Why do Republicans dislike the United Nations?

[Mr. Anubite]

I ask, because I really haven't heard an explanation that wasn't either, "Republicans are stupid sheep who hate the UN because Fox tells them to." or "Republicans hate the UN because the UN is trying to take over our lives to build the New World Order." There are obvious problems with the UN, such as the oil-for-food scandal, but many Republicans seem to believe that the UN shouldn't exist, or that the US should withdrawal from it.

Please, try to avoid "dumb sheep" type comments.

[Nekojin]

What kind of answer do you want, if the truth isn't what you want to hear? There's a large number of Republicans who follow the lead of the popular talking heads. The UN was just fine for Republicans when Bush was in office, and we had the pretense that we were leading the rest of the world around. But now that Obama's in charge, the narrative has shifted. They're unwilling to believe that he is a capable leader, so the assumption is that he's not in charge of the UN (or, alternately, that he IS in charge, and intends to strip the US of its sovereignty, which is utterly ludicrous on its face). Never mind that the UN has no direct authority over its member states - the very fact that we can withdraw from the UN is evidence of that. And if they're paranoid enough to believe that the UN is trying to take over the US (and has the power and authority to do so), why do they believe that withdrawing from it would somehow protect us?

I'm not painting all Republicans with this brush, mind you. But there's a large percentage of the Republican base that appears to be completely disconnected with reality, only following where their chosen leaders choose to lead them. On another forum I'm on, they're referred to as the Scary Republican Base, or SRB for short. Are there rational, sensible Republicans? Sure, of course there are. But the Republican party doesn't really pay any attention to them, seemingly more interested in pandering to the wackos and extremists. There's more money to be made from hollering about how their way of life is under attack, and keeping people paranoid.

If you don't believe that's the case, or don't want to believe it, I'm not sure what else to tell you.

[Hyena Dandy]

The large distrust of the UN, the whole "The UN is gonna take over" comes from the popularity of a 'literal' reading of the bible to include the rapture, the tribulation, etc.

Some see the UN as the means the antichrist will use to rise to power, and begin the tribulation. Thus, they can't trust it, because they know that the UN will be taken over by demonic forces, because it provides a structure with which to take over every country.

Of course it can't, and it doesn't, but that's that.

[lordlundar]

From what I've seen it's because Republicans don't like the idea that they're not in charge of the entire world. Republicans like the idea of "My way or get out of the way" and the UN was formed specifically to prevent a single country from doing that.

You have to remember that there's a lot of people who look at "Team America: World Police" as a good idea.

[TheHuckster]

What kind of answer do you want, if the truth isn't what you want to hear? There's a large number of Republicans who follow the lead of the popular talking heads. The UN was just fine for Republicans when Bush was in office, and we had the pretense that we were leading the rest of the world around.

Actually, I heard a lot of criticism of the UN during the Bush administration, and the UN was also very much critical of Bush.

[Greenday]

Because the UN is very ineffective and is for all appearances very weak. Why exactly would they want them to rule our country when they couldn't even really survive without us?

[HYHYBT]

It's a weird mesh of believing we're the "world's only superpower," and therefore have every right to bully other nations only it's magically not that because we're us, and isolationism from a century ago.

[crashhelmet]

It's a combination of a lot of things. Nekojin was pretty much spot on with the sovereignty aspect. They don't want to give any body of government power over us in any way.

Another part of it is spite. The UN refused to join us and the UK in our "War On Terror". They constantly balked at Saddam Hussein's refusal to allow UN inspectors into certain sites. While we ended up being wrong with our "intelligence," they believe it's the UN's fault for making us into war criminals.

Add in that Obama answered the UN's call to attack Libya and usurp Qadaffi. Clearly, if Obama supports them, the Republicans can not.

[lordlundar]

Another part of it is spite. The UN refused to join us and the UK in our "War On Terror". They constantly balked at Saddam Hussein's refusal to allow UN inspectors into certain sites. While we ended up being wrong with our "intelligence," they believe it's the UN's fault for making us into war criminals.

Add in that Obama answered the UN's call to attack Libya and usurp Qadaffi. Clearly, if Obama supports them, the Republicans can not.

Ehhh, these are little more than excuses. The Republicans have hated the UN for much longer than that. They've been calling to get out of the UN since the Korean conflict/Vietnam War.

No, I still think the reason is because the Republicans don't like the idea of having to answer to anyone that they personally don't approve of and the UN is just such an entity.

[Greenday]

No, I still think the reason is because the Republicans don't like the idea of having to answer to anyone that they personally don't approve of and the UN is just such an entity.

Is there something wrong with that attitude? I mean, I don't approve of governing bodies that are unable to properly do their jobs.

[Mr. Anubite]

Is there something wrong with that attitude? I mean, I don't approve of governing bodies that are unable to properly do their jobs.

Whether or not the UN is competent is certainly a discussion worth having, but I know lots of people who don't believe a governing body should have the job the UN does. There are solid examples of failure on the part of the UN, but I don't think that necessarily means the UN shouldn't exist. I'm not saying you feel this way, either, so no offense intended.

[Crazedclerkthe2nd]

Actually, a lot of is rooted in the fact that the majority of Republicans are Christians and it's a central part of End Times theology that the arrival of the Antichrist, who it is said will reign for seven years before the return of Christ, will be preceded by the formation of a so-called One World Government.

They view the U.N. as the forerunner of that government and are worried that the U.N. will initiate measures which will transfer control of major domestic areas such as Military, economy, education and so forth from the U.S. government to some U.N. body staffed by unelected foreign bureaucrats.

Though the Supremacy Clause specifically forbids such actions, they are convinced that people like the "radical" Barack Obama will refuse to uphold said clause and therefore allow the U.N. to usurp American sovereignty.

I am not making this up. Google if it you don't believe me.

[Jaden]

Trust me, as somebody who is surrounded by hyper-conservatives and grew up in a church that actually believed in premillenial dispensationalism, it's because of so-called "end-times theology". That's the major part of it, at least. For whatever reason, partially thanks to shit like Left Behind, a lot of the religious right thinks that the UN is the start of a one world government that will be hijacked by the antichrist and bring about the apocalypse. It's nonsense, and based on a completely distorted reading of Revelation and cherry-picked portions of Ezekiel and Daniel, among a couple of others, that are somehow called "literal" for some fucked up reason.

I don't want to get too far into the fucked up world of fundamentalist eschatology, because I'd be here all day - though if you have any questions for the sake of knowledge, feel free to PM me or something, I know way more about that subject than I ever wanted to - but that's largely why.

[Greenday]

This is the first time I've heard anyone use the end of life argument. I know quite a few people who are against it and not once has that ever been mentioned.

[TheHuckster]

This is the first time I've heard anyone use the end of life argument. I know quite a few people who are against it and not once has that ever been mentioned.

I've heard the same argument used for their distrust for the European Union.