RANT: We must not betray our principles as Democrats in order to "get Bush" or "get votes"
I am not an old man, but I'm old enough to remember the hysterics about "Japan buying up America" during the 1980's. As if allowing the Japanese to own anything deemed "American" was necessarily bad for the country.
Yet, the Republic is still standing.
Today, I see this sort of "guilt by association" being used to criticize Dubai Ports World. And much of the criticism is based on supposition, not facts.
That's a shame, because that is exactly what we criticize the Republicans of doing every day - basing decisions on false premises based more on twisted logic than a reliance on cold, hard facts.
More below...
Iraq was a prime example of shameful arguing tactics. The logic went something like this:
We were attacked on 9/11 by Middle Eastern terrorists (true) --> Iraq is the in the Middle East (true) --> Iraq has ties to terrorists (tenuous, at best) --> Iraq has WMDs (unproven, but forcefully alleged with shoddy intelligence) --> Saddam could give them to terrorist (guilt by tenuous association), therefore, we must invade
Muslims from around the world are being accused of guilt by association every day in the Western world's airports. The logic works like this:
We were attacked on 9/11 by Middle Eastern terrorists --> that entered our country legally --> you look like a Muslim --> and are attempting to enter our country, therefore, you must be scrutinize more than others
Some call this increased security. Other call it blatant racial profiling. Either way, we criticize it and, I believe, rightly so.
And not just for reasons of social justice. There is a real practical reason to treating Muslims with an even hand. Namely, they feel they are NOT treated with an even hand. This has contrubuted to a natural distrust of the West (which sometimes becomes radicallized and violent).
And, here we have it again - guilt by association:
We were attacked on 9/11 by Middle Eastern terrorists --> some terrorist organizations have found funding in the UAE --> Dubai Ports World is a company from the UAE, therefore, they might support terrorists and should be scrutinized
I have read many suggesting that "the GOoPers are handing us 2006 with this one." That's silly. If we, as Democrats, start ignoring what we consider guiding principles, that no one should be dicriminated against because of their race, religion, or nationality, then we have lost. Period.
If we turn our backs on the principle that this world can and should be more united through increased commerce, tolerance, and general goodwill towards all nations, then we have lost.
Where does the intolerance stop? Some have suggested that no foreign countries should control our ports? Why stop there? Should all foreign airlines be blocked from entering US airspace? If you ignore the fact that 9/11 was done using our planes, why not then tell El Al, Emirates, and all airlines owned by Middle Eastern nations that they cannot enter US airspace anymore? Certainly, they, too, are susceptible to hiring a terrorist pilot intent on doing us harm!
And, if we are truly concerned about security, what about all the Middle Eastern shipping companies that arrive in our ports? Couldn't they be trying to smuggle in a nuclear device?
What about Middle Eastern food products? Get rid of them? Shouldn't we be afraid that someone who works in a processing plant in the Middle East might place a poison in a product before it is shipped here?
Never mind the fact that none of these national security nightmares have not happened here yet. Never mind the fact that Dubai Port Worlds itself has never been implicated in any terrorist plot. Never mind that the sharehodlers of Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., a British company, didn't seem to have any problem allowing Dubai Ports World purchase them.
Never mind the fact that the people who work for P&O, and soon to be DPW employees, within our ports are mostly (overwhelmingly?) Americans. Never mind the fact that, as a corporation attempting to make a profit, it would be against their own self interest for DPW to be lax on security. Never mind the fact that US Customs is really responsible for the security that matters most, such as cargo screening (and that is a whole different thing to criticize, for sure).
Nope. Doesn't matter. They are owned by the UAE. The UAE is in the Middle East. The 9/11 terrorists came from the Middle East. We must tell them they can't operate here.
America is not open for business to the Middle East?
Where does it stop?
What do we stand for? How can we Democrats continue to accuse the Republicans of being willing to ignore American principles in the name of security, when we're willing to do it, too?
Don't get me wrong. There are issues to be explored here, but most revolve around how Customs conducts port security. That is where our efforts should be focused. Not only merrily following the GOP down the road of discriminating against companies because of where they are from, based on logic that does not match reality.