by Christine Barie (artist) & Kathie Malley-Morrison
Tag: Bill O’Reilly
Authoritarians, Plutocrats, and the Fight for Racial Justice, Part 2
by Roy Eidelson
Trump’s high-profile attacks on the protesting NFL players who “take a knee” give direction and inspiration to his authoritarian supporters. Using the flag and anthem as compelling but deceptive props, he and his surrogates smear critics as inauthentic, ungrateful, and unpatriotic Americans whose views and preferences undermine the country’s greatness. The onslaught against these athletes is just a microcosm of the dishonest offensives that target the broader Black Lives Matter movement. For instance, former Fox News star Bill O’Reilly told his TV audience that the movement is “essentially a hate America group.” Current network kingpin Sean Hannity compared Black Lives Matter to the Ku Klux Klan. And frequent Fox guest Rudy Giuliani argued that the group is “inherently racist” and “puts a target on the back of police.”
The reality is quite different. Launched by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi after the killing of teenager Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman back in 2012, Black Lives Matter is “an ideological and political intervention” and “an affirmation of Black folks’ humanity, our contributions to this society, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression.” The group’s policy recommendations include criminal justice reforms; demilitarization of local police forces; community oversight in cases of police misconduct; greater investments in education, jobs, and health services; and a commission to study reparations for harms suffered by descendants of slaves. Fortunately, despite ongoing right-wing efforts at misrepresentation, a Pew Research Center poll from last summer shows that far more Americans support the movement than oppose it—and this is especially true among younger adults.
But overt racism isn’t the sole engine that drives opposition to Black Lives Matter and the NFL player protests. Like every social movement, these efforts represent a threat to those who benefit most from the status quo. Atop that list are Trump himself and other tremendously wealthy Americans who choose to exploit their political power in order to advance selfish interests at the expense of the greater good. For them, billionaire tax cuts are worth any price and outspoken celebrities, including professional athletes, are a serious annoyance. That’s because they turn the public’s attention away from the mass consumerism that one-percenters work hard to cultivate and also give voice to the mistreatment of millions who, in light of their circumstances, might otherwise never be heard. In short, authoritarians and plutocrats find common ground and shared purpose in the ruthless betrayal of democratic principles and equal justice under the law.
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Roy Eidelson, PhD, is a past president of Psychologists for Social Responsibility, a member of the Coalition for an Ethical Psychology, and the author of the new book POLITICAL MIND GAMES: How the 1% Manipulate Our Understanding of What’s Happening, What’s Right, and What’s Possible. His website is www.royeidelson.com and he’s on Twitter at @royeidelson.
The dangerous myth of American exceptionalism
Once upon a time, a new nation was born on this continent and came to view itself as exceptional—that is, as qualitatively different from other countries in its revolutionary origins and its national ideology (emphasizing values such as liberty and egalitarianism).
American exceptionalism soon became linked with “manifest destiny,” the idea that the United States was ordained by “Divine Providence” to spread its control across the American continent and its democracy around the world.
In a powerful essay, Howard Zinn debunked the myth of American exceptionalism and exposed its dangers. If you want to understand how American exceptionalism may put everyone increasingly at risk, be sure to read Zinn’s article.
Or see him in this video.
In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings, American exceptionalism is once again raising its raucous voice, claiming that if Americans feel threatened, they are not subject to principles of international law or even their own Constitution.
Torture violates international law, yet Greg Ball, a New York State senator, showed no compunction in saying of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the “second suspect” in the Marathon tragedy, “So, scum bag #2 in custody. Who wouldn’t use torture on this punk to save more lives?”
According to American law, suspects in a crime must be informed before interrogation of their Fifth Amendment (“Miranda”) rights to avoid self-incrimination, but U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham tweeted, “The last thing we may want to do is read Boston suspect Miranda Rights telling him to ‘remain silent’.” The outcome? According to a Washington Times article, Tsarnaev was read his rights only after he confessed.
And Bill O’Reilly, on Fox News, had no difficulty in acting as judge and jury regarding an entire religion: “No matter how much good we do for these people, they don’t like us. Because we are infidels.”
Hating others and advocating violence are easy. Any three-year-old can have a tantrum. But suspending judgment while awaiting facts, respecting international principles of social justice, and living by an ethic of reciprocity require maturity and courage.
On the other hand, just listening to Mr. Rogers is not a bad idea.
Kathie Malley-Morrison, Professor of Psychology