The Ugly American Re-Emerges From the Closet

Boss Hogg's Soft-Imperialism

One of the reasons the climate change charade has been mocked in the "third world" is the persistent disquiet that it is a "first world" issue, with the unfortunate by-product of oppressing poorer nations by impeding their economic and social development.  In other words, the "third world" sees the climate change circus as Western soft-imperialism.

One response of the poorer nations has been to say, "If you want us to impede our own economic development, pay us big time in compensation."  Unfortunately, since the Global Financial Crisis the West has run out of money.  So, the traction of the climate change crusade has disappeared in the Southern Hemisphere quicker than a politician's integrity. 

But pompous, paternalistic and imperialistic Westerners just don't get it.  They have not washed their ears out in a long time.  And this is where the syndrome of the offensive, ugly American rears its head again.  Consider the supercilious, condescending, paternalistic US Secretary of State, John Kerry.
  He was addressing a US-Africa Leaders summit, and good ol' boy, Boss Hogg John told those southern peasants the way things were going to be:

During the Africa Summit “Resilience and Food Security in a Changing Climate” panel, Secretary of State John Kerry told an audience that “8,000 children die every day” and in sub-Sahara Africa, one in four suffer from chronic hunger.

Then a few minutes later, he stressed how creating new farms would cause too much carbon pollution so they need to discourage more farm land.  In other words: For the Obama administration, starvation in Africa will be solved by combating climate change not more farms.

OK, so let's get this clear.  Starvation and famine are terrible problems in sub-Saharan Africa, but what Africa  must not do is produce more food.   It will contribute to global warming.  Combating climate change is more vital and important (to pompous Westerners) than a few million starving folk in Africa.  And we, good ol boys, are set on telling you ignorants just the way it's going to be.  Besides, what's the death of a few million starving African ignorants, huh?  Less people, less global warming.

If one ever needed a reason or justification as to why so many other nations despise the United States one need look no further than the silver-spoon attitudes and opinions reportedly displayed by the current US Secretary of State.