Du Bois, one of the century’s foremost race activists, believed that American racism was endemic to America. The problem of America, according to him, was the problem of the color line, directly related to Western imperialism and exploitation of African and Asian peoples and resources. During this time period, the Cold War was in full swing, and Russia was viewed as a threat to world freedom. Du Bois wrote in 1947 that
“If tomorrow Russia disappeared from the face of the earth, the basic problem facing the modern world would remain: and that is, why is it, with the earth’s abundance and our mastery of natural forces, and miraculous technique; with our commerce belting the earth, and goods and services pouring from our stores, factories, ships and warehouses—why is it that nevertheless, most human beings are starving to death, dying of preventable diseases and too ignorant to know what is the matter, while a small minority are so rich that they cannot spend their income?”
The real issue to him was not Russia but the inherent problem of wealth, distribution, and indifference in a capitalist-dominated world. When he was in his nineties he turned to Communism—some think out of sheer rebellion against McCarthyism and the government, and others the possibility that he believed in it to some extent. He was arrested in 1951 for gathering signatures to abolish the atomic bomb because the State Department considered it a Soviet propaganda ploy. Du Bois retorted back that, “Today in this country it is becoming standard reaction to call anything ‘communist’ and therefore subversive and unpatriotic, which anybody for any reason dislikes.” This last quotation of his sounds vaguely familiar in our patriotic society, where criticizing the Bush administration is somehow unpatriotic.
There I end, a flopping fish, because I have nothing further to say.
3 Comments:
If one listens to the liberal media I can see why they would think that that it has become "unpatriotic," so to speak to criticize the Bush administration. This idea has been pushed since about six months after 9/11. However, I do not see it as unpatriotic and I do not necessarily see conservatives being the ones that are labeling it as such. In America you are free to praise and or criticize what you will. The key word being free. It appears that those that are labeling this criticism as unpatriotic are the ones doing the criticizing. AND THEY ARE FREE TO DO SO!
So many people tend to forget that we do have freedom of speech. That does not mean that we have the freedom to aid and abet in activites that could bring harm to our country and it's citizens.
If someone doesn't like the freedoms they have here then I say they can move to some other country where they have fewer freedoms and more liberal, moraless ideology.
Hmmmm, without being "unpatriotic"... The United States isn't the only country with freedom. There are other more liberal countries with just as many freedoms.
But anyways, I see your point, flopping fish. I think the U.S. would be a horrible place if everybody was patriotic. I am entirely happy that there is "unpatriotic" criticism of our current administration. Criticism and trying to change certain aspects of the U.S. political structure shows care and concern - which I would argue, is even more "patriotic" than blind support.
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." - Theodore Roosevelt
Sen. Chuck Hagel (REPUBLICAN-Neb.) strongly criticized yesterday the White House's new line of attack against critics of its Iraq policy, saying that "the Bush administration must understand that each American has a right to question our policies in Iraq and should not be demonized for disagreeing with them."
"With President Bush leading the charge, administration officials have lashed out at Democrats who have accused the administration of manipulating intelligence to justify the war in Iraq. Bush has suggested that critics are hurting the war effort, telling U.S. troops in Alaska on Monday that critics 'are sending mixed signals to our troops and the enemy. And that's irresponsible.' Hagel, a Vietnam War veteran and a potential presidential candidate in 2008, countered in a speech to the Council of Foreign Relations that the Vietnam War "was a national tragedy partly because members of Congress failed their country, remained silent and lacked the courage to challenge the administrations in power until it was too late."
"To question your government is not unpatriotic -- to not question your government is unpatriotic," Hagel said, arguing that 58,000 troops died in Vietnam because of silence by political leaders. "America owes its men and women in uniform a policy worthy of their sacrifices." By Glenn Kessler
Washington Post Staff Writer, at http://www.washingtonpost.com/ /wp-dyn/content/article/2005 /11/15/AR2005111501450.html
The above article was in reference to the Bush's administration saying that those who criticized his efforts and the military were being unpatriotic. So this isn't just the liberal media--this is the Administration themselves speaking, even the Republicans are now roaring about this issue (I did an extensive google search, so you can too if you want).
We ARE free to praise or criticize, but the point is that Bush and his Admin. has called Democrats and other people against his agendas "unpatriotic" so its not the liberal media only saying this.
And your comment that if people don't like us, they can move to another country is being a tad bit extremist and black and white. Liberals and others like me are not arguing against freedoms we hold dear in America--they are arguing against shoddy intelligence which lead to the war in Iraq, and a leader who chugs full speed ahead without looking at the consequences to his actions.
It is precisely the sentiment that those who are in opposition to these issues (aka Bush policies) should leave the USA which has led to the "unpatriotic" label. Something to ponder.
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