Change

OK. Nunca fui dos que achavam que Obama ia redimir os pecados do mundo, apesar de brincar com isso cantando "hey Bama O Bama Bama Bama hey Bama hey Bama Ho BAma." Afinal, nada no histórico dele sugeria que fosse algo mais do que mais um advogado de elite e político americano, mais ou menos conservador, imperialista, como todos os que lhe antecederam com a exceção do pastor que plantava amendoim. Mesmo assim, minhas decepções com ele vêm se acumulando. Geralmente, como no caso da abdicação total de qualquer apoio aos direitos GLBT, eu punha isso na conta do "ele está se concentrando no arremedo de SUS de quinta categoria que quer construir, e isso mal ou bem é uma coisa boa, se ele conseguir."

Mas aí me aparece o discurso, ao receber o prêmio Nobel das boas intenções, explicando que a guerra justa é uma paz mais verdadeira do que a paz se não for legal, uma defesa radical da doutrina da "guerra humanitária" que começou sob Clinton e se radicalizou com Bush (apesar dos Casii Bellorum iniciais da invasão ao Iraque e Afeganistão não terem nada a ver com ela).

A doutrina da guerra humanitária contra países "maus" é, acima de tudo, a hipocrisia elevada ao nível de política externa, já que ninguém imagina os EUA invadindo a Arábia Saudita ou a Colômbia. É, quase perfeitamente, a reedição século 21 do fardo do homem branco. Sobre o fardo do homem branco, escreveu Mark Twain:

Having now laid all the historical facts before the Person Sitting in Darkness, we should bring him to again, and explain them to him. We should say to him:

"They look doubtful, but in reality they are not. There have been lies; yes, but they were told in a good cause. We have been treacherous; but that was only in order that real good might come out of apparent evil. True, we have crushed a deceived and confiding people; we have turned against the weak and the friendless who trusted us; we have stamped out a just and intelligent and well-ordered republic; we have stabbed an ally in the back and slapped the face of a guest; we have bought a Shadow from an enemy that hadn't it to sell; we have robbed a trusting friend of his land and his liberty; we have invited our clean young men to shoulder a discredited musket and do bandit's work under a flag which bandits have been accustomed to fear, not to follow; we have debauched America's honor and blackened her face before the world; but each detail was for the best. We know this. The Head of every State and Sovereignty in Christendom and ninety per cent. of every legislative body in Christendom, including our Congress and our fifty State Legislatures, are members not only of the church, but also of the Blessings-of-Civilization Trust. This world-girdling accumulation of trained morals, high principles, and justice, cannot do an unright thing, an unfair thing, an ungenerous thing, an unclean thing. It knows what it is about. Give yourself no uneasiness; it is all right."

Now then, that will convince the Person. You will see. It will restore the Business. Also, it will elect the Master of the Game to the vacant place in the Trinity of our national gods; and there on their high thrones the Three will sit, age after age, in the people's sight, each bearing the Emblem of his service: Washington, the Sword of the Liberator; Lincoln, the Slave's Broken Chains; the Master, the Chains Repaired.

It will give the Business a splendid new start. You will see.

. . . . . .

And as for a flag for the Philippine Province, it is easily managed. We can have a special one -- our States do it: we can have just our usual flag, with the white stripes painted black and the stars replaced by the skull and cross-bones.

. . . . .

By help of these suggested amendments, Progress and Civilization in that country can have a boom, and it will take in the Persons who are Sitting in Darkness, and we can resume Business at the old stand.