[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2av__s-598″ align=”center” title=”Morgan Freeman on Russia”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The first step to solving a problem is admitting to having the problem. Unfortunately, major sections of the Democratic party are completely unwilling/incapable of doing this. The shock of losing to a candidate as awful as Trump should have sent shockwaves through the DNC, indicating the need for a huge change in strategy. Instead, as indicated by Freeman’s video, and Hillary’s book, it seems that the reaction seems to be by blaming everyone except themselves. It was Russia, they cry, they interfered in our elections, corrupted our democracy. The same ‘democracy’ that allows a candidate to gain more than 3 million votes more than the other candidate and still lose.
Morgan Freeman, an independent and trustworthy voice who worked for the Democratic campaign by voicing party adverts, blames Russia and Putin for creating distrust in the American media. Conveniently forgetting, of course, the many times the media has mislead the public, on big issues such as the Iraq war. The worst part of the video, however, is when Freeman says “For 241 years, our democracy has been a shining example to the world”. He does this in a complete serious manner and without a hint of irony, which makes me wonder if there’s an FBI or CIA operative just off-screen pointing a gun at his head. This reinforces the view sadly held by many Americans that their country is locked in a constant moral battle against evil.
Earlier this month, it was the anniversary of the military coup in Chile, led by dictator Augusto Pinochet who murdered the democratically elected socialist leader in 1973. The coup was backed by the CIA. And even earlier, in 1970, President Nixon gave the direct order to overthrow the incumbent President of Chile, Salvador Allende. This is one example of the US’s long and bloody history of meddling in foreign affairs across the world. For Freeman, and the Investigate Russia cause, to accuse Russia of meddling with democracy given America’s record displays a shocking level of ignorance which is insulting to the thousands murdered in Pinochet’s brutal regime.
As well as being shamelessly ignorant about historical events, blaming recent events on Russia serves another purpose, since the Democratic Party can conveniently forget about the real issues dogging America’s politics. The enormous grip that corporate donors have on both major parties, and is the fundamental reason that America functions as an oligarchy rather than a democracy. Rather than try and recapture ordinary Americans by building a grassroots movement and offering genuine progressive policies, the DNC elites and Freeman seem more focussed on blaming just about everyone (voters, campaigners, Bernie Sanders) for Hillary’s loss last year.
“Russia-Gate” is the perfect smokescreen for career politicians in Washington to hide behind. They can’t tackle the real issues like climate change or income inequality because of the conflict of interest this creates for their donors. By investigating Russia, Democratic politicians have the perfect “issue” to combat, something which they can divert media and public attention towards. Morgan Freeman’s video only serves to help this happen, and it reinforces the blind nationalistic view that America is always in the right.
Lawrence Cwerner, Communications
(Image courtesy of The Chicago Tribune)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]