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BDE's avatar

Thank you for speaking such an insightful truth. Can you please send it the current president and his administration? I don think they understand.

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Sb's avatar

He takes us through the historical scope of the American imperium with crystal lucidity. As a person of the global south, I woke up from my materialistic slumber and naive trust in the democratic party and in my desert and shifting sands, I find solace in Nguyen’s writing.

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R. Flatley's avatar

Thank you so much Viet Thanh Nguyen for your pure clear voice. It is time we face fully what is happening and not spend our precious energy in rage against Trump. Pour that energy into standing up for what you want and believe in. it's time our whole history is looked at in it's fullness. There is everything to be gain from the Truth. Thank you Zeteo for giving us all this platform to hear the truth and respond. And lastly thank you Mehdi Raza Hasan for the power of your true voice in the face of the energy that might want to stop you. We stand together.

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Anjali's avatar

This gets to the heart of the contradictions the Trump years are revealing to us. After 8+ years of hand-wringing about, "is it economic anxiety or racism?" this piece highlights how much deeper and darker the forces that shape "America" are.

Our inability to see and stop the genocide in Gaza shows the urgency of addressing these contradictions. I keep hearing that most people don't care about Gaza, but this piece helps reveal how much is connected to the unspeakable brutality against the Palestinian people.

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Patricia Jaeger's avatar

Mr. Nguyen makes a powerful argument and I'm heartened to see that it extends to misogyny. It's important and necessary to condemn racism, but misogyny too often is left out, or is only mentioned in a very limited way. Women have been thought of as property forever and, while it's better, it's still present in family life, among friends, at work, on social media, in religious communities, and in public around the world. There is no country on earth where it doesn't exist (along with racism) and, if you doubt this, look at crimes against women. After Trump won there was an explosion on social media by men with the "Your body, my choice" comments. I haven't read any essays about how the "good" men are condemning it or what they're doing to challenge it. We were willing to elect a Black man for President, twice, and I'm so very glad of that, but we also were not willing to elect a woman, twice. There's the case in France of the man who drugged his wife and allowed dozens of men to rape her. Now, her daughter is expressing fears that she may have been raped too. This man viewed his wife as his property, to do with as he wished, and this is only one example brought to light because of the courage of the wife.

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Vila's avatar

Intersectionality, intersectionality, intersectionality. Until non white women are treated well with dignity, misogyny will reign and the world of women will be brutalized accordingly. If a white woman has any levers at her disposal (in the workplace, at her children’s schools, in her private clubs, and amongst her friend groups) she should wield them in solidarity with nonwhite women.

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Jennifer Armerding's avatar

Powerful and clear. Thank you.

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Daniel's avatar

One of the most extraordinary, insightful, inspiring and clearest messages about what we must do going forward from the wreckage of both major political parties. I read the professor's novel "The Sympathizer" which I recommend strongly. I just drew the deepest breath I've drawn since the election results. There is hope. There is work to do.

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Cam Miller's avatar

Wow this author keeps blowing my mind. Thank you!

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Simona's avatar

A clear, honest and courageous reality check

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Neghet khan's avatar

Your crystal clear explanation of America & Trump's victory is remarkable. Your concise, holistic & thought provoking article is a MUST READ for anyone who wants to understand this contradictory country. Thank you.

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David Shields's avatar

Wow. Well written.

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A.Parker's avatar

This is so, so good.

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Andrea Berkley's avatar

Thank you so much.

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Oz H's avatar

What an excellent analysis. Thank you

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Janine de Novais's avatar

brilliant and succinct as always

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Rebecca Lowe's avatar

This is the best summary I have read that shows where our nation has come from up until this dire moment we now find ourselves in. However, despite the despair, the author's final paragraph gave me some newfound hope and resolve. Thank you.

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