In this short feature I’m examining parts of an email from the conservative email bloodstream, and the first is here. Here’s the second:
So this one seems harmless enough out of context. But in context?
This is a reinforcement of natural, but socially undesirable, xenophobic impulses. The idea that the world’s richest country should not be helping out unlucky countries, along with being desperately un-Christian, is also undiplomatic. By being generous, we earn favorable views of America and Western Civilization from the citizens of other nations – an important consideration in an era where autocratic, or -leaning, governments such as those of China, Russia, Hungary, Iran, and The Philippines, are making the case that autocracy is a better form of government than old, slow liberal democracy.
Never mind what has happened in the past to citizens of autocracies (see: Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, or most absolute monarchies), or is happening today to the Uighurs of China, the Tibetans, disfavored minorities (pick your country), etc. Just don’t look, keep favoring the strong-man style of government, surely that can’t happen to you, hey?!
And, for those readers who think foreign aid is overwhelming the Federal budget:
Opinion polls consistently report that Americans believe foreign aid is in the range of 25 percent of the federal budget. When asked how much it should be, they say about 10 percent. In fact, at $39.2 billion for fiscal year 2019, foreign assistance is less than 1 percent of the federal budget. [George Ingram, Brookings.edu]
The careful stripping of context, which is a regular feature of these conservative messages, and the constant din of xenophobia, look innocent enough, but reinforce anti-government messages such as They’re throwing our money away! and It’s all a hoax! and They’re taking away our rights! (but don’t look at the alternative).
Well, no. This is a fallacious view of reality.
