by BAR editor and senior columnist Margaret KimberleySelf-styled “progressives” tend to think of themselves as another tribe entirely, untainted by American chauvinism. It ain't so. “Progressives also succumb to the belief in American divine right, and consequently can often be as dangerous as those on the political right.” This is especially evident in the Age of Obama, who “has continued some of the worst Bush administration policies, but still receives nearly universal support from progressives.”
Freedom Rider: Dangerous Progressives
by BAR editor and senior columnist Margaret Kimberley
“It is assumed that Americans are good and know what is best for the world.”
Most Americans believe their country is a benevolent and beloved force in the world. That belief is so deeply ingrained that even political progressives are rarely different in upholding this awful dogma. They are as likely as self-identified conservatives to support the government when it asserts a right to interfere with foreign governments, to occupy their nations, or to kill human beings on any pretext deemed necessary by the United States.
The term “Manifest Destiny” was coined in the 1800s, but its power lives on into the 21st century. Manifest Destiny was the stated belief that white Americans had the right to expand their power across the North American continent. Manifest Destiny resulted in the near annihilation of the native population and the spread of enslavement from sea to shining sea.
Manifest Destiny has been the cause of numerous wars spanning the globe from Mexico to the Philippines. Lies that justified military action against Vietnam, and the occupation of Iraq, were all fed by the Manifest Destiny myth.
“Manifest Destiny resulted in the near annihilation of the native population.”
Both Democrats and Republicans are hard core believers in this awful creed. Presidents from both parties have asserted the right to interfere in the affairs of foreign nations, and they have almost always done so with the support of the vast majority of their citizens.
The result of this mindless acceptance of an awful propaganda is a country that is always ready to assert the prerogatives of state power. Too few Americans will oppose their government when it incarcerates more people than any other government on earth, or when it chooses to engage in plans for endless warfare.
Progressives also succumb to the belief in American divine right, and consequently can often be as dangerous as those on the political right. The shallowness of their principles first became obvious during the 2008 presidential campaign. Barack Obama quickly made it clear that his mantra of change was little more than a marketing ploy.No matter. The lackadaisical progressive response to Bushesque Obama policies proved once and for all that true opposition to the United States government would emerge from a very small group and that labels such as left and progressive were becoming more and more meaningless.
Barack Obama has continued some of the worst Bush administration policies, but still receives nearly universal support from progressives. In his first 48 hours in office he authorized a drone attack in Pakistan that resulted in civilian casualties. He has agreed to withhold photos of detainee torture, and proposed a policy of indefinite detention without trial. The war that began in Iraq has expanded in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He has turned over more that $12 trillion dollars in public funds to the financial services industry without repairing the damage that industry wrought on millions of people. Most progressives have chosen to either be silent or to actively defended him.
“Too few Americans will oppose their government when it incarcerates more people than any other government on earth.”
They have done so because they are not at all interested in changing the political system. Why change a system if you think it is just fine the way it is? They may prefer David Axelrod to Karl Rove, but they agree that powerful white men like them should decide what is right for this country and for the world. Their differences with Rove are less important than their absolute faith that people like him know best just because they are close to the ruling elites in this the best of all possible nations.
Progressives and liberals are as ready as conservatives to support government interventions in our lives and on the world stage. The country in question may be Sudan, or perhaps Iran. The clarion call is the same. "We must do something” because “we” are superior, all knowing, and chosen by a divine force to make the world in whatever image we choose.
No one asks how “we” is defined, or if the presence of the United States is needed or wanted. No one asks about the history of past interventions and their usually negative outcomes. It is assumed that Americans are good and know what is best for the world, despite a long history of numerous brutalities carried out across the globe.
“Barack Obama quickly made it clear that his mantra of change was little more than a marketing ploy.”
As long as white Americans believe in their inherent superiority, they will be a very dangerous people indeed. Some of those dangerous people are Democrats and some are Republicans. In the end, they usually want the same thing. They want their ruling class to dominate other human beings. They may differ on which individuals should do the dominating, and where and when the domination is warranted. They may even decide that a black man can act on behalf of the ruling classes, but belief in the power of that class is still accepted without question. As long as that is the case, Democratic politicians and liberal bloggers will pose as a great a peril to the world as do the stars of Fox news. In the end, they all want the very same thing.
