RECOGNIZING AND ACCEPTING BOUNDARIES

Why am I having difficulty listening to all the people who keep saying that we should get involved with the cheating elections in Iran? I have no recollection of other countries coming to the aid of the students protesting at Kent in Ohio when a couple of students were killed? No other countries came over to the USA to make sure that the election in 2000 (or 2004, as well) when many of us were convinced that there were many illegal actions during the campaigning and balloting.

We have no business thinking we can continue to strong arm other countries. At last we have a president with the ability to gather around him like-minded people. We need to find more highly evolved ways to use our brains to sole problems rather than continuing to bully the world as we have done in the past few years. We have assisted many countries when we have been requested to help. Iran is not asking for our help nor interference. I suspect they have no intention of doing so in the future, as well.

The police have learned that interfering in domestic disputes has frequently turned the rage against them rather that continuing the fight between the original disputers. Many officers have been bloodied trying to rescue when they have misread the situation. Cheney/Bush took us to Iraq assuming that we would be welcomed as liberators for ridding the people of Iraq of Suddam Hussein. However, Americans soon learned that he was both good and bad for the Iranians, and in many ways their protector who, while in office, had not had to deal with the Taliban nor bin Laden. We didn't protect their priceless historic artifacts, their people, their infrastructure, nor did we keep them safe.
we created a generation of bitter orphans who hate America. We tortured and shamed prisoners in ways we would not wish our servicemen and women to be treated. Do people truly believe our behavior in the Middle East has been exemplary and assume people trust us or look up to us.

We should not forget we are hated. We think differently and do not share religious beliefs. We have many problems in our country that many Middle Eastern countries do not have. Why do we behave so arrogantly that we miss the values that other countries hold dear to their hearts and lifestyles? In our legal system, we cannot arrest someone for thinking about crimes. We should follow that rule and not invade or other wise interfere with our neighbors, whether we like and respect them or not.
If we are truly in some way hurt or attacked, then we can consider what our response must be. Analagous in this situation are many abused wives who are fearful of their estranged husbands. Until the husband has actually hurt them in some way which can be proved in court, the wife's fear is insufficient to obtain a restraining order from a judge following the law.

Admittedly, Iran and Iraq are not alike. Therefore it all the more incumbent on us that we not treat them in any way similarly.