Leftist Movements: The Hidden Truth behind "Anti-Americanism"

by Janus Mon Jun 30, 2003 13:29

Suddenly it's all so clear to me.

by Anonymous Mon Jun 30, 2003 14:14

Without going into the details of your argument, which I disagree with, but I take your well constructed points, you started off the whole piece by naming yourself as "To make the world a better place". You then further added to this by referring to "The cause of Christian Civilization" - though you you used a different example of a cause.

These 2 points I do agree with, i.e. that we are here to make the world a better place, and that this is the cause (at least one of the main ones) of the Christian Civilization.

Hence, could I ask you how, in an overall political and economic sense, how would you propose to make the world a better place?

Would you stick with the current capitalist system? This system has brought many benefits to the world, but has also brought with it a scale of destruction, devastation and death that the world has never seen before.

What would you do to put an end to this death?

by Andrew Mon Jun 30, 2003 14:16

The article is pretty funny. While there might be sections of the left that do hate everything from the US generally most of us have a more nuanced approach. In the case of Ireland for instance the American revolution was one major cause of the awkening of radical democrat ideas here and our rebellion of 1798. The civil rights movement of the 50's and 60's likewise played an important role in the emergance of the Civil Rights movement in Ireland in the 1960's.

There are more examples. Both Connolly and Larkin, two central figures of the Irish left received a lot of their 'training' in the US. Connolly was an organiser for the IWW for instance. They clearly imported these 'american' ideas into Ireland - something the left obviously supports.

If we are talking accurately of 'Americanism' then we would also have to acknowledge the HUGE impact movement in the Americas continue to have on the Irish left today. The Zapatistas in Chiapas are one of the most influential movements on the 'new generation' while those a bit older remember Nicargua as a model. Then of course there is Cuba and Chavez althout different movements would have different readings of this.

This very weekend two activists from Argentina were given a very central place in the meetings of the grassroots gathering for instance. So in the proper sense of the word 'Americanism' the left here of all generations 'suffers' is anything of a surfeit of pro-Americanism.

But of course the Author wants to tie this phrase to the policy of the ruling elite of the US alone. So America becomes the USA and the USA becomes the top 5% of the population of that country. Never mind that substantial sections of even of the people of the USA opposed the policies of that government, no dougbt the 1800 arrested in SF for protesting the war were also 'anti-american'!

The end of the article is amusing though. Particualarly the line "In this American diversity, everything that was and is contrary to the principles of Christian Civilization in the social, cultural, political and religious spheres is worthy of censure". Looks rather like every aspect of American (and US) culture that the left would celebrate is something that the author would consider 'worthy of censure'. And vice versa I suspect.

by punter Mon Jun 30, 2003 16:23

The "anti-americanism" is wrongly called as its any 'anti' sentiment is directed mainly at the U.S.A. and would be better termed anti-U.S.A.ism. And generally the sentiment is directed at the U.S.A's main exports, its invasive capatalism, Wars, Bad tv, enviromental attatudes. I dont know anyone on the left who would be attacking anything that is truly good, no matter where it came from, but this is irish indymedia.

mmmmm Why would you suppose the left would listen to a xtian, they (the xtians) had their chance at it and fucked it up in much the same fashion the U.S.A is fucking up now, The only thing that xtian civilisation has given us is subjection and guilt.

by Malachy Mon Jun 30, 2003 18:19

The reaction of most of the world towards the policies of the U.S. Government are justified. Elements of the ruling elite which really run the country are now going full force with their imperial, yes imperial, ambitions. The ground work is being laid to support this empire at home. The creation of The Homeland Security Department which gutted the worker's rights of the civil service now under it's control, The Patriot Act, the proposed sequel to the Patriot Act, the secret arrests of Mulims, Pakistanis, Arabs, and others, the preparations for a death camp at Guantanamo Bay military base are all indicators of the police state in formation. All this was preceeded by orchestrated voter fraud followed by a right-wing judicial coup, not challenged by the "opposition party", of a decidedly undemocratic nature. Furthermore, after the attacks of September 11 at least two top Democrat Party leaders were targeted by a mysterious anthrax attacker whom has never been found even though the variety of anthrax has been traced to a U.S. Military base outside of Washington DC and only a small number of people have had access to this type of anthrax. So, why the hostility towards the USA and the anti-americanism? Perhaps, the rest of the world is appalled at the racist-imperialist war and invasion the USA has carried out against Iraq. And that is just for starters. The list of real and justified grievences many people and countries have against the USA is too long to list here. Don't ever believe the rhetoric about freedom and human rights. Just pay attention to what is going on IN the USA and you will see the very undemocratic nature of how things really are in America. I urge all freedom loving people to resist the influence of the USA.

by Gaillimhed Mon Jun 30, 2003 18:41

Dead right malachy, we must all resist Now with every peacable means at our disposal, lest our complacency leaves no resort for our children other than bloody revolt, as has been the only resort left to generations in the past.
Things are not going to get better with the modern status quo, static it is not.

by Anonymous Tue Jul 01, 2003 12:08

Very much agree.