I Will Not Go Quietly!

I have now been accused of "America-bashing."  To me, that is a euphemism for the belief that "dissension is unpatriotic."

It is not "bashing."  It is being aware of the truth about my own country, and its history both national and international.  It is the knowledge that "people in glass houses" (the U.S.) should not throw stones.  It is the knowledge that "manifest destiny" was a genocide of a far greater order than anything Hitler ever dreamed of (Hitler: 6 million.  White America: 50+ million).  It is the knowledge that (as has been pointed out by others) the U.S. has still not eliminated its endemic racism against Blacks, despite 40 years passing since the civil rights movement.  It is the knowledge that U.S. imperialism still thrives, though now under the euphemism of "nation-building."  It is the knowledge that the U.S. - essentiall barely a "toddler" at less than 250 years old - has become the world's sole hyperpower, and expects to have its policies, whims and fancies adhered to by the global community without argument or dissent.  It is the knowledge that U.S. transnational corporations now own over 45% of the world's wealth, and control over 75% of the world's critical resources, from water to oil to food.  It is the knowledge that much of the "problem" in the "Third World" (a borderline racist term) was and is caused by the "West" and its control of global wealth and its unwillingness to truly do anything substantive to correct the problems.

Yes, the internal political situations in many of those countries may be "home-grown" and responsible for the remainder of the problem.  But even here, many of the current political situations - including dictatorships, benevolent dictatorships, quasi-socialist democracies, etc. - are the result of failed U.S. or other Western imperialism (which devolved into civil war, leading to the present situations), and some are the result of continued U.S. and other Western power policies of "propping up" all the wrong dictators (is there such a thing as a "correct" dictator?) and other government leaders.

I am not "bashing" America.  I am simply not going to turn a blind eye to all the atrocities - yes, atrocities - committed by the U.S. over the past 250 years, especially when the u.S. continues to perpetuate old atrocities and commit new ones (think Abu Gharib and Guantanamo, for starters).

As the sayting goes "dissent is patriotic."  Indeed, I remain fully aware that my freedom to dissent was fought for by brave men and women who died in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars (and, to a lesser extent, in the two world wars).  Indeed, it is because I cherish that freedom - and honor those men and women for their service - that I will not go quietly while this country moves closer and closer to proto-totalitarianism (via "police state" tactics) and theocracy.

It is because I am watching as our Constitution is being slowly shredded, as our freedoms of speech, press, assembly and free movement are being diminished and ever more controlled, and as our government uses fear in order to control the populace that I find it critical to speak out, and do so loudly and often.

If you consider that "America-bashing," so be it.  I call it being a true patriot.  Because I am fighting to defend our freedoms, while some of you are more than willing to sacrifice those freedoms for a "security" that is not only illusory, but as phony as a nine-dollar bill.

Peace.

Peace.

James Lee wrote: ^ you mean that didn't occur to you the first time you saw the films? I thought Lucas & co. were pretty heavy-handed about the social commentary. It was almost too pointedly relevant.

Actually, Lucas has emphatically stated that the rise of Palpatine is in no way intended to be a social commentary on the political situation in the U.S.  One only needs to look at the timeline of the films to realize that this is true.  First, the entire story for the prequel trilogy was drafted in the mid 90's, long before the world ever heard of W.  The first movie, The Phantom Menace came out in 1999.  The second movie, Attack of the Clones, came out in 2002; however, scripting was done on AotC in early 2001.  These were the two movies where Palpatine did most of his scheming.  The third movie, which was scripted and filmed after W's first election (appointment), deals more with Anakin's fall and the fruition of Palpatine's scheming. 

So by a simple analysis of the timeline of the prequel trilogy, one can see that there was no way Lucas could have intended this as a social commentary on the Bush administration.  Of course, you are free to draw your own parallels if you wish.

Personally, I wish Chris Columbus had done like the vikings and left the natives to it.

