Behind the mask of the image of freedom lies a history of bloody imperialism.

United States: A bloody history of imperialism behind the mask of the statue of freedom

The United States has established itself as a world leader in human rights, freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. The Statue of Liberty in New York is a symbol of that great ideal that calls out to the whole world—Come, be free, wake up. But the bloody history, oppressive policies, hypocrisy, and imperialist aggression that lie behind this call still escapes the eyes of many people. Because the United States has constructed its mask so cleverly, and has captured the media worldwide, many forget about their own dark lives under that false light.

This state was born standing on the blood of indigenous peoples. In the 17th century, the colonizers from Europe who transformed into today's American nation built the country by killing, displacing, and culturally eradicating the original inhabitants of this land. More than 50 million indigenous people were subjected to genocide at various times, their language, religion, and way of life were systematically destroyed. The formation of today's modern America began with this terrible crime against humanity, which they boast about as the 'pioneer spirit'.

Although slavery was officially abolished in 1865, the oppression of African-Americans never stopped. Slavery was replaced by 'Jim Crow Law'—a legal system through which the educational, social, and political rights of blacks were curtailed. The seeds of white supremacy were planted in the heart of this state in such a way that even today African-Americans are shot by the police, sentenced to excessive prison sentences, or discriminated against in the job market. The Black Lives Matter movement is a protest against the fundamental principles of this state, because it shows that the word "rights" has never been distributed equally in the United States.

This discrimination and aggression can also be clearly seen in US foreign policy. After World War II, when America established itself as a world leader, its dramatic efforts to ‘export democracy’ began. In fact, this was a new method of imperialist influence—intervening in elected states, taking a role in regime change, and protecting its interests by putting political loyalists in power. In many countries, such as Iran, Guatemala, Chile, and Indonesia, the CIA was directly involved in coups, where democratically elected governments were overthrown and dictators were installed. Even though these regimes oppressed the people, the United States supported them as ‘friends’ because they followed American investments and policies.

The Vietnam War in the 1960s and 70s was a terrible example of the US imperialist mentality. The bombing of Vietnam under the pretext of preventing ‘communism’ killed millions of people. Even today, children in Vietnam are born with disabilities due to the US toxic chemical ‘Agent Orange’. The US resorted to the same lie in starting the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq—the so-called ‘weapons of mass destruction’ in Iraq was a nice story, with no real basis. But on this lie, the ruler of a country was hanged, a nation was destroyed, and its oil resources were put under the control of US companies.

Whenever a Muslim country spoke of its independence in the US, it was immediately associated with terrorism. In Afghanistan, the US itself armed the Taliban against the Soviets, and later the Taliban became their enemy. This hypocrisy is American policy, because here it is not morality, but strategic gain that works. When Saudi Arabia commits genocide in Yemen, the US supplies weapons, not protesting their human rights violations. They support the military coup in Egypt because the new ruler works for Western interests.

And the US relationship with Israel is like a holy alliance—where the deaths of Palestinians, the killing of children, the destruction of homes, the violation of human rights—all become justified, because ‘Israel has the right to self-defense.’ This bias is so naked that the US vetoes any resolution in favor of Palestine at the UN. When I see this very country that talks about democracy in the world being used to cover up Israel’s brutality, I can’t help but understand—the US definition of human rights is just a completely arbitrary, strategically applicable weapon.

In addition to military intervention, the US uses the media, cinema, music, and the promotion of a ‘lifestyle’—which in many countries influences local cultures. This cultural aggression is so influential that many people around the world think that the ‘American way of life’ means a better life. As a result, many societies lose their identity, traditions break down, and a kind of “silent colony” is created—where the mind is imprisoned, not the body.

Today’s United States suffers from multiple social crises at home—racism, police brutality, a healthcare crisis, mass shootings, a huge gap between the rich and the poor. But to the outside world, it still wants to be a teacher of principles. When China or Russia violate human rights, the United States protests; but when a Palestinian child is bombed, they say—“Israel has the right to defend itself.” This duplicity is not just diplomacy, it is a powerful imperial arrogance that thinks the world is still under their control.

This is the United States—which has left countless examples of genocide, slavery, racism, imperialist wars, and economic oppression in its history, yet still stands before the world as a symbol of human rights. But no matter how many masks it wears, no matter how much it hides the truth behind the media—history will one day judge it. Because every child killed, every oppressed person sighing, every lie—is written on the pages of history, waiting for the mask to be removed one day.