Wednesday, January 14, 2004

A friend in need...

The other day I needed my buddy at work to drive me to Town Fair Tire to drop off my car. And, of course, he agreed. But why? Why should he be inconvenienced to take time out of his busy day to help me out? It seems silly to point it out but here’s why: someday he might need a ride and he knows I’ll help him out. Generically speaking, that’s called “goodwill” and it’s something we don’t think about in a personal setting. It’s just something you do as a “good neighbor” or a “friend.”

Dean Esmay has a passionate commentary today on the issue of “Squandering Goodwill” in response to a reader in Europe. Bottom line: why do Democrats certain Americans harp on how we’ve “squandered” the goodwill of the world after 9/11 when it’s these countries who have squandered our goodwill by failing to reciprocate all the help we’ve offered over the years?

But I'm sick of apologizing to people like you. We aren't an empire. But you really should start wondering why YOU are so willing to squander OUR goodwill. Because many of you around the world have done exactly that.

Read the whole thing, as they say.

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