once upon a time, in a time far gone, there was a dream. tyranny and oppression would be a thing of the past and the common man was equal with a king. i am guessing that we have awakened from that dream because the country we live in today is more like a nightmare. i call my country 'new america' these days because what we have here isn't what we started out as. at least- not the ideal. i am fully aware of our sordid history with imperialism and genocide. but this post isn't about the past- it's about the now and now- is indescribable.
we could talk politics and politicians in this primary season leading to the general in november- but that is being done ad nauseum and it isn't the point of my post (which i am getting to :) much talk has been in the msm about 'the people'- white, working class people, black people, hispanics people, racist people, misogynistic people- you get the idea- but what about us as a people? it started me wondering. i chuckle ironically at the notion that we are 'one nation under god' because we aren't. we have never been. there have always been divisions and splits and the only thing we agree on is our right to vote- or not. and i found it interesting that americans protested recently- to free tibetans from chinese oppression and yet many won't vote for a black man in the 21st century- or a woman- or a liberal. we get our panties in a wad about how horribly women are treated in the middle east- i mean really- honor killings and burkas! and yet, there are americans working everyday to keep women in this country out of the workforce and away from contraception.
i think we have to take a hard look at who we are; who our neighbors are; what is being done in our name; and what we are going to do about it. folks preach tolerance! folks demonstrate for peace! but it isn't taking a hard look at the issues we are facing. we hear the word 'unprecedented' quite a bit these days and i think that there is good reason. we have many issues facing us that are going to impact our daily lives- food shortages, drought, energy crises- and test our mettle as human beings. but we also have issues that are going to effect the peace and stability in this country- and they are going on right now.
few people realize the steps that have been- and continue to be taken- towards martial law and militarization in this country. in the grander scheme of things, whoever takes the white house will have to contend with a stronger pentagon- and stronger corporate military. our police forces in this country have become militarized- and i don't think it is an accident that so very many people are being tazed and beaten first- and questions asked later. why are we having so many 'round ups' in america? legal immigrants and citizens alike are being rounded up along with folks decreed 'illegal' and none are being treated in accordance with the constitution. we have people in this country detained indefinitely and without recourse. that is reality.
another ugly reality- one that we all have to live with- hundreds of thousands of military personnel have been wounded physically and mentally- and many are being denied medical and mental health treatment. memorial day is a joke in america. how many take the time to honor the fallen? how many simply use it as an excuse for a long weekend and a bbq? we have read about the horrors befalling our veterans and active duty troops coming home- but few stop to realize that these folks are coming home to families and friends who expect them to be the people they were before they left the first time- or the second- or the fifth. they aren't and can't be. not living through and seeing- and doing- what they have.
americans seem to be waking up from a dream of what they thought that reality was- only to discover that our entire country is being outsourced- from our government to our jobs. if it isn't outsourced- it's contracted out and we howl because our 'way of life' is suffering. we have decided that the easiest way to change things is to purge the republican party- the neocons especially. we are angry and look at them with distaste. that's all well and good but we need to take a good hard look at who voted for them in the first place because it was our co-workers, our neighbors, our family members..... fellow americans who believe whole heartedly in that way of thinking. that way of thinking that hillary clinton has used so effectively in stirring up the racist bigotry in appalachia. so, while the neo con movement and conservatism is being moved to the back burner, it isn't going away. it is simply being given a new look with the blue dog democratic movement of nancy pelosi and hillary clinton and evan bayh- newer, and shinier but nevertheless still there.
because- we, the people, have become obsolete. they don't really need us anymore- the globalized world is their oyster- and they intend to exploit it as fully as they can. because that is the american way. peace in our time? not likely.