The Doctor wrote: NetsNJFan wrote: The Doctor wrote: NetsNJFan wrote: ^ I think THE DOCTOR and I are on the same page. I am definitely in the Democratic party camp, as oppose to my earlier statements.  The Republicans are way to Christian, way to tricky, and show way to much disregard for nature and ecology for that to be my party.  However on some Issues I am starting to agree with them.  I'm sure THE Doctor agrees with me it is time we said F.U. to international approval, no matter what we do they just get pissed off, and booted the UN out of NY.  All they do is pass resolutions against the US and Israel, I really despise them.  After all, this is the organization with Sudan on the humanitarian council.    I agree.  The republicans are far too christian for me (my god, this is the 21st century, the blue laws should be gone for christ's sake, and don't get me started on abortion rights - of which i am fully in favor, or prayer in school).  They have a self-righteousness about them that I truly despise.  And yes, they have much more regard for big business than they do for the ecology.  However, while fairly liberal on a lot of domestic issues (minus feminism, affirmative action, the welfare state, etc. - basically i think the government should stay out of the lives of individuals, but not necessarily corporations), I'm becoming more and more conservative regarding international policy.  And I'm beginning to think maybe it is time we kicked the U.N. out of New York.  Tis a blight on my home, it is.  There is no reason the U.S. should continue to house what is starting to amount to an enemy of the U.S., at least not in my home city. I agree with (limited) Affirmative action based primarily on economics, not race.  I go to a very affluent school, and we are much more advantaged than poorer kids when it comes to college entrance. But I think welfare is a mainly a failure.  I'm a New Dealer, but now we have these families in the slums that have been on welfare that have been on assistance for three generations etc, that is so wrong, however I do agree with unemployment, medicare, social security. And I am really conservative on foreign policy. I'm also a New Dealer.  My parents grew up in the time of FDR, and I still think that Roosevelt did a lot for this country.  I also believe that we as a society have an obligation to take care of those who are unable to care for themselves (therefore, I believe in SSI, disability and unemployment), but I do not believe that we have a responsibility to those who are unwilling to take care of themselves.  That's one of my problems with the two party system in this country, the democrats (at least as they are now) think we should take care of everybody, and the republicans don't think we should help anyone. A limited affirmative action based on income may not be so bad (hell, we sort of have that now with the college financial aid system), but it should not be based on race.

agreed.  saying blacks need help getting into college is admitting they are inferior.  who does that help?

The Doctor wrote: stonebeard wrote: Cygnus X-2 wrote: TheProgtologist wrote: Please excuse my moment of Star Wars geekiness: Luke could never have wielded that kind of power that early in his training even if he did turn to the dark side.In the books that continue the story from the end of Return of the Jedi he is able to wield power like that about 25 years later.He ripped the engines out of a Star Destroyer and closed a mini black hole by using the force.But he never could have done it back then. Nice to see someone else reads the books following Jedi! took my advice, eh Cygnus? I believe I have read every star wars novel published.  Hell, I think I've even read all the comic books.  I must say though that I prefer the prequel era to the original era, both in terms of novels and movies.   Yeah, I'm a nerd.  What's it to you?

I haven't read to that extent, but I've read a plenty amount of the novels. My favorites are Dark Saber and the fan favorite Shadows of the Empire. What are yours? (Sorry to get off topic)

Cygnus X-2 wrote: stonebeard wrote: Cygnus X-2 wrote: TheProgtologist wrote: Please excuse my moment of Star Wars geekiness: Luke could never have wielded that kind of power that early in his training even if he did turn to the dark side.In the books that continue the story from the end of Return of the Jedi he is able to wield power like that about 25 years later.He ripped the engines out of a Star Destroyer and closed a mini black hole by using the force.But he never could have done it back then. Nice to see someone else reads the books following Jedi! took my advice, eh Cygnus? It was a minor influence.

well, then

The Doctor wrote: NetsNJFan wrote: ^ I think THE DOCTOR and I are on the same page. I am definitely in the Democratic party camp, as oppose to my earlier statements.  The Republicans are way to Christian, way to tricky, and show way to much disregard for nature and ecology for that to be my party.  However on some Issues I am starting to agree with them.  I'm sure THE Doctor agrees with me it is time we said F.U. to international approval, no matter what we do they just get pissed off, and booted the UN out of NY.  All they do is pass resolutions against the US and Israel, I really despise them.  After all, this is the organization with Sudan on the humanitarian council.    I agree.  The republicans are far too christian for me (my god, this is the 21st century, the blue laws should be gone for christ's sake, and don't get me started on abortion rights - of which i am fully in favor, or prayer in school).  They have a self-righteousness about them that I truly despise.  And yes, they have much more regard for big business than they do for the ecology.  However, while fairly liberal on a lot of domestic issues (minus feminism, affirmative action, the welfare state, etc. - basically i think the government should stay out of the lives of individuals, but not necessarily corporations), I'm becoming more and more conservative regarding international policy.  And I'm beginning to think maybe it is time we kicked the U.N. out of New York.  Tis a blight on my home, it is.  There is no reason the U.S. should continue to house what is starting to amount to an enemy of the U.S., at least not in my home city.

I agree with (limited) Affirmative action based primarily on economics, not race.  I go to a very affluent school, and we are much more advantaged than poorer kids when it comes to college entrance.

But I think welfare is a mainly a failure.  I'm a New Dealer, but now we have these families in the slums that have been on welfare that have been on assistance for three generations etc, that is so wrong, however I do agree with unemployment, medicare, social security.

And I am really conservative on foreign policy.

Cygnus X-2 wrote: TheProgtologist wrote: Please excuse my moment of Star Wars geekiness: Luke could never have wielded that kind of power that early in his training even if he did turn to the dark side.In the books that continue the story from the end of Return of the Jedi he is able to wield power like that about 25 years later.He ripped the engines out of a Star Destroyer and closed a mini black hole by using the force.But he never could have done it back then. Nice to see someone else reads the books following Jedi!

took my advice, eh Cygnus?

this does seem to be a "moderate democrat/libertarian" sort of party 'eh.

I got me them 'ol Red State blues.