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Government's Role in Tibet, Darfur, Burma? Ah, more of the same: politicians acting like they know and understand history, the concept of liberty, or the role of government intended by the framers of the U.S. Constitution. Reading about the recent protests and riots in Tibet, about the just days-old destruction in Burma, about the genocide in Darfur, about the mass killing in central Africa, and about other catastrophes and turmoils around the world, one may begin to ask the question, "What should we do about it?" The need to "make a difference" is a good one, almost always motivated by a sincere desire to better the lives of others. The question, however, is what government's role should be. Take Tibet, for example. What should the federal government's role be in that country? As much as I'd like to see the Marines go in there and kick some Red backside, I surprise even myself--a devoted Free Tibet activist--when I say, "Almost none, politically speaking." The Chinese government's brutal reign in that one-time sovereign nation goes against everything that the American Founding was about. Liberty is a dream in Tibet. Why, then, shouldn't the U.S. Government play an active role in reversing this, in putting pressure on the Chinese government politically or through trade restrictions? Because, sadly, this opens the floodgates. I for one do not want the federal government deciding who to back politically, who to embargo, who to train, who to "aid", who to supply arms to, or who to "punish." The federal government has a horrible record when it comes to taking sides. Foreign political entanglements of all sorts must be avoided by the federal government. The American people, on the other hand, should be active in spreading the Liberty message around the world. So, federal government: get out of the way. Indeed, it is usually some federal government action or actions that stunt the otherwise unstoppable spread of Liberty around the world. As individuals, as organizations, we have the power to make a difference. We need to believe in Liberty. We need to understand that Liberty isn't granted by governments--it's part of a Natural, or Higher, Law. And when the federal government goes around the world taking sides in every regional conflict imaginable, it only makes it more difficult for the real force of Liberty--the free peoples of the world--to do anything. If the Tibetans were to rise up against their Chinese overlords tomorrow, I might just consider volunteering as a foot soldier. I'd certainly support their efforts any way that I could. I'd definitely begin spreading awareness of what I consider a noble fight for Liberty. But I'd want the federal government to stay out. The government doesn't have the right to say, "Young men and women of the armed forces, you will sacrifice yourselves for this foreign conflict." That is not a decision for the government. It is a decision for the individual. Government's role aside, we all know what will result if the government plays the foreign interventionism game: unintended consequences.
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