cowboys and injunns

How pre-enlightenment manichean thinking is dominating global politics

I should imagine that my views about George W Bush will be familiar to you from other postings on this site, so I will not bore you with more lefty 'anything but Bush' type ranting, but I would like to draw your attention to this excellent article by Rabbi Michael Lerner on the 'liberal Jewish' Tikkun.org website.

While on the subject, at his press conference this week, Bush told his audience:

"I also have this belief, strong belief that freedom is not this country's gift to the world. Freedom is the Almighty's gift to every man and woman in this world. And as the greatest power on the face of the earth we have an obligation to help the spread of freedom."

This interesting peek into the mind of GWB may tell us the following:

1. Freedom is an on/off switch, you either have it or you don't.

This does not allow for the various shades of freedom that in reality we all face every day. I am free to drive to London today, but I cannot do so at more that 70mph. I am free to drink alcohol today, but not before driving, only afterwards. All freedoms are balanced by obligations that keep society in some semblance of order. Millions of Americans are apparently free, and yet are unable to exercise choice in respect of healthcare, education or livelihoods because they live in a society that bestows freedom on the wealthy, not the poor.

2. There is an entity called the 'Almighty' which implies monotheism.

What is it with Bush and his apocalyptic vision? Why this Judeo-Christian God with some faux-Islam thrown in? What about the millions who believe in many Gods, or indeed no God at all? When did the civilised world decide that there was now a monotheist Old Testament concensus. The drafters of the US constitution were careful to insist on the separation of Church and State despite the fact that the US Colonies were very devout. As sons of the enlightenment, they understood how religious dogma had torn Europe apart for two centuries, and how fundamentalism can corrupt political endeavour. By suggesting that the US Army is doing the 'Almighty's work', Bush has crossed the line.

3. The Almighty bestows gifts, in this case freedom. If it is bestowed then were ever free to choose it?

A-level Divinity stuff, let's not go there today.

4. The USA is the greatest power on the face of the earth

I cannot argue with the last point, unless he means here that the USA is great as in 'good' rather than great as in 'bigger than anyone else'.