From: A lecture given by Speaker Gerald A. Polley at the Unitarian-Universalist Church, Ellsworth, ME,
March 21, 1993

PROTECTING THE INNOCENT

One of the fundamental teachings of Personal Responsibility is that we cannot enrich ourselves at the expense of others. That we cannot enforce our opinions and our desires on others. Might does not make right. The reverse is true. Might often makes terrible wrong.
Just as an individual can destroy themselves by abusing others, so can nations. No nation has the right to seize another peoples' territory because they have superior weapons. No nation has a right to force its political, economic, or, religious system on another nation by the force of arms.
Every nation is responsible to protect the life and liberty of its neighbors. There are certain situations in which a nation or a group of nations can interfere in the affairs of others.
If a nation falls into chaos, if its government no longer exists, and its people are suffering the nations around it can go in, restore order, and keep the peace until the people of that nation are able to reestablish their own order.
If a country is taken over by a cruel dictator and its people are being oppressed, its neighbors can go in, remove that dictator, and reestablish a legitimate government.
But NO nation has the right to STAY to keep these countries under its control after the people of that country have been able to establish their own government, and are again capable of running their own affairs.
Too many times in history Empires have overrun the world; the Romans, the Mongols, the British...all have tried by force of arms to force their way on others. All have failed, and, crumbled, because they were violating a basic principle of Infinite Law. Each has perished, and their people suffered untold horrors in the material and in the Spiritual Realm because they believed in the right of might.
Do not believe in this principle. Understand that it is the duty of the strong not to oppress the helpless; not to downtrodden the innocent, but to protect them, to see that each people have the right to live as they want to live, as long as they do no harm to others.
This is the way a nation should be governed, a people should live. For if they do not, they WILL perish.

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