where's the words?
Reader comment on item: Defending and Advancing Freedom

Submitted by Simon Davis (United States), Nov 3, 2005 at 01:17

My big thing, Daniel, is that Bush (America) has failed in the ideological war of words and ideas. To the world (and to many Americans now today) it appears (or perceived) that he is forcing democracy on the Middle East through military power. Where are the words and ideas that Reagan used to help bring down communism from the inside and get support from other free nations? What is the Voice of America broadcasting these days to the world?

Whatever it is we must improve our communications as to what we stand for. To just throw around the words "freedom" or "democracy" very well translate into completely different meanings to hearers living in both Islamic and non Islamic societies. Time and effort must be taken to effectively communicate what these principles really are and to take the offense in defining the terms so people of the world can understand. The enemies of freedom are hard at work in the area of words and teaching, but it looks like we are just throwing our weight around with the absence of clearly advocating any values and principles.

Thats my take on the situation today. It is a lot cheaper and does not cost human life to wage ideological war for the minds of men. After all, it is what is in men's minds that cause them to react with action.

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