Amazing how timely Boyd Matheson piece in the Deseret News is. The story went online Friday, and the hard copy hit the news stands today. Boyd discusses how there is a the difference between Country First and America First.
And, now comes French President Emmanuel Macron just today, in effect rebuking President Trump for his nationalism. Nationalism is not patriotism, he said in what might have been one of the hallmark speeches of our time. The news story I read also spoke of how of how nationalism is what brought about World War I. Evidently, some of the sentiment of those at the meeting was, in essence, "President Trump, attitudes like yours caused the Great War in the first place."
I think you have to feel for President Trump at this moment. He was embarrassed on an international stage. Still, it occurs to me that his America First agenda does have a conflict with his Make America Great Again motto. Part of America's greatness is that it is a world leader. And, if you are to lead the world, you have to persuade the other nations you have their interests at heart. They won't be following you and you won't be leading them if you don't even suppose to care about them. If your message, in essence, is, "We don't care about you. All we care about is ourselves," you aren't setting yourself up as a leader of nations.
We can abdicate our role as a leader of nations. We can step away from our longstanding role as a leader to the world. But, I doubt that is the way making America great again is going to be achieved, and I doubt this attitude will last.
America is a natural leader in the world. Whether it rebounds during Trump's administration, or after he is gone, America will return. It will send more of a message that it is, indeed, interested in the welfare of other nations.
And, that is an attitude you must have if you are to lead them.
Note: Edited a little 11/12/18, but still haven't gave it a careful read to consider it edited.
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