SYMMETRY

In my casual observation of events in Iran in regard to recent elections, I was amazed at the American media, politicians, and "experts" featured in news outlets roundly denouncing the current Iranian leadership for election fraud, denial of opposition forces the right to peacefully protest, and the application of force to disperse such protesters. Have Americans so quickly forgotten the "stolen election" charges by Americans against George W. Bush in the 2000 election? What about Richard M. Nixon's supporters charging that Nixon was cheated by Mayor Dick Daly's "Chicago Machine," costing him the close election contest with John F. Kennedy in 1960? Folks, our elections aren't models of honesty and propriety.



Further, every year that the IMF "planners" gather in Washington, D.C., or any other American city, there also gather a potpouri of Americans to protest the financial machinations of a gaggle of unelected money administrators. If it is Washington, D.C., then you can count on the SWAT team and mounted police to rudely curtail their peaceful assembly. Invariably, tear gas and mace are at hand and one or both employed. Typically, one sees pictures of women - sometimes "grannies" - who have been injured. Naturally, the authorities blame the protestors, stating that they have brought it upon themselves, much as the Iranian authorities are doing now. Indeed, whether France, Japan or Argentina, the same measures seem to be meted out to protestors by police representing the power of the state authorities.


With Robert Burns' indulgence: Oh, if only some power the gift would give us to see ourselves as others see us!


Further, I was near to most event of the streets in Washington, D.C., during the period of 1968 - 1975, and typically saw the authorities unleash their police power against the assembled protestors. There is a fact about political power that is rather mundane: Establishments don't like to be dis-Established. Force is their usual answer to dogged resistance by opposition. I certainly agree that it would be better if St. Francis of Assisi were a typical political model, as opposed to the usual Josef Stalin. It's not going to happen. The only thing for certain is that the media and intellectuals will refer to the current Stalin as "Uncle Joe."


Given the long-running animosity between the United States and its allies toward the present ruling regime in Iran, the overthrow of that regime would be welcomed. This is such a certainty that supposition that clandestined operatives connected to America (or one or more of its allies) may have done much to enrich the efforts of any and all malcontents within Iran is no parlor game. We've created "friends" to lead nations we view as strategic, and then "stabbed them in the back" (Chiang Kai-Shek, Marcos, etc.), as more advantageous friends appeared on the scene. Realpolitik?


There is a bromide to the effect that "you should choose your enemies well because you will become your enemy. Frankly, I don't know whether we have learned from others, or they from us, but I do not think that "where we are at" is where we should be.


Many of the people and nations that we criticize might well reply - with a nod to the Wasp of Twickenham [A.Pope] - "Let such teach others who themselves excel and censor freely who have written well."






June 20, 2009