USEFUL IDIOTS

      A century ago, the leader of the Russian revolution, Vladimir Lenin, is said to have assessed the members of the American Communist Party and found them inadequate.  Though these well-intentioned and righteous believers in the cause of “comradeship” often alienated many of their own families, neighbors and employers to express their idealistic support for the Soviets, Lenin believed they lacked the hard edge, the mental toughness, and the willingness to lose their lives, if necessary, to advance his authoritarian goals.  Still, Lenin appreciated the fact that the American communists aggravated the U.S. government and sowed discord.  Thus, though the historical record is unclear as to the exact origin of the term “useful idiots,” Lenin is said to have deemed them as such, whether or not he actually used the phrase.

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     At least initially, American communists only saw the righteousness of the Bolshevik cause.  Equality! Brotherhood! The common good!  It took several decades for many of his western supporters to realize Lenin and his successor, Stalin, were actually creating a repressive police state. Some supporters never recognized their complicity in supporting such a tragic result.

    The inadvertent advance of results progressives would surely abhor, if they foresaw them, has emerged several additional times in more recent American politics.  In 1968 the left wing of the Democratic Party supported the Yippees, hippies and Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) in their anti-Vietnam war fervor to disrupt the Chicago convention.  Is there any progressive, including me, who did not revere the Chicago Seven, the groups’ leaders who were prosecuted in a travesty of a trial?  Who didn’t enjoy the incredible anger they aroused in Mayor Daley, a cartoon villain personified?  Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden and the rest were heroes, right?

     In the end, however, what did the convention disruptors accomplish?  Probably, their actions in Chicago contributed directly to Nixon’s victory over the anti-war Hubert Humphrey, and the subsequent extension of the war for five more years, including secret bombing campaigns and massacres that stained America’s reputation.  Would their efforts, perhaps, have been better spent getting out the vote for Humphrey?  If Nixon, a consummate cynic, considered his well-intentioned opposition, he surely would have agreed to their designation as “useful idiots.”

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     The 2000 election presented a clear choice between a dim-witted tool of the oil industry, George W. Bush, and Vice-President Al Gore, a sober-minded progressive with a special concern for the environment.  The popular vote went for Gore, but in our ridiculous and obsolete electoral college system, which renders “one man, one vote” a joke, the election ended in a virtual tie, finally thrown by the so-called “Supreme Court” to Bush.

     What made the election so close?  Ralph Nader, the dictionary definition of a self-righteous do-gooder, took 2.74 percent of the vote.  Nader, his left-leaning anti-corporate purity intact, has never apologized for the result, nor even acknowledged that he and his voters served as useful idiots to bring about the Bush presidency.  Does anyone sincerely believe, if Nader had dropped out of the race and endorsed Gore, any of his voters would have supported Bush?

     Imagine where the world might be, climate-wise and Iraq War-wise, if Gore had been inaugurated.  Like a good non-cynic, of course, Gore’s basic dignity led him to end his legal fight “for the good of the country.”  How quaint does that seem now?

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     2016 brought a new iteration of naifs, the Bernie Bros.  These well-intentioned liberals harkened back in some ways to the original members of the Communist Party.  Worker solidarity became a “thing” again.  And “Tax the rich!”  Full disclosure:  early in the election season, I hosted a debate watch party in support of Bernie.  My guests and I chuckled all evening as he made mincemeat of Hilary Clinton.

     I soon perceived the futility of Bernie’s efforts, however, AND the long-term damage he was doing to Clinton.  I quit wearing his “Political Revolution” tee-shirt to the gym and tried to talk up Clinton.  Despite my sympathy for the cause(s) Bernie espoused, I belatedly anticipated the catastrophe that ultimately occurred, the victory of Orange Caligula, via the dastardly electoral college.  I don’t know how useful, but, yes, I was an idiot.

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     This brings us to the present, the Gaza demonstrators.  A legion of idealistic young students, doubtless egged on by professional agitators and support from folks like the latest totalitarian Vladimir, Putin, are convulsing college campuses.  They attack Joe Biden for his support of Israel as though he is a right-wing member of Netanyahu’s war cabinet.  Never mind that only a tiny percentage of these students could have found Gaza on a map before October 7.  Never mind that hostage-taking is sub-human.  Never mind Hamas’s positions on women’s rights (bad) or, Allah-forbid, LGBTQ rights.  (“Which building is better for throwing them off?)”

     Let’s pose a couple of rational questions:  1.  Would a permanent cease-fire that leaves Hamas in control achieve anything beyond setting the stage for the next war in six weeks, or six months?  2.  Does any Muslim person think Orange Caligula will be more favorably disposed towards their issues?  Towards immigrants?  Towards even obtaining a visa to visit?

     PLEASE, well-meaning students and activists and Muslim voters in Michigan and elsewhere:  recognize that Biden and Blinken are trying to achieve the only arrangement that could possibly solve this situation long-term.  They are pursuing the one-in-a-thousand-chance-of-success framework of non-Iranian Gulf States and Egypt administering the Gaza Strip, while creating a Muslim-led peacekeeping force, and promoting a rational, fair and reasonably non-corrupt rebuilding process.

     While contending with the extreme difficulty of the above scenario, Biden is also beset by the infuriating intransigence of the vile Netanyahu and his rightwing nut-jobs.  Biden deserves support, and get-out-the-vote efforts, not withering attacks.  His election opponent’s plan likely involves Jared Kushner-designed waterfront hotels after the remaining population of Gaza is liquidated. 

     PLEASE, idealistic and sincere activists, don’t be USEFUL IDIOTS and end up electing a democracy and earth-threatening totalitarian instead of an uninspiring but decent human being.  It’s not a great bumper sticker, but the activists roiling college campuses should use their energy to promote the following idea: “Physical feebleness is not great.  Insanity is far worse.”