The evil of Exceptionalism

Chris Hedges writes in his latest post, “Genocide: The New Normal,” subtitled “Israel and the U.S. government will continue the genocide in Gaza for many months until the Palestinians are annihilated or driven from their homeland and Greater Israel is consolidated.”

“Israel’s frustration at the dogged resistance in Gaza, the West Bank, Yemen and Lebanon increases the bloodlust. Members of Israel’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee sent a letter to Minister of Defense Israel Katz, calling on the government to intensify the siege of Gaza.”

“The genocide, and the decision to fuel it with billions of dollars, marks an ominous turning point. It is a public declaration by the U.S. and its allies in Europe that international and humanitarian law, although blatantly disregarded by the U.S. in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria and a generation earlier in Vietnam, is meaningless. We will not even pay lip service to it. This will be a Hobbesian world where nations that have the most advanced industrial weapons make the rules. Those who are poor and vulnerable will kneel in subjugation. The genocide in Gaza is the template for the future. And those in the Global South know it.”

“Are we surprised we are hated?”

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The root of this vexing problem is Exceptionalism, and how and why it was ever allowed to begin, if it had a beginning, which I’m beginning to doubt. Has any power ever written a rule circumscribing its own behaviour? Not likely. Rules are for “others.” Exceptionalism is hubris on a state level. Hubris is a denial of rules; it is the imposition of control on others and a rejection of consequence. Especially the rejection of consequence. Thus we see the denial of culpability by the terrorist state when blowback occurs. “It was an act of a deranged person or a ‘lone wolf.’” The terrorist state always claims moral purity, claiming itself to be the victim of an act of terrorism. Yet as an imperial force, it continues to write policy for others and force the implementation of it to achieve the imperial goals. All the while, in mockery of those devastated by its policies, the imperial power contrives to have inward peace (on the home front) as if daring the oppressed to attack. The contrast between the artificial peace at home, achieved by disassociating the foreign war from the domestic economy, further contrasts the supposed inhumanity of the little terrorist compared to the false humanity of the terror state. This contrived contrast is used to justify an unrestrained response. Can exceptionalism ever be eliminated? Doubtful. Humanity would have to d/l a new OS that is missing the apps for theft, covetousness and murder. That would redefine sovereignty as a right conferred by the community at large, rather than being seized by force, existing borders would be inviolable. How then would imperial powers grab what they wish? We abolished “theft,” remember, so they would have to resort to fair trade. In my latest post I wrote about a reform to the UN Security Council, which could be achieved by the members of the General Assembly. And unlike the American threats to destroy the IJC in Den Haag if they rule against USA, they can’t blow up the UN, it is in New York!