America, the land I love, a beacon of freedom and compassion to people all over the world could not possibly be doing these things:
1) At war in 3 nations, each of which it attacked and 2 of which it occupies.
2) Runs secret torture cells on some of its distant military bases and contracts out other torture, while it also runs "kill teams" where it chooses. It even has a private army of highly paid "contractors," little of which it discloses to the American people.
3) Seizes people it deems terrorists, those it doesn't kill, and locks them up indefinitely, in many cases no charges, no trials, no rule of law.
4) Censors its wars from the American people, many of whom are indifferent to the suffering our beloved nation is causing. U.S. news media often cooperates with the government but not WikiLeaks nor Aljazeera but most Americans ignore it. No military draft, no interest.
5) Censors even the horrors its wars cause its own soldiers and their families. Once again, the U.S. news media often cooperates telling few stories or sharing few pictures, making these people largely invisible, left to bear their pain in silence and in a cloak of secrecy.
6) Once the greatest manufacturing powerhouse the world had ever seen, most U.S. manufacturing has been shipped overseas. But there still is a sizable amount of U.S. manufacturing as the government contracts with manufacturers to build weapons of mass destruction and deadly delivery systems such as jet fighters and drones in most Congressional Districts across America. All at taxpayer's expense.
7) Because of reckless government spending and huge trade deficits, the U.S. dollar which was long the gold standard of currencies is now so weak, many investors prefer gold or even other currencies as the dollar sinks in value.
8) Once the U.S. ran the greatest financial surpluses since the British Empire was at its peak. Now it is the world's biggest debtor nation running a borrowing and printing Ponzi Scheme to pay its bills.
9) Standard & Poor's, a globally respected credit rating agency threatened to downgrade the U.S.'s debt securities, the first step at what could lead in stages to having it declared "Junk." That would send interest rates through the stratosphere, making it cost prohibitive for home mortgages and small business borrowing and destroying the value left in the dollar. Newport Beach, CA based Pimco, the world's largest bond investor has already sold off its holdings in U.S. government debt.
10) To sustain and expand its military machine, the U.S. government would sacrifice Medicare, Medicaid, its educational system, its police and fire protection and other programs that bring quality of life to its citizens and protect its children and its poor and frail.
These things could not be happening to America for if they were, its citizens would unite and rise up and do something about it. Not sit by and let what was once one of the greatest nations in history implode in their silence. And as people of conscience, any nonviolent uprising would surely begin with you and me.
Dick
27 comments:
America is not the land we grew up thinking it to be and it never was. America has always had an aggressive military policy, which has attacked people without provocation and has tortured innocent people for fun and profit.
Look back to the Spanish-American war, where the US attacked Spain because of a dubious incident on the USS Maine in Havana harbor, likely a boiler explosion from faulty engineering/workmanship. Then, after occupying the Philippines, the US military regularly tortured Filipinos, whose only crime was to want the freedom to determine for themselves how they would live, without external influence.
Face it, America is a cesspit of brutality and inhuman behavior and Americans are some of the worst people that have ever infected the planet earth.
You can rearrange the deck chairs, even change the captain, for all that matters...this puppy is going DOWN!
Oh, and that puppy isn't JUST Amerika...but she'll take the lead now.
I'm afraid that a country which practiced segregation until 1963 and in some southern states for much longer can't be the beacon of democracy and human rights.
But the US has helpers, in Europe f. e. such as UK and those who don't stand up against the crime America is committing.
Says WHO? Why can't this be happening in america?
Because you, uh voted, paid your taxes, did all the right things a "good" sheep does? Your failure at being able to connect the actions of this country per its foreign policy with its logical repercussions now beginning to infect the very atmosphere shows you to be the most bereft of losers. How is it that you cannot possibly see the obvious relationship between the actions conducted in Vietnam 30 years ago, with the side show of Central America in the 80's with what is happening today? Did you really fall for that stupid lie of manifest destiny? "whatever WE do, its ok, because God is on our side" well, then this slap in the face serves you right! HEY YOU!!! You cannot deny freedom for one while forcing it on another, and expect that manifest destiny will save the day, because after all, by gawd, ur an a murican!!!
