[lbo-talk] Obama reelection prospect

[dperrin at comcast.net]

Wojtek is more right than wrong. I know that as socialists, social democrats, progressives, anarchists, whatever, we must believe in the People and their inner humanity. And yes, there are numerous decent Americans. But the majority are either reactionary, elitist, or simply apolitical. They cannot be reached nor want to be. So long as their concept of America lives, nothing will substantially change their minds. 

I remember my first shock of this awareness. During the first Gulf War, I traveled, debated, and spoke at colleges, on radio and TV (including CNN prime time). Antiwar people were vastly outnumbered by those reawakened to the love of US violence. Unlike the Central American wars, which were fought with proxy terrorist armies, the assault on Iraq was direct and exciting. Even better, our target couldn't fight back. In various bars throughout the East, Midwest and South, I spoke to and witnessed people who not only supported Bush's bombing, they reveled in it. Dead Iraqi baby jokes were common, and applause went up when video of dead Iraqis appeared on TV. America was back, baby. Step the fuck off. 

This severely depressed me. I fell out of activism for years because of it. The WTO protests in '99 and Nader's campaign the following year lifted my spirits a bit; but then came 9/11, and well . . . 

The empire may be dying, but it's gonna take a long time for it to truly sink in. War culture and military worship are sacred now. My activist youth seems light years ago. 

Dennis