Wednesday, May 11, 2005

Response to Come September

With a myriad of red, white, and blue flags, ribbons, and stickers decorating anything that gets in the way it is hard to not hear what patriotic means. The drive from school and back is over 60 miles. With the hour round trip it is again hard to not notice the spotless H2’s and gas guzzling Escalades with support (insert a phrase that sells here) stickers attached to its bumper; conveniently next to the “Bush/Chenney ‘04’ propaganda that readily pronounces their vote. It isn’t the vote that causes the blood to boil, but perhaps the imagery the names bring. The long, endless quotes from preachers that advise not to judge and the politicians that conveniently stand behind them when the voters go to polls bring to light a chilling realization that perhaps we aren’t questioning the right noun or challenging the right verb.
Stories insist on being told according to Arundhati Rroy. Whether they are fiction or non-fiction there is still something to be told and passed on. What does the story of the 20th century say? Years of war and conflict would be arrayed across the pages of a book one might read or write. The ultimate cause for most would be nationalism. Nationalism as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is “devotion to national interest…” Arundhati adds that we would be offended and ashamed if we were associated with our government’s policy, the “national interest”. Why then is it that images of our nation are plastered on anything with 4 or more wheels and an engine?
This question could be answered in a number of ways. Perhaps we all cling to something other than the policies of our government? Perhaps we all know that to be Anti- anything is a failure of imagination, according to Arundhati Roy? Maybe we are ignorant to a canny recruitment drive for the war on terror? With any answer it all leads to the exploitation of people for political gain. The faith that is spreading around the world is less in God and more in the hatred of each other.
This hatred for America in particular has accumulated for more than one September. Take for instance another September. September 11th, 1973 in the country of Chile saw a CIA backed coup after Chile’s citizens democratically elected a Marxist. In the aftermath the world saw thousands upon thousands die at the hand of the U.S backed General in charge. From 1945 until this day many more thousands have died from the direct or indirect involvement of U.S policies. The instance of Israel and Palestinians and Sadam and the Kurdish genocide bring to light our direct involvement in actions that should now scream to our attention.
Preaching peace while at war seems to be the new American agenda. With the war on words still raging strong it is a wonder that Elmo and Big bird haven’t come under stronger scrutiny. Some fall in line and buy the “Made in China” American flags and some try to call attention to details, singing songs like ‘American Idiot’ and ‘Makeshift Patriot’. The words ring in the ears and some of us “Don’t waive our rights with our flags” and “Don’t wanna be an American Idiot”. For this American waiting for Bert and Ernie to be led away in shackles…I just hope we get to the “H’s” for hypocrisy.

5 Comments:

Blogger Ashiq said...

Keep the population in ignorance. Let the gov't do whatever it wants. And remember Big Brother is watching.

7:32 AM  
Blogger Feenix said...

It's true that ignorance is bliss, but knowledge is power. I live in an area where ignorance is prevalent so it kinda smacks me in the face every day. That in and of itself is a good source of rooting out my own ignorance by comparison but why still leave them ignorant? I'd argue that it's their ignorance and mine that allows certain atrocities around the world to go unnoticed or misunderstood. It's our ignorance that allows people to exploit religion and the people that follow it for their own gain, be it Protestantism, Islam, and anything between.
Bah, I know hardly anyone will become "in the know" out of this but it is an attempt. Let's hope that Big Brother doesn't send me to Guantanamo Bay for the attempt huh? Thank you for your thoughts :) I appreciate any feedback!

9:36 AM  
Blogger Dav said...

Ashiq is in the bowls of Hell, as such he knows nothing! Well, ok I'm just being rude here. Letting the govt do what ever they want is soooo wrong on so many levels...

9:58 AM  
Blogger Ashiq said...

Its a dangerous concept you're after. If we stop being ignorant and everyone finds out the truth I do believe there will be a revolution or 2.

8:23 AM  
Blogger Feenix said...

That's very very true, but that is wha t the Declaration of Independence says. "That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." I'm not calling for killing and bloodspilling. What I'm calling is for people to see what is going on around them.

11:17 AM  

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