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Oct. 1st, 2002
The new colonialism, American-style
Oct. 1st, 2002 04:41 pmThere's a rant bouncing around inside my head that doesn't quite want to come out. Something struck me a few days ago, listening to the news on NPR, and I wrote down those three words when I got to work, but never got around to writing anything more. I'll see if I can entice it by playing with the idea a bit.
As a nation founded on revolt from a colonial power, it is sadly ironic that the present-day USA is now the world's only colonial power. We--and I say we not because I agree with the government but because I can't come up with a better choice of pronoun for the collective USA and its government--have "taken up the white man's burden" of choosing for other nations who are "incapable" of making their own choices. Read: their choices do not align with our own. Republicans and the Christian Right used to rant against "one-world government", but nowadays they're trying to build exactly that. Except that the US is the governor. (And I shouldn't only blame the Republicans. There has been a significant lack of protest from any major politicians. September 11th has become an excuse for rabid warmongering on both sides of the aisle in Congress, because God forbid anyone should look like they disapprove of national security.)
The US has set itself up as the world's policeman, judge, jury and executioner, making decisions for all other nations about what is allowable and what is not, and enforcing those decisions in any way it chooses. We are strong-arming the rest of the world into compliance with whatever we want. The International Criminal Court? We're above that law altogether. The United Nations? Only when that body puts its imprimatur on what the US has already determined to do. And we wonder why people hate us. We wield our superpower like a club, bashing anyone who stands in the way.
I still haven't quite gotten to what I was trying to say. But it's a start, and maybe someone else can pick up on it.
As a nation founded on revolt from a colonial power, it is sadly ironic that the present-day USA is now the world's only colonial power. We--and I say we not because I agree with the government but because I can't come up with a better choice of pronoun for the collective USA and its government--have "taken up the white man's burden" of choosing for other nations who are "incapable" of making their own choices. Read: their choices do not align with our own. Republicans and the Christian Right used to rant against "one-world government", but nowadays they're trying to build exactly that. Except that the US is the governor. (And I shouldn't only blame the Republicans. There has been a significant lack of protest from any major politicians. September 11th has become an excuse for rabid warmongering on both sides of the aisle in Congress, because God forbid anyone should look like they disapprove of national security.)
The US has set itself up as the world's policeman, judge, jury and executioner, making decisions for all other nations about what is allowable and what is not, and enforcing those decisions in any way it chooses. We are strong-arming the rest of the world into compliance with whatever we want. The International Criminal Court? We're above that law altogether. The United Nations? Only when that body puts its imprimatur on what the US has already determined to do. And we wonder why people hate us. We wield our superpower like a club, bashing anyone who stands in the way.
I still haven't quite gotten to what I was trying to say. But it's a start, and maybe someone else can pick up on it.
(no subject)
Oct. 1st, 2002 09:38 pmMissed my chance. I was considering buying a permanent account, but the sale ended sometime while I was still thinking about it.