And you have the gall to call yourself SANE???
All that is happening now is simply blowback. What goes around comes around. It doesn't matter in the least that you didn't know, you have had ample time to become acquainted with the law of the jungle, but no, you prefer to "pay" for it to happen "over there" and bury your self in comfortable lies, and pretend that the savage jungle doesn't fit in with YOUR schedule. And ya know what? Thats tough shit. Its called a consequence. And so, you create a blog where you can complain about something you have clearly avoided for most of your life. Reality doesn't conform to you, reality happens. At least that is the lesson that has been learned by those "fortunate" enough to recieve the "wisdom" and "benevolence" of american "ingenuity" I suggest you man up, and get used to the idea that you were screwed AND you actually helped pay for it. Please don't make the rest of us pay for it again by having to listen to you whine and moan about how poor little america has lost her way and won't someone please help her get home? Fuck the usa. The statue of whoredom itself, decieving the world about how fucking noble she is while infecting the entire world with a sickness of the soul, and would someone please explain to you how in the world things got this way? Your wilful ignorance is contemptible and pathetic, and no we won't explain it to you, figure it out, or don't.
The US supports endless Wars for Israel, it all started nearly a decade ago under a false flag attack.
9/11 and Israel, here: www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000190526
and all happened!!!!!
I would like to add another bullet point to the theater of the absurd.
Christian churches especially the Southern Baptist variety absolutely love war and soldiering these days. I have a theory as to why. American soldiers are bad apples with serious mental problems. US soldiers also have a little money money coming in which the churches see as an opportunity. Elmer Gantry is worth another read.
they lost me when they..who the hell is they or them..when they killed kennedy..i never ever bought into their lies..i have seen my country destroyed by mental midgets..i ask you for the last time..do we take back what they stole..we have to destroy these people who think they are above us..some times murder in the first degree makes some cents..
The world has become a classroom where men and women get to experiment and test hypothesis. The one that we are testing now is what happens when we decide to be irresponsible. The answer is enslavement. Before the experiment can conclude we must observe how far that lack of responsibility will take us through its specific set of inevitable consequences. I think it is a great lesson and worth the sacrifice of countless lives such that we can know once and for all: When one is not responsible for themselves then someone else becomes responsible for them and has the power to make their choices for them, even until their death. Are we learning yet?
Reading these posts makes me realize that the world is really angry with this country (no big surprise) and everyone is correct - America has been a brutal, hypocritical country from jump. It is karma - and we have to just accept that we are the inheritors of a racist, sexist, ELITIST regime that will do whatever it takes to achieve world domination. But that's not the issue- that is the problem - the issue is WHAT DO WE DO NOW?
NobodysaysBOO:
This post is an excellent example of how fearfull we have been forced to live,if you call this living in the USA,just look most posts are amon. because we fear the govnt. PUKES!
These govnt PUKES are scared of YOU!FIGHT BACK!
The world is run by reptilian overlords (the multinational corporations). Wealth increasingly is concentrated, and poverty expanding. Reptiles lack empathy; what would you expect? Until we can free ourselves of these reptilian overlords, we will be slaves.
Looking back on it today, it sounds as terrible as you describe. Funny how a series of seemingly reasonable decisions led us to this point over time.
"Standard & Poor's, a globally respected credit rating agency" The rest is great but this is way, way off.
Dear Readers,
Thank you for your comments.
I never meant to suggest the U.S. was perfect. Far from it as it fought a hugely uncivil Civil War over slavery. After that War ended it still brutally denied the rights of its black citizens for another century.
The U.S. committed genocide on its native peoples, most of whom who survive live in extreme poverty today.
During World War ll, the U.S. illegally jailed its Japanese American citizens for the duration of the war, costing them their freedom and in many cases their life long possessions and self-respect.
Vietnam is a disaster that speaks for itself, costing a million Vietnamese lives,58,000 U.S. lives, thousands more U.S. allied lives and crippled numerous young soldiers physically and or emotionally.
But the world is also a far from perfect place and America had long been a beacon of freedom and of compassion. My grandparents came here with little more than the clothes on their backs and no-one prevented our family from working hard to attain the American Dream, which we did.
