pegkerr | (no subject)

(no subject)

A couple of interesting political articles on Arts & Letters Daily today: The book The Right Nation: How Conservatism Won is reviewed at Mother Jones. And in the Chroncle of Higher Education Sasha Abramsky ponders the American Dream and considers the roots of anti-Americanism.

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Thanks for the links.

B

That article gives a very simplistic and inaccurate (or at best imcomplete) basis for anti-Americanism.

What I like about these articles, especially as concerns the opinion of Europe, is that somehow the outsiders are viewed as seing us from a vantage point of moral superiority.

Europe is like the spoiled teenager, living in a false sense of security, trying to triangulate their interests vis a vis their relationship with us and their growing Islamic populations. They have not had to provide for their own security for 1/2 century, so they can take the so called "high road" when it comes to international politics. Moreover, their lack of courage is certainly evidenced by their tendency towards appeasement. They are in decline.

The real story for the future of civilization will be America and the East. India, Pakistan, China and perhaps Russia. Europe is living off the legacy of the past.

Not to deny that we have some serious decadence here.

And, as for the Middle East, they have largely themselves to blame for their situation. Completely failed and despotic governments (which at times we helped support) have left their people in poverty. When modernity came, they had a choice: Soviet Style totaltarianism or liberal democracy of some sort. They chose the former. Is that our fault? Our Iraq policy is a good one....a way way long shot, but a good one. Motivated by self-interest? Yes. But, their people will be a heck of a lot better off in the process. A true empire would not do what we are doing. A true imperialist empire would simply take over and enslave the people, not send in hundreds and humdreds of billions of dollars to help them create a decent life.

So much of the anti-Americanism is the result of two things: Bad marketing from an inarticulate President and just plain envy.

BTW, I rarely get political on lj. Please forgive me.

Thanks! I have to read that book. Also found a great bumper sticker company on the advertisement, had to post about that and the review myself. I had never been a big fan of bumper stickers, but instead made iron-ons for t-shirts to express myself, but now that I'm no longer a grad student perpetually in t-shirts, and my van is living out limited days, I'm going ahead and plastering it with these great sentiments.

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