Poop Shute

You ever hear one of those phrases that just sticks with you?

You know, sort of like a song, it just sticks in your head and sort of bounces around for a while.

Yesterday a good friend of mine surprised with just such a phrase:

"FUCK THE U.N.!"

My first impulse was to laugh, but he was very irate and had been drinking, so I sat on that impulse.

Whether or not you believe going to war with Iraq was a good thing, saying... the above is just plain ridiculous.

I could give you a long-winded tirade of an essay wherein I would go point-by-point every reason why the U.N. is a good idea, and more importantly why they should be taken seriously.

I will spare you that and instead share with you a simple analogy.

Lets take a second and evaluate what the U.N. really is. I mean, in the broadest, simplest terms.

In many ways it's a governing body. For lack of an offical world-legislature or world-court, it kind of plays those parts without being labeled as such.

It is these things for us because we give it these powers. By the way, "us" as I will use it here means all of us who live in member countries.

So, what happens when we stop giving it these powers? Who pays the price? What are the ethics involved?

Here's where my analogy comes in:

Adam shoots and kills Bobby.

Bobby's mom Connie is devistated. Connie is a cop, who agrees to uphold and follow the law.

Adam is arrested, and his trial is long and drawn out with many appeals.

Connie gets tired of waiting and guns down Adam herself.

Now, are Connie's actions acceptable? Are they legal?

Even if you believe Connie was morally in the right, you must concede that she took the power of the law into her own hands, thereby breaking the law.

Connie is a U.S. citizen, and as such has given up certain freedoms to make sure we all get life, liberty, and all that.

We give up the right to murder. Even for revenge.

Now, apply this to the U.N.

Terrorists attack the U.S.

The U.S. goes after The Talaban, and crushes them.

Suddenly, and inexplicably The United States wants to go after Iraq. Now!

The U.N. says they believe Saddam is a problem, but are unwilling to give an okay on military action.

America charges in anyway, thumbing their noses at any rules, and anyone who objects.

BUT, as U.N. members we agree to abide by the judgements of the U.N. and jump through all the hoops.

Just like Connie with her trials.

We give up certain actionable rights in order to preserve the pursuit of life, liberty and all that for all member countries.

If we don't, why should anybody else?

And if we don't, then what are we defending anyway?

Certainly not any kind of integrity.

Through its actions our government did say "fuck the U.N." and that is a problem.

It's selfish, it's arrogant and it's a LARGE PART OF WHY THE WHOLE WORLD HATES US!

*********** UPDATE ***********

In the comments Gurg pointed out there is a world court. He is right. I spoke incorrectly above, but I was not entirely wrong. It is called The International Court of Justice, and it is actually a U.N. body. Check it out.