Shameful Ambassadors

There is a new trend in the world and one that I find quite alarming and shameful. That is this new phenomenon of former US Presidents as "good will" ambassadors. Now I understand that they are important public figures and they should serve a purpose in the ongoing dialogue of our country. However, what I DO NOT agree with is when they take it upon themselves to visit other countries and feel the need to talk openly and critically about the United States. I'm talking about Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton here. Both were undoubtedly two of the worse candidates to ever inhabit The White House in recent memory and yet they are the two that can't help criticizing our country whenever they travel abroad. With Carter's administration you had the gas shortage of the 70's (which I remember) and then the hostage crisis in Iran that publicly humiliated the United States on the world stage. With Slick Willy you had an ongoing parade of scandal after scandal after scandal. Heck, people got so tired of all the scandal's that they even coined a phrase that is used today: Clinton Fatigue. After a while you could not keep up with all of the seedy, dirty, information that was coming to light and it was better to just stop listening. I STILL have Clinton Fatigue and it's been almost 8 years since he left office!! So given that these two "stellar role models" were such disaster's as Presidents what makes them think that they even have the authority to travel abroad and speak on official topics of interest? The truth of the matter is this: once a President, always a President. For better or worse (worse in this case) they keep that title for life. Now I am actually OK with that since they earned it and it IS the highest political office in our country. However, I think that just like MOST former Presidents (Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, etc) they should remove themselves from policy matters and let the new administration do it's job. Instead these two take every opportunity to travel the world and give speeches (which they get paid very well for I might add) and find it necessary to criticize what the new President and his people are trying to get accomplished at every turn. Do they not realize that when they go and break bread with our enemy (Carter and Hamas) that they are giving a confusing message to the world? They are in effect telling other countries, some of which are enemies of ours, that we are not a united nation but a divided nation. And as the old adage goes "a house divided cannot stand". When they criticize our country and it's leaders abroad all they do is give fodder to the causes of our enemies. Now more than ever we need to be united in our resolve against these Islamic extremists. We need to portray a united, strong, impenetrable front. Otherwise they will perceive that we are divided and weak and that will motivate them to fight harder. Sadly, most of these speeches put down America and levy harsh criticisms toward our country rather than exhibiting to the world that we are still the "beacon of freedom" that all should strive to be. In the name of partisan politics and self-serving glory and accolades these "shameful ambassadors" spread dissent and sow discord in every climb and place and then act incredulous when the world hates us more and more every day. If I didn't know any better I would think that their true mission is to once and for all extinguish this "beacon of light" and replace it with something quite different. Lady Liberty is still standing in NY Harbor with her head held high and she still beckons those that seek freedom....but for how long? For once they should put aside their divisive politics and act as Americans again. They have proven they have the power to lead and for better or for worse people have followed. Let's hope they lead in the right direction and heal this divided land....before it's too late.