Hard Right Turn
These days we are seeing a massive political and ideological shift to the right. Yeh, d’uh… I think; at least I’m hoping that we are asking ourselves WHY? I mean, it’s incredibly easy to see what’s happening (as a literal and metaphorical outsider), in Europe and the USA. I think it is more difficult to break down the essential elements of why.
Now, of course I can only give you my impressions; formed as one of the ‘others’ whom right wing policies and their ensuing prejudicial attitudes actually effect. Whether these impressions ring true or not remains to be seen. However, a glance at the history of Europe and thus the USA, point to what might be a few reasons.
Most people will say that the hard shift to the right is based on the level of ‘fear’ felt by those populations. Specifically, the populations of people of European descent. They feel afraid that their precarious economies will collapse; that their ‘cultures’ are being erased; that the democracies they have created, are benefiting ‘others’ who are not racially or culturally native to those places, and thus have no right to participate in. That they will be overrun by the others. In short, they are afraid that in the end, they will lose the game of hegemony that they have worked so hard to create. Well, let’s look at a few elements of this picture.
*Does anyone REALLY believe, that a people would willingly risk life and limb; to leave a home and family, ancestors and spirituality; cross the sea on a raft or shove themselves into an 18 wheeler (paying what nickels and dimes they have to a stranger, to ferry them across a border or three); to arrive in a place where they KNOW they will not be welcomed? Where it is cold. Where there might be a language barrier. Where their culture and way of life must be subsumed in order to simply exist, as an annoying pimple on the face of the USA or a European country? Why would anyone willingly do this? SURVIVAL! An instinct with which even we, who are obviously still considered 3/5 human, are so imbued.
Yet we see in almost every political campaign, an emphasis on dealing with immigration, the migrant problem. ‘Border security must be tightened and a harder line must be drawn’. America for Americans. Italy for Italians, etc. Who are these brown people or those who may have the same skin tone, but a different religious affiliation; to think that they have a right to ‘our’ democracy, ‘our’ culture or any space on ‘our’ land.
*How is it possible for a part of the world to forget the foundations upon which its power was built? To demand, by waging war, fomenting coups, subversive manoeuvring and downright murder; that other nations and people must bow to the overwhelming economic and militaristic might of the West. That those people have no right to earn and keep the profit of their own labour. That all the world must come to THEM, for the power that runs our machines, for the food that we eat (either by production or the adulteration necessary to ship a vegetable or a piece of meat around the world, and still appear to be appealing when it finally arrives at its destination). To impose sanctions on nations who are simply trying to achieve a level of economic independence; to preserve their OWN cultures.
How is it possible to conveniently not remember or acknowledge, that their great and wealthy countries were BUILT on the enslavement, genocide, thieving, plundering, by Americans and Europeans. To ignore the after effects of artificially drawn borders, forced plantation farming which disrupted native ecological systems; and unlimited mining for diamonds, gold, oil, coltan, lithium, and any other mineral or substance which would benefit the West. The destruction of forests for the importation of mahogany, rubber and teak and let’s not forget palm oil. The pollution of water sources. Add to this the outright cruelty. Internment camps in Kenya created by the English, which housed the ‘disobedient’ Mau Mau. The severing of hands committed under Belgium's King Leopold in the Congo. A visit to Belgium will show you images of severed hands on MANY national monuments, still proudly sculpted under the names of their celebrated leaders. The genocide of America’s indigenous population, North, Central and South!
*Today, it has been made clear to Native Americans, that even on THEIR LAND; land that they were herded onto; like cattle in a pen; postage stamp sizes of infertile land and limited fresh water supplies; that the USA maintained the right to do as they wished. To pollute water supplies, and to run pipes under sacred ground. To dig up the remains of ancestors and to continue to poison any and everything to improve and enhance the ‘way of life’ of citizens of the USA. It has been made clear that Africans have no right to attempt collectivity; to a bank that might favour them in sharing the profits from the plunder of their homelands OR the right to migrate to try to earn enough money to feed their families at home. That the Middle East, which has been used as a pumping station, and a staging area for proxy wars to protect that pumping station; has absolutely no right to flee their countries which are now bombed to rubble. How dare ANY of these creatures DARE to think they have the right to share in the prosperity that the West currently enjoys, at THEIR historical and present expense?
