{"id":124679,"date":"2021-02-11T14:19:16","date_gmt":"2021-02-11T19:19:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=124679"},"modified":"2021-02-11T14:27:34","modified_gmt":"2021-02-11T19:27:34","slug":"crenshaw-america-first-means-choosing-country-over-popularity-in-the-foreign-policy-culture-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/crenshaw-america-first-means-choosing-country-over-popularity-in-the-foreign-policy-culture-war\/","title":{"rendered":"CRENSHAW: \u2018America First\u2019 Means Choosing Country Over Popularity In The Foreign Policy Culture War"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcrenshaw-america-first-means-choosing-country-over-popularity-in-the-foreign-policy-culture-war%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=124679&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/GettyImages-1208911715.jpg?w=1200&amp;h=800&amp;ixlib=react-9.0.3\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span>Spend some time at the top graduate programs in foreign policy \u2014 Georgetown, Fletcher, Harvard \u2014 and mention the word \u201cglobalist\u201d in a derogatory fashion. Students and faculty alike will probably wonder what you mean. They might even say, \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with global cooperation? How else can we solve today\u2019s biggest challenges? We are all citizens of the world, after all.\u201d After that little experiment, throw out the words \u201cAmerica First,\u201d and brace for the fireworks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Now, I\u2019m not a huge fan of the clumsy over-usage of the term<\/span> <em><span>globalist<\/span><\/em> <span>by many conservatives, often used as a rhetorical club to wield against any fellow conservative who differs slightly in opinion on matters of foreign policy. Similar to \u201cneocon\u201d or \u201cRINO,\u201d the term quickly loses meaning as it gives way to nothing more than insulting sloganeering and one-upmanship.&nbsp; But the underlying sentiment is worth exploring given that it speaks to deep cultural divides over our priorities, and understandable misgivings about multiculturalism.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>For a growing number of Americans, globalization is just another buzzword for shipping jobs overseas and funding fancy cocktail parties for our elites on the diplomacy circuit in Brussels and Paris. It is part of an ideology rooted in sneering condescension from those with master\u2019s degrees who studied in Madrid for one semester, know some phrases in German and Mandarin, and now think they\u2019ve unlocked the secrets to world peace. If only those unilingual rubes running small businesses in rural Texas would listen to them, they declare.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Examples include<\/span> <span>Secretary John Kerry <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jns.org\/opinion\/history-proves-john-kerry-wrong-again\/\">emphatically<\/a> telling us how stupid we are to believe the Arab world and Israel can achieve peace without coddling the Palestinians and complying with their ever-changing demands<\/span><span>. Other more tangible and immediate examples include<\/span> <span>rejoining the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aei.org\/articles\/the-absurdity-that-is-the-paris-climate-agreement\/\">Paris Climate Accord<\/a><\/span> <span>or the<\/span> <span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.heritage.org\/global-politics\/commentary\/the-most-glaring-flaws-obamas-iran-deal\">Iran Nuclear Deal<\/a>, both of which clearly place America\u2019s needs second<\/span><span>.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Unfortunately, disregarding the needs of the United States in favor of the pursuit of a broader vision seems to be the goal. The \u201cforeign policy blob\u201d being assembled by President Biden in Washington sneers at \u201cAmerica First,\u201d not just because it was Trump\u2019s slogan, but because they honestly<\/span> <em><span>don\u2019t believe it.<\/span><\/em> <span>They don\u2019t want to harm the country, but believe our country must sacrifice more for the sake of the global community. Liberalism loves collectivism, after all, and this sentiment doesn\u2019t stop at our borders. They call this self-sacrificing doctrine \u201cleadership,\u201d though skeptics might call it \u201cfoolish.\u201d They believe that a primary goal of foreign policy should be to ingratiate ourselves to the world and that American prestige in the eyes of the diplomatic elite is of the utmost importance. It pains our liberal upper class to know that a majority of Germans think American gun laws are ridiculous, or that Arab royalty think our First Amendment is outdated. And the first order of businesses, it seems, is to apologize for it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The cultural origins of this trace back to the college campus, where diversity is the new buzzword. International students are welcomed and exalted over the Midwestern farmer\u2019s son or daughter, even if their lack of knowledge in American culture and politics severely degrade high-level classroom discussions. Cultural relativism \u2014 in which no objective standard exists to measure one culture\u2019s merits against another \u2014 is the norm. The dream of the bright-eyed liberal is to go make a difference abroad and show the world that the ugly American can be likable again.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>There isn\u2019t necessarily a problem with a kind-hearted individual whose primary interest is foreign affairs. The problem arises when there is a lack of balance and increasing departure from the sentiments of the American population. That imbalance, which begins with idealist intent on college campuses, becomes the \u201cblob\u201d that believes the Paris Climate Accords will actually be environmentally beneficial or that the Iran Nuclear Deal will actually lead to more security. These assumptions remain strong even after being discredited because they are built on feelings and not facts. It\u2019s why the left wants to convince you that \u201cglobalism\u201d is virtuous, as is \u201cmulticulturalism\u201d and \u201cdiversity,\u201d and anyone who disagrees must be suffering from a serious case of racist nationalism.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Elites forget that a large segment of America does not believe we should constantly be apologizing for our country. They forget about the Americans that, on the 4<\/span><span>th<\/span> <span>of July, sport shirts that say \u201cBack to Back World War Champions,\u201d and go out of their way to buy American-made products. These Americans are probably gun-owners that think European men are just a little too<\/span> <em><span>metro<\/span><\/em><span>. These Americans will not be shamed into buying a Prius, especially when those doing the shaming prefer to<\/span> <span>fly on a <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2021\/02\/03\/john-kerry-took-private-jet-to-iceland-for-climate-award\/\">private jet<\/a> to receive their climate award<\/span><span>. And when it comes to foreign policy, commonsense<\/span> <em><span>realpolitik<\/span><\/em> <span>kicks in to make up for an Ivy League degree. A tough, clear, even aggressive stance toward a country like Iran is not reckless, but realistic. Conversely, naively assuming that a complex negotiation that will fizzle out in 10-15 years will fundamentally change the nature of an authoritarian terror-sponsoring state is <em>far<\/em> from realistic.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>I recall a professor from an elite university telling me that when students were asked if they were proud of their country, foreign students overwhelmingly raised their hand while American students did not. \u201cAmerica first\u201d is a sentiment, first and foremost. It is a direct reaction to these students who refuse to raise their hand, and sneer at those of us who do.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Is it a coherent set of policies? Not quite. More of a guiding principle, really. International relations are ever changing and dynamic. Incentives change, and evolving circumstances require flexible approaches. But that approach must be guided by a simple doctrine. Are we working to further our country\u2019s best interests, or are we trying to be popular?&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>If America First means prioritizing the interests of Americans, then that doesn\u2019t seem like such a bad idea.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>Representative Dan Crenshaw is a former Navy SEAL who serves Texas\u2019 Second Congressional District in Congress and sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>The views expressed in this piece are the author\u2019s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>The Daily Wire is one of America\u2019s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/subscribe\">&nbsp;<em>member<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Spend some time at the top graduate programs in foreign policy \u2014 Georgetown, Fletcher, Harvard \u2014 and mention the word \u201cglobalist\u201d in a derogatory fashion. Students and faculty alike will &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1893216,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[6411,6412,5242,3852,4614,3972],"class_list":["post-124679","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-choosing","tag-country","tag-crenshaw","tag-first","tag-means","tag-over"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124679","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=124679"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124679\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1893216"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=124679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=124679"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=124679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}