… but the right won’t tell us that, because to put the blame where it belongs, on deregulation rather than regulation, on greedy companies and individuals who are of means, rather than poor black and brown people, would hardly serve the right’s goal; namely, the manipulation of our racial anxiety and resentments into a potent political weapon.
–Tim Wise, Dear White America: Letter to a New Minority
I discovered Tim Wise on my YouTube feed in the final week of December last year. It’s a crying shame, really, that I had not become acquainted with his work sooner. Predictably, his views on class, racism and the threat to humanity posed by the ultra-wealthy resonated very strongly with my own convictions.
While Wise’s lectures struck a chord with me at the time, an alarming escalation last week in U.S. President Donald Trump’s constant imperialist rhetoric made them become grimly pertinent and worth sharing.
America’s unlawful invasion of Venezuela and kidnapping (let’s be blunt and truthful here) of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife may not immediately appear connected to Tim White’s anti-racism activism, but I hope it will become more apparent later. Whatever your personal feelings about Maduro and his presumed despotism, the contemptuous actions of America are an egregious violation of international law and order and of much greater concern. In comedic reference to the absurd immigration policies of the criminally corrupt Trump administration, he was reverse-ICE’d and imported, according to The Daily Show host Jon Stewart.
More on that nauseating incidence of vulgar American imperialism later, but for now, back to Tim Wise.
Timothy Jacob Wise is an anti-Zionist non-practising Jew who was born and educated in America’s historically racist Deep South. While growing up in Nashville, Tennessee, his synagogue was attacked by white supremacists. This racist incident was probably one of many that may have been formative to his later life, as he majored in Political Science at Tulane University and became engaged in anti-apartheid activism on campus.
Wise has written extensively on matters of racism and white privilege, and lectures extensively around the U.S. I found a compilation of some of his lectures, which led me to a particular lecture given about five years ago at San Jose City College. It’s available on YouTube in 8 short parts, including a Q&A session just under half an hour long. I will link each one below. These should be essential viewing in any Civics or History class. As you will hopefully realise, the lecture is not just about bigotry, but how racism was nurtured and manipulated as a tool of the wealthy class to assert dominance and control over everyone else.
- Tim Wise Part Part 1 – Does White America Finally Realize Racism is Real?
- Tim Wise Part 2 – Snapchat Nation
- Tim Wise Part 3 – The History of Whiteness
- Tim Wise Part 4 – Blaming People of Color for Stealing Jobs
- Tim Wise Part 5 – The History of Police Misconduct
- Tim Wise Part 6 – Why Black Lives Matter
- Tim Wise Part 7 – Everyday Inequality: Redlining
- Tim Wise Part 8 – The Myth of Meritocracy and Rugged Individualism
- Tim Wise Part 9 -Audience Q&A
In part 3, The History of Whiteness, Wise makes the bold assertion that rich White men manipulated other White people into believing that their enemy was poor Black people. This is the classic “divide and conquer” paradigm that is still being used so effectively in politics today, although not exclusively to pit White against Black, but in various manufactured culture wars. It’s hardly unexpected that the tool of the rich White resource owners became the tool of politicians who are traditionally in the indirect (lately though, more direct if you factor in the highly corrupt lobbying practices endemic, especially in America) employment of the former.
I don’t think it’s necessary to explain any further how rich White men are the true enemy of people everywhere. Tim Wise goes into great historical detail in the lectures. Suffice to say, rich White men have successfully convinced everyone else to divert their gaze when looking for enemies and scapegoats, to either people of colour or some artificially manufactured social or cultural conflict.
However, let’s not single out rich White men only. Also, there might well be one or even a handful of rich White men who defy convention. Then, there are rich White women eager to join the Club of Evil Men who are equally capable of being depraved, uncaring human beings. Women like American-Israeli Miriam Adelson, an avid Trump supporter who also “donates” to the Republican Party, make little effort to hide their immorality. However, they’re not limited to the Republican side of the imaginary divide. Democrat Hillary Clinton is a notorious pro-Zionist warmonger and unashamed supporter of ethnic cleansing in Palestine.
Finally, coming back to Venezuela. By now, it should be palpably clear to all except gullible MAGA supporters and the very dense that the invasion and kidnapping of Maduro had nothing to do with drugs such as fentanyl being illegally smuggled into America. It’s about oil. Even Donald Trump confirmed repeatedly in his deranged, lie-infested press conference post-kidnapping that it was all about stealing the Venezuelan oil resources. It’s truly stunning that the man pretending to be the leader of the free world can stand before it and not only lie so shamelessly, but also authenticate America’s imperialist proclivities.
Trump is a well-paid shill for the class of rich Whites. There is little doubt of that. He’s a congenital egomaniac who holds public court like the degenerate kings of old and attracts both tribute and fake awards with equal gusto. However, he’s just the solipsistic front for the true enemies of the people. People like billionaire Trump donor Paul Singer, who is one of those who stands to benefit the most from Trump’s outrageous attempt to steal Venezuelan oil.
Singer, coincidentally (methinks not!), purchased Citgo in November last year, which comprises a string of coastal oil refineries described as “distressed.” These refineries process the heavy-grade crude, which is normally procured at great expense from Canada and Colombia. Venezuela also has this “sour” crude. I’ll leave you to do the math.
This is a blatant example of how the rich manipulate the poor and preserve them in that state, invariably using the convenient services offered by corrupt politicians. Know your enemy!
lenny unencumbered 