Bully America
Who says there’s no bipartisanship in Washington? When it comes to endorsing our culture of violence, revenge, and punishment, we’re essentially a one-party state. This was vividly on display with the release of the dying Lockerbie bomber by those commies over in Scotland, when the networks fell all over themselves to find “grieving” family members screaming for his head because they just were too aggrieved to wait a couple of weeks for him to be dead anyway, particularly of natural causes. No voices for compassion and forgiveness could be found, not that anyone looked. Due to a 30 year “victim’s rights” movement, lavishly funded by the prison/industrial complex, vengeance has been repackaged as “closure” and “healing” for cynical financial gain, and we ended up with the highest incarceration rates in the world, the cost of which has elbowed aside health, education, you name it. And it has left us a nation of bloodthirsty Inquisitors, not interested in either due process or or the humane treatment of the imprisoned, and woe to any political figure to point this out. True to form, President Obama, channeling Bill O’Reilly, jumped right on the bandwagon of victims turned victimizers.
When a society becomes merciless, as ours surely has, evil acquires its banality. When we barely tolerate fair trials for criminals, why wouldn’t we summarily toss purported “terrorists” in the dungeon and throw away the key? When we allow our prisons to become overcrowded concentration camps with their own, often grisly Death Chambers, why wouldn’t we torture prisoners? When every tinpot dictator is slickly branded as an existential threat, why wouldn’t we bomb and devastate innocents all over the world, to “keep us safe?”
The problem, outside of the staggering moral cost, is that there’s also a financial cost as well, as we’re now beginning, at long last, to see. No country can spend trillions on war, billions on prisons, while its wealthy and powerful are coddled with low taxes and virtual immunity from the law, and not eventually find itself in bankruptcy, unable to pay for basic human needs while war and punishment drain us of both our money and our humanity. We’ve come to the point where we are literally shocked that other, more civilized countries, would release a dying man who may not even be guilty, out of simple humanity. Humanity is soooo pre-911. Those Scots have universal health care, too, which only goes to show what pussies they are.
The irony is that sacrificing real human needs in favor of prisons only leads to more crime, and that mindlessly aping terrorists all over the world only leads to more terrorism, a nifty fact that our only growing industries, with their enormous power and influence, incarceration and military suppliers, understand all too well, as they bleed us dry while we scream for blood. Thus, their greed has, well, just by happy accident, turned us into a nation of sociopaths, and nobody fucks with a sociopath, not even a purportedly “liberal” president.
I used to think that Bush and the Republicans, with their cowboy attitudes and FOX-addled, gun-loving supporters were the problem but they weren’t; they were just an appalling symptom of a much larger disease. America, get thee to a psychologist.
You wrote, “they were just an appalling symptom of a much larger disease” and in that sentence you will find 120 percent agreement from me. I have been saying for decades that very thing. We have become a very sick, brutal, deranged society.
The fellow in question in your post may very well have been innocent. They convicted him on the testimony of a shop keeper who IDed him after seeing a newspaper picture of him and the article claimed he was one of the perps. Not the way a fair trial is supposed to work.
The “victims rights” people also don’t seem to understand that if the convicted man is really innocent, then the real criminal that hurt your family is free as a bird out there someplace laughing at you.
We have, collectively, lost all ability to reason it seems. We will look at a thing based on how we want it to be rather than how it really is. This is human nature to some extent and has been known for thousands of years — but I think it has become exponentially worse in our day.
By the way. This post was one of the Hag’s very best. Congrats.
Thanks, Heru…
It really is frightening to see that only our lowest emotions are ever activated, as crazy becomes the new normal. I thought, as I was writing, that you would like this post; it involves our area of complete agreement.
Wow, powerfully written, Hag. We are pitted against a society that makes “24″ prime viewing and gives its ears (and millions of dollars) the the anal cyst known as Limbaugh.
One time, long ago, “Have you no decency?” made a difference, if only briefly. I fear it’s far too late for that now. “On what planet do you spend most of your time?” had a brief comic effect for some of us here on Earth, but was not understood on the planets where it was most needed.
Of course. Anything nonviolent is simply out of the question as a solution, no matter the problem.
My disgust and embarrassment grow by the day.
Jim,
Please allow me to “jump on you” and ask why you think America has become what you seem to think it has become. Why, in other words, does “Have you no decency” have no currency any longer? Why have we become the rough and coarse beast slouching towards Gomorrah?
I have though about it for decades. It is part of my religion as a matter of fact. I wonder what your answer is.
