For many years it was no illusion. No other country could have turned from a peace time economy to war as fast as America did for WWII with the production totals we attained. Did we get it wrong a time or two? Certainly. Still we have taken democracy to unbelievable heights. The so called democratic Greeks were far from one man, one vote. We tossed out slavery even as many other countries practiced (some still do) it. Everyone may vote, in some places even the dead are still casting votes, sometimes two or three times in the same election.
And, while our muscle cars are really only decent in a straight line, we are striving to improve them.
Realistically we must have the warrior class as the vast majority of people are either unwilling or unable to defend themselves from predators. All people are either predators or prey, some can be both though usually not at the same time. Case in point, Hitler was a predator, Poland was prey, Mussolini was both Hitler's prey and at the same time Ethiopia's predator.
Politicians are predators, voters the prey. Of course there are degrees of both classes. Make no mistake, retailers are predators, customers their prey. Cops prey on criminals as the criminal preys on his victims.
It is not a safe place this world we live in. Human nature being what it is it never will be. So God bless the warriors and let's have a drink to those that are no longer with us.
When I was a cop I had a philosophy which I still pretty much adhere to: Always expect the worst of people that you are never disappointed and sometimes, rarely though, very pleasantly surprised.
I might observe that this forum seems to be peopled mostly by pleasant surprises. This pleases me greatly and helps to restore my faith in mankind. And for that I thank each and everyone of you.
