"Shut up, peasants"

This is essentially what James P. Rubin, a special envoy from the US Department of State, told Macedonians recently.

Rubin, whose official title is Special Envoy and Coordinator for the Department’s Global Engagement Center, was in Macedonia as part of a tour of countries in Southeastern Europe to “counter disinformation initiatives,” in Macedonia and around the world according to the Twitter feed of the US Embassy in Macedonia.

In what can only be described as an extraordinary act of hubris, condescension, and basic stupidity, Rubin, in a video put out by the US Embassy in its Twitter feed, said (and I am not making this up) “…and all I would say to those listening is, if you’re reading something or hearing something, and it makes you angry, it’s probably someone who wants to make you angry, and is trying to divide you from your neighbors, from your fellow citizens, and from others around the world, by inventing stories.  Secretary Blinken and President Biden asked me to take on this difficult task with the new challenge of our time….”

Again, extraordinary.  Hubris: Rubin knows best.  Condescension: Rubin is talking down to Macedonians as if they are idiots.  I am certain he thinks that Macedonians are idiots as does Ambassador Aggeler and most US State Department officials.  But Macedonians know better and know the truth.  Basic stupidity: Rubin’s statement does nothing to engender trust of the US by Macedonians and, in fact, further turns them off from anything the US says or does.

Specifically, his mission in Macedonia was to say that if you don’t like what the Bulgarians are demanding of Macedonia, and it makes you angry, then you must be hearing disinformation because of course the Bulgarians love you to death and want what is best for you so you should drop your objections and get on board with what the Macedonian Government and US Department of State want from you, you silly peasants: and that is to change your constitution to suit the demands of the Bulgarians and do anything else they or anybody else demands of you from now to the end of time.

One last thing worth pointing out: if you read his official bio on the Department of State website, you’ll read about his highly partisan past: “From 1989 to 1993, Mr. Rubin served as Professional Staff Member on the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and Senior Foreign Policy Adviser to Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr.  During the Clinton administration, Mr. Rubin served as Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and Chief Spokesman for Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright.  In 1999, he was a special negotiator to secure the demobilization of the Kosovo Liberation Army.  Mr. Rubin also served as Senior Adviser and Spokesman for the U.S. Representative to the United Nations Madeleine K. Albright (1993-1996)…” 

And worth noting: he was a part of Hillary Clinton’s campaign team for president in 2008 and his ex-wife is CNN’s Christiane Amanpour.

Enough said.