Self-Loathing Across the Pond

Jamaican rappers have become notorious for lacing their "lyrics" (?) with derogatory references to homosexuals, echoing a deep cultural disdain for homsexuality. Who might be to blame for this hostility? According to British leftist Decca Aitkenhead, the perpetrator is British colonialism: "Slavery laid the foundations of homophobia ... For us to vilify Jamaicans for an attitude of which we were the architects is shameful. Jamaicans weren't the architects of their ideas about homosexuality; we were." Ms. Aitkenhead titled her opinion piece, perhaps too revealingly, "Their Homohobia Is Our Fault."

Mark Steyn responds, taking Ms. Aitkenhead to task for her ridiculous position by pointing out that hostility toward homosexuals is prevalent throughout most of Africa and involves customs not traceable to Britain. But blaming colonialism for every problem afflicting the Third World has become the fallback position of the left, which conveniently ignores the stunning success of former British (and other European) colonial posessions in Asia. Such blather is a hallmark of the intellectual laziness and self-loathing that has sapped the last bit of the left's credibility and vigor. Worse, it demonstrates the patronizing attitude evinced by much of the left toward denizens of Third World nations, which exculpates them from their mistakes, worthless ideologies or crimes by suggesting that they are culturally and intellectually incapable of overcoming colonialism's legacy. Mr. Steyn concludes that real motivation behind such ridiculous pronouncements is the continued defamation of Western Civilization by those who wish to destroy it.

But "multiculturalism" is really a suicide cult conceived by the Western elites not to celebrate all cultures, but to deny their own. And that's particularly unworthy of the British, whose language, culture and law have been the single greatest force for good in this world.

Just don't dare try and teach that at any university.