American Idol

Howard Zinn writes about, among other things, the idea of American exceptionalism--that we are taught to believe that we are the standard-bearers of a new and better politics, a new and better life--either because we were chosen for this task by a superior being or because of our superior western culture. Therefore no one could possibly want to resist having our values and institutions imposed--excuse me, bestowed--on them. Therefore anyone who does resist must be, ipso facto, a terrorist and "dead-ender" and we are justified in blasting them off the face of the earth. God be praised.

A more accurate reading of history might lead us to re-examine this belief and conduct ourselves with a little more humility--but that brings us to another problem, for "we" are not the unified body that conventional history and politics would have us believe. We--that is, you and I--may be humble, may desire humility in foreign affairs, may even benefit from it. But this administration and its backers do not represent you and me and the consequences, good and bad, of their actions do not fall equally on all. The people who benefit from wars and aggression are not the same people who pay the price. Ditto for oil price hikes, political instability, unemployment, deficits....

Our present leaders are not so candid. They bombard us with phrases like “national interest,” “national security,” and “national defense” as if all of these concepts applied equally to all of us, colored or white, rich or poor, as if General Motors and Halliburton have the same interests as the rest of us, as if George Bush has the same interest as the young man or woman he sends to war.

Now we are told that the people of Iran will rise up and overthrow their government once the bombing starts. But will they? And if not, who loses? Who wins?