In my humble estimation, it is quite possible that there IS an element of fear in the movement to the right. Perhaps they are afraid, that if given half a chance, that we; the dispossessed, the poor, the underserved and the victims of Colony, just might take it into our heads to extract revenge? That we might treat the colonial empire’s citizens the same way that we have been treated? Even if the current generation of colonial descendants are not personally responsible, they MUST be aware that the lives of relative ease they currently enjoy, is made possible by their colonial predecessors? That the preferred treatment, the ease with which they have access to essential services and institutions is made possible by the actions and beliefs of their ancestors? That in making no move to change those perspectives, attitudes and policies, IS the problem and therefore makes them also culpable, by benefit of the system their ancestors created?
So the fear that we might by force, take back what has been stolen from us; by either physical taking or by intentional destruction? Maybe. Honestly, I don’t know, and I’m not sure that anyone does or wants to try to get to the bottom of it.
My personal approach to everything, no matter how large or small the issue, is one of pragmatism. Extremes of any measure will fail, as they always do, as there is no balance in the equation. This would be understood if people would take the time to examine the history of long ago and that of just yesterday, we would see that. Yet, there is a never ending line of saviours who will save respective nations from the threat of migrants, immigrants and from the indigenous populations being squeezed out on the soil of their own ancestors. Who will save these Europeans and Americans from ever having to look into the proverbial mirror. Keeping the West hidden, behind its own veil made of lies and self deceit.
I do find it amusing and macabre that the United States of America can fall into fascist thinking, as NO Caucasian living there has any right to call themselves a ‘true’ American. White Americans are ALL descended from immigrants, yet it is they who decided that Natives whose land was stolen for this enterprise; and Blacks (who did NOT ‘immigrate’ but were kidnapped) whose labour, blood, and very wombs built the USA economy to superpower status; are the interlopers. This reasoning would be hilarious if it didn’t indicate a severely serious mental illness.
This scenario plays out not only in economic geopolitical realms, but also in who these mighty democratic societies decide is worthy of empathy. See the manner in which the fact that MILLIONS of POC have been murdered in the wars waged or coups fomented for the purposes of placing puppet leaders in power by the West. Yemen, Somalia, Congo, Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Iran, Afghanistan, etc. Coups arranged and fomented in Chile, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Libya. It’s a very long list. How many leaders of nations of POC, who truly had the best interests of their people at the forefront, have been murdered or imprisoned by the West? How often are the nations of POC allowed to find their way through the miasma of enforced geopolitical servitude? To nationalise resources and banking systems? To say what should be allowed or not allowed on their land?
Yet, there was NO great outcry at the slaughter of THOSE innocents. No questioning of the right or wrong of it. No pleas for the aggressors to be punished. No screaming that the perpetrators of THAT violence, were monsters, who deserved nothing more than to be ground into dust. Nothing. Silence. Mute. Perhaps because those perpetrators were ‘our’ leaders, and therefore all actions done on ‘our’ behalf are sacrosanct? Exposing hypocrisy in its most flamboyant colours.
Yes, I would say that the great societies of the West do have a great deal to fear. However, I suggest that that fear arises from the very real guilt and sense of culpability, which cannot be given voice to by them. There is no recompense. There is no way to give back the lives extinguished in the quest for power and wealth. There is no way to justify the national pride in the taking of those things or in the horrific manner in which they were taken. Therefore, those things cannot be spoken of. They must be buried. They must not ever be heard. Those truths cannot be allowed to see the light of day, because if they are spoken of, or seen clearly; then the inevitable acceptance of culpability must follow. That, Western society could never accept. Therefore the only solution; the final solution if you will, is to ensure the continuance of Western hegemony. That, I believe, is at the base of Western ‘fear’ of the other.
It is quite sad, and I may be wrong in my assessment; but I can find no logic or pragmatism in this stance, except an innate need to ‘justify by dehumanisation’ the actions of the past, present, and an obviously planned future.