I don't remember that list, but not every political reality can sufficiently be described in terms of privilege. I absolutely consider myself privileged for having had access to health care in every country that I've lived in, and that is precisely why I don't want Europe lumped in with the US. The point is simply that talking about how the West opposes socialism is ridiculous and untrue, as is talking about 'Western liberals and their love for Obama' and 'the Western war in Iraq', all things I've seen over the past few days. It has nothing to do with privilege, it's just counterproductive if we want to talk about certain issues.
In the same vein, European imperialism warrants a closer look all by itself, and I don't just mean past imperialism. There's Somalia & EU fishing policies, waste dumping, Germany's treatment of Greece, The City of London etc. Talking about Western interests as equivalent to US interests overlooks this and helps no one. All it does is create a term much to vague for anyone to take responsibility for, and (as evidenced by this thread) it derails discussion.
In the same vein, European imperialism warrants a closer look all by itself, and I don't just mean past imperialism. There's Somalia & EU fishing policies, waste dumping, Germany's treatment of Greece, The City of London etc. Talking about Western interests as equivalent to US interests overlooks this and helps no one. All it does is create a term much to vague for anyone to take responsibility for, and (as evidenced by this thread) it derails discussion.
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