Margaret Kimberley's Freedom Rider column appears weekly in BAR. Ms. Kimberley lives in New York City, and can be reached via e-Mail at Margaret.Kimberley(at)BlackAgandaReport.Com.
Comments
The lackadaisical progressive
The lackadaisical progressive response to Bushesque Obama policies proved once and for all that true opposition to the United States government would emerge from a very small group and that labels such as left and progressive were becoming more and more meaningless.
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"As long as white Americans
"As long as white Americans believe in their inherent superiority, they will be a very dangerous people indeed."
I agree with much of what you write. And i find many self designated progreesives or liberals to be clueless and all though many of them may have colledge degrees, many do lack certain means of intelligence that comes from experiencing life outside of the Acedemic Mind Manufacturing Industry and or the media bubble. It's become,long time ago i think too, merely another counter cultural plaque that is pinned on when venturing out into the world or worlds that often can have little to do with their own, fundamentally speaking. And the people, the masses who are really struggling with the systemic put down are the real progressives and they may not even no what that words means, at least as far it relates to the political trend setters. They simply know that what's going and has been goin' down is wrong for us all. From housing to jobs and public, affordable education and Medical help and support.
However, with that said, I think that the above rhetorical Three Card Monty quote from your text betrays the reality (which Obama is not only a result of but is a monumental representative) an ever growing constituency of African Americans as well as other Americans of color, whom are every bit as proud of their county's global superiority over other nations(whether absolute or imagend to be so) as their white brethren. And the assertion hints, maybe, to an unwillingness to assess and present the more significant and underlying progenitor of "Inherent Superiority" as not so much any longer emminating from the notion of racial Myths but from National/Political ones. And as history shows us; Nationalism is a dangerous thing, no matter who's wearing the uniform and spuing the propaganda, whether by vollunteered association or with overt directive intent.
America is, since its spawning, one of the most, if not the longest and the most consistent and intensely nationalist nations on earth. And Obamas election reveals or implys to the world that this designation is now shared by all of her citizens.
Thanks, Ms. Kimberley...
Ms. Kimberley's analysis is excellent!. Her dissection of what constitutes American power is nothing short of brilliant. The so-called progressives who deluded themselves into thinking that a black president could effect meaningful change that would result in peace, justice and equitable redistribution of the world's resources, should not be permitted to hijack a cause that seeks to free humanity from the clutches of imperilalism and war by simply calling themselves "progressive" while supporting racism, exploitation and the chauvinism called the manifest destiny.
As usual, Ms. Kimberley demonstrates a knack for looking beyong appearances and make-believe imagery designed to fool us and keep us enslaved to the whims of the enemies of humanity. Thank you, sister...thank you very much!
More of the same
I still think the site registration and login inhibit the lively commentary I used to see on Black Agenda Report. One comment in a Margaret Kimberly piece, is well, not much.
Still, she's right. This administration is nothing more than a continuation of the same policies and same interests seen in the previous 8, 16 or hell, 30 years of Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush.
As long as you believe that maintaining the "health" or "stability" of the finance, insurance, weapons, real estate and other parasitical economic sectors is the functionn of goverment, then I guess our nation and the Obama administration are doing just fine.
If you are interested the health and stability of working people, families, homeowners AND renters, healthcare "consumers," children, disabled, elderly, students and the populations of 100 nations with occupation troops in their territory, then, well, not so good.
That's basically it, Corporations or People. Decide and put your resources where they count.
What's a good way to count the opposition, dissent?
Sometimes I wonder if self-proclaimed progressives are
quiet since Obama took office, or not in media. Bloggers
are a separate category. How do we measure the
dissent in the US to the "manifest destiny", and
the "US should be policeman of the world", while
stealing everything in sight? I don't have answers.
I do agree that it's dangerous when "progressives"
are not critical of Obama, and government. How
much is fear of the FBI, etc? Any?
I always think of the song "Love me, I'm a Liberal" by
Phil Ochs. Liberal to me IS a bad word.