It is not now nor has it ever been about "to show how civilized we are", it has always been about preventing a 6th century cult of submission and barbarism to prevail over the apotheosis if individual freedom and liberty the the US and Western civilization has achieved. The question is either, for some what are they willing to do to preserve what they have, and for others how much they are willing to give up!

It really is amazing to watch individuals who are barely capable of feeding, clothing, and housing themselves here is the wealthiest, freest and most equitable system, argue that there is some other system under which they imagine they could achieve greater potential.

If someone can't make it in 21 Century SoCal, they'll never make it any better anywhere else in the world, as the competition is infinitely tougher and the rules are considerably less equitable anywhere else!