Somebody tell
Karl Rove to drop the applause sign. The minions he manipulates are
cheering for an
America
that does not exist. That abstract concept of
America
, and its embodiment of liberties and human rights, is
a fiction. Norman Rockwell's portrayal of
America
was an idealistic perversion of a landscape, which for many, has
been littered with oppression, bigotry, greed, torture and
even murder. Goya's brutal painting "Duel with Cudgels" comes
closer to capturing the essence of the underlying mean-spiritedness of
that is very much a component of this nation. Bush, his Neocons, and
the obscenely wealthy Oligarchs, who finance Republicans and Democrats
alike, embody the face of
America
which is seldom portrayed by our flag-waving mainstream
media
. Yes, there is a dark, brutish aspect to this self-proclaimed
beacon of freedom and liberty, and I am going to delve into it. Read
on if you dare to take an introspective look at the darker aspects of
our national identity.
Evil
heritage
As
early as 1661, American colonists began engaging in the slave trade. With
the advent of the birth of our nation in the late 18th Century, even
our hallowed Constitution legally endorsed the evil
institution of slavery. Abolitionists who rose to oppose slavery, like
John Brown, were executed as terrorists. Even an incredibly bloody
Civil War and three Amendments to the Constitution were not
enough to end American oppression of the black race. The specter
of Jim Crow arose in the south in the 1890's. Its power did not dwindle
until courageous leaders like Rosa Parks, Thurgood Marshall, and
Martin Luther King, Jr. arose in the mid Twentieth Century. Their
tireless efforts forced the federal government to enforce human
rights for the black race. Fear of the growing power of a
minority led to the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., a
peaceful proponent of civil rights. One can make a strong case
that the
US
government facilitated the assassination to stem the spread
of King's "radical ideas". In today's
America
, racism hides behind a veil of "political
correctness", and those who practice bigotry do so covertly,
in a cowardly attempt to avoid legal consequences.
The
Native Americans have not fared so well in
America
either, at least not since the Western Europeans invaded their
continent. In 1830, the US Congress passed the "Indian Removal
Act". This measure eventually enabled the federal government to
resolve the problem of a growing population in the state of
Georgia
by moving the Cherokee Nation to the state of
Oklahoma
. In 1838, on the forced 1,000 mile march, 4,000 Cherokee men, women
and children died in what is now known as "The Trail of
Tears".
Tecumseh,
a
Shawnee
leader who organized opposition to forced Native American
colonization, showed his insight into the ugly aspect of
America
when he spoke to the Osage tribe in 1812. In his speech, he
said, "Brothers, the white
people are like poisonous serpents: when chilled, they are feeble and
harmless; but invigorate them with warmth, and they sting their
benefactors to death."
Thanks
to Howard Zinn in Voices of a
People's History of the United States for uncovering a
telling quote from the Saturday
Pioneer, a newspaper in
Aberdeen
,
South Dakota
. Ironically, L. Frank Baum, who also wrote The
Wonderful Wizard of Oz (an "American literary
classic"), was the paper's editor in 1890, when the quote
appeared. Shortly after the massacre at
Wounded Knee
, and the subsequent murder of Sitting Bull, Baum's paper wrote, "The
Whites, by law of conquest, by justice of civilization, are masters of
the American continent....and the best safety of the frontier settlers
will be secured by the total annihilation of the few remaining
Indians." The
Saturday Pioneer had just defined the concept of "Manifest
Destiny", the belief that
America
had the divine right and destiny to expand its borders across the
North American continent and beyond.
We
take what we want
Driven
by a psychotic hubris, our leaders were convinced that
America
had the right and the duty to "civilize" the rest of our
continent with our "superior" Democratic and Protestant
ideals. Sound familiar?
America
began unleashing its imperialistic impulses on sovereign
nations in 1846. President James Polk annexed
Texas
, and sent American troops to help this future state gain its
independence from
Mexico
. Two years and 38,000 dead combatants later,
America
brought
Mexico
to its knees, and proudly included
Texas
,
New Mexico
, and
California
in its borders. Robbing the Native Americans of their land
was not enough to satiate the appetites of our imperialist
leaders for "White" conquest.
