Thomas Sowell goes to the movies

[Drum_God]

So, in this column, Thomas Sowell says he went to see 2016: Obama’s America, based on a book by the same name. I am not familiar with the movie or the book (hadn’t heard of them until I read this column). However, having read the column, I feel confident in saying that Sowell is full of crap. I mean, right up to the brim, full.

First of all, since I have not seen the movie or read the book, I cannot say whether the concepts in the article are Sowell’s own, or drawn directly from the movie. Sowell (or the book’s author, Dinesh D’Souza) claim that Barack Obama has a “third world perspective” of the United States. It is this third world ideology that makes Obama’s ideas seem foreign to so many Americans. Sowell describes this view thusly:

@Thomas Sowell

The Third World, or anti-colonial, view is that the rich nations have gotten rich by taking wealth from the poor nations. It is part of a much larger vision, in which the rich in general have gotten rich by taking from the poor, whether in their own country or elsewhere.

In support of Obama’s having been imbued with this third world view, Sowell invokes Jeremiah Wright. (Remember, Wright was born in Philadelphia, educated in the United States, and preached in Chicago.) Somehow, this American minister gave Obama his third world ideology.

@Thomas Sowell

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright is just the most visible and vocal of a long line of such people who played crucial roles in Obama’s evolution. When Jeremiah Wright thundered about how “white folks’ greed runs a world in need,” he captured the essence of the Third World or anti-colonial vision.

Let’s suppose that Obama has this “third world perspective”. So what? Obama expressed his views and the majority of voters voted for the guy. He won. So, his “third world ideology” resonated with American voters and helped him win the election. If Sowell or D’Souza has anything resembling a valid point, they are simply describing the guy who won.

How is any part of Sowell’s definition of the “Third World, or anti-colonial” view not true? The world’s richest nations have gotten richer by exploiting poor countries. I have lived solidly in the First World for my entire life, and I can see some truth to this statement (though world history is much more nuanced). If this Third World view is true, then doesn’t it mirror the popular debate between the 1% versus the 99%? If one is true, doesn’t it follow that the other must be true?

So, at the end of the day, all we have is some newspaper columnist once again trying to “otherize” Barack Obama. “Don’t vote for him because he’s not like you.” Sowell says, “For every person who sees Obama as somehow foreign there are many others who see him as a mainstream American political figure — and an inspiring one.” It seems clear that Sowell is saying that the people who see Obama as somehow foreign or correct and it is those who see him as a mainstream politician who are misguided.

So, like I said, Sowell is full of crap. Not that this is news.

[SpoilerVirgin]

Yeah, Dinesh D’Souza has been promoting his “Obama is a third world president” theory for some time now. Here is his Forbes Magazine article from 2010 that laid the groundwork. It then became a book and now apparently a movie. Interestingly, researching this theory always leads directly back to D’Souza, so while the movie may gain it some traction, it clearly hasn’t caught on with mainstream conservatives, probably because it’s so idiotic, and pretty openly racist.

[John_Mace]

This is nothing more than: Why does Obama hate America?

[Snowboarder_Bo]

When will we see the documentary movie about how every election the Republicans make a documentary movie about how evil the Democratic nominees are?

I mean, aren’t they 2 for 2 now?

[gamerunknown]

In case you find the third world ideology convincing, I’d heartily recommend this movie.

If you’re more of a literary type, there’s How Europe Underdeveloped Africa and They Take Our Jobs! (and 20 other myths about immigration).

[NDP]

From what I read in the first post, it seems pretty evident that the OP is aware of this but, in case anyone hasn’t gotten the message, it’s this: Thomas Sowell is a right-wing crackpot. Seriously. A few years ago, during the Bush Administration, he wrote a column stating things were so out of hand that a military dictatorship should be imposed.

[adaher]

If Obama truly had a third world perspective he wouldn’t be such a damn protectionist. If anything, Bush and Clinton were far more friendly to third world interests than Obama has been. Obama has yet to match anything as ambitious as Bush’s AIDS initiative, nor is he as powerful a voice for globalization as Clinton was.

Now maybe he truly has a third world perspective because of his upbringing and who he hung out with in his younger years, but he doesn’t govern that way.

[adaher]

@NDP

From what I read in the first post, it seems pretty evident that the OP is aware of this but, in case anyone hasn’t gotten the message, it’s this: Thomas Sowell is a right-wing crackpot. Seriously. A few years ago, during the Bush Administration, he wrote a column stating things were so out of hand that a military dictatorship should be imposed.

