Words of Hope

For some reason I'm feeling hopeful today, a state of mind that runs counter to my normally pessimistic existential angst. Whew, say that 5x's fast. In this state of utter delight, I just wanted to post a quotation from the American radical democrat, Thomas Paine, whose democratic principles always elevate me when fear of the future presses down upon me. So here it goes:

"We have it in our power to begin the world anew."

What I always loved about this quote is its total belief in the indefatigability of the human spirit as it reaches for freedom, equality, and a better tomorrow. Somewhere in the bowels of Iraq, Afghanistan, and the wider Middle East and Near East, there are radical democrats pushing the boundaries of their respective societies toward openness and democracy in the spirit of Thomas Paine. It is up to the privileged West to give them the resources and help they need to make their dreams a reality -- a foreign policy that Paine believed was the U.S.'s destiny.

Can the U.S. reorient its foreign policy towards this ideal? I'm skeptical, but it's what all us lowly leftist writers should be advocating nonetheless.