Joseph Smith for President

Here is an interesting quote that I pulled from Joseph Smith’s platform for the U.S. Presidency, “General Smith’s Views of the Powers and Policy of the Government of the United States” (1844). It seems like it could really be pertinent to our day. What do you think, is it applicable?

“It is an old saying and a true one, ‘if you wish to be respected, respect yourselves.’… I will adopt, in part, the language of Mr. Madison’s inaugural address, ‘To cherish peace and friendly intercourse with all nations, having correspondent dispositions; to maintain sincere neutrality towards belligerent nations; to prefer in all cases amicable discussion and reasonable accommodation of differences to a decision of them by an appeal to arms; to exclude foreign intrigues and foreign partialities, so degrading to all countries, and so baneful to free ones; to foster a spirit of independence too just to invade the rights of others, too proud to surrender our own, too liberal to indulge unworthy prejudices ourselves, and too elevated not to look down upon them in others…”

-To cherish peace and friendly intercourse with all nations, having correspondent dispositions- Oh, so like maintaining good relations with Europe (France !?!) and other diplomatic nations?

-to maintain sincere neutrality towards belligerent nations; to prefer in all cases amicable discussion and reasonable accommodation of differences to (over) a decision of them by an appeal to arms – like Iraq?

- to exclude foreign intrigues and foreign partialities – Oh, like favoring Israel and rich oil kings while turning a blind eye to other nations being oppressed by tyrants and suffering AIDS emergencies ?

-to foster a spirit of independence too just to invade the rights of others – like those of the Iraqi people?

-too proud to surrender our own – like our due process under the Patriot Acts?

-too liberal to indulge unworthy prejudices ourselves – (Wait, did he just say “liberal”?); like listening selectively to those who say that there are, in fact, WMDs ? –affirming what you planned on doing anyway. ???

-and too elevated not to look down upon them in others – like treating Saudi Arabia as a most-favored-nation with all their oil and money, even though they rule despotically and are severely demeaning in their treatment and abuse of women?

What say ye?

I think we can all agree – Joseph Smith for President !