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One World
North Miami Beach, Florida 1-22-2000 Aaron H. Schectman
THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then. Opinions pro or con are welcome.
ONE WORLD
In the words of the song, "What a wonderful world it would be." (and my
ending) .if there was but one world. It may come as a surprise for you to
know that I am a proponent of Word Federalism and I think it obvious that we
indeed have but one world. The now aging United Nations has shown its
weaknesses instead of its strengths, its exclusions rather than inclusions.
The United Nations is not a "United World". Instead, we have a single nation
leading a non-united world. That leader is the United States, once
reluctant to become a member of the world community.
For those who can remember, the United States once pursued a policy of
"isolationism". Rather than become embroiled in the messy affairs of other
nations the U.S. tried to go its own solitary way. This we know was
impossible. We entered two world wars and then found that our participation
in the messes the old dying empires were leaving behind was essential. This
meant we used our military might in other, limited wars and in international
diplomacy.
It is too bad that the message of World Federalism never caught the
interest of the various venues of Americans. These tried instead to
encapsulate what it meant to be an "American" and thus show how distinct we
were from the rest of the peoples of the world. Cries of some that we were a
nation of "immigrants" were lost in the expostulations that there was a
"race" of Americans distinct from and better than all other peoples.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if the nations trying "ethnic cleansing" and those
who are chronically at war with their neighbors or with "others" living in
their countries, took time to think as members of a world community. We are
all neighbors, you know. Our "alikes" are greater than our differences. It
is time to examine sovereignty to see it as an outmoded model of an older
time. World Federalism, at least on the model of the European Union with
one currency, could help eliminate the chronic distrust, fighting, wars and
despoliation that are continuing into the 3rd millennium.
Carol's Evaluation: 8 out of 10.
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