and sexually, in Detroit. As a Marxist and a disciple of CLR James (see Mariners, Renegades and Castaways) I understood that the United States was the place to be.

What sparked the wish today was reading this editorial by John McCain in the Washington Post. He hasn't given up on the war.

If I were an American I would be able to donate to his campaign. I might even vote for him if I couldn't find a Democrat who shared his views on Iraq.

I'm not the only leftist whose willing to support a Republican if it keeps the Americans fighting, now that they have finally come up with a strategy that might work. There aren't many of us in the west, even among those who once supported the case for humanitarian intervention. However on the other side of the world anti-Americanism and defeatism is a luxury the left cannot afford.

Not that I'm unhappy being a Canadian, mind you. It's a kinder, safer place to live, and we've got our own contribution to make, fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. But we made a mistake when we failed to offer even moral support when the Americans took out Saddam Hussein.

Posted: Wed - April 11, 2007 at 04:03 PM          

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