Ace of Spades has some discussion of them in his post about conspiracies.
The real question: why was a provable conspiracy theory so wrong then, and a fabricated conspiracy theory so right today?
If your answer is: because the Left is simply using that accusation to gain power - the SAME THING they did by denying Leftist schemes then, you may go to the head of the class.
That's what the Impeachment was about - stopping Trump, getting back power.
And, what of the John Bircher concerns about Communism attempting to take over American institutions (and, other countries worldwide)?
In fact, there WAS a Communist conspiracy to infiltrate and destroy America, as a free country, as well as to subvert its allies around the world. The Venona Papers have uncovered many of those responsible, and the evidence is there, for those who have open eyes. Unfortunately, few schools can waste the time to teach about it, as they have WAY more important things to dwell on - Climate Change, Gay/Trans Rights, and how White People have destroyed the planet (because, EVIL).
In Africa, as in many parts of the developing world, a relatively stable and prosperous system - colonialism - was deliberately destroyed by the Leftists, only to be taken over, once the Western Europeans left. There was NEVER any intention, on the part of the Leftist, of allowing Africans to actually rule their own countries after colonialism. The flaws of colonialism were trivial compared to the genocides, totalitarian rule, and export of the wealth of those countries. The Africans in charge were brutal, avaricious, and corrupt. Those who had been educated under colonialism were killed, exiled, and impoverished.
Were the colonials bad? That's a complicated question.
- The administrative structures they brought in attempted to separate African culture from their over-involvement in extended family clan nepotism. In Africa, those having a government job are considered obligated to employ as many of their relatives as they are able. To refuse is to put yourself as an outcast. And, for Africans, family is everything. This can be a strength, but, in a modern society, it is also a weakness. The family is only as strong as their weakest link. To modernize meant to turn one's back on every cultural tradition, and to become a person, disconnected from family and the familiar.
- Some of the colonials were truly awful. Dismissive of the "natives", greedy and addicted to living large, and - particularly for a substantial number of the Kenyan colonials - composed of some of the most depraved and addicted individuals ever to represent the British Empire. After WWI, Kenya became a dumping ground for those members of the British elite whose actions embarrassed their families - sex orgies, drug use, rampant drinking, vile behavior. Their lives were talked about, and well known among both the elite and the native population. Other colonials suffered from their compatriots' sins.
- It's true that the colonials made a considerable amount of money. However, the standard of living of ALL Africans rose during that time. In the period after independence, the confiscated money and land was supposed to be distributed to the people. In reality, the only people who benefited much were the New Elite. The average African ended up poorer than ever.
- We will never know just what might have become of Africa without the Leftist invasion, that installed leaders who allied with them. Might they have come to find a compromise between Capitalism and their traditional way of life? We may never be able to answer those questions, as the Chinese are dangling their cash, in the form of loans, and will likely take outright control when the bill comes due. The Chinese are NOT known for their disinterested benevolence.
From the African journalist writing in PJ Media:
At independence, Africa had 9% of the world’s population and a share of 9% of world trade. It enjoyed relative wealth compared to the rest of mankind. Today, with more than 17% of the world’s population, its share of global trade has fallen to less than 2%. It is therefore postcolonial Africa that has become impoverished.I'm going to keep an eye out to see if Tigori's book "Detoxifying Africa" will be available (it's not, at this time). If I find it, I'll post a review here.
For a short period in the early 1970's I was a member of a small "Bircher" group. We met twice monthly and had vibrant, intelligent discussions. As I remember, all were very patriotic, sensible, hard working average Americans whom wanted a fair and just political policy as outlined by our framers.
ReplyDeleteContrast that with the current proliferation of wacko leftist groups and tell me the JBS members were dangerous. I think not.
That's a good one.
ReplyDeleteI would love to hear about your experiences in that group. If you want to leave me a message with your contact information on Gab - rau9 - we can talk without the audience.
ReplyDeleteI was, for two years IIRC, a member. Never attended meetings. Found I agreed with the vast majority of things they wrote in their newsletters.
ReplyDeleteI had lots of good impressions from what I read and - like many things - wonder what I was actually true vs. what I've read (before and since).
A righteous post.
ReplyDeleteThe ne plus ultra of starting point for understanding post-colonial Africa is the Italian documentary "Africa Addio." Even if Roger Ebert didn't like it very much. A YouTube link I had for it has gone to where inconvenient internet content goes to die. The account has been terminated for reasons amounting to "deuced inconvenience for liberal spinmeisters." The vaunted Wayback Machine also never got around to archiving the channel, to my utter astonishment.
Here's an account of Africa quoting a Congolese guy on how he wished the Belgians would come back: "Come Back, Colonialism, All Is Forgiven.
The con on Africa was epic. Here's the communist hypocrite Mandala joining in the rousing rendition of "Kill the Boers." He's the one whose wife loved her followers' use of burning automobile tires as "necklesses" for inconvenient blacks.
I've been a Bircher for six years. It is a pc-not describes. At one point I went around handing out copies of the Society's annual liberty rating of individual Congressmen. Gasp. The single best thing you'll ever read on how the US did all in its power to turn China over to the Communists can be found in the JBS magazine, The New American. It's excellent on our disastrous "give away the store" trade deals and just recently weighed in on big tech censorship.
Then there's Robert Welch's The General in which he makes clear that Ike's meteoric rise had a great deal to do with his ass kissiing of an FDR cousin, I think, at a San Francisco dinner party. He told her how much he admired the New Deal and this was duly relayed to FDR. The rest being history. Yes, Ike "the Republican."
Diana West, Stan Evans, Ann Coulter, Trevor Loudon, R.M. Whitney, Eugene Lyons, Rose L. Martin, Cliff Kincaid, Jim Simpson, and the great Joseph McCarthy are just a few who have tried to warn Americans about the communist infiltration and subversion of the Republic. The idea that Earl Warren was an agent of the worldwide communist conspiracy seemed out there even at the time but considering what the Court has done to support and expand the leftist/statist/anti-liberty agenda, I axe myself if that isn't a full-throated rush into the arms of the communists who planned the destruction of the capitalist West I am a loss to know what an actual effort to suborn, subvert, and betray America WOULD look like. As Justice Bork wrote, the Supreme Court just ceased to enforce the Commerce Clause in the 1930s and, shazam, we have had Leviathan jammed down our throats ever since.
It is as pc-not describes . . . .
ReplyDelete. . . I axe myself if that isn't a full-throated rush into the arms of the communists who planned the destruction of the capitalist West what WOULD an actual effort to suborn, subvert, and betray America look like?
The Mandela link