Sowell is hardly a crackpot. His record of saying ridiculous things is about on par with Paul Krugman. Sowell is merely guilty of what many partisans are guilty of: believing the worst about your opponents.

[elucidator]

Oh, so he didn’t say that stuff? Well, good, because if he did, he is to intellect what cotton candy is to nutrition.

[Omg_a_Black_Conservative]

@NDP

From what I read in the first post, it seems pretty evident that the OP is aware of this but, in case anyone hasn’t gotten the message, it’s this: Thomas Sowell is a right-wing crackpot.

Thomas Sowell is anything but a right-ring crackpot.

Seriously. A few years ago, during the Bush Administration, he wrote a column stating things were so out of hand that a military dictatorship should be imposed.

Now this is an outright lie.

@Thomas Sowell

When I see the worsening degeneracy in our politicians, our media, our educators, and our intelligentsia, I can’t help wondering if the day may yet come when the only thing that can save this country is a military coup.

It’s interesting how you go from the above quote to your quote.

[joebuck20]

They’re basically trying to sell this movie as the conservative Fahrenheit 9/11. And just like Michael Moore, the filmmakers here play fast and loose with the facts and make a bunch of wildeyed assertions.

Also, I don’t quite get the “anti-colonialist” criticism. Aren’t those tea partiers dressing up in Revolutionary-era garb celebrating anti-colonialists?

[SpoilerVirgin]

@joebuck20

Also, I don’t quite get the “anti-colonialist” criticism. Aren’t those tea partiers dressing up in Revolutionary-era garb celebrating anti-colonialists?

Psst…those were white anti-colonialists who ended up killing off or segregrating the native population. It’s those native anti-colonialists of different colors that you have to worry about.

[fumster]

Once again this demonstrates my view that a lack or irony is behind much of the trouble in the US. - People like Obama are trying to make us like the 3rd world, what can save us from that fate? A military coup!

That’s up there with killing abortion doctors to show you are pro-life.

[AdanTheSomali]

Thomas Sowell is an unrepentant uncle tom who works diligently to discredit the black race in the eyes of his masters.

[jayjay]

@AdanTheSomali

Thomas Sowell is an unrepentant uncle tom who works diligently to discredit the black race in the eyes of his masters.

And Dinesh D’Souza’s the Indian version thereof.

[iiandyiiii]

@Omg_a_Black_Conservative

Thomas Sowell is anything but a right-ring crackpot.

Of course. In the modern Republican Party, comparing Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler is mainstream, as is (in the same article) claiming that “American democracy is being dismantled, piece by piece, before our very eyes by the current administration”.

[iiandyiiii]

@Omg_a_Black_Conservative

Now this is an outright lie.

It’s interesting how you go from the above quote to your quote.

It’s “interesting” how one gets from “military coup” to “dictatorship”? That’s not that interesting to me… in fact, that’s pretty much what has almost always happened in world history after military coups.

[BrainGlutton]

I saw the trailer for that movie. It says Obama’s dream is that “the sins of colonialism be set right,” as if that were scary somehow; and then it talks about the Founding Fathers – and that was their dream too, remember?

And another trailer says Obama “is pitting one class of Americans against another” – IF ONLY!

[BrainGlutton]

@Drum_God

Sowell (or the book’s author, Dinesh D’Souza) claim that Barack Obama has a “third world perspective” of the United States.

Ah, yes, Dinesh D’Souza . . .

“ “There are some things that remain true, even if Dinesh D’Souza says them.” ”
—Todd Gitlin

Dinesh D’Souza is an author, public speaker, and well-known purveyor of bullshit. D’Souza is a Christian apologist, and is known for debating notable atheists such as Christopher Hitchens, Daniel Dennett, and Michael Shermer. He is currently the president of King’s College, a Christian college located in the Empire State Building.[1] (Unlike some, it is actually accredited.)

. . .

Quotes

“Science hasn’t given us anything and it shows no promise of giving us anything in the future,” [18] said while speaking into a microphone, wearing glasses and standing in front of a large LED screen.

[Omg_a_Black_Conservative]

@AdanTheSomali

Thomas Sowell is an unrepentant uncle tom who works diligently to discredit the black race in the eyes of his masters.

Dear mods,

Where art thou?

@iiandyiiii

Of course. In the modern Republican Party, comparing Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler is mainstream, as is (in the same article) claiming that “American democracy is being dismantled, piece by piece, before our very eyes by the current administration”.

Oh, is this the game we’re going to play? Because if so, there’s a name I’d like to throw out; “Bush”. Or did you forget about his presidency?