William
McKinley came to office in 1896 to preside over a country that still
had a ravenous appetite for expansion. Under McKinley, the
US
waged war against
Spain
in
Cuba
.
America
drove the Spaniards out, leaving a power vacuum that was quickly
filled by greedy
US
corporations. 500,000 Filipinos were killed as
America
wrested the Philippine Islands away from
Spain
. Our government justified their deaths by proclaiming that
the American victory would enable the
US
to civilize the savages in the
Philippines
. McKinley also arranged for the annexation of
Hawaii
and
Puerto Rico
during his unprecedented advance of the cause of Manifest Destiny.
The
price of avarice
In
the early Twentieth Century, Upton Sinclair and his fellow muckrakers
cast bright lights into the shadowy corners of corporate
America
. There they exposed ruthless, avarice-driven exploitation and
victimization of American workers and consumers. Sinclair's expose' of
the corrupt and dangerous practices of the meat-packing industry, The
Jungle, led to the passage of The Pure Food and Drug Act
of 1906. Prior to the efforts of Populists and Socialists like
Sinclair
,
America
's system of unbridled capitalism, enabled by laisez-faire economic
policy by the federal government, allowed ruthless corporations to
treat their workers like cattle. Greedy profiteers were also able
to market their products to consumers with virtual disregard for
quality and safety. Millions of Americans sustained injuries, worked
in perilous, inhuman conditions, received grossly inadequate wages, or
died as a result of corporate lust for profits. During the
so-called Gilded Age, corporations reigned with an appalling disregard
for humanity. However, pressure from muckrakers, Socialists, unions,
and Populists eventually curtailed the power of the Oligarchs.
All
is fair in love and war.....
Woodrow
Wilson continued to justify American imperialism under his foreign
policy of Wilsonian Democracy. Refining the notion of Manifest
Destiny,
Wilson
asserted the necessity of
America
to employ any means necessary, including force, to install democracies
in nations around the world. In large part, his doctrine rested on
Kant's notion that democracies are less likely to be war-like than
dictatorships or monarchies. Wilsonian Democracy propelled the
US
into World War I. How ironic that
America
, the self-proclaimed model for democracy, engaged in yet another
war. Is this an indication that Kant's notion was inaccurate, or can
one conclude that the
US
is not truly as democratic as the state-sponsored propaganda would
have the masses believe? During the war, Eugene Debs, Emma Goldman,
and other war protestors who violated the Sedition Act sacrificed
their freedom for exercising their First Amendment rights. As they
sat in prison for standing up to our imperialist leaders, over
100,000 Americans died in the "war to end all wars". Our
government employed flag-waving propaganda and mandatory
conscription to thrust millions of young men into the horror of
war, yet those who protested in the "land of the
free" were imprisoned.
Ask
the Japanese citizens during World War II for their perspective on the
"American Dream". After the bombing of
Pearl Harbor
, the federal government employed curfews as a means to marshal
control of the "enemy within". Bowing to pressure from
business interests who wanted to eliminate Japanese-American competitors,
the
US
government eventually made the decision to move 110,000 people of
Japanese descent into ten relocation centers throughout the
United States
. Stripped of their homes, businesses, and possessions, they were
interned behind barbed wire for over two years. Their alleged crime
was disloyalty to
America
. Over 2/3 of them were American citizens born on American soil.
Disgracefully, our government imprisoned them without a trial and
without charging them with a crime.
Guantanamo
Bay
is not without precedent. It is frightening that in a "free
nation" like the
United States
that such a history could repeat itself without widespread public
outcry.
Appetite
for destruction
American leadership
is still drunk with power, arrogance, and an insatiable appetite
for the accumulation of wealth. Based on a statement of principles
drafted in 1997, and a think-tank created to formulate ways
to implement the principles, The
Project for the New American Century paved the way for George
Bush and his pack of Neocons to launch the unprovoked and
unsubstantiated invasion of
Iraq
. Several of the war hungry Neocons, like Paul Wolfowitz, Donald
Rumsfeld, and Dick Cheney, signed the statement of
principles. The events of 9/11 gave them the rationale they
needed to initiate their aggression. Their imperial intentions
are clearly outlined at http://www.newamericancentury.org/statementofprinciples.htm.
