So, I was talking to a liberal who was disappointed by Joe Biden’s refusal to endorse the Impeachment of Donald Trump after the president tried to stage a coup against his own country.
I pointed out that this disappointment is something leftists have been feeling for years. It was my hope that this might help centrists understand why we’re so disillusioned with our liberal governments.
But then I got a reply.
I basically told this person to get lost. But several people said that was a bit too glib and dismissive. Shutting down conversation, etc etc. All right. If you want a deeper understanding of why every syllable of this tweet enrages me, here it is.
The basic argument is that Biden refusing to endorse the impeachment of Trump is good strategy. Leftists tend to feel that the best strategy is to simply do the right thing. To follow basic moral principles.
Trump should be in prison. I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that my readers and I can agree on this point. Our values may diverge in other areas, but on this point, we can find common ground. Trump should be held accountable for his many crimes. In an ideal world he would be in prison right now. Or at the very least, he would be impeached and removed from office.
So, the fact that Ms. Tweeter believes that endorsing the impeachment would be “bad strategy” already indicates a point of divergence. Doing the right thing is never bad strategy. In the eyes of leftists, Democrats and Liberals (Canada) and Labour (UK) keep losing or eking out narrow victories because they lack integrity. They’re cowards. And average people find cowardice contemptable.
But now, moving on to the specifics of her tweet.
“There was a response to that tweet that cautioned against Biden sanctioning his opponent, that it could make the US seem more like a banana republic.”
I realize that what she’s trying to say is that failing to uphold certain democratic ideals — like impartiality — could make America look bad. But her choice of phrasing is telling. Does she have any idea how her word choice is dripping with elitism, classism and American exceptionalism? The latter of which being a philosophy that I find utterly repugnant.
“We might look like a banana republic.” Yes, heaven forbid that America should be compared to those dirty, poor countries!
“Staying neutral is strategic and necessary…”
This assumes that the rest of the world cares more about the abstract value of neutrality than the tangible value of justice. Whenever we’re talking about human rights, neutrality always benefits the oppressor. Most centrists know this when it comes to issues like affirmative action — which, to be clear, I am in favour of — but whenever their political idols side with the oppressor, centrists inevitably invent some justification for why it “had to be done” because it was “smart strategy.”
I freely admit that the Left is too willing to turn on its own for trivial reasons, but at least we err on the side of integrity.
“…in rebuilding the USA’s reputation on the world stage.”
And I’m speechless.
First of all, it sickens me that she would even care about this. America’s reputation? Well, Ms. Tweeter, I’m glad you have time to worry about that. Most Americans I know are trying to get insulin or avoid eviction or stave off the virus long enough to get vaccinated. And who knows when that will happen because deliberate incompetence fucked over the whole process. Yet another case of blood on Donald Trump’s hands.
But, okay, let’s pretend this is an important concern.
America deserves its shitty reputation. Two hundred years of genocide and imperialism and expansionist foreign policy tends to leave people with a bad taste in their mouths. What? Did you think this all started with Trump? Are you that ignorant?
Do you even remember your “war on terror” where American troops rounded up civilians by the thousands, threw them into deep, dark prisons where they never saw the sun and then literally tortured them? Torture! Quite possibly the most sinful and depraved thing a human being can do. And when Bush and his fascist cronies were ousted, did Obama and the new Congress hold them to account? No. Obama let his predecessor get away with war crimes.
Which is not to say that my country is much better. Canada is guilty of genocide several times over. It’s ongoing. Right now. I could write a fucking textbook.
But now, having expended 700 words to make this point, dear reader, I ask you: can you see why I can’t just reply to this ridiculous tweet with a witty rejoinder? How big of a thread would I have needed to explain all of this?
In summary, she offers flawed strategy, based on unethical behaviour, to pursue a goal that isn’t worth achieving in the first place. I don’t have the time to correct someone who is so steeped in DNC double-think that they will defend any crime so long as the criminal has a D next to their name. So, I just say, “If you don’t get it, you’re morally bankrupt.” Because I have every reason to believe that is the case.
