Truth Time: Wright is Right

Excellent Newbroom; too often people in the US have nationalism confused with patriotism.

Newbroom, many thanks for the link to Orwell's essay, which I had not read before. It's both excellent and all too timely, alas, or perhaps I should say "timeless." Orwell's definition of irrational "nationalism" applies equally well both to Rev. Wright and to the knee-jerk reactions against him and everyone associated with him. Wright, like the British intellectuals Orwell described who idealized and glorified France (because it was Catholic) or the U.S.S.R. (because it was Communist) without acknowledging the whole truth about those countries are not that different from Afrocentrists who glorify all things African without admitting what it's actually like to live under the rule of someone like Mugabe. On the other hand, the furious reaction against Wright's remarks comes from people who will not and cannot admit that he has a few accurate points to make about slavery, oppression of Black people, and misguided foreign policies.

One sentence that really hit me right between the eyes, however, was this one: "There is no crime, absolutely none, that cannot be condoned when 'our' side commits it. Even if one does not deny that the crime has happened, even if one knows that it is exactly the same crime as one has condemned in some other case, even if one admits in an intellectual sense that it is unjustified -- still one cannot feel that it is wrong. Loyalty is involved, and so pity ceases to function." We've all heard people angrily argue that Abu Ghraib was okay because it wasn't as bad as beheading prisoners. We've all heard George Bush say with a straight face that "we do not torture," and then defend his veto of a bill that would ban torture. Over the last seven years Americans have gotten very used to making rationalizations for policies and practices that we would never, ever have dreamed Americans would condone, let alone commit.

Trex, your favorite sentence pertains also to GWB's vocal rendition of The Green Green Grass of Home at the Gridiron Club Dinner. His defenders have pooh-poohed it as 'harmless' and that those of us who are appalled should get ourselves a sense of humor. Right. So, how about a little ditty by Jimmy Carter about the crash of the military plane sent to rescue the hostages called, "The Wrong Stuff". Or, a sentimental look at Nixon's resignation from the WH called, "Carry Me Out of Old Virginia". I could make a lot of Titanic references (Anchors Aweigh, and Aweigh, and Aweigh....) but will refrain.

Yep, that prez of ours sho' nuff has him a sense of humor. Giddy-up.