The Evil American Empire Narrative
There are all sorts of groups around the world which hate the United States, or at least its halls of power. And like almost all political groups, they present their views as a narrative of Good versus Evil, with them playing the part of Good (of course) and the United States Government as the part of Evil.
And to some degree, it was easy to portray the United States as Evil - even beyond the many errors in judgment by the Bush administration. As long as Americans kept on electing one rich, white guy after another to the White House, it was easy to claim that American foreign policies were just a continuation of European Imperialism. In these narratives, the West and the Whites in general and the United States in particular are out to oppress the poor and desperate of the world, and defying the United States was a struggle for Liberation.
But now, the American people have elected a black guy as their president. And now maintaining the same narrative becomes... difficult. Casting Obama as the central figure of white, Western racism strains credibility, after all.
However, such groups will not let that deter them. After all, they have invested considerable emotional energy into building and maintaining their beliefs, and it is unfortunately human nature to ignore inconvenient facts when they contradict deeply-held beliefs. Therefore, I will predict one of two responses:
- Claims that Obama isn't really in charge, and talk of conspiracies of Evil Old White Men(TM) pulling his strings behind the scene. Joe Biden will likely focus in a lot of these conspiracy theories (especially since plenty of similar theories exist about the current vice-president Dick Cheney). Other candidates for Secret Puppet Masters(TM) will likely pop up as well. Mentions of Jewish Influence(TM) will probably unavoidable. Whatever happens, there will be plenty of people who will simply refuse to believe that Obama is his own man with his own beliefs, goals, and policy decisions.
- Claims that Obama knows what he is doing, but is basically an "Uncle Tom" - someone who has sold out "his people" (whatever that means in the context of the conspiracy theorist) to the Evil Old White Men(TM) for power. I expect we will hear a lot of euphemisms and weasel words for "race traitor" in the coming years from such groups.
Whatever Obama will do, such beliefs will likely persist among some people. But if Obama can use his time in the White House to show America at its best, as opposed to at its worst like it appeared in the last eight years, then such beliefs will gradually dwindle until they are only held by some doddering old relatives in the attic whom nobody likes to talk about because of sheer embarrassment.
And to some degree, it was easy to portray the United States as Evil - even beyond the many errors in judgment by the Bush administration. As long as Americans kept on electing one rich, white guy after another to the White House, it was easy to claim that American foreign policies were just a continuation of European Imperialism. In these narratives, the West and the Whites in general and the United States in particular are out to oppress the poor and desperate of the world, and defying the United States was a struggle for Liberation.
But now, the American people have elected a black guy as their president. And now maintaining the same narrative becomes... difficult. Casting Obama as the central figure of white, Western racism strains credibility, after all.
However, such groups will not let that deter them. After all, they have invested considerable emotional energy into building and maintaining their beliefs, and it is unfortunately human nature to ignore inconvenient facts when they contradict deeply-held beliefs. Therefore, I will predict one of two responses:
- Claims that Obama isn't really in charge, and talk of conspiracies of Evil Old White Men(TM) pulling his strings behind the scene. Joe Biden will likely focus in a lot of these conspiracy theories (especially since plenty of similar theories exist about the current vice-president Dick Cheney). Other candidates for Secret Puppet Masters(TM) will likely pop up as well. Mentions of Jewish Influence(TM) will probably unavoidable. Whatever happens, there will be plenty of people who will simply refuse to believe that Obama is his own man with his own beliefs, goals, and policy decisions.
- Claims that Obama knows what he is doing, but is basically an "Uncle Tom" - someone who has sold out "his people" (whatever that means in the context of the conspiracy theorist) to the Evil Old White Men(TM) for power. I expect we will hear a lot of euphemisms and weasel words for "race traitor" in the coming years from such groups.
Whatever Obama will do, such beliefs will likely persist among some people. But if Obama can use his time in the White House to show America at its best, as opposed to at its worst like it appeared in the last eight years, then such beliefs will gradually dwindle until they are only held by some doddering old relatives in the attic whom nobody likes to talk about because of sheer embarrassment.