Why can’t we all just get along?

 

Rodney King famously asked in1991: “Why can’t we all just get along?”

This has been the theme underlying President-Elect Obama’s promise of change and his pledge to have the U.S. “re-join the world community.”

Obama appears to believe he will be able to restore the respect and esteem in which other nations previously held the United States by convincing various protagonists to sit down and resolve their differences by talking to one another.

Phyllis Schlafly, writing in Townhall.com (Dec. 23, 2008) noted: “Obama plans to use his presidential power to get the Democratic-majority Senate to ratify a series of treaties that would take us a long way toward global rule over our money, our laws, our military, our courts, our customs, our trade and even our use of energy.”

The U.N. Law of the Sea Treaty would give an international agency “total regulatory jurisdiction over all the world’s oceans and all the riches on the ocean floor. ... The United States would have the same vote as Cuba.”

 

The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty “would prohibit all nuclear explosive testing and thereby allow our nuclear arsenal to deteriorate until the American people are defenseless against rogue regimes such as Iran and North Korea.”

A new Global Warming Treaty: “would force dramatic reductions in our use of energy, i.e. our standard of living — and impose the ‘strong international norms’ that Obama seeks.”

Ratification of the U.N. Treaty on Women (CEDAW): “would require us ‘to modify the social and cultural patters of conduct of men and women.”

U.N. Treaty on the Rights of the Child: “would give children rights against their parents and society to express their own views ‘freely in all matters.”

Obama has been highly touted for his ability to bring people together and many, probably most, of those who voted for him have very high expectations.

 

The following is a partial list of the conflicts he is expected to resolve, presumably based on his ability to unite people: Israel vs. Palestine, Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria and Iran; Iran vs. the U.S.; China vs. the Tibetan people; the U.S. vs. North Korea, Venezuela (Hugo Chavez), Cuba (Castro), Russia, the Muslims and the Taliban; North Korea vs. South Korea; Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice advocates; American liberals vs. conservatives; atheists vs. those who believe in God; Muslims vs. Christians; and Pakistan vs. India. This is more than any individual can possibly accomplish and certainly not just by talking. Expectations for Obama’s ability to bring people together are impossible to achieve and will ultimately prove to be naive, hype or just plain ego. As Thomas Sowell observed, “Ronald Reagan had a vision of America. Barack Obama has a vision of Barack Obama.”

 

Consider the following examples.

Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah and Syria vs. Israel. Israel’s protagonists have repeatedly stated their intention to wipe Israel off the map and drive the Jews into the sea. As long as they adhere to that objective, there is no way Israel can ever come to terms with them, short of committing national suicide.

Muslims vs. Christians and other religions: The Muslims not only believe that Islam is the only true faith, but Islamic fundamentalists believe they are required to kill or subjugate all Infidels or “non-believers.” Hardly a difference of opinion that can be resolved by talk.

Atheists vs. those who believe in God: Atheists have become increasingly aggressive about repressing all forms of religious expression in America, particularly Christianity, and it is highly unlikely the non-believers can be pacified by talk. They believe what they believe, which is nothing, and short of religious conversion, no can convince them to believe in something.

 

Pro-life vs. Pro-choice: Pro-life advocates believe abortion amounts to murder, while those who are Pro-choice believe that the fetus is not a person and that women’s privacy rights include the right to terminate pregnancy.

There is no way I can see these opposing sides agreeing to agree based on talk. They’ve been talking since long before the Roe vs. Wade decision in 1973, and they have yet to agree about anything.

I’d like to know how the next president of the United States, or anyone else for that matter, can talk people into agreeing not to disagree on their core principles or beliefs.

All the conflicts noted above are virtually irreconcilable and cannot be resolved simply by “talk” or Obama’s presumed ability to bring people together. 

If he truly believes this hype himself, he is in for a major disappointment, along with the majority of those who elected him.