A matter of policy

This was part of a thread on Slashdot that I contributed to. It raises some serious issues about US foreign policy and the responsibility of the citizenry. It is off-topic to continue the discussion on Slashdot so I've decided to add further responses here.

It began when Dan Ost wrote:

Please don't make the mistake of assuming that US foreign policy reflects or is in any way influenced by the actual opinions of individual Americans.

To which I responded:

If not, why not? Of, for, by the people. Isn't that the mantra? Your founders gave you the second amendment for a reason. Use it or lose it.

Then came the curious retort from someone calling themselves monkeyfamily:

Yeah, and i bet you'll back us up in our revolution. Just like GHW Bush backed up the Shiites after he told them he'd support them if they overthrew Saddam. Oh wait, he didn't, and now their bodies are the ones turning up in mass graves all over Iraq.

Thankfully the founders of the United States didn't think like this guy (according to his website his name is Elliot). The original conspirators risked everything to create their nation. They understood that freedom was worth the price. When you're right and just and have the courage to back up your convictions with not just empty platitudes but deeds and actions then anything is possible. Elliott doesn't seem to understand that. He's already lost because he doesn't believe in the cause. Oh, I'm sure he's recited the oath but that's not the way to defend and uphold such a fragile thing as freedom. That is only empty propaganda designed to placate the masses.

Jefferson once said, the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. But more importantly he also said, Every generation needs a new revolution. Without that revolution the masses fail to understand the price of freedom. The checks and balances begin to be ignored or "worked around". The citizenry loses control of the government. The various agencies of government and allied interests begin to control every facet of the citizen's lives: what they see, hear and do. When that happens in a republic that country quickly stops being a republic and rapidly descends into dictatorship.

So I ask, if your democratically elected government isn't doing the bidding of the citizenry what are you doing to change that?

As for Elliott all I can say is perhaps the French will ride to your rescue as they did in the Revolutionary War. Maybe then French fries will be put back on the Whitehouse menu.