Many Leftists are taking the occasion of what happened in Ferguson as a means to, among other things, bash America. And push their narrative that Everything Is Racist. And mixing the two. And adding in every complaint they can think of. Anyhow, as they are making their complaints, I wonder if they realize they are actually working against their own arguments for bigger and bigger Progressive (nice fascist) government. Let’s look at the typically unhinged Salon, where Aaron R. Hanlon goes loony
This has always been America: Ferguson and our dangerous delusions on race and democracy
We believe we’re the world’s champion of freedom. In reality, we torture, invade, violate rights, stop and frisk…
Politicians both left and right turn to the troubling doctrine of American exceptionalism to justify unilateral military intervention abroad, but what happens when we turn that dangerous delusion of unbounded moral supremacy against our own citizens on our own soil?
This is what’s happening in Ferguson, Missouri, right now, where it’s clear that the police have made an exception to the modus operandi of rights-based democracy by silencing and arresting journalists, seizing and firing on unarmed and peaceful demonstrators and applying military-grade armaments to do so.
And, lest we forget, they have initiated this armed state of exception to cover up for and suffocate dissent against the gravest rights violation of them all: the police shooting and killing of a fleeing, unarmed black boy, who never received due process for daring to step off the sidewalk.
As the nation and the world watch, horrified, at what’s transpiring in Ferguson, we don’t need to ask whether there’s a racial element in play when an overwhelmingly white police force, strapped to the teeth, is exercising extreme state authority to corral and suppress the reactions of a black community mourning the inexcusable loss of one of their children. But how is it possible for this to happen in a nation that proclaims itself the world’s greatest champion of freedom and democracy? The answer, in part, is the logic of exceptionalism.
Getting beyond the raaaaacism aspect, is this not something Conservatives have noted time and time again, the ever growing Power Of The State?
We witness in Ferguson a microcosm of this logic, where agents of the state have turned the doctrine of exceptionalism on our own people to justify the suspension of basic civil rights. If basic civil rights dictate due process, black Americans are the exception. If basic civil rights dictate freedom of the press, those journalists arrested for doing their jobs are the exception. If basic civil rights dictate free expression and peaceable assembly, the crowds in Ferguson taking rubber-bullet flack and choking on clouds of tear gas are the exception. The problem with so many exceptions, however, is that they risk becoming the rule.
Unfortunately, Mr. Hanlon, along with so many other Leftists, never make the connection that Government has grown too big and powerful, everywhere from municipalities to the Los Federales. Nor do they make the connection that they themselves, Progressives, are advocating for bigger and bigger government with more and more power, and you know the saying about absolute power. They never seem to understand that giving that power to Government will turn around and bite them.
What’s the solution? Leftists need to understand the fallout of their Big Government ways. We need to start at the top, and implement term limits for Congress, and most certainly repeal the 17th Amendment. What would that do? For one thing, if State legislatures are in charge of electing their Senators, it will make people pay more attention to their own state governments, and hold them more accountable. Anyhow, that whole debate is for another day, though I will suggest reading this article.
“Regarding Ferguson, I Wonder If Leftists Understand They Are Making Arguments For Smaller Government?”
This seems to be a bit of overreach and politicization on your part.
If by “smaller government” you mean fewer white policemen shooting Black kids you are right.
If by “smaller government” you mean fewer armored vehicles, fewer combat-ready police and less tear gas on our city streets, you are right.
If by “smaller government” you mean less surveillance of the communications of private citizens, you are right.
It’s at once sad and risible that you think minorities somehow had more rights when the federal government was so much smaller. It’s only sad to hear conservatives talk about a colorblind society when they know there is no such thing. The core of conservative followers’ philosophy is fear of the “other” – whether Black, brown, gay, Muslim, Mexican… and conservative elites depend on this fact.
But I think as a nation we can protect our civil liberties and freedoms AND supply universal healthcare and education. Why do you think these ideals are mutually exclusive?
In 3,2,1 a commenter here will call liberals hypocrites for wanting more universal healthcare AND fewer policemen who kill unarmed Black kids.
Jeff,
I am fascinated at your ability to know what is in the mind of a conservative. Most conservatives that I know do have an issue with Islam as over the last 50 years that religion has been waging war with us. That tends to make one a bit leery of a “religion” that has violence as its core principal. As to Latin Americans, we really do desire that they are here, just have a bit of a problem with illegal Latin Americans. By the way, Mexicans have the same problem in their country and they really, hate, I mean hate to the core, people like you (lived there for awhile). Then there is this issue you have with calling everyone racist, you do realize that you are just like the KKK, only you center your bigotry and prejudice to whites. Why is that?
Then you don’t understand that blacks have been harmed by government programs designed to help them. Read the literature they are producing as they are asking to be left alone.
Finally, you go on about universal health care. You don’t seem to understand that it does not work, except in certain Norwegian and Swedish communities were they are massively subsidized from the sell of fossil fuels and have the luxury of a small educated population. We don’t have that. We used to have the best health care on earth, that is gone.
It’s funny how minorities do so much worse in Progressive strongholds.
Except, single payer needs a strong federal government with massive control over citizen lives. Furthermore, every child is guaranteed an education through grade 12. Weird, huh?
As long as progressives and big government types of both Democrats and some squishy Republicans push for more and more power, and Leftists keep giving it, you can kiss more and more of your freedoms and civil liberties goodbye. Did you a)cheer when you heard Conservative groups were targeted by the IRS, or b) say “that’s despicable!!!!”? I would guess you’d go with A.
Jeffry- “The core conservative followers’ philosophy is fear of the other-whether Black, brown, gay, Muslim or Mexican-and conservative elites depend on this fact.” Really? The core Liberal philosophy is the fear that their “minority” followers will figure out that they don’t need the government to take care of them, thereby depriving them of millions of votes. There, finished your thought for you.
Jeffery, it should have been 3, 2 1 and some darned conservative will call the left out for not giving a shit when 1,000 black kids are killed by a fellow black man, but will collectively get their panties in a wad when a cop may or may not have justifiably killed a man in the line of duty. And as far as tear gas, maybe you lefties should worry more about not using a tragedy as an excuse to act like thugs and hoods.
And the core of the conservative philosophy is rugged individualism, a concept you wouldn’t understand if you read it in a book. But way to try and keep the racist meme alive, that’s the only way democrats can keep all the colored folk on the democrat plantation.
Hose,
Ask yourself why you think Black men and women aren’t smart enough and independent enough to make their own decisions. That’s what you mean by Democrats buying Black votes with government benefits. The reason that Blacks vote for Democrats because Democrats don’t shoot them, Repubics do.
Rugged individualism. That’s a good one! Oh, you were serious? lol
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Jeff,
Hate to bust your bubble, but the majority of shootings have been Democrats. The overwhelming majority of black deaths are caused by other blacks, whites rarely involved. As to the mental competence of blacks, liberals don’t think much of it at all, remember a little policy called affirmative action? I have sat on boards that appraise competence and reward positions, such as fellowships, blacks are always given preference despite evidence of lack of ability, this is liberals demanding this special treatment. I feel that blacks can preform if they are required to, but liberals will not hear of it.