Searching for Monsters
Searching for Monsters Public acceptance of U.S. foreign excess — searching for monsters to destroy — leads to acceptance of war, and to acceptance of war by other means, writes Andrew P. Napolitano. President George H.W. Bush displaying what he said was a bag of crack cocaine during a 1989 speech promoting his “war on drugs.” (C-span still) Andrew P. Napolitano “ America goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy … She might become the dictatress of the world, But she would no longer be the ruler of her own spirit.” — John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) I n the middle of his term as secretary of state, the future president John Quincy Adams addressed a joint session of Congress. What prompted this unusual event? The United States had just fought Britain to a draw in the War of 1812. It was fought almost entirely in Canada. Some historians believe the British began this war to win back their former colonies. Some believe the U.S. began it to seize Canada from Britain. Adams was w