My point is that the culture has become so dependent on being spoon-fed superficial inanities in which subgroups of whatever type are told they are the only superior beings while everyone else is unworthy.
Look at the town hall meetings. Some who show up are there because they really are concerned about their livelihood in the face of big changes, yet they allow themselves to be misled by fake populism into agitating against their own self-interests. There is no mechanism these days for society to slow down and have a real conversation that can start from shared values and work through differences.
Jim,
I agree with what you are saying. I guess our difference is that I would look for some deeper reason.
We have become brutal. I mean brutal in all aspects of our life. Take a look at internet sites where most everyone agree with each other on the majority of issues. Still there is loud yelling, name calling, and so forth and very little of the calm, rational, reasoning that you would like to see.
I agree that politicians are able to get away with “sound bite politics” that obscures rather than informs. Why this is so, is harder to see.
My wife says, “it is a poser”.
Nice. I really wish I could write with your passion, and half as well.
The passion leads directly to the writing, which at my age doesn’t occur every day. Just some days. Thanks.
Great post. If we are going to fix our culture, we first need to banish the ridiculous American thinking that we are the best in the world and anyone who does something different from us is wrong. It stems from religious thinking, Christian-Judea is the major culprit in America, that we know who the true God is and our religion is right and the others are wrong. Once you believe you have the powerful faith proof, not scientific proof, that you are right about something as intangible as God, then your arrogance knows no bounds when judging other cultures.
Our idea of justice is based on winners and losers. For me to win because you caused the death of a loved one, you must lose and you are a sinner condemned forever to suffer. So even if you have weeks to live, you deserve to die as a dog because only vengeance will sooth me not forgiveness and I will remain angry the rest of my life.
Other cultures have figured out that there are many reasons for why someone makes a terrible mistake and that it is possible after paying a heavy consequence for the killer to change and even make valuable contributions to society. Rehabilitation is the goal, not vengeance. The Scotts and Brits see no value in denying someone a chance to die with family members.
Examples abound including my experience with a drunk driver who killed my dad, where forgiveness is far more beneficial. The Greeks understood this when they wrote and believed that “hate destroys the vessel that contains it.” The vengeance seekers also fail to understand how much family members of a killer or criminal suffer at no fault of their own.
That’s the point, RMP… It’s that we’ve been told that the opposites of healing and closure will give us healing and closure, and have collectively gone cuckoo because of it.
Terrific post, Hag.
Also incredibly sad…but true.
What lengths will we go to vanquish the monsters under our beds? Any, it seems.
The problem is that too many are vulnerable to false suggestions of the monsters.
Too many? Try all. Al Franken initially believed Colin Powell and cheered for the Iraq war. It’s infected our DNA, with dire consequences.
So very, very eloquent, CH!
I’ve never read you in better form… I have to tweet about this now, and post it on facebook, too.
It was in thinking about your suggestion that I write about teh stoopid, that the more I thought about it, it was teh heinous that was the root of it all. Hence, this.
I wondered if that had been a prompt… well then I’m really glad I suggested what I did. This truly is an eloquent piece.
This is an example of the ultimate scum. Breaks the law under his watch by stealing so many billions that he had to pay $1.7 billion in penalties then blames everyone but himself when interviewed by Rick Sanchez on CNN. And now he uses his dirty money to kill health reform. Put him in prison for life and if he has three months to live, it would be OK to let him go free. Fat chance of anything like that happening. Why put him in prison? All he has done is still billions and cause the death and suffering of thousands. Now if he got caught selling marijuana, then we could put him away for a long time.
Rick Sanchez Takes On Anti-Health Reform Group Again (video)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/21/rick-sanchez-takes-on-ant_n_265573.html
Ewww. Is that that Rick Scott? The one that should be in jail? Sheesh, as usual.
I think this post belongs in the Blast… makes people think.
T
It will be. Just came up with a new name for the Repug Party, POND, Party of Nope Dopes.
It was a RawStory article about an IL POND Rep. that inspired me:
‘Just say no to everything’ the new GOP chant?
http://rawstory.com/blog/2009/08/congressman-just-say-no-is-the-new-gop-chant/
Wow. What an ass that guy is, and a liar to boot. Why am I not surprised?
Another case of our so called justice. There is a considerable possibility he was framed and is a political prisoner, so now he has to remain in prison until at least 2024. US justice strikes again.
American Indian activist Leonard Peltier, convicted in FBI agent deaths, denied parole
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-peltier-parole,0,1411297.story
I heard about that case; I’m sorry to hear it ended the good old fashioned American way.
