Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!floyd!clyde!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!uiuccsb!grunwald
From: grunwald@uiuccsb.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Grenada - (nf)
Message-ID: <3826@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 14-Nov-83 04:28:41 EST
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.3826
Posted: Mon Nov 14 04:28:41 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 15-Nov-83 04:45:10 EST
Lines: 44

#R:hou5d:-72700:uiuccsb:7600043:000:2317
uiuccsb!grunwald    Nov 13 23:30:00 1983

   Actually, I think that it is the sterotypical liberal and the sterotypical
conservative who fail to treat the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R. in an equal manner.
I would hope that most people, who have views ranging between the extremes of
sterotyped liberalism and conservatism, judge nations by actions, not
citizenship.

Unfortunatly, most american "liberalism" is more "middle-of-the-road-ism",
while conservatism seems to more firmly entrenched. Hence, people still
seem to be inclined to point and wave their fingers at the Soviets much more
than the U.S., even in cases where there is considerable doubt as the innocence
of their own country.

   That is, in effect, my major beef with the conservative view-point. The 
principle difference between conservatism and liberalism is the scope of the
perceived community. Historically, the conservative views his community in a
restricted sense. Whether it is the immediate township, county or country.
Liberalism on the other hand, seeks to increase the magnitude of your community.
Most people tend to feel more helpful to the people that they feel belong to
their own community ( indeed, the sense of community might itself be defined in
terms of those you are willing to help).

   Restricted community leads to restricted commitments and more disconcern.
While most people would not consider dumping their garbage in their neighbors
yard, they would have few qualms dumping it in a river, having it float down-
stream and wash ashore on someone elses lawn. If one perceives the man down
the stream as your neighbor (or communal member), then one is less likely to
dump on him (maybe).

   What, you may be asking, does this have to do with liberal vs. conservative
views about the world actions of the U.S. vs. the U.S.S.R? Well, basically,
if one adopts the view of a world community, then one does not tie ones
allegiance to any given country. Hopefully (and admittedly, idealistically),
this gives one a greater sense of objectivity to ones views. Unfortunetly, this
runs completely counter to the more common "us vs. them", "black vs. white"
dichotomy that we so often see.

  Hmm. This does sound like a flame. I better correct that so as to not offend
the sensibilities of the net.

Dirk "this doesn't sound like a flame" Grunwald
ihnp4 ! uiucdcs ! grunwald