Performative colonialism

This is about things that Trump was saying between the election and the inauguration, so I realize there is a lot more to react to now. 

I am assuming that keeping up won't be possible. My desire to react may be frustrating, but it will just be one of many frustrations, and probably not the best way of picking blogging topics.

So let's talk about Greenland and the Panama Canal and the Gulf of Mexico.

It sounds ridiculous, right? That we might try and acquire Greenland and rename bodies of water in our own image and take over places run pretty well by respected international agreements.

That would be behaving like an old-time empire, something that started to get a bad name decades ago. 

That didn't prevent the ongoing problems with it, but nonetheless, countries kind of stopped doing that.

Part of that was being unable to deny the damage that was done, and that while there was a benefit to the general population in the colonizing countries, that the spoils did end up largely concentrated in the hands of royalty and some favorites.

While many have dragged feet on totally repudiating colonialism and its effects, there has at least been a general trend away from doing it more.

Except that Russia invaded Ukraine, and Israel keeps encroaching further into Gaza and then invaded Lebanon and seems to want an influence on Syria and there is this concept of "Greater Israel" that is concerning.

I read recently that Kim Jong Un's sister believes it is her mission to reunite North and South Korea.

So, really, by talking that way, Trump is showing his alignment. It is with the worst people in the world, but that's been kind of obvious all along, right?

Now, do I think he will really try and seize control of Greenland?

I don't know. As much as I believe in his tendency to shoot off at the mouth without following up, if someone who has bought enough of his meme coins without pissing him off by saying the wrong thing publicly... if someone like that wants Greenland's minerals, Trump might go for it, especially if all he needs to do is allow it, without handling the details.

When I was a kid, the majority of people would have been horrified having a president who aligned so much with someone like Putin. 

Now there are people who love it in Trump. 

They love it because they want to be the bullies, trampling all over others. They get the vicarious thrill of watching him, and they know that it gives them permission to be worse, even if on a lesser scale.

I know there are people who did not wholeheartedly embrace him and are starting to get nervous.

The word "performative" has been used dismissively a lot, implying that it is not sincere or will not be followed by appropriate actions.

That can be fair, but there is something to be said for clearly transmitting your beliefs and intentions. 

If that starts with objecting when terms like "woke", "politically correct", and "diversity, equity, and inclusion" are used derisively, that's a start.

There is no more destructive entitlement program than white supremacy, and colonialism was largely enabled by it. Greed was the driver, but the white supremacy helped it go down.

People aligned with white supremacy get nervous when it gets weakened.

Trump has promised to strengthen it, and he signals it over and over, especially because people cheer for him when he does so.

Let's be the chorus against.