Below is my column in The Hill on calls from the left for other countries to hit the United States with sanctions and other measures as a “bad actor.” After losses in elections and Congress, some are sending out a “broken arrow” signal for other nations to crack down on the United States.
Here is the column:
“Broken arrow” is arguably the most chilling and desperate order that an American military commander can issue. When faced with an enemy about to overrun a surrounded force, a commander uses it to call in an air or artillery strike on his own position.
This month, many on the American left are issuing their own “broken arrow” signals, including calling on globalist allies to hit the U.S. with sanctions and other measures. They are seeking to achieve through sanctions what they could not achieve through elections.
The most recent such call came from commentator Elie Mystal on “The Joy Reid Show” this week.
“Our country needs to be sanctioned,” he said. “We are the bad guys on the world stage. We are a menace to not only free people everywhere, but we are a menace to peaceful people everywhere at this point, and I’m not even going to say that we’ve only been a menace for the past three or four months.”
Mystal’s call was hardly a surprise for those familiar with his writings. A regular commentator on MSNBC, he previously called the Constitution “trash” and urged not just the abolition of the U.S. Senate but also of “all voter registration laws.”
Yet, he is not alone in signaling that his position is being overrun by his fellow citizens.
After Elon Musk bought Twitter with a pledge to dismantle its censorship system, former Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called upon Europe to use its infamous Digital Services Act to force him to censor fellow Americans.
Nina Jankowicz, the former head of Biden’s infamous Disinformation Governance Board, appeared recently before the European Parliament. She called upon the 27 EU countries to fight against the U.S., which she described as a global threat.
To the delight of globalists, she declared, “Before I describe the details of Russia’s recent online influence campaigns, I would like to call upon you to stand firm against another autocracy: The United States of America.”
This year, I spoke in Berlin at the World Forum and was surprised to see many Americans joining European leaders in support of the forum’s slogan, “A New World Order with European Values.” Attended by figures such as Bill and Hillary Clinton, the conference heralded Europe as key to countering the threat posed by the U.S.
Others denounced America as the world’s villain with boycotts and protests during Fourth of July celebrations. One leading influencer declared that “this country is beyond f**ked” and encouraged citizens to “walk away from the illusion that they built” around this country.
Democratic politicians and pundits have fueled the anger by claiming fighting the current U.S. government is like fighting against the Nazis, including most recently former Vice President Al Gore. Others like Rep. Pramila Jayapal have called ICE agents “terrorists” for enforcing immigration laws.
The crisis of faith on the left often seems to be triggered by any adverse decision or election. In 2022, the Pima County, Arizona Democratic Party tweeted “F–k the Fourth” after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
This year, Fourth of July celebrations were canceled in Los Angeles under the claim that officials feared a mass arrest by ICE — rather implausible, considering that protests against ICE will be held as planned.
Others are organizing protests this week, declaring “F**k fourth of July. We have a king that we need to get rid of first.”
The problem for those calling on the EU to fight the U.S. is democracy itself, something of a headache for the global elite in Brussels. European governments are cracking down on conservative and other groups, which are soaring in popularity, with calls for stronger borders and reversing mass immigration trends. Great Britain, France, Italy, Germany, and other countries have experienced a similar surge in the popularity of conservative parties.
The fact is, many of the triggers for these “No Kings” protests are the product of the democratic process from the “Big Beautiful Bill” to changes in immigration policy. Citizens voted for change and successfully secured it, and some people are angry about it.
At the same time, our courts continue to function as designed in reviewing these orders and policies. Trump has won some and lost some before the Supreme Court, as constitutional limits are defined and enforced.
In my forthcoming book, Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution, I explore the future of American democracy in the 21st Century in light of economic and political movements, including the current crisis of faith of many on the left over our fundamental values and institutions.
The irony is that this crisis is largely centered among the most privileged classes. Yet recent Gallup polling shows patriotism is at an all-time low. However, the drop is found almost entirely among Democrats. Only 36 percent of Democrats reported being extremely or very proud to be American, compared to 92 percent of Republicans.
Some are simply moving to foreign countries. The New York Times has fanned the flames of those claiming that the U.S. is a new fascist regime. Recently, it featured the declaration of three Yale professors fleeing American fascism for the free nation of Canada. In their piece, titled “We study fascism and we are leaving the United States,” the professors explain that “the lesson of 1933 is that you get out sooner rather than later.”
But what these professors call fascism looks a lot like the democratic process to others. The problem with democracy is that it does not always produce the outcome you want.
For some, support for democratic choice seems to extend only to fellow citizens who make the “right” choice, from their own perspective, of course. So faced with losses in elections and in Congress, many are shouting “broken arrow” and hoping for external help in crushing the opposition.
Yet the fact is, this country is not being “overrun.” Those are fellow citizens who are calling for these policy changes and rejecting far-left policies. Just as many in Europe are calling on the EU to block far-right democratic victories, many in this country are advocating for the trashing of the Constitution or transnational interventions to reverse political voting trends.
The fact is, the far left is not truly surrounded. They have simply retreated into smaller and smaller echo chambers rather than engage the rest of the country on these issues. Viewed from within the protected spaces of MSNBC or BlueSky, you can feel surrounded, but it remains a type of self-isolation. It is like watching wagons frantically circling on the plains without a hostile in sight. The problem is that most of America has moved on.
In the end, the calls for a globalist intervention are a final desperate call of America’s self-isolated left.
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University and the best-selling author of “The Indispensable Right.”
“In the end, the calls for a globalist intervention are a final desperate call of America’s self-isolated left.”
Hopefully.
Elie Mystal on The Joy Reid Show?! I don’t know about many of you on this blog, but I find these 2 oxygen breathing, mindless persons as ignorant, lacking a thought process.
*. Watch video of 9-11 yearly and remember the US has never been attacked except Pearl Harbor.
When will you have enough of these traitors? Arrest him and damn the torpedoes.
Anon: “the US has never been attacked except Pearl Harbor.”
Except the Brits burning the White House while Dolly fled with Washington’s portrait.
And there was that business at Fort McHenry.
You know what I mean. Don’t be cute. Everyone should be prepared for war.
^^^ For Young
Does that flag still wave? Well does it, Young? How well does it wave? Can you tell me?
That flag stands strong and proud. That’s exactly why you despise it.
Young has shown you to be a fool.
Sometimes you get it right, Meyers, and sometimes you’re just a fool.
I’ll fix it for you. In the current two centuries the US has been attacked at Pearl Harbor and Twin Towers. Harbor led to involvement in WWII. Where will Twin Towers lead?
Be ready, prepared for war. Always vigilant.
I’ll sign,
B of Seville
PS You punk
“Sometimes you get it right”
And this is one of those times. You are a fool.
No, no you can’t. Watch and remember, Young.
The 3 professors leaving for Canada obviously do not understand the meaning of Fascism… thus they do not deserve to be professors of any higher education here… perhaps they can find themselves (as well as finally learn the real meaning of Fascism.) in a more forgiving Canada…
The Left is determined “to save our democracy” by doing everything in its power to convince the voters that whomever we vote for, nothing will change. The Left is resisting, even subverting democracy, not defending it when the bottom line of its response to a pretty decisive election defeat is that votes are pointless.
*. PT, calling for other nations to nuke the US doesn’t break any laws? Sedition? The only way we can stop the conservatives is to nuke ourselves? Twist on Bridge on the River Kwai? Sci fi, we got the aliens trapped, sir. We can’t escape but give broken arrow now, sir.
? Mr. Mystal is a drama queen. There’s an election in 18 months.