Patriotic Evil?

The Rapid City (South Dakota) recently had this top-of-front-page headline.

Of course, this is not “news” – it is opinion, and indeed, the vilest of propaganda. Even more evil than the government propaganda (the “patriotic” indoctrination) that this editorial (disguised as news) is attacking.

Why?

First off, the government propaganda is hardly limited to “native American” (read AmerInd and specially read “Lakota”) schoolchildren. All American schoolchildren – even those in private schools – are subjected to this indoctrination. Except for, in a very few counter-culture schools, those children that are taught the opposing propaganda. What’s that? That patriotism (especially that of the United States) is evil. That the moribund American Union was built on racism and white supremacy. That modern Americans (at least those that are white or Asian) must pay reparations and give the “LandBack” to the descendants of those who had their land supposedly stolen by who might have been the modern white/Asian people’s ancestors. (Confused yet? Don’t worry, it is a confusing mess.

Secondly, this propaganda effort is hardly “the next attack” – that is, a new action. Patriotic propaganda in South Dakota directed towards AmerInd children (and their parents) started about 1804 when the US Lewis and Clark Expedition handed out patriotic memorabilia and told the people they met along the Missouri River that they were now under the “Great White Father” in DC and they would be loved and treated well and get wealthy. Not only that, but boarding schools and reservation schools run by either the FedGov or local school districts have been pushing “patriotic indoctrination” for a century and a half. At least in West River of South Dakota.

Third, the Tribal governments themselves push this kind of patriotism. And have since Wounded Knee (1890) and before: like most American communities, there are constantly “big deals” made every year. Not just Veterans Day and Memorial Day, but Armed Forces Day and frequently: special benefits are offered to government workers (FedGov as well as Tribal and State), to veterans and active duty military and “first responders.”

So why, now, is it all of the sudden, “evil” to do this?

Cynically, we suspect that it is because of The Donald. As many have pointed out, if Donald Trump said that the sun comes up in the morning and sets in the evening, Democrats, some Republicans, and the mainstream media will immediately declare that Trump is lying. As part of his plan to destroy democracy and make America a forever fascist regime. (And some will then, of course, go on and explain that in reality the Earth rotates and the sun doesn’t move – and everyone except for the stupid, uneducated MAGA crowd knows this, but that Trump is brainwashing them into believing something else.)

There is no doubt a further reason: This one centers on the frank nonsense of “Landback” – the idea that Anglo-European “settlers” and “colonists” stole all of Turtle Island (North America) from the AmerInd – and committed genocide against the rightful inhabitants and have been and are destroying Mother Earth. So that anything that is done by the US government is evil, wrong, and must be fought. (Admittedly, we lovers of liberty and anarchists agree with this conclusion – just not with the logic that they use.) And of course, the land must be returned to its rightful owners and everyone must reject any sort of patriotism, loyalty to anything but their own tiospaye (clan) and tribe.

And thus condemn the thousands or tens of thousands of their own people, their own fellow tribal members/citizens, who work for the FedGov, who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the United States, or have benefitted from having a family member who did so. Of course, this is encouraged by a wide range of politicians, both in the tribes and in State governments and the FedGov.

The Landback Movement demands the return of all land – or at least all in the Dakotas, Montana, Wyoming, and Nebraska. If such ever were to happen, there would likely be a repeat of several infamous events in history. First, the wholesale abuse and even murder of colaborators, their own people. (We saw this is France after WW2 and in Haiti after its independence, and even in the States after the War for American Independence.) And we could expect that what is happening to the Boers (Afrikaaners) in South Africa today would be repeated: those undesirables (wasichu, in Lakota; whites or settlers) would be gradually robbed of everything and more and more butchered.

Do not misunderstand: patriotism can be a bad thing when taken to extremes, when used to support or hide evil actions. Like anything else, government can be expected to exploit and use patriotism for evil ends. But one of those evil ends – and this works both ways – is to demonize your political opponents.

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