For a group that constantly virtue signals about how much the lives (except Trump supporters) and the quality of life for people around the globe mean to them, progressives have an amazing ability to throw entire sections of the world’s population under the bus whenever actually supporting human rights interferes with one of their pet projects. Evidence of this walking contradiction has reared its head in a letter sent by Friends Of The Earth and co-signed by nearly 50 environmental/progressive organizations (such as CODEPINK and MoveOn) calling on President Joe Biden to soft-pedal any disagreements with China regarding such unpleasantries as, say, genocide against its own people in favor of pursuing mutual agreements that will save the planet or something.

The letter reads like something out of the 1930s pacifist movement:

While we are encouraged by stated commitments from the United States and China to work together and with other countries to enact urgent climate policies, we are deeply troubled by the growing Cold War mentality driving the United States’ approach to China — an antagonistic posture that risks undermining much-needed climate cooperation.

We, the undersigned organizations, call on the Biden administration and all members of Congress to eschew the dominant antagonistic approach to U.S.-China relations and instead prioritize multilateralism, diplomacy, and cooperation with China to address the existential threat that is the climate crisis.

The escalating, bipartisan anti-China rhetoric in both Congress and the White House damages the diplomatic and political relationships needed to move forward boldly and cooperatively. It also bolsters racist, right-wing movements in the United States, fuels violence against people of East and Southeast Asian descent, paves the way for higher U.S. military spending, and, critically, does nothing to actually support the wellbeing of everyday people in either China or the United States.

It’s difficult to pick a starting point. But let’s try.

First, the notion that China will follow any anti-pollution agreement — really? Even Greenpeace calls this fantasy out. China has shown zero interest in reducing pollution levels. In fact, they’ve become even more of a polluter. The notion that it will suddenly agree to play nice if the US offers all carrot and no stick is dangerously naïve. Even Biden knows better.

Next, the usual smearing of conservatives as racist and blaming the same for acts of violence against Asian-Americans is a cheap lie. Try though one might, finding a picture of someone wearing a MAGA hat assaulting an AAPI on the street is quite a tall order. So just stop.

One also wonders if pointing out the mass violations of human rights China is committing right now against its own people is “rhetoric.” I’m sure the Uyghurs will be happy to know they are so valued by the left — naah, forget ‘em. A polar bear might have to swim an extra five feet to the nearest ice floe! Priorities, people, priorities!

Okay, back to the letter … and yes, it actually says this:

The United States, which is significantly wealthier than China, is the biggest carbon polluter in history — responsible for a staggering one quarter of all emissions since the start of the Industrial Revolution. China’s historical emissions are half those of the United States — and emissions per capita in China are less than half the levels of the United States.

Steer. Manure. On steroids.

Now, naturally, such a topic has drawn attention from The Squad:

It’s not the first time progressives railed against the administration’s China approach. In May, prominent left-leaning lawmakers and 60 activist groups called on the president not to turn China into the 21st century’s Soviet Union. “We need to distinguish between justified criticisms of the Chinese government’s human rights record and a Cold War mentality that uses China as a scapegoat for our own domestic problems and demonizes Chinese Americans,” Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) said at the time.

Isn’t Omar a Muslim? Are not the Uyghurs Muslim? Shouldn’t she be leading the charge to condemn China’s treatment of the Uyghurs? Apparently not, especially when there’s a chance to attack the right for, um, speaking up about China’s treatment of the Uyghurs. (Hint: It’s not favorable to China. But yeah, we’re the worst of the worst.)

And there you have it. Progressives, drunk on their own fermented stew, believe China will play nice on the global stage if the United States says pretty please and at the most issues a tsk-tsk to any wrongdoings. It is sadly amusing that these same progressives firmly believe the negative reaction to Critical Race Theory somehow means no one teaches history in school. They obviously never studied it themselves.