The west has normalised racist wars - but you can’t solve complex problems with 1,000lb bombs Outbackjack: The guardian: ‘Radicalisation’ is our new dirty word in the US and UK, yet radical change is needed. Here’s an idea: stop trying to fix the world with high explosives I suppose that whether this article prompted by the Charleston shootings feels topical enough will depend on whether America has another mass shooting before it goes to print. If you’re in the US, there’s a fair chance it will seem dated because you are actually being gunned down as you read it, so I’ll try to get straight to the point. It’s surely worth wondering whether it’s time to retire the flag that has for so long been a rallying point for racists and murderers, the stars and stripes. There’s a genuine question to be asked here: what responsibility does the US state bear for the Charleston shootings when racist murder seems to be part of its policing strategy and most of its foreign policy? Occasionally I wonder whether at some point in the past 100 years the US gave the rest of the world a safe word and we’ve simply forgotten it. Or maybe we’re just saying it wrong (Aluminium? I’m sure you said it was aluminium ...) Hillary Clinton has been speaking out against the “racist terrorism” of Dylann Roof despite being the architect of the US military intervention in Libya. The US’s record of invasions, assassinations and government overthrows is racist, I think. Imagining that you can kill people and seize control of their resources without believing them to be inferior requires a certain amount of intellectual flexibility. The same sort of intellectual flexibility that allows people to express grief for the migrants who drown in the Mediterranean and hatred for the ones who survive. Outbackjack: Part of the American mindset comes from the fact that the US was formed through the racist murder of indigenous people. The reason that whole country is such a horror story is that the entire thing is built on an Old Indian Graveyard. I worry that perhaps white America wants to believe that its racial fault lines only run as deep as the Confederate flag. Hence the current uproar at names of southern civil-war generals being on street signs while the faces of slave owners are still on the currency. Of course not everybody gets behind the US’s view of itself, which is why it is the world’s largest producer of propaganda. Last year’s biggest movie, American Sniper, was billed as the story of the US army’s deadliest soldier, which must have felt pretty galling for the guy who dropped the bomb on Hiroshima. It was basically Star Wars from the point of view of one of the stormtroopers, and the director (Clint Eastwood – I’m not even joking) encouraged us to get behind the idea that you should take moral decisions when women and children are in your crosshairs, rather than long, long before. You got the feeling that the clunky scene explaining that sniper Chris Kyle’s unit painted skulls on their gear as a tribute to the Punisher was necessary in case viewers made the more logical supposition that it was a tribute to the Waffen-SS. There are many indicators of advanced civilisations, but unthinking hero worship of the military isn’t one of them. The US, like the UK, has been forced to move away from a conscription army and now has a mercenary army. It’s the reason you don’t get war poets any more. Indeed, before Britain feels too superior, we should perhaps remember that Roof’s main problem here would have been feeling torn between quite a few of the main parties at the last election. We live in a country where posting “Let’s riot or something bruv!” on Facebook will get you a couple of years in prison, while writing a column saying we should bomb Syria is practically an entrance exam for public intellectuals. Of course, it’s never phrased as a plea to kill shepherds in pursuit of our geopolitical interests. By the time it hits the broadsheets, it’s a plea to arm moderate rebels (they’ve got a moderate vision of the country’s future and they’re going to kill until they get it!). It’s a humanitarian intervention. We’re not fighting wars for control of resources. We’re not the aggressor in countries such as Iraq, we’re actually defending Iraq. From the Iraqis. The most obvious anti-war argument that none of this has ever worked just doesn’t seem to come up. Of course our governments are just trying to protect us from terror. In the same way that someone banging a hornets’ nest with a stick is trying to protect us from hornets. Maybe I’ll even give them the benefit of the doubt and concede that they are just naive do-gooders trying to bring the world peace and stability through the medium of high explosives. What gets me is that the new dirty word in the west is “radicalisation”, as if radical change wasn’t obviously needed; as if the status quo has any decency, or is even survivable. It’s not actually difficult to see solutions to the US’s problems: children can do it, until we educate them out of it. Internationally, I propose the radical step of not trying to solve complex political problems with 1,000lb bombs; domestically, I propose they start addressing inequality by paying reparations for slavery. I’m well aware that in a society where war and discrimination are now almost entirely normalised, both options sound like madness.  