Even today, immigrants still pour in hoping to attain that dream, which is becoming ever more elusive at a rapid pace.
Because of its military industrial complex, the U.S. is fighting three wars and thousands of immigrants are drawn into those wars as soldiers in a desperate bid for citizenship.
U.S warfare is now perpetual, as apparently are military occupations and military bases. The costs of all of this is staggering as the U.S. builds weapons of mass destruction, and jet fighters and drones to keep Americans employed and defense contractors highly profitable.
It is my hope that Americans will realize this is a formula for moral and financial disaster, and redirect our nation for peaceful purposes. And offering a helping hand to people here and abroad for a better, more productive future.
Dick
Some of this may be true but the American government is the one that is creates all this hype. Not the American people. So suck a fat one if you don't like our people. Blame it on the government not the citizens who are kept from much of the brutality that our gov. causes. Ignorance is Bliss
We're arrogant and full of ourselves here in the states. If we took a mere 2% from the 45%+ the military takes out of our taxes, we'd have a better education system that we could USE to make smarter decisions with. This is what happens when education isn't a priority, we think like uneducated heathens. I would much prefer us pull out of all the countries we're in, take that money and put it to GOOD use on our own citizens and their health & wellbeing. I don't see any countries coming after us or invading us that we need SOMUCHMILITARYPRESENCE.
We each need to stop wearing the victim suit and proclaiming "That guy told me a lie!" rather we must place blame where it truly lies by proclaiming: "It is my fault because I believed the lie". Responsibility is what we lack and until we know what true responsibility is then we can expect more of the same.
Dear Readers,
This is not a time for blame but a time for action. If we correct these massive military injustices and resurrect our economy, putting it on a sound financial footing, there will be plenty of time afterward to hold perpetrators responsible.
Investing in education will be vital, as will other programs that benefit people and elevate our future.
Hopefully, we will also correct the government flaws all of this has shown us and institute limited public funding as the only way to pay for political campaigns, not massive private contributions.
And we will keep major elections brief, 30 days not 1 to 2 years. TV political ads should be ended for they corrupt the recipients of that money, the networks, whose news media are supposed to inform the public and help hold politicians accountable.
Exclusive public funding will hopefully encourage the growth of 3rd and 4th big political parties thus breaking the two party monopoly that divides the spoils.
We can go into an ice cream store and have 31 flavors to choose from and we can have several choices to select the next rock star. But when it comes to selecting our goverment officials it is a two party monopoly as "minor" political parties go largely unfunded and are not covered by the main stream news media.
What kind of a system is this? One that lends itself to the corruption and ineptitude we've seen.
Dick
Dear Readers,
This site is one of civility and mutual respect. It is meant as a platform to exchange ideas and to learn from one another for this is how we grow.
So please, let us avoid name-calling. Thank you.
Dick
Dick,
I'm with you. Let's organize. How do you think we should go about it. What would be our demands. Where should we protest? I'll start a facebook and email campaign if we can get some core demands down. How far are you willing to take this? Like you said it starts with you and me. Let's do it. I'm honestly tired of talking about it and waiting for somebody to come up with something I can get involved with. Let's take some action.
Sincerely,
R. Wayne Lajoie
Clearly this post hit some exposed nerves as it was meant to. I have been lucky enough to travel throughout the world and always appreciate many things about the US when I'm overseas.
The government (WHICH IS US IN A DEMOCRACY) has made serious, egregious and tragic decisions. But that doesn't mean that WE have to continue to allow it. We can bring an end to the wars. We can demand a balanced budget although very few of us will happily accept higher taxes and/or cut entitlements that we paid into.
Again, we can rise up and change the status quo. Hopefully this happens instead of history's alternative which are bloody revolutions.
Thank you for your insightful post as it really caused a stir!
Writing meaningless ramblings is one thing. Actually taking action is an entire other thing.
Dear Readers,
What Wayne Lajoie suggested is excellent. As we've seen in Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Bahrain and Syria, Facebook is a very effective means of bringing like minded people together en mass.
Such a movement begins on Facebook but leads to visible massive gatherings, as it has in the Middle East. In America, that would mean going to Washington, DC to hold gargantuan rallies to demand change.
