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We’re All Collateral Damage in the War with the Left Elites
The number of negative and destructive incidents that have occurred due to actions or inactions by the Biden Administration is impossible to count. Many of us continue to ask not only how they have let these tragedies occur, but even more important, why they seem indifferent to these outcomes. I’ve come up with a theory that I’m exploring, and you can tell me if it has any credibility.
First, the polarization between the Left and Right has been growing at an alarming rate. And no one seems to have any resolution for it. The venom and hatred expressed seems to know no bounds. Some of us have reached the point of shrugging our shoulders and saying there is no remedy for this state in the foreseeable future. Instead of continuing to shout at each other from a distance, however, the polarization has yielded to a full-out war between both sides.
You might say that the war has been going on for years, and I think there may be some truth to that. But there is a phenomenon that has developed as the war becomes more vicious and devastating. I propose that the description of that phenomena, appropriately, is collateral damage. Let me explain :
The phrase ‘collateral damage’ refers to harm done to persons, animals, or things that agents are not morally permitted to target in the conduct of war, as a side effect of attacks on persons, animals, or things that agents are morally permitted to target in the conduct of war. Call the first category – that is, those persons, animals, or things that agents are not morally permitted to target – illegitimate targets of war, and the second category legitimate targets of war. Collateral damage, then, refers to harm done to illegitimate targets of war as a side effect of attacks on legitimate targets of war.
If you review this description carefully, you realize that certain kinds of attacks are “immoral,” while those that occur as a “side effect” are morally permitted. If we apply this definition to the war between Left and Right, here’s what we can observe.
The Left has waged a war against the Right, particularly highlighting climate change, which the Right does not support as a major issue. The noble cause of the Left demands that all of us see the threat not only to our climate, but to our very existence, in the “campaign” on climate change. Anyone who resists this position is actually endangering the earth. In pursuing climate goals, there will be unfortunate results, but the greater good is at stake. Lives, livelihoods, well-being, our children may suffer, but it is necessary. All those injured, disadvantaged, rejected, or even killed, as well as silenced, are collateral damage. It doesn’t matter that much of the negative outcomes of the Biden Administration have little to nothing to do with climate change; if you try to blame their poor governance, they can blame our lack of attention to climate change as the culprit.
What people, incidents, and possessions have been damaged in the goals of saving the planet from climate change? Here is a partial list:
- The 13 military personnel who died in our departure from Afghanistan
- The Afghan translators who were left behind
- The people whose businesses were destroyed in riots after the George Floyd death
- The people who died in the recent mass shooting in Nashville
- The people who warned and are still warning against the Covid-19 vaccine
- The people who live in the southern border cities as migrants invade
- The ongoing disaster of the spread of Fentanyl
- The cutting of fossil fuels and ignoring the benefits of nuclear power
- The children sacrificed to the transgender agenda
- The migrant children forced into slavery in New York
- The residents of East Palestine
- The people victimized by criminals released by Soros prosecutors
- The people suffering from inflation and shortages
- The demand that consumers purchase expensive EVs that have limited drive time and dangerous batteries
- The debilitation of our military
- The curse of systemic racism–everywhere
You might be tempted to point out that some of these situations don’t have anything to do with climate change. The people on the Left will assure you that they do, directly or indirectly, and provide a bizarre explanation, or say it’s too complicated to describe in that moment.
As I said, this is only a partial list. But I challenge anyone who says that the Biden administration would not describe these people, situations, and damage to possessions as “collateral damage.” The Administration doesn’t want to hurt anyone, yet it must meet its goals. They believe they are on the moral high ground.
No matter what devastation occurs.
We’re all simply collateral damage.
[photo courtesy of unsplash.com]
Published in Culture
Related: Are You a Target? Or Maybe Just Collateral Damage?
Very good essay—we complement each other!
Over half the country voted for it
Yes they did. And we are only beginning to pay the price for it. Thanks, RH.
If anyone wants to challenge my theory, I’m open to your input. Also, if you want to add to my “collateral damage” list, feel free.
Progressives love humanity but hate people. And they see no contradiction in that.
Women of accomplishment across all fields who have been displaced by biological male women.
Progressive women with their high rates of mental illness who are both perpetrators and victims.
Indeed.
Lost 2 embassies.
Very fine point, RH. Only two?
Hillary lost l.
She did. And then Afghanistan. Although a while back, was Lebanon an embassy or military facility?