CH, that was really devastating, and appropriately so. You mentioned in passing the Scots and healthcare. Well, that reminded me of the so-called “clearances” of the late 18th early 19th centuries, where the English aristocracy forcibly removed highlanders from their traditional land-holdings. Naturally, they did the same with the Irish and–voila!–we have lots of Irish and Scottish descendants here in the new world.
Well, I don’t mean to veer off into a history lesson, but it’s so painfully clear that we–as a nation–are a bunch of dumb fucks who deserve what’s undoubtedly coming to us (although I exclude children and those of infirm mind–like me). My God, if there were ever a laundry list of deaths and maimings brought about by this nation, well, even Dante couldn’t create a Circle of Hell deep enough.
Keep it up, Hag. It’s important.
It’s sad. We’ve been whipped into a frenzy so people could make money off it. What a nice epitaph for the headstone of the “land of the free.”
A minor historical footnote …
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/story/813820.html
Ah, Calley. Remember how he was a hero of the right in those days. Sheesh.
” Another case of our so called justice. There is a considerable possibility he was framed and is a political prisoner”
Ditto the Libyan. Back when the accusation was first made, 60 Minutes investigated the case. Their conclusion : the Syrians did it. They had ( & broadcast) airport security video from Sri Lanka that showed the accused bombers , at a time that made it very unlikely that they were the bombers. There was other compelling evidence , that I’ve since forgotten. Why accuse the Libyans, when e evidence pointed at Damascus? The Clinton Administration was in negotiations with Syria & Israel, an enterprise that would be complicated by accusations of terrorism.
The “brutality”? Nothin’ new. Been there from the beginning. Just the capability for quantity, less personal nature, and the far-flung locations of most of it, has changed.
Mike, your reference to Clinton Admin (‘negotiating’ with Syria & Israel) is out of synch with The Timeline. The bomb occurred in Dec. 1988, the month after Geo. H.itler W.orker Bush — call him ‘Herbie’ — was elected, and less than 3 months after Herbie’s order shot down the (Iran’s) civilian passenger plane with Iranians going to Mecca. 400+ innocent souls killed.
A couple things about that. During Raygun’s 8 years in office he was non compos mentis, blibbety-blibbety lips, sponge-brained out, the whole 9 yards. Raygun was the cardboard photo op prop, Herbie wielded the power — all that you know happened 1980-88 was Herbie’s direction and doing … without his fingerprints on it. So when military madness shoots down an unarmed civilian passenger plane in October ’88: Herbie did it. (When Dumbo stoopid bum gets installed in the Evil Office of The Fright House in Dec. 2000, the pawn placed as planned in advance, to front the cover-up control after Herbie’s Nine-Eleven Op would be conducted: Herbie did it.) Secondly: Iran controlled Syrian proxies who were paid $10 million reportedly to bomb the Lockerbie plane, (on-board were, mostly, innocent civilian souls, too, but also a team of CIA goatherds who ‘knew too much’ … which implies that both enemy and ‘friendly’ fire might have motive to target them, as is always the liability for two-timing double agents and duplicitous double-crossers), to get Iran’s revenge. It was Herbie, (all the while full-well knowing Iran’s Syrian cell did it), who ‘negotiated’ with Iran/Syria (1990), (Mr. “wobbly-kneed” in Margaret Thatcher’s disparagement of him), giving them non-prosecution in order to get their allowance for Herbie’s attack on Iraq posed as ‘saving Kuwait.’
Clinton has his own murderous mayhem guilts, laden with which his Earthly departure is headed to hellish eternal torment, but the Lockerbie notoriety was not one of his … although he later knew the truth about it.
As for ‘negotiating with Israel’ — that is such a LOL that I’m not going to even start to explain (the facts of death). Basically, the powerlust sociopath Zionist (Likudniks, et al.) office-holding faction in Israel IS the CIA’s totalitarian faction’s puppets and allies in subhuman brutalism … any pretense of US-Israel ‘negotiation’ is a foil as foregone as a scripted Punch ‘n’ Judy skit.
On the larger longer topic of The Timeline:
All the mentions (so far) are arrayed along The Timeline, including (in reverse chronology) the Lockerbie bombing, Pelletier victimization, Calley massacre, McCarthy having “no decency,” and much much more.
Enter consideration of The Timeline through the Lockerbie bomb story, (since a handy link is available just now, making the rounds on the internets and YouTubes, to shine light in that entryway). And then, once inside and ‘into it,’ let’s look at the widest circumstantial environment of The Timeline from present-day back at least as far as 1945 events, although there are signal antecedents back before then.
