Clash of Civilizations

Check this link out, (via Consul-at-Arms) and read even the comments. They are at least as thoughtful as the post...which is good.

I can see the culture they're talking about here in my own life. I want to work for the State Department one day, and this is surprising to a lot of people.

I can understand that...I do complain a lot about government beaurocracy, and how the government sucks, and how relativism is bad, and liberal philosophies of diplomacy are stupid, and how the UN is junk...I can get into all the reasoning later...but for now lets remember that most of the people in the State Department don't agree with me about all that.

I still want to work for State...one of the bigger government beaurocracies. It's not about the money...obviously, cause it's not there. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time, since I got back from my first year living abroad. I specifically want to work for the Consular Section of the State Department...the part that helps people through the visa process, and helps American Citizens who get into trouble. (at least, that's roughly what I want to be doing) I want to do this, because I think it's a huge honor to be the first American a potential immigrant is probably going to be dealing with, and I think that that position is a huge responsibility and it's a job that needs to be done right (hence why I would be the one doing it). I also want to help streamline legal immigration and clean up the visa process, but I realize I won't be able to do that for a while.

Anyway, lots of people around here feel the way the people in that article do, and they're confuse about why I would ever want to be a part of the State Department...I answer that, to me, it's more important to serve my country than to work in an environment where everyone agrees with me.

That's it.