Self-Determination (Niggers Need Not Apply)

Serious White Men cannot reach consensus upon whether the United States' invasion of Iraq will usher in a wonderful new world of democracy throughout the region. Some think it will, some -- including the State Department itself -- think it will not. Time will judge those who dare to challenge The Superbrain's wisdom.

But unmentionable on the Serious White Men's talk shows is what the United States means by "democracy". Colombia, after all, is considered a "democracy", because it has elections -- never mind that it also has the worst human rights record in the hemisphere. Israel is, we're told ad naseum, the "only democracy in the Middle East" -- never mind that rights one reflexively associates with "democracy" ("life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" to name a few) are brutally, savagely denied within its domains. Nicaragua was not considered a "democracy" when it staged perhaps the most-widely observed election in Third World history. Just a few of the literally dozens of examles of the United States' perverted notions of "democracy".

Also unmentionable is the reason why the rest of the Muslim World is ruled by dictatorial thugs, viz., the U.S. wants the Arab World to be ruled by dictatorial thugs, and sends billions of dollars of military aid to these same dictatorial thugs, thereby enabling them to retain their dictatorial, thuggish regimes. Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey -- clearly anti-democratic regimes, clearly and crucially supported by the United States -- the flow of the implements of death even increasing since September 11. The United States refers to this set-up as the "Arab facade". If the West truly wants democracy in the Muslim World, why is it doing so much to undermine it? As far as Saddam is concerned, we all know the sordid history here, as well: democratic groundswell undermined by Western intervention, bring Saddam to power; aiding Saddam's crushing of the post-Gulf War rebellion; murderous sanctions regime strengthening (as has been widely reported) Saddam's grip over the population.

But still we have not come to the heart of the matter. For, one will search the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in vain for the words, "Western-style 'democracy' is mandated for all people everywhere. If you don't like it, go live on the moon, you fucking niggers." Self-Determination is one of the founding principles of International Law (at least in theory). If the Muslim World doesn't want "Western-style Democracy", that's its own business, and the Serious White Men self-righteously "wanting" to deliver it to them should shove it up their collective ass.

Yes, yes: the United Nations has the authority to protect against human rights abuses -- including within the "Western-style Democracies". But the Gospel According to Dubya has thrown even the pretense of abiding by International Law into the rubbish bin of history and taken up the "project" of imposing its authors' values upon the whole of humanity.

All of which is to ask, what in the holy hell do the Serious White Men think they're talking about?

Posted by Eddie Tews at March 18, 2003 04:57 PM