Country

Last night, President Bush decided the best interests of the country lie in sending more troops into battle, despite the fact that, when polled, over 60% of the US was 'overwhelmingly against' sending more troops abroad. So if this is the, what (or who) really is our country?

Smarter people than I have debated this, as you will see in the words directly below.

From Mark Twain:

"For in a republic, who is "the Country"? Is it the Government which is for the moment in the saddle? Why, the Government is merely a servant- merely a temporary servant; it cannot be its prerogative to determine what is right and what is wrong, and decide who is a patriot and who isn't. Its function is to obey orders, not originate them. Who, then, is "the Country"? Is it the newspaper? is it the pulpit? Is it the school superintendent? Why, these are mere parts of the country, not the whole of it; they have not command, they have only their little share in the command. They are but one in a thousand; it is in the thousand that command is lodged; they must determine what is right and what is wrong; they must decide who is a patriot and who isn't. Who are the thousand--that is to say, who are "the Country"? In a monarchy, the king and his family are the country; in a republic it is the common voice of the people. Each of you, for himself, by himself and on his own responsibility, must speak. And it is a solemn and weighty responsibility, and not lightly to be flung aside at the bullying of pulpit, press, government, or the empty catch-phrases of politicians. Each must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, and which course is patriotic and which isn't. You cannot shirk this and be a man. To decide it against your convictions is to be an unqualified and inexcusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country, let men label you as they may. If you alone of all the nation shall decide on way, and that way be the right way according to your convictions of the right, you have done your duty by yourself and by your country--hold up your head. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

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And while those were words written at a different time for different people, they were still written for the same reasons.

For a more modern view of last night's events, I point you to a blog called Neo-Neocon, which I find to be an interesting example of the 'new middle' otherwise known as where the post 9-11 confusion has lead democrats and republicans alike.

Neo-Neocon