One of the problems with your theory is that almost none of the things on your list has anything to do with climate change. Yes, a climate change but may make a ridiculous argument that they are.
Building your theory on the (hypothetical) silly arguments of nit-jobs makes your theory wrong.
Some of the parade of horrible that you list are very minor issues, too, particularly Afghanistan and East Palestine. Many others are serious, and are connected to other bad Leftist ideas.
As usual, you miss the whole point. They tie everything they need to do to climate change. Just like they blame many things on racism. These are sick and immoral beliefs that they use to justify doing destructive and immoral things. I didn’t say they were correct or equally important. I’m sorry that you don’t think that making light of the damage to the lives of the people in East Palestine was tragic.
From what I’ve read, East Palestine was mostly politically motivated hysteria over a chemical spill that did not affect the water supply, and is being cleaned up effectively.
I also don’t think that the even the bulk of the Leftist nuts use climate change to support their bad ideas on drugs, immigration, or perversion of either the homosexual or transgender type. It is a whole panoply of errors of various kinds. It is hard to find a uniting principle, other than general rejection of God’s established order.
I should add, Susan, that I think that you’re just wrong about Leftist arguments. They generally don’t tie everything to climate change. The arguments that I see about, say, transgenderism or immigration, from most Leftists, have nothing to do with climate change.
Okay. So I’m good with saying that most of the collateral damage that comes out of the Biden Administration’s decisions, which are frequently misguided, irresponsible, based on false data, bad planning, and terrible policies are on them–and not on anyone else. They will try to blame other factors, but that blame is often misguided, irresponsible, based on false data, bad planning and terrible policies. Gosh, I guess I should re-write my post, but it’s a little late for that .. . .
As a conservative and devout Jew you are probably hung up on the archaic notion that guilt or innocence is a function of recognized moral standards applies to individual actions and choices. This is like so five minutes ago. Once you realize that you are simply a member of various classes or categories and all moral judgments apply only at the level, then you will be free of that old religious stuff.
And there is an art to use of class/category. Hideous policy failures (urban dysfunction, foreign policy disaster, fiscal irresponsibility, gross misuse of (or simply ignoring) science) are not culpable because they were motivated by enlightened intentions. Choosing to identify with the authors of those failures as proof of moral and intellectual superiority of the entire class is a pretty cool trick.
Overt hatred and violence against individuals, institutions, churches anfd synagogues by overt leftists is always the fault of those who provoked them. Even individual repeat violent offenders should not be jailed because the construct of systemic racism caused each of those assaults of murders. All sins are collective except when done by Trump or other right-wingers.
Just by joining the class that judges and despises the Other you are redeemed.
You crack me up, OB!! Ahem, okay, well seriously . . .
But then, what you say is actually so close to the truth that it can’t pass as satire.
But this had me laughing out loud: As a conservative and devout Jew you are probably hung up on the archaic notion that guilt or innocence is a function of recognized moral standards applies to individual actions and choices. This is like so five minutes ago.
Yeah, just call me an old fogey.
And what did you read?
Pedro Gonzalez did a deep dive into it here, but it’s now behind the paywall. Probably the most thorough investigation I’ve read yet.
But he’s been on a few podcasts talking about it, too, so . . . unless you’re like that OTHER Arizona guy, . . . here you go:
Can’t stop there. The new religion does not tolerate heresy. Baal is a jealous god and his altars are getting some serious action these days–probably a major cause of climate change. Be careful not to offend his priests.
In my world appeals to climate change are at the root of most leftest arguments. It is the basis of the claim that they are the ones whose positions are backed by the “scientific consensus.” If you don’t agree with them on every issue and offer any other arguments, then you are a denier.
I have longed for a day when our press does the job the founders originally intended when they were given freedom of the press. That freedom meant the press should serve as a conduit between the people and the government so that we are kept abreast of the legislation under consideration along with the pros and cons as well as where our money is being spent. Instead of informing us about the business of government and details of policy effects on the country, we are fed a daily diet of rancor between individual politicians. For policy changes, it would be so illuminating for the press to interview politicians of equal stature , one who is for a bill under consideration and one who is against it.
It is tragic, isn’t it, GWW? I don’t know if we will ever see those days again. And I really miss them.
And maybe inform us about bills favoring the administrative state before they’re a done deal.
I didn’t get the Afghanistan-Climate Change link either :-(
The year is young…..