That Awkward Stage
I had hoped, when I used the phrase “too early to shoot the bastards,” that more readers would be familiar with the Claire Wolfe quote:
America is at that awkward stage. It’s too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards.
What I was aiming for in my admittedly elliptical (and obviously confusing) rambling was a search for a common thread in several scenarios. Furthermore, I intended it to be speculation, not some sort of proclamation of Gospel Truth, as I thought would be obvious from my use of phrases as “seems to me,” and “assuming my formulation is more-or-less congruent with reality.” While I’m certainly willing to hear discussion and correction on these assumptions, I was hoping that wouldn’t be the main focus. Granted, the onus is on me, the blogger, to make this clear.
Item: The violence in Iraq seems to me (N.B., seems to me) to be the work of mainly two groups: those longing for the Good Old Days of Saddam, and those wishing to establish an Islamic theocracy. Since Islamic Theocracy as practiced by the Iranians and Saudis (and presumably as would be practiced in Iraq) is, from where I’m sitting, no more or less preferable than plain old secular tyranny (c.f. Communism vs. Fascism), I think it’s quibbling not to lump these groups together as preferring some sort of despotism instead of American “occupation.” This is puzzling to me, given that we’re trying our damnedest (I think) to setup a liberal system modeled somewhat on our own. Still, this preference for despotism is strong enough for some, that it’s worth killing over.
Item: Now, I may be way off, but I just can’t imagine that UK’s government is that much different from the Republic of Ireland’s. Historically, yes, I’m sure there was repression and established religions and so forth, but are these really problems today? Of course, I could be way off; maybe the two governments are as far apart on certain things as, say, the USA’s and Canada’s when it comes to gun rights. I’ll grant that, although I wonder why immigration wouldn’t be an option. At any rate, to some people, it’s worth killing over.
Item: In the American colonies, ca. 1775, were ruled by a government that, while certainly not perfect, probably wasn’t too bad as governments went in that day and age. Still, at some point, enough people decided that getting rid of said government was worth killing over.
Item: Our modern-day government (at the federal and state level) are constantly pushing the limits of their power. Sometimes we push back, with varying degrees of success. Personally, I disagree with Claire Wolfe, in that I think it’s NOT too late to work within the system, and hopefully it never will be (and therefore I DO NOT advocate either the violent overthrow of our government or acts of terrorism or violence in general). The problem is knowing when her words come true.
So…is there a common thread? A thin one, perhaps. From our point of view, as Americans, we have been on both sides. In 1776, the challenge was identifying a “cusp,” if you will, and getting a critical mass of people convinced that it was indeed time to “shoot the bastards.” Today, we’re on the other side, and our challenge—in Iraq and the War on Terror in general—is to convince them that while it may be time to for the bastards to go, we aren’t the bastards; the bastards are the despots among them. And as I said originally, I have no solution to this challenge. That’s where you, the loyal reader, comes in!
May 6th, 2004 at 9:14 am
I was familiar with the quote but didn’t make the corelation about which specific bastards you were referring to.
I tend to agree that it’s not yet too late to work within the system here in the US. However, the subjects of the mullacracies seem to be unwilling to shoot the bastards and that may be for the reasons you outlined above and below.
Sadly, with all the rhetoric and propaganda those people have heard, we’re likely just different bastards.
May 6th, 2004 at 9:32 am
Manish made some good points about that in the other thread. Something else to think about: how many people are on the shooting side, and how many are more-or-less OK with our being there?
May 6th, 2004 at 7:11 pm
Item: The violence in Iraq seems to me (N.B., seems to me) to be the work of mainly two groups: those longing for the Good Old Days of Saddam, and those wishing to establish an Islamic theocracy.
perhaps true, but for different reasons. those wanting to go back to the good ‘ol days (so to speak) want to because of their position in their society, i.e. a minority population ruling the country. I highly doubt they enjoyed despotism…only its spoils.
further, it’s about the right of self determination, something the CPA is overlooking. we’re sooooo damned determine to do it “our way” that we’re not at all concerned with what the Iraqis themselves might want. this is xtremely important, and giving that idea the finger and doing what we think is “best for them” is only insulting.
Item: In the American colonies, ca. 1775, were ruled by a government that, while certainly not perfect, probably wasn’t too bad as governments went in that day and age. Still, at some point, enough people decided that getting rid of said government was worth killing over.
again, taxation without representation will piss anyone off, but self determination is definitely a good reason to take up arms and throw off the yoke of oppression.
still, I see your points, and they all make sense. I dunno if there’s really a common thread to all of them, but your points are more precisely xplained here than in your previous post.