Their concluding paragraph states:
"Such
a Reaganite policy of military strength and moral clarity may not be
fashionable today. But it is necessary if the
United States
is to build on the successes of this past century and to ensure our
security and our greatness in the next."
What
is perhaps equally disturbing is that a vast majority of the Democrats
have made little tangible effort to challenge the illegal actions of
Bush and the Neocons, making them complicit partners. Short of a few
exceptions, like Bill Moyers, the mainstream media has forsaken their
duty as the Fourth Estate. Rather than informing the American people
of the truth about our corrupt and malevolent government, they bow to
the pressure of their corporate masters and feed us versions of the
truth that withhold details and present criminal act by
our government in a benign manner. A British Member of Parliament
recently showed the guts to openly challenge several of our venal
Senators (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4556113.stm).
When will our own elected representatives and members of the press
show that kind of spine? Perchance most of them have simply
sold out and become party to the "Dark Side" of our national
identity.
The
Bush administration has demonstrated its commitment to making the
Twenty First Century the "American Century". However, the reality
is that the invasion of a small country like
Iraq
has stretched our military to its limits. After two years of
US
military occupation,
Iraq
is still in a state of chaos, and many Iraqis want our military to
withdraw. The sun is setting on the "American Empire" as
Bush and his people desperately struggle to fan the dying embers and
rekindle the flames. There are multiple countries with nuclear
capabilities.
China
wields a great deal of economic power over the
United States
as it continues to parlay its colossal trade surplus
into an opportunity to finance a large portion of the
US
debt. Terrorist acts, over-dependence on credit, and weaker
nations with nuclear capabilities are proving to be the David to our
Goliath. Redefining the term "debtor nation" with a $7.5
trillion national debt,
America
is bleeding red ink. The failing effort in
Iraq
is costing billions of dollars that this country does not have.
America
's dominance is rapidly diminishing.
Bush
has launched a war with no end in sight against the "evil
terrorists", an elusive, shadow target which cannot be
definitively beaten. Perpetual fear and hatred of the
"terrorists" motivate many Americans to support a seemingly
endless war, and enable Karl Rove to manipulate the masses. The
Neocons are free to pursue their policy of military proliferation of
American interests to their hearts' content. However, the waning
strength of this nation, coupled with the rising strength of nations
like
China
, make this model unsustainable. Americans have been duped into
following a ruinous course.
Hypocrisy
and hubris....when do they end?
In
1997, with the advent of The
Project for the New American Century,
America
laid out a publicly available plan for global domination.
Historically, Americans have pursued a policy of aggressive global
expansionism under the guise of altruism, the "right of manifest
destiny", or under the pretext of protecting its regional
interests. The
United States
flaunts its lofty Constitution and Bill of Rights, yet with each
passing day continues to deny basic civil rights to homosexuals (5%
of the
US
population). It defies the UN and Geneva Convention with alarming
regularity. Americans earn an annual per capita income of $34,000.00
compared to the world per capita of $7,000.00. We consume 25% of
the world's fossil fuels while 2 billion people in the world have no
access to electricity. In 2000, the Bush regime installed itself to
rule our Executive branch by manipulating the voting process. Had Jeb
Bush not been the governor of
Florida
, Al Gore would be our president. Grossly abusing their ill-gotten
power, Bush and his Neocons have engaged in a consistent pattern
of false propaganda to manipulate public opinion. Their unilateral
decision-making almost never shows regard for relationships with
allies or the United Nations. Bush has consistently rewarded
incompetents, war criminals, and deceitful individuals with
promotions in his regime.
America
has some serious house-cleaning to do before we forcefully export our value
systems to our neighbors.
In
the spirit of advancing the cause of Protestant superiority, our Senate
is now considering a bill heavily promoted by
America
's own religious radicals, the Religious Right. The Constitution
Restoration Act would, for the purposes of judicial review, recognize
"God as the sovereign source of law, liberty, or
government." And Bush really expects critical thinking people
to swallow his Newspeak about "spreading freedom and
liberty" around the world? With the virtually silent consent of
the Democratic minority in Congress, Bush and the Neocons continue to
pursue an evolved version of Manifest Destiny as they attempt to
brutally force
America
's "Christian" and "Democratic" ways upon the
American people, and upon the rest of the world.
