A Trumpist federal 'policeman' in Portland, Oregon protecting who? So Orwellian - war is peace. Up is down.
The feds in Portland are dressed in more military gear than what Pentagon troops wear in combat overseas. They are dressed for war against US civilians. We are now the enemy.....
They are armed to the teeth and the protesters on the street might have on a mask, hold a sign or banner, and carry some medical equipment to help treat those being brutalized.
I've long asked the question - what makes the American people think Washington won't someday do to us here at home what they have been doing around the world since the US invaded the Philippines from 1899-1902? The chickens have come home to roost.
While Filipino people viewed Washington's war on them as a continuation of the struggle for independence that began in 1896 with the Philippine Revolution, the US government regarded it as an insurrection. The conflict arose when the First Philippine Republic objected to the terms of the Treaty of Paris under which the US took possession of the Philippines from Spain, ending the Spanish–American War.
Humorist/author Mark Twain at the time has this to say about America's 'deep dive' into imperialism:
The funniest thing was when at the close of the Spanish-American War the United States paid poor decrepit old Spain $20,000,000 for the Philippines. It was just a case of this country buying its way into good society. Honestly, when I read in the papers that this deal had been made, I laughed until my sides ached. There were the Filipinos fighting like blazes for their liberty. Spain would not hear to it. The United States stepped in, and after they had licked the enemy to a standstill, instead of freeing the Filipinos they paid that enormous amount for an island which is of no earthly account to us; just wanted to be like the aristocratic countries of Europe which have possessions in foreign waters. The United States wanted to be in the swim, and it, too, had to branch out, like an American heiress buying a Duke or an Earl. Sounds well, but that's all.
~ Interview "Mark Twain in Clover / Joseph in the Land of Cornbread and Chicken." Baltimore Sun, 10 May 1907, p. 14
And Washington has been doing it ever since - double time - invading, occupying, destroying lives and land, polluting and most importantly of all - rejecting the sovereignty of nations. All these years of warfare to build an empire has cost the American people an arm and a leg. It's no wonder that our roads and bridges in Maine are falling apart. As are our schools and local rural hospitals are closing.
But none of this should be a surprise to anyone - look at how the indigenous people were treated in this country by 'God's chosen people' who came to these shores looking for 'liberty' - and how slavery survived in the 'land of the free' where democracy was supposedly to reign.
We've never had real democracy here. In fact as the two corporate parties control politics they are tightening the screws to make sure that alternative political voices are not heard. Loyal Republicans and Democrats are just fine with that as long as 'their party' comes out on top.
Don't ask for real elections - real debate - real issue discussions. The goal is to dumb down the public and keep them chained to the (good cop-bad cop) corporate political machine.
My last vote for a Democrat who ran for president was Walter Mondale in 1984. I've not taken the bait since. Might not have alot to show for my stubbornness but at least I can live with myself.
I just can't see spending my entire adult life working for peace and justice and then turn around and vote for one of the agents of the war machine.
Journalist Chris Hedges says:
James Baldwin explained why black people don't have midlife crises. Why? Because they do not buy into the myths of America. Black people know that the system in America is rigged. Black people know this when they are children. By comparison, white people buy into these illusions of meritocracy and individualism and American exceptionalism and similar beliefs. That is why the highest rates of suicide right now are among middle-aged white men, because they are finally starting to realize that the system does not care about them.
Bruce
No comments:
Post a Comment