Let’s
get real: hope is like a drug that turns the critical centers of most human
brains off and dispatches them to ‘La-la’ land. But this is precisely why
shameless politicos will go on using it, dragging it out from their duffel bags
of political detritus whenever they suspect it might be useful.
We
already know how Obama played the ‘Hope’ card back in 2008, and by deftly using
it brought into play an unlikely coalition of youthful idealists, hard core
union guys, tree huggers, anti-War advocates, religiously conservative blacks
and Catholics, and far left anti-capitalists (like moi.) The result was a resounding victory with one
of the biggest election margins a Democrat ever mustered.
The
problem is that despite the Hope card, our hopes were mainly dashed. Guantanamo remained open (still is), Iraq
wound down – but Afghanistan
was ramped up – and Obama wants us to remain until 2024, the middle class is
still drowning in debt – especially college students and the wealthier are
richer than ever. Worse, Obama even dared to put the most sacrosanct Middle
class benefit – in Social Security – on the table for a cut (though he didn’t
call it that – but realists know it was.)
Meanwhile, the guy instead of being the epitome of hope and change also
professed steadfast opposition to all whistle blowers and endorsed NSA mass
surveillance.
In
this historical setting, Obama’s words
from the keynote speech of the 2004 Democratic Convention certainly ring
hollow:
“The
audacity of hope echoes the best of the American spirit. – the audacity to
believe despite all evidence to the contrary.”
Well,
I can tell you one thing, given all the “evidence to the contrary” – let me say
I am not about to believe that: Obama will pull out of Afghanistan before his 2nd
term ends, shutter Guantanamo, repeal NSA mass surveillance, or stop his drone
kills and siege of whistle blowers. I’m not even prepared to believe he won’t
approve the Keystone pipeline – after the November elections, of course, when
it no longer matters to him politically.
To
invoke the words of Professor of Philosophy, Simon Critchley (NY Times, April
20):
“It
is precisely this type of hope that I think we should try to give up. It is not
audacious, but mendacious.”
He
goes on to observe that it is exactly this type of baseless hope that permeates
the national psyche, and as it does – blinds us to the reality of the world we
inhabit. This then gives rise to a stupor or paralysis of action, fueled by a
sentimental complacency that prevents us from seeing things aright and
"protesting against this administration’s moral and political lapses and those
of other administrations.”
Thus,
the center Left (mainly) doesn’t want to criticize Obama (despite the fact he’s earned
it on multiple fronts as I noted above), if the Repukes are already doing it.
The meme seems to be: “Look, okay he’s not doing everything right but we don’t
want to pile onto the guy!” And so the way is prepped for the forlorn Obamabot
to “hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil”.
The
same sick apathy prevents Dems from ferociously going after LBJ, who not only
launched a massive war on a pretext, but also likely masterminded JFK’s
assassination. But oh no, we don’t wanna go there because- after all - the guy
signed into law the Civil Rights Bill, the Voting Rights Act and blah, blah,
blah. And people wonder why our
political system doesn’t change for the better?
How can it when most of us are prepared to give a pass to constitutional
violations as well as outright treachery (assisting in the assassination of
one’s President)?
No
surprise then I side with Prof. Critchley when he declares that what we need in
the face of what Nietzsche called “a strict, had factuality” isn't hope but “courage in the face of reality.” Hope then is merely a form of
moral cowardice that “allows us to escape from reality and prolong human
suffering.”
When
democracy goes astray, say under pressure from the national security state, or
my state of Colorado
turns totally into a fracking nightmare, “hope” will not save the day. Hope
will not cause the NSA’s PRISM or MUSCULAR programs to be disbanded, nor will
it halt the NSA’s grabbing up of emails, texts and phone lists. However, if
states acted on their own to pass legislation to deny NSA centers the resources
they need, say water to cool their giant computers, then real change could be
brought to bear. But that takes courage for the states to act in that bold
capacity – without caving in to the screams of the security fetishists, e.g.
“Traitors!”.
In
like manner, hope will not save Colorado
homeowners from the wrath of the frackers after the next election. (Many of
these homeowners looking out from the north side of Denver can see frack derricks for as far as
the eye can see). But courageous action
in helping Colorado Dem Jared Polis get a law passed to turn control of
fracking – including its regulation or banning – over to local communities,
will.
Aeschylus
in “Prometheus Bound” describes the
agony of the chained super hero who is interrogated by the chorus and asked
whether Prometheus gave humans anything else but fire. His response?
“I
sowed in them blind hopes.”
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