The West -- Remember the Fall of Persia, Athens, and Rome

Considering standards of conduct throughout the world's cultures, we have very little to apologize for and much to brag about. We are the best. We are truly universal. We not only stand up to challenges of intellect and virtue, but also to calls of humanity, charity, and compassion. We may not be the first with this mentality. We did not pioneer greatness and inquiry per-se. But we mastered said functions like nobody else has. We are not a "living organism", for no matter how awesome, living things die out. We are not that. We are, to the extent humanity remains essentially human, endless. We do not lose vitality except by choice. We do not fizzle out. More importantly, we cannot fizzle out, for the consequences of such an event would be a dark age no light may penetrate. We are to the human race what Jesus is to Christians, what the Buddha is to Buddhists, what Moses is to Jews. We are not special by our history, by our race, birth, income, language, location, or even economy. We are special by the principles which lead our lives, no matter how "rebellious" we are, and by the institutions we have devised and believe in. Our acceptance of such principles and institutions is what makes us unique. Who are we?

We are the West. A reincarnation of ancient Greece, vivid Alexandria, and the light of ancient Persia.

"We wish to find the truth, no matter where it leads." - Says Carl Sagan in the introduction to his film COSMOS. Though there are many qualities to admire and many perspectives from which to view it, I will choose the above statement as the nexus of Western civilization. Yes, this is personal, but it would be a lie to say that this article wasn't motivated by matters of the personal. So I will break a cardinal rule of expository writing and proudly include "I" within this piece. Aside from token rebellion against tyrannical rhetoric instructors the "I" -- Individual, is another profound focus of the West that is not seen to the same extent, if any, elsewhere in the world.

I can back up my claims. And only those of Western mentality do so with rigor and without recourse to mysticism or dubious reference to traditions, grandeur, favoritism by God(s), and with inherent understanding that this supporting evidence and reasoning may very well be wrong and in need of revision. Perhaps negation, if logic demands it.

Name one net donor of aid (material and otherwise) that goes outside their "tribal" affiliation. There is none that is not Western on any large scale. Yes, people give to whoever is in dire need. Aid came from the world over in response to the Indonesia flood, and upon an earthquake in Pakistan, and so on. However, what about the constant, regularly approved aid to those without any personal or cultural connection? Amnesty International, Red Cross, Human Rights Watch, various NGOs revolving around journalist freedom or peaceful protest, or what have you. Name one that didn't originate in what we can reasonably call Western domains. Now granted, in all fairness, Islamic countries donate stupendous amounts for causes they deem worthy. The catch is that when it's not violent terrorism (jihad), it's propagation and assistance to their own diaspora, or the spread of their creed. A Christian charity or a Jewish relief group from Israel could be expected to help out Muslim Somalians, or Darfur refugees, or human trafficking victims from Vietnam. Imagine a rich Somalia, a rich Darfur, a rich Vietnam. I'll admit I don't know Vietnam enough to say anything, but the previous two regions hold.

As Saudi Arabia and Iran demonstrate, they will only support "their own". What charity is there in that? What virtue? What "sacrifice" or greater good is propagated when one pays for the good of one's own? How many churches have the Saudis (or any Muslims) ever helped build? I know of two. One, after Muslims sufficiently threatened Iraqi Christians with extermination, the latter started leaving. The Muslims missed them a little bit, so invited them back to their subservient rule to Islamic mores without a tinge of respect or rights for the minority faith that they demand in other parts of the world. Two, a church opened up in Dubai in recent times. It was a big hush-hush deal since they were worried some of the more firmly faithful Islamic followers would pull an "al-queda" on the infidel (non-Muslim) religious house. And keep in mind that Dubai is substantially westernized.

Two. Compared to... way too many to count if we go by instances of the favor being repaid when Christians, Jews, or secular westerners take a similar humanitarian initiative.

It is significant that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights did not originate in Kenya, Djibouti, or North Korea. Nevermind the infinite blunders of the UN, the intent is fundamentally compassionate. Imagine what "human rights" would look like if they originated from the likes of Kenya, Djibouti, or North Korea. To assist in that task, just observe the status thereof in said countries. It is non-existent. It is primitive. The colonialists of old were correct in one respect - most of the world is held hostage by their own mystically justified savagery towards each other and "the outsider". Granted that such savagery was, and to an extent, still is common in the West; but only in the West are there no excuses based on "culture", "religion" and "tradition" popping up to defend such evils.

Perhaps there are tragically few exceptions to "the Rest" being somehow "worse" than western regions. And to those, should they exist, or have existed in the past, I pay my deepest respects. With them there is no "competition" except a friendly wager between allies as to who can cure the ills of our civilization first and best. With them, either now or in the past I offer nothing but friendship and recognition of another people who have, perhaps by other names, established and practiced a sort of Enlightenment.

The Persian Empire comes to mind."300" nonwithstanding, it was an exceptionally bright light of culture, beauty, and rational use of power to its people. But the Persians faded and were transformed into the death-obsessed Muslims of today's Iran. By what agent? By the savagery and insatiable rage of 7^th century Muslims riding a wave of blood, oppression, and suicidal zeal justified by a demented "prophet of God". Take heed, America.

Greece and her accomplishments fell, as did Rome. Darkness enveloped entire continents. Persia is a skeleton of its former glory, if at all - and now stands upon the verge of a very regrettable blast by a reluctant West that must choose between preserving itself and submitting to the animals ruling the lands of Cyrus. Perhaps as much as I mourn iconic names like Athens and Alexandria, I would add the heart and soul of Persia. Its descent into dark ages is not for the faint of heart to contemplate. Its people suffered something I can barely describe. Perhaps it will rise in beauty again. Perhaps, but all the more likely if the stifling chokehold of the Quran is completely torn off and burned to ashes. Perhaps not.

Do not let such a fall from grace happen again. No matter the cost.