Rebutting the critics3
Anti-American?
Whatever the conservative media may say, anti-Bush does NOT equal anti-American or terrorist sympathiser , if anything, the author has to confess to being a longtime admirer of liberal American ideology . Amongst the victims of 9/11 are the liberals and liberal American ideology, in the aftermath of the disaster ; liberal and anti-rightwing views have been condemned as anti-American and shouted down in the conservative media. The rising wave of the conservative rightwing and the blatant disregard of civil liberties have only evoked echoes of an era where the hunt for communist elements turned into a witchhunt for all "un-American" elements
As exaggerated as it may seem, history provides clues to the present situation. All was not well in the postwar era, whatever the ideals of the atlantic charter. The defeat of Nazi Germany did not mean its ideology was defeated , instead it festered and became material for the white supremacist movement and a general sense of xenophobia. It is no secret that the McCarthy and HUAC witchhunt targeted not merely communist elements but also the burgeoning civil rights movement and liberals in general. The combination of rightwing social sentiments and conservative government elements produced a truly frightening time for liberal America. That nightmare is threateningthe USA again with the erroneous equation; anti-republican = anti-American=terrorist sympathiser. Even worse, as human rights organisations have noted, governments across the world are taking the cue from the USA and respect for human rights is at a all time low. Even as the pro-Bush camp crows about the success of the war on terror, the victory is a pyrrhic victory if civil liberties and liberalism are sacrificed- how do you export democracy without liberal principles - it's hardware without the software!
Whatever the conservative media may say, anti-Bush does NOT equal anti-American or terrorist sympathiser , if anything, the author has to confess to being a longtime admirer of liberal American ideology . Amongst the victims of 9/11 are the liberals and liberal American ideology, in the aftermath of the disaster ; liberal and anti-rightwing views have been condemned as anti-American and shouted down in the conservative media. The rising wave of the conservative rightwing and the blatant disregard of civil liberties have only evoked echoes of an era where the hunt for communist elements turned into a witchhunt for all "un-American" elements
As exaggerated as it may seem, history provides clues to the present situation. All was not well in the postwar era, whatever the ideals of the atlantic charter. The defeat of Nazi Germany did not mean its ideology was defeated , instead it festered and became material for the white supremacist movement and a general sense of xenophobia. It is no secret that the McCarthy and HUAC witchhunt targeted not merely communist elements but also the burgeoning civil rights movement and liberals in general. The combination of rightwing social sentiments and conservative government elements produced a truly frightening time for liberal America. That nightmare is threateningthe USA again with the erroneous equation; anti-republican = anti-American=terrorist sympathiser. Even worse, as human rights organisations have noted, governments across the world are taking the cue from the USA and respect for human rights is at a all time low. Even as the pro-Bush camp crows about the success of the war on terror, the victory is a pyrrhic victory if civil liberties and liberalism are sacrificed- how do you export democracy without liberal principles - it's hardware without the software!
posted by jy at 1:01 AM
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