Imagine you are an American diplomat in 1970’s
Introduction
Being an American diplomat and a part of the team sent to a third world country to make
an alliance that could be mutually beneficial for both countries. The official report is that Soviet
diplomats currently living in the country have suggested to the leaders of this Third World
IMAGINE YOU ARE AN AMERICAN DIPLOMAT IN 1970’S 2
country that the United States is not be trusted as a partner because of how Americans treat their
own minority populations 1 . The purpose of this paper is therefore to provide a formal and written
rebuttal to the Soviet claims that Americans are not trustworthy and they do not treat minority
groups fairly through the practical issues in society and foreign policy.
Where domestic and socio-economic issues are concerned, since the days of Rosa Parks
where her and her colleagues refused to give up her seat on the bus because of the color of their
skin, significant progress towards equality has been made by the United States Government
under law for all citizens. This progress includes the right to vote, the freedom of movement,
speech, and the right to be free from discrimination of various forms such as employment and
housing discrimination 2 . This evidence of the progress in socio-economic progress has reduced
the racism and discrimination that since existed with regards to minorities in the American
society. The founding fathers in America emphasized prudence as a concept since it is the art of
achieving what is best in the limits of what is possible in human relations. Prudence as a concept
shuns the limits to what is possible and aims at what is simply right and just 3 .
Where the domestic political issues are concerned, the number of minorities in positions
of power has also improved and grown in public and private life 4 . In fact, the current sitting
president in America is black American whose roots are from Kenya. Contrary to the soviet
claims therefore, minorities in America enjoy greater civil and political opportunities than any
other time in history as much as complete equality has not been achieved in certain areas such as
in the criminal justice system 5 . Black and Hispanic Americans living in Missouri for example
1 Jones, J. (2003). Created equal: A History of the United States (4th ed., Vol. 2). New York: Longman.
2 Ibid
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid
IMAGINE YOU ARE AN AMERICAN DIPLOMAT IN 1970’S 3
have companied about their victimization by police following the shooting of Mr. Brown and
have as a result resulted to increasing their voting numbers in order to make a difference to the
Caucasian politically dominated communities which have predominantly Hispanic and Black
residents to have representative elected officials.
The rebuttal is also based on key changes in both foreign and domestic policy that have
occurred over the past 50 years to convince this Third World country to join the Americans as
allies in the Cold War. Every president since Wilson have used the progressive foreign policy
ideology to justify the actions of Americans action abroad with assurances that we are acting not
merely for our interests, but for the global community as a whole 6 . For instance, major military
interventions abroad in Kuwait (1991), Somalia (1992), Haiti (1994), Bosnia (1995), Kosovo
(1999, Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2004) have attempted to blend the two rationales. 7
Understanding Progressive foreign policy as well as its shortcomings coupled with the
knowledge of Founding foreign policy results in the development of contemporary foreign policy
used by Americans has been adopted over the years to liberate and provide welfare of others.
This resulted in forward-thinking actions necessary for future security and real opportunities to
help others hence advancing the universal principles to which we as a country are dedicated 8
Conclusion
Therefore, we as Americans believe that helping others need to be done in the right
manner, at the right time, for the right reasons and at the right place. We do not seek to partner at
the expense of your beloved country rather we are here to work together and develop mutually
5 Jones, J. (2003). Created equal: A History of the United States (4th ed., Vol. 2). New York: Longman.
6 Ibid
7 Ibid
IMAGINE YOU ARE AN AMERICAN DIPLOMAT IN 1970’S 4
beneficial activities for both our countries that will foster cooperation, progress and our moral
duties to each other and the world at large.