Such rallies would command major media attention and they would reach politicians deeply. American politicians are used to collecting large sums of lobbyist funds and gerrymandering districts to assure their elections or reelections, while the citizens do what they are told.
Giant corporate bailouts, no problem. No energy policy, no problem. Weapons, wars and military contractors, no problem.
But if all of sudden those citizens rose up in mass non-violent demonstrations, big problem.
For demonstrators to take effective action, there must be focus. Selection of one or two issues, such as the U.S. fighting endless wars and the U.S. heading to financial collapse. And viable solutions such as ending those wars and slashing expenses and raising taxes to prevent the financial collapse confronting us.
But unlike those Middle Eastern countries in which people died and are dying for their beliefs, I don't know if Americans are ready. I hope so. A highly visible Facebook communication will tell us.
If we can't agree on one or two issues and upon their solutions, we can be easily divided by those well entrenched reactionary goverment forces determined to do so. Make no mistake, Wall Street, the Military Industrial Complex, Big Oil, Big Utilities and other giant organizations will be determined to do so.
While I have a Facebook account, my friend and webmaster Jon Barnes and I know little about Facebook and we would need assistance from others while we learn.
Dick
Dear Readers,
Americans don't have to die for their beliefs as is happening in the Middle East. but they do have to stand up for them. Otherwise those beliefs are just meaningless wishes.
Dick
Dick,
I've been thinking about this for a while. IMO there are three main things which form a roadblock to the vision which various groups have for America. Whether these groups consider themselves capitalist, socialist, communist, libertarian, anarchist, conservative, liberal etc. these things must be accomplished before any further reform can take place.
1) Immediate withdrawal from all foreign occupations and police actions. This is draining our economy, wasting tax money and hurting the moral standing of America. The role of the military is to protect us from attack. Not to occupy other countries to protect the interests of business and keep the oil flowing.
2) Disband the Federal Reserve. We will have disagreements on where to take the money system afterwards, but I believe most of us agree this is a must.
3) Demand reform of campaign finance. I personally propose a system with a cap of $100 dollars per individual per candidate. It's time to get big business out of the system, but of course this can be further discussed and fine tuned.
We must work to educate the population as to the larger problems which are lost in the mix of all the moronic bickering. America's good moral standing must be again. I personally believe the only way to accomplish these things is to put aside our differences and work together to accomplish these things.
A group of non-violent revolutionaries focused on what binds them rather than what divides. After these goals are accomplished all these groups will have a louder voice which is no longer drowned out by those who have little respect for human life, those who dictate policy and who we are to vote for through the exorbitant costs of campaigning.
Then, ultimately, it will be up to the American voters through truly free and fair elections to decide what direction this country goes in.
I too wonder if America is ready. I think if they can be reached there is a very large number who would join in such a cause and jumpstart the souls of the rest of America.
The dead end road we're on now must be opened to through traffic and accesss the unending superhighway of America's future. Thoughts?
Sincerely,
Wayne
Dear Readers,
I agree with Wayne's analysis and I especially like the respectful way he presented it to us. His comment referring to the U.S.'s founders as people "who focused on what binds them rather than what divides" is exactly the case or they would have broken into petty bickering, much as we do today, and would have accomplished little or nothing. We too must set aside our petty bickering and do as they did.
This website is intended to do that and to find non-violent people who can set their differences aside and focus on the massive job at hand.
Because for now, I'm ignorant of how to make effective use of Facebook and know of no other widespread technological tool, I depend upon this website to reach others. I welcome refreshing ideas like Wayne's and would like us to unite to bring change and leadership, as we take action at a time when America so desperately needs it.
As for Dorothy Wilson's comment, sadly there is truth to what she says. If one looks at America's approach in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, aside from oil, and aside from America's empty claims of nation security, it amounts to who can be the biggest gorilla pounding his chest and waving the biggest weapons. Some of those weapons such as missiles even look like penus'.
Let us hope we can grow beyond such primal ego driven urges and frightening responses. With the vast spread of weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear weapons, the future of mankind depends upon it.
Dick
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