In Congo, an Assassination’s Long Shadow

In Congo, an Assassination’s Long Shadow - NYTimes.com

I remember the assassination of Lumumba. It happened when I had just started (or was about to start) high school. It was a CIA job according to the news that we listened to on the radio (Hilversum) at home. We were not only interested in the Belgian Kongo because it was our neighbor's colony; when you grow up in a small country you have to learn about other countries because they are important to your country's survival.

It was one of the first instances that I remember where the WW2 liberators showed their evil side. Later that decade there was Vietnam, followed by the assassination of Allende and the secret wars in South America to support the interests of US food conglomerates.

This is why American exceptionalism rings hollow in the ears of those (non-Americans) who have not been brainwashed to believe that we are better than everybody else. A word of caution is warranted here. Expressing doubt or disbelief about American exceptionalism disqualifies one as un-patriotic and un-American. It does not disqualify one from carrying a gun. This is still a free country.

For what it is worth, America is my country. This is a special place. I believe we represent more good than evil. But superiority is best left to the realm of science, sports, and the arts.