R E B E C C A: LMFAO I was just replying to the Isis thread n spotted the title of this thread in the right hand column, where it says "similar conversations" n I thought to myself i bet my good friend Jack posted that.....and here you are....I was right.....again I swear you r hatred of the west is worrying im begining to think u should be reported to the authorities, why do you bother to live in "the west" Outbackjack: HA HA!:HAHA: Reported to the authorities! You don't like the idea of free speech at all do you you informer. Go right ahead and report me you little quisling. You would have fitted right in with East German Stasi with your running around dobbing people in. If you actually had a job Shazza you would make an excellent goody two shoes brown collar worker with your head firmly up the bosses arse. R E B E C C A: Oh good glad you laughed it was a joke jack ....a joke N I have not reported anyone on here n if i had id gladly say so I do have a job often i'm writing from work shhh don't tell  Its worth noting Jack that you can post your anti west posts without fear of being arrested or punished Its also very very important we listen to those muslims who speak out about Islam, becasue they risk their life in doing so. But failing that here a lil advice for you  Outbackjack: Oh it is now being claimed as a joke.How pathetic. But you have a track record of reporting to the authorities. Maybe you could have a whinge to the council about me. (Edited by Outbackjack) R E B E C C A: Loon I meant the police the terrorist squad n yes it was a joke or they'ed of been in touch ....your too old to carry out an attack have you received a flag?? Its not from me I don't bother reporting people and if i did i wouldn't think twice about admitting it n just to prove this to you i shall report your comments here n you'll see im not scared of owning up ok Now keep to the topic. Outbackjack: You don't know whether you are arthur or martha do you? I don't believe that you are at work.It sounds like you are on the bottle again. Stereotypical whinging whining Pom. R E B E C C A: LOL Hey I don't care what you believe, your beliefs are BS I know you're not 39 but im not going on about it now am i "You don't know whether you are arthur or martha do you?" What does it matter? I could be either I could be both, I could be unsure .......What point are you making? N What business is it of yours ? N stereotyping.....You are alil homophobic racist! Anyway, i'll ignore the vile hate comments, lets keep on topic. I think its time we in the west asserted our superior values and stop tolerating intolerant people Outbackjack: Superior values? What like crass consumerism? You obviously DO care very much what I think otherwise you would not obsessively stalk me. R E B E C C A: OLDgrumpyJack Its not stalking its called a response, you address me, then I respond. Now how come if I am arthur or martha?? Theres one thing i will tell u and that is im not interested.in old or grumpy men or women western values = freedom of speech and education, democracy, equality between men women and gays, rationalism, self criticism, separation of religion and law, and the idea of human rights to protect the individual these are all western values and they are far superior than those which are opposite If you dont believe me then check the migration map....it speaks for itself where people choose to live. People arent desperately trying to get into pakistan are they http://www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/data-hub/charts/international-migrant-population-country-origin-and-destination I dont understand why people from australia would be coming to the uk...I think maybe they came into contact with you OldgrumpyJack? (Edited by R E B E C C A) Outbackjack: You cant help yourself.You follow me around all the time into almost every thread with your obsessive stalking.My opinion obviously means a lot to you. If I am so grumpy why do you love me so much?  R E B E C C A: You accuse me of following you round so I might as well do it oldgrumpyjack. It doesn't bother me Lol @the love heart you're old enough to be my dad. I'd rather suture my own eye balls Outbackjack: I find this really funny.I have to ask? Shazza why don't you believe that my age is actually 39? I find it flattering that you feel I am wise beyond my years. R E B E C C A: Wise? Lol lol  Only old folks moan as much as you do R u one of them blokes who mistakes a woman talking to them as a come on? Outbackjack: This from a whinging Pom? I know you probably fantasize that I am old but I hate to let you down. R E B E C C A: IN YOUR DREAMS oldgrumpyjack wtf is wrong with you? can't you stay focused on the topic?. How many times do women have to tell you they aren't interested before u accept it? Geez old or young you're a miserable creep. Outbackjack: You just can't stay away can you Shazza.You keep following me around and trying to have a go at me but deep down you can't stay away from me.You then as usual revel in complete irony by suggesting I stay on topic. What complete hypocrisy. So I challenge you to stay away from me if you are not interested in me. | Politics Chat Room 66 People Chatting Similar Conversations |