Change the Tune

Try as I might, I just can't get away from the idea that we aren't on top of things in this world today. Our nation has always stood up for the good things, such as freedom, liberty and success, since it was founded. Yet, now we find ourselves reviled in so many areas of the world. No nation has expended as much treasure and blood as we have to help the downtrodden victims everywhere. Still we seem to be losing the battle. Sometimes even terrorists are more welcome in certain societies than we are. It doesn't make sense. Maybe fighting wars and donating aid to these countries isn't the answer. Could the solution be something as simple as "Propaganda"?

I read "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortensen a while back, and was struck by how much he accomplished as an American in a very inhospitable part of the world. After a mountain climbing incident in the Himalayas, he was helped by villagers in the remote mountainous region of eastern Pakistan. To show his gratitude, Mortensen offered to help the village in any way he was able. The answer was simple; the village wanted a school so the children could receive a well-rounded education and thus have a chance to make a success of their lives in the future. Mortensen set to work, and was eventually able to get the school built. He found some financial backers in the U.S., and then worked with the villagers to do the actual construction. Oddly, to me anyway, he was not to go to our government for any help, because of anti-American sentiment in the area. Over the years he got several more schools built, the program was successful, and all the local people loved him. The point to this little anecdote is that while Mortensen had to work so hard to get a few schools built, his competition was having better luck. Almost as an aside, the book noted that the Saudis had built 3800 schools in Pakistan. The schools he described were more like compounds, large in size and enclosed by high walls. We know these schools as "madrassahs" and we know what kind of education the students get there. The Saudis build these "schools" wherever Muslims are found in the world (yes, also in America), and make sure that Wahhabi teachers are part of the deal. Any more questions about anti-American sentiment and where it comes from?

My view is that we Americans can do the same thing. Not only "can do", but "must do". The primary reason that madrassahs exist is to indoctrinate the young people with the Wahhabi message. We, too, could promote schools that provide not only a good general education, but our own values as well. All of these countries receive aid from us - we should make the schools a part of the deal. I know you wouldn't get far trying to teach Christianity there, but you sure could teach the value of life, honesty, responsibility, and lots of other things (like reading, writing and arithmetic, for instance). And I don't think we should be shy in letting the natives know who is sponsoring the school. We won't be able to improve our image if we don't tell anyone what we are doing, and why. The effort would certainly not be something we should apologize for.

I think the project will be mind-boggling difficult because our adversaries have such a huge head start on us. We have been told by countless leaders that the fight against terrorism can't be won on a battlefield. Victory for us will come only when the people have the knowledge and the desire to choose our side. Educated people have the tools to make any of several good decisions. Indoctrinated people are likely to make only one.