I link to this — Lockerbie Doubts, by Lisa Pease, August 21, 2009 — HERE, (Common Dreams .ORG) for the sake of the furthering Comments section, yet the better high-quality site to discover is at the original source of the item, HERE: Consortium News .COM
The intriguing details seem unending in this item. Read the whole hair-raising head-scratching horrific at the link. It deserves your hours of study and remembering all the names, connections, dates to establish your thinking in some place along The Timeline.
I quit the quote at the particular mention of “a Mossad agent” (that is the ‘bad’ Israeli’s CIA/FBI-equivalent, the spy skunks, as you probably know but, just btw, did you know Rahm Emanuel is a high-order Mossad agent, reportedly 2nd-in-command for North America? probably you already knew he has dual US and Israel citizenship (papers) … allegiance to neither and loyalty to self), contacting the BKA in advance with “a tip.” Besides all other facets to see in the single sentence, let’s ask: How did that “contact” happen?
Because that gives a segue into the following full-quoted report about The Timeline. Probably the Mossad ‘sent a message’ to the BKA such as a telegram. Or, in another way that these things work, Mossad’s ‘people’ called BKA’s ‘people.’ The point being that somewhere in the “contact” there was a phone call or a radio transmission, and that is where the CIA/NSA eavesdrops into the story, and at that we then know the spy-US/CIA/NSA knew and when they knew it. And my vaunted ‘The Timeline’ tease is simply the historic record of spy-US/CIA/NSA, 1945 to present-day.
The “widest circumstantial environment” in all this (time and activities) to consider is simply that, sicko as it sounds, all Napoleon-complex and everything, there actually truly is in our world a rather limited and far-out group of persons who imagine and plan and intermittently conduct themselves to “take over the world.” Seriously. Serious to themselves, that is, especially. Full-blown crumbled-crackers ‘Pinky and the Brain.’ It could all be low comedy where humorous hijinks ensue if it wasn’t for the recognition that it is such persons as Herbie, who, in fact, indeed, can obtain military invasions of countries approximately by ‘having his people call their people,’ or can install his imbecile offspring in The Fright House for 8 years by, more or less merely planning years in advance and pulling the strings and lifting the levers to do it. The guy is as looney-tunes as Hitler but quite a bit more dangerous to our life on Earth. Hitler did not have The Bomb or cruise missiles, not to mention spy satellites and instantaneous worldwide communication. Look it up — Herbie: Hellhound uber alles. And there are a few others of that league: Kissinger (who somehow ‘operates’ Obama), David Rockefeller, Netanyahu, say, or this latest figure seen looming in the shadows, I.M. Irving Moskowitz. Howard in Canada, Brown (and Blair) in Britain, whatshisname in Australia, have bit parts in it. (The Big Boys are the ones such as Herbie, Henry, David R., Ibn Saud & The Royals, who have been ‘in’ The Timeline, in the ‘CIA inner circle,’ continuously since 1945.) Seeing the major enemy is among spy-US/CIA/NSA, suddenly Putin and Chavez and Castro and Bhutto and Mandela and Nader start to look like our true friends.
Yet everything is smoke-and-mirrors insane surreality. It takes constant concentration in the common sense by which we know everything can be explained as human nature of the three basic motives: Money, power, sex — either ‘they’ are trying to get rich, or trying to get their way, or trying to get laid — just like you and me. The danger is that billions of souls really can be driven self-doubting crazy if we believe the lies ‘they, the few’ are able to foist on the world. Unlike you and me.
My favorite conciseness in it all is the version and verse of martyr Stephen Biko: The most powerful weapon in the hands of the oppressor … is the mind of the oppressed.
Always check your infomation for its common-sense factor. Accept no substitute. And let’s go now to Wayne Madsen, once an NSA insider himself. Didja ever notice? that the ones who have actually really been privy ‘on the inside’ and got disgusted and got out or are trying to, (before being a double-crossed casualty), when they tell their stories they all converge on the same truth. For example, what Tom Ridge’s fresh new book is saying: “it’s all powermad faking and lies.” And has been since TV’s brainwashing stupor began, circa 1950. (And Don Hewitt a devil of infamy in it.)
Great articles, Meremark, and thanks for posting them. Every time I start to feel like Shrill Absolutist, all I have to do is read something like that.
Thanks for that information, happen to be looking several days and nights for this.