01/04/2024
dear Richard,
First of all, I want to say that this post was written by me and no one else, and that it says what I actually think.
Ten or twenty years ago I didn’t used to think this way and back then only heard one narrative – the Anglo-Saxon one, which was venerated in the part of the world where I lived. In fact, many millions there still do worship that narrative. For them, being “educated” means either speaking English or ideally getting a colonial education.
Taking to heart what their colonial masters taught them, these millions have learned to forget or be embarrassed about their own culture and heritage. They have learned to feel guilty about crimes they never committed, and they have learned to despise and demonize people with whom they have no historical, cultural or geographical connection just because the west did so. I know so many Nepalis and Bhutanese who are pro-Ukranian and anti-Russian even though many don’t even know what Ukraine is or where Russia is.
Fortunately, thanks to the internet and freedom of information, I was gradually exposed to other narratives, and decided to exercise the freedom to hear and express a different narrative than the one I used to believe. So yes, dear Richard, what I wrote reflects a narrative that may grate on your own.
Some people have already said that what you wrote is historically wrong, like the British always favouring partition (not so) and about how they were driven out. But I won’t spend time arguing that, because I admit that I’m ignorant of your particular version of history. Still, I have every reason to be suspicious of the version of history propagated by a people who r***d, looted, and robbed half the world, who arbitrarily drew borders that forced millions to move, and who lied through their teeth about weapons of mass destruction. I’m quite glad that I now suspect and am more aware of these kinds of lies.
On the other hand, I do read and hear narratives on Israel, Palestine, Ukraine, Russia, China, and Africa from prominent, respected people, including westerners who get little or no coverage in their own mainstream western media. In fact, that ended up becoming the main reason I respect and trust them more.
But, my dear Richard, what I really don’t understand is your argument about democracy. This “slate” thing you are talking about – is that some hanging rock somewhere in the British Isles? Because what I do hear about democracy is that it’s “the people” who choose their government – though probably much more for reasons of personality, demagoguery, habit, and money worries than for the “slate of policies” you say. In my experience, very few people really examine policies before they vote.
Still, when they choose their government, the people are not choosing a desk, pen, paper or other inanimate object; they are choosing human beings. And when those human beings do so much killing, not just in Gaza but as the west and especially Anglo-Saxons have done for a very long time, then my argument is simply that all members of western democracies are responsible because they chose their government. It’s so easy to demonize and blame an autocratic dictator as westerners love to do, but that’s not the case in a democracy, where the people too bear responsibility.
You can’t have it both ways – claiming all the glory for any achievement credited to democracy and then refusing to take responsibility for any harm done by democracies. Just as you can’t blame dictators for any failing and then refuse to give them credit for any positive action, like China pulling 850 million people out of extreme poverty for example.
In a democracy, you just have to take full responsibility. So, if, after four years observing Donald Trump in power, American voters choose him again, then I’d say yes – Americans are responsible for whatever he does next. They cannot claim ignorance or just blame Mr. Trump. And it’s not enough just to say “well, I didn’t vote for him,” because he is still your democratically elected leader.
I really don’t mind your comment, dear Richard, about being “offensive”, because I’m quite glad I offended you. But “inflammatory”? Are you serious? If ra**ng, looting, and committing cultural genocide as your people have done is not inflammatory, then nothing is.
You better get used to hearing this, my dear, because your hegemony is crumbling. No matter how many evil opponents you love to create, it just won’t work. The whole global south has a different narrative than yours. Will you blame them for being ignorant? Because if you do, that is getting really close to being racist.
The west may demonize people like Putin, Gaddafi, Xi, and Modi. But at this point it would be really good for the west just to accept that those leaders have been loved and venerated by their own people. We may blame those people for being ignorant or duped by propaganda. But who are 12% of the world’s population to claim the moral authority to decide for the world who is good and evil while blabbering about a rules-based order that the west basically imposes on the world while constantly breaking those rules itself?
Just as you, Richard, get emotionally offended at criticism of the British, you just have to accept that millions of Africans, Indians, and Chinese also get offended and become more nationalist when judged and criticized by the west.
As for your last statement, I must say that I just don’t get how a critique of democracy and Britain’s role in the Middle East gives moral justification for su***de bombers and homicidal maniacs. By that logic, you seem to be saying that any criticism of the west can be used to justify violence against westerners. So then, do you advocate censorship of any critique? Maybe that’s not surprising coming from someone whose people still imprison Julian Assange for telling the truth.
Perhaps oddest of all is your opening tone, assuming or hoping that it can’t be Rinpoche saying these things. I’d say the opposite. If even someone like me who has no time for this kind of debate or historical investigation knows a bit about the UK and US role, then perhaps it’s you guys who should really consider changing your tune.
I am very sure, based on past trends, that these posts will immediately put me into the “anti-west” box. But believe it or not, this has got nothing to do with being pro- or anti-west. All I am saying is that I am not anti-Singapore chickens or pro-Malaysian ducks but only that Singapore chickens should not blame Malaysian ducks for quacking instead of clucking. We just have to accept that quacking with grace, humility, and dignity.
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