Posted by Bunny.
From the mailbag:
Dear Bunny... I'm assuming that you guys aren't big fans of Sarah Palin. Would you guys move to another country if Sarah Palin got elected President of the United States? I was just curious how you feel about how the US might become too ridiculous if she was President. Best wishes, Yalonda
Response:
Hello Yalonda. You're right, we are not fans of Sarah Palin the politician. I don't know much about her as a person, although she does strike me as more of a dog person.
I've thought about possibly leaving the United States, but that's to hunt poachers in South Asia, not because I don't like a certain politician. In general, I don't like politicians, it's not just a Sarah Palin thing. Truthfully, I don't find her to be particularly unique. Yes, she often says "ridiculous" things, but that's nothing new in American politics.
It’s important to remember that as of right now, she's not in charge. President Obama is the President of the United States; he’s in charge. And year after year the U.S. government does its thing resulting in the death and suffering of millions of ordinary people - 'collateral damage' of our colonial wars (official and unofficial) and imperial policies institutionalized all across the world. This happens whether there’s a Democrat or a Republican in office. So I think the U.S. is already ridiculous - ridiculously callous and violent. Rolling our eyes at people like Sarah Palin is easy and maybe even a little fun to do, but in the end she's not the system. She's just one (ridiculous) person.
Strategically speaking, I think it's important that Pinky and I continue to critique the U.S. from inside the U.S. Although if we booted out of this country then I guess that will be moot.
Take care,
Bunny
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Posted by Kim: Bunny, I think I understand most of what you're saying but isn't "the system" also made up of individual people? Isn't President Obama also just "one person"?
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Posted by Bunny: Cult of personality-types require minions. Institutions need functionaries. Corporations need worker slaves and consumption slaves and an elite class to dictate. Nations are the same way. So yes, the words and actions of individual people do matter, but any way you look at it, people-in-bunches matter more. Which is why POLITICS is so important. Which is also why UNDERSTANDING politics is largely absent in state-sanctioned educational curricula.
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Posted by Kim: I still don't get it.
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Posted by Bunny: The President of the United States is not just a person. It's an office within a system. I'm not saying it's irrelevant which individual person occupies that office - obviously there are some differences between one occupant and the next - but when Barack Obama leaves office he will be replaced with another person who will also uphold the foundational ideologies of U.S. Empire: American exceptionalism, military interventionism, corporate supremacism, and so on and so on. That's not a "personal" knock against Barack Obama, Sarah Palin, or anybody else - that's just America.
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Posted by Kim: Okay, got it now, thanks.
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Posted by Bunny: Update: Jan. 12 @ 12:49pm PST. A reader's e-mail to Bunny: "I find your reading of American politics grim and depressing..."
My reply: "Hi Lynn, I'm sorry you feel depressed. My intention is only to provide a clear description of how believe things are. But here's some good news: as messed up as the system is, it can also be changed by ordinary people. You guys maintain it, you can also change it if you want. Collectively though, not individually. I don't believe "individual actions" have nearly as much effect, unless you occupy some position that’s already invested with lots of power. Thank you for your e-mail, Bunny"