How Dare You Speak Like That! The Disgrace of Dissent, Part 1 (The Email)
It seems that some folks do not appreciate opposing views much.
The background: I sent an email to all of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce members requesting them to sign the Petition for America. Apparently at least one guy didn’t appreciate it much, and within only a couple hours, received the following message from a certain Rafael from New York…
“Your e-mail is really saying all sorts of evil things about the United States and its president. It’s bad for so may reasons.
Your e-mail and it’s link is just another vain attempt to knock The United States. Stuff like that is the glue of the Left Coalition, it’s the opium of radical intellectuals and the crack in Osama bin Laden’s pipe. This anti-Americanism provides the drumbeat for protesters who march at every significant left-wing rally….”
Anti-american agenda eh? Read the rest of the post for the whole e-mail.
It seems that some folks do not appreciate opposing views much.
The background: I sent an email to all of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce members requesting them to sign the Petition for America. Apparently at least one guy didn’t appreciate it much, and within only a couple hours, received the following message from a certain Rafael from New York…
“My Dear Vladislav,
I think you are disgraceful for using the guise of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce to further your political anti-American agenda.
Your e-mail is really saying all sorts of evil things about the United States and its president. It’s bad for so may reasons.
Your e-mail and it’s link is just another vain attempt to knock The United States. Stuff like that is the glue of the Left Coalition, it’s the opium of radical intellectuals and the crack in Osama bin Laden’s pipe. This anti-Americanism provides the drumbeat for protesters who march at every significant left-wing rally. Whether the protest is nominally against war,
global capitalism or environmental degradation, the real enemy is Washington. Every significant Left intellectual from Harold Pinter through Dario Fo to Gore Vidal and Noam Chomsky have made criticism of the American way of life their defining belief. Now Yankee-phobia extends far beyond the protest march. It has come to the internet.
The cultural popularity of anti-Americanism is striking. The producers of your crappy e-mail want you to think that the hatred of America is more than a rising sentiment but, that it is a moral duty. The widespread prevalence of anti-Americanism, the cachet accorded to its advocates, the reflexive sniggering triggered by any favorable mention of America’s president (our president, George W.), all make any opposition to this trend unpopular. This Yankee phobia is really a dark thing, a prejudice with ugly antecedents which creates unholy alliances. Like all prejudices, it thrives on myths which will end up only serving evil ends.
You know, its just a myth that the United States is a trigger happy cowboy state, over eager to throw its weight around, a myth that the United State seeks to use its undoubted military power to establish an exploitative empire. It’s also a myth that the United States thrives by impoverishing and oppressing other nations.
Just think about it for a moment. A trigger happy starter of wars? The truth is that America has been overwhelming slow to involve itself in foreign conflicts. We hung back from involvement in Bosnia and Kosovo until it was clear that Europe could not manage alone. We refrained from dealing properly with al Qaeda when their network attacked U.S. embassies in 1998 and, even after 9-11, We waited until a huge international coalition had been assembled before striking back. In Iraq, we refrained from finishing off Saddam Hussein in 1991 out of deference to our Arab allies. Even now with North Korea, the diplomatic route is being followed.
Some folks call the United States an imperial exploiter. The truth is that the U.S. seeks to disentangle itself from anything which smells of neocolonial occupation. We are anxious to bring our boys back home from the Balkans, the DMZ and Afghanistan. The real criticism is the United States should do more on the ground to help these failed states rebuild, as we did in Japan and Germany after WWII. Yes, we are not the predator of the poorest nations as some as believe, as bible. Think for a moment, after WWII, three devastated nations were divided. In each case, one part of a culturally unified nation fell under our political influence. In each case, South Korea vs. North, West Germany vs. East and Taiwan vs. Communist China, the territory which took the American path enjoyed greater freedom and prosperity, still to this day, no less.
Why then, do these myths of America the hateful, America the bad take such a powerful hold? I don’t know. Perhaps, because it provides a useful emotional function which goes beyond logic. However, I have a word of caution. In decades past, those who wished to sow the seeds of anti-Americanism, of the hatred of capitalism, were quick to latch onto a
blameless scapegoat people. Some of these same anti-American hate mongers embraced anti-Semitism and hostility toward Israel. Remember both the U.S. and Israel were founded by brave people who were refugees from prejudice.
While I would never suggest to anyone to forward or not to forward an e-mail’s such as this one, it may not be a bad idea to pause and think first before sending it. Personally, I would never forward it. I would not trade places with anyone anywhere in the world. I love the U.S. and for the life that it has given me and my family. I feel priviledged to give a little back. Using the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce for your own political beliefs is totally wrong and you should be removed from the Chamber immediately.
United We Stand and yes, God Bless America!!! ”
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