D'Souza 10-19-2002

19, October 2002                               D'Souza

D'Souza is back on the lecture circuit spewing out more racist venom to please his adoring Republican supporters. It is apparent that D'Souza panders to the racist attitudes which sadly are much in evidence, especially in the aftermath of 9/11. Arab Americans and Asians are the latest immigrants to feel the sting of racism. It is ironic that D'Souza's latest target is Islamic fundamentalism which US foreign policy has done much to nurture.

It is puzzling to understand why D'Souza is so infatuated with America and western 'civilization' in general that he would like to export the American democratic model to other nations.

I urge D'Souza to turn the pages of history and reflect on the sordid pattern of US foreign policy decisions which have resulted in so much loss of life to advance 'American interests'.

The 1953 CIA coup replacing the popular government of Mossadegh with the hated Shah of Iran, the repressive 16-year rule of Jafaar Nimeiry of Sudan, the coup in Chile where thousands of civilians disappeared, the coup in Indonesia resulting in 1,000,000 deaths, the contra war in Nicaragua, the secret expansion of the Vietnam war into neighboring Cambodia, the looting of the Philippines by our 'ally' Ferdinand Marcos, .  . .These crimes against humanity make a mockery of the US claim to support democratic regimes.

Then again, perhaps D'Souza would care to explain, the rationale of US trade sanctions which has resulted in the death of 1,000,000 Iraqi civilians, 500,00 of whom were children. It seems cruelly ironic that the pro-life crusaders, whom D'Souza so admires, should have such a callous disregard for human life. No doubt D'Souza also supports US Middle Eastern policy which has caused death and destruction and untold suffering of the Palestinians.

I would however, agree with D'Souza that "we are indeed at an extraordinary moment in history." Never has US policy and hegemony generated so much anger and hostility. I would urge D'Souza to raise his head from the sewer tank and confront the real world.

D'Souza's remarks that "African Americans are better off in the US than if they stayed in Africa" is both insulting and patronizing.

Perhaps, D'Souza might have changed his vile, racist opinions had he experienced the horrors of slavery.  I wonder how D'Souza would have felt being manacled and sold to the highest bidder and then feeling the searing pain of the plantation owner’s whip on his bare back, or the choking pressure of the hangman's noose. Then again, I suppose D'Souza feels that the American Indians should have a deep sense of gratitude to their European liberators who slaughtered their brethren, robbed them of their land and banished them to reservations. No doubt a small price to pay for the fresh breeze of western 'civilization'.

Finally, I am appalled that such a prestigious institution as Stanford University's Hoover Institution would honor D'Souza by inviting him as a visiting 'scholar' and thereby legitimizing his racist views. I urge concerned readers to write to Stanford University, Hoover Institution, and demand that D'Souza be removed.