Sweet
little lies.... and crimes against humanity
Why
were Americans surprised at the attack of 9/11? The Neocons have
convinced many Americans that our nation was an innocent victim of
attacks of "evil terrorists". How naive can a person be?
America
, in its supreme arrogance and imperialistic endeavors, has been
enraging people in foreign nations for years. If the
terrorists did actually carry out these attacks autonomously,
America
was far from innocent. Was it tragic? Yes. Do the perpetrators deserve
to be punished severely? Yes. However,
America
has been provoking people and nations for many years. Those who died
in the
World
Trade
Center
that day were certainly innocent victims, but
America
as a nation
was not.
In
saying "if the terrorists did actually carry out" 9/11, I
intentionally left the culpability ambiguous. While there is little
doubt that Bush, the Neocons, and other members of the
obscenely wealthy Oligarchy (see http://www.dissidentvoice.org/May05/Miller0517.htm) knew
that the strikes were going to occur and chose to allow them to
happen, there is also compelling evidence that they actually
orchestrated and perpetrated 9/11. David Ray Griffin advances
that theory with clarity in 9/11
and the American Empire at http://www.newtopiamagazine.net/articles/47.
The deaths of 3,000 American civilians in an attack that appeared to
be carried out by terrorist representatives of the Middle East (with
its coveted oil reserves) provided the Neocons and Oligarchs with
a golden opportunity to mobilize the American people to
engage in the invasion of Iraq, yet another scapegoat in this
sick scenario. Given much of the world's justifiable hatred of
America
, it is unlikely that the terrorists needed much prompting by our
leadership to carry out the attacks. Careful scrutiny of the
evidence presented by
Griffin
, including the actions of our government before and after the strike,
the nature of the strike on the Pentagon, and the collapse of the WTC
towers, lends significant credibility to the idea that the Neocons and
the Oligarchs were directly involved in the perpetration of the
WTC tragedy.
Whether
one believes the terrorists acted autonomously, or that the Neocons
and Oligarchs sponsored the attacks, Bush, the Neocons and
our other Oligarch leaders bear the responsibility for the deaths of
the 3,000 Americans in the
World
Trade
Center
. Foreknowledge of the attacks and subsequent failure to defend our
nation are crimes against the American people. Direct
responsibility for the attacks represents an even more substantial
crime. Both are grounds for impeachment, removal from office, and criminal
prosecution.
Hope
on the horizon
I still
believe in the inherent decency of many of the people in the
United States
. Our Constitution is an unparalleled contract between
citizens and government upon which to build a republic that
fosters individual rights and freedom. A capitalistic economic system which
includes government restraints and social welfare programs for the
poor has proven to be beneficial to a majority of the American
population in the past. Despite the ugly stains on our history, Americans made
great evolutionary strides in the 20th Century toward realizing our
tremendous potential for economic and social justice. However, under
the Neocons, the Religious Right, and the Oligarchs, much of that
progress is eroding.
America
is a nation comprised of millions of people and dynamics, and to
expect it to live up to the idealized notions of truth, justice, and
the American way would be unrealistic. Yet, the fact that
the ideal is unattainable does not give us license to abandon the
principles of our Constitution to the extent that we have. Americans
have a choice. If enough people are willing to take an introspective
look into the soul of our nation, and into our own souls, it is
not too late to peaceably end the reign of the corrupt and
restore
America
to a place of sanity, and dignity. People of conscience and
critical thought need to stand up and say "enough" to
the Oligarchs and Neocons. Together we can reclaim our nation and
make it a true beacon of liberty!
--
I
am a 38 year old free-lance activist writer with a degree in liberal
arts. I have been widely published by Internet news sources.
I am a husband and a father to three boys, and I earn my living as an
account representative at a finance company. My affiliations include
the ACLU and the Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
I welcome responses at willpowerful@hotmail.com.
© 2005
Jason Miller