Superpatriotism

According to Parenti, this notion of Superpatriotism places the American state and its people as the purveyors of integrity amongst the world's many nations; and is accomplished by the instilling of a notion of the United States of America as a nation endowed with superior virtue, a unique history, and a special place in the world. Parenti believes this is accomplished by continually overlooking the realities of the American state in relation to the rest of the world, and through the use of patriotism as a highly emotive force in muffling discourse. Parenti argues that if the American people are to garner an understanding of their true place in the world, they must take control of their education and social organisations away from the plutocrats currently in control. He does not call for revolution, but rather for the assertion of true democracy in place of the snarling beast of plutocracy the ruling classes have re-named Democracy. He calls not for a one-sided ideology-driven press and electoral system, but for one that is all-inclusive. Parenti would like to see the installing of proportional representation, free television air time for politicians of all parties, convenient voter-registration conditions, and ready ballot access for dissident parties; in essence, he calls for a democracy to serve the needs and interests of the demos, the people. I began this review by asserting that within this book, albeit somewhat surreptitiously, Parenti continually outlines the contradictions of American society. He does this throughout Superpatriotism by showcasing the many mis-dealings of Halliburton, Enron, Harkin, and the various other emissaries of capitalism within the Bush Administration. Through his extensive research, Parenti has shown the reader the exact nature of the true allegiances of the capitalist state. He has laid bare the fantasy of capitalism and democracy walking analogous paths and has instead shown the actual role capital plays in the political/imperialist wrangling of the Bush administration. By outlining these contradictions, it is Parenti’s goal to show the American public the way to become fully cognizant of the realities of American society, and, hopefully, how to address their approach to state affairs, both international and national. There is one section of this book I feel was meant for both its American and international readers. Chapter two, “America--Love it or Leave it,” discusses the anti-war protests of the Vietnam era and the implications of emulating their tactics in the current situation. Parenti rightfully criticises the use of the term "AmeriKKKa"; he pinpoints its origins to the need of Vietnam anti-war protestors to attack the symbols of the nation after viewing the atrocities committed under its name. But, by attacking the patriotic symbols of the United States, the protestors only served to further distance the movement from the more conventional Americans and colour the movement as maniacal and traitorous. The use of AmeriKKKa, as Parenti rightly asserts, mistakenly made America the issue, blaming the nation itself for what was being perpetrated in its name by their capitalist class. Parenti believes that this only plays into the hands of the leaders who opportunistically seek to depict their war policy as the true manifestation of Americanism and not the imperialism it truly embodies. The act of blaming the nation as a whole, rather than its leaders, transformed America into an entity with a living moral existence of its own; this turned America into a virtuous entity for the pro-war advocates and a vile curse for the anti-war crowd. By turning America into a curse, protestors only served to further distance their legitimate grievances from reality. It is not the nation we must criticise, but the capitalist system currently holding the reigns of power; it is not the people and their society that must be attacked on our placards and via our chants, but the inhumane system that engulfs their every waking moment. In the end, Parenti has written a book I feel must be read by all those seeking an understanding of the Fox News mindset presently gripping the United States of America. Once we understand this mindset, we will, perhaps, be able to exploit the contradictions and bring new hope to an already exhausted movement, and effect the lasting changes to society that we have dreamed of for so long. [Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on January 24, 2005]