Oh Simon. Oh Douglas.
It’s been a week of disappointment. Douglas Murray penned a fluff piece on behalf of warmongers and death-dealers. Wish I hadn’t read that. And Simon Schama releases the ‘History of Now‘ – a new BBC series, which covertly and overtly supports the very same warmongers and death-dealers while purporting to show how (hand-cherry-picked) ‘art’ defends ‘democracy’ and combats ‘totalitarianism.’
To both, Ukraine equates to ‘democracy’ and Russia to ‘totalitarianism.’
This is warped. To describe Ukraine as a democracy bears absolutely no mirror to reality, by any definition or even loose association to the term. It’s absurd to do so. It is a lie.
I’m unsure if Putin is a ‘totalitarian dictator.’ I see evidence not to subscribe to such a view… but I may yet be wrong. What I can say, however, is that IF Putin is ‘totalitarian’ (by action and method of governance) then there are many in the west that could face credible accusations of the same. Trudeau springs to mind; velvet-gloved and incredibly virtuous-seeming, but still. Not to mention the unelected Pirate Ursula von der Leyen. And then there are, of course, our spotless allies and partners, with whom we share our democratic values and disdain for totalitarianismus. And Zelenskyy. Of course.
I don’t care that I disagree with Douglas’ and Simon’s conclusions. I don’t care that I don’t align with their perspectives. I have held admiration for both of these individuals for their often illuminating general clarity, reason and rationality… and not because I believe what they believe. I have learned from both and have valued their contributions over the years.
Yet, it seems, when it comes to Ukraine (and Putin) I can’t help but notice that they both have abandoned their rationality, reason and clarity… and in so doing (and it pains me to say this) have become mere propaganda puppets to the established ‘narrative’ and war-hawks in the US, UK and across Europe; those that are ensuring death and suffering to the very Ukrainians they themselves purport to support.
Douglas and Simon are happy to paint with a single, broad, cherry-scarlet brush lacking any nuance, context or mention of facts and evidence to the contrary of their narrative. As is often the case with smoke-and-mirror experts… what they leave out and fail to mention usually illuminates intent, prejudice and bias.
Iran. China. These too, where the western backed and financed attempts at ‘colour revolutions’ on ‘humanitarian grounds’ in those countries are following the self-same pattern and playbook of the west (adhered to for 80 years and across the entire globe) in undermining foreign governments and accomplishing ‘regime-change’ for the virtuously-voiced furtherance of ‘democracy, freedom, liberty and human rights.’ Such furtherance, it should be noted, that has resulted in the estimated deaths of 30 million people across the globe… not at the hands of China or Russia (who have their own, distinct totals and appalling historical events)… but by we in the west. Not to mention the (civilian, infrastructure, economic) devastation left in the wake of western military action and/or imposed sanctions from Cuba, through Vietnam, Lebanon, Serbia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, to Syria (to name but a few).
Will Simon focus on artworks highlighting any of these in upcoming episodes, I wonder. Anything from a Palestinian perspective, perhaps? Or will all four episodes focus on Ukraine and Putin? We shall see.
The sovereign right of self-determination and right to exist of Ukraine is paramount… but this doesn’t apply to Russia, Iran, or China… or any other country or population that hasn’t or doesn’t ‘align’ itself to the ‘values and standards’ of the ‘civilised world.’ And remember that ‘the civilised world’ is the garden… and the rest of the world the jungle (EU Foreign Policy Chief Joseph Borrell).
Such rights do not even apply to the ‘wrong’ type of Ukrainian; being those that do not want to live under Zelenskyy, rampant corruption, or an ultra-nationalist ideology, do not want to join NATO, do not want to join the European Union… those that are not ‘western-facing.’ We don’t talk about them… their desires are erased.
The hypocrisy and double-standards of ‘the west’ as well as Douglas and Simon (on this issue) are astonishing. Saddening.
With regards to Ukraine and for those lacking context, after reading Murray’s article and watching Schama’s programme… I would strongly advise watching this ‘perspective.’
Better still… do your own research. Think. Wake up.
And at the very least, keep the murder of Darya Dugina, and Nordstream in mind, when you hear that the EU has now designated Russia as a ‘state sponsor of terror.’