Saturday, May 08, 2010
A Racist Occupation
May 8, 2010
This is one of my favorite quotes from Albert Memmi. And it must be read several times...slowly, carefully....
Racism does not limit itself to biology or economics or psychology or metaphysics; it attacks along many fronts and in many forms, deploying whatever is at hand, and even what is not, inventing when the need arises. (Albert Memmi, Racism)
The discourse around the Anglo-American-Iranian occupation of Iraq, a racist, sectarian, chauvinistic occupation -- contains much bullshit and partial truths.
I'd hear over and over again --- it's the oil, it's economics, it's capitalism, it's corporations, it's big business, it's geopolitics, it's strategy, it's imperialism...every kind of ism would be put forward...except one
RACISM.
And I abide by the Albert Memmi's definition of racism...an all encompassing one, that goes beyond economics and geopolitics...
The Occupation of Iraq is based on Pure Racism...religious racism, racial racism, sectarian racism, ethnic racism, ideological racism, political racism, economic racism...etc...
Your "Marxist, leftist, liberal, progressive..." theories and analysis are way too limited to explain this occupation...
And I think I know why...
And another quote by Albert Memmi will give it to you, in plain language...
There is a strange kind of tragic enigma associated with the problem of racism. No one, or almost no one, wishes to see themselves as racist; still racism persists, real and tenacious.
