October 9, 2005
What is beyond the looking glass?
"And
certainly the glass was beginning to melt away, just like a bright
silvery mist. In another moment Alice was through the glass, and had
jumped lightly down into the Looking-glass room."
Over a
year ago, the comfort of my world severely diminished as I took my
journey through the looking glass and discerned the ugly truths about
the nation of my birth, the United States of America. "Logic and
proportion" certainly seemed to have "fallen softly dead" when I
discovered that much of what I had learned about my country as a child
had been a lie. My world was turned upside down. Now I passionately
pursue my goal to share my awakening with many others so they too feel
inspired to struggle to preserve the excellent qualities of America and
to eradicate the rotting decay.
Virtually each day I sift
through a wealth of information I glean from books, the Internet, and
sometimes the mainstream media. I also read (and respond to) many of
the hundreds of emails I receive. Supporters of my writing email me
with thanks and observations. More neutral parties send me information
or viewpoints I had not considered and point out factual or logical
flaws in my essays. Antagonists and critics hammer me with ad hominem
attacks, invitations to leave the country, and even death threats. I
offer my thanks to each person who writes me. I welcome support for
obvious reasons, additional information expands the limits of my
knowledge, and attacks inspire me to pursue social justice with a
renewed intensity.
As my base of knowledge and volume of
communication with people on political matters have increased, I have
become increasingly certain of an unpopular conclusion. Certainly it
could be much worse in America in some respects, but if one drills a
bit beneath the surface, the putrid stench of corruption and inhumanity
is almost unbearable. The United States of America is governed by an
aristocracy with globally imperialistic ambitions that is preparing to
sweep away the remaining vestiges of our Constitutional republic. My
viewpoint is based on a wide array of eclectic sources. While many
derive comfort from labeling themselves and following the herd, I align
myself with neither conservatives nor liberals, Democrats nor
Republicans. I pledge allegiance to no party, flag, or government. My
loyalty is to my Higher Power, my family, my friends, my fellow human
beings, and to myself.
US democracy: the best government "The Moneyed" can buy
America’s
apologists can deny the reality to their dying breath, but the truth is
that the United States of America as a democracy, a republic, or a free
society is a fraud. While our nation was founded on high principles,
even our founders fell far short of the standards they set for
themselves. Many owned slaves, despite the fact that they may have had
misgivings about it. Some, like Alexander Hamilton, desired an overt
aristocracy because they did not trust the "people" to govern
themselves. Virtually all of our founders were wealthy, white
land-owners. Throughout its history, this nation has failed to deliver
on the promises of its Constitution. Even Lincoln, one of the finer men
to serve in the Oval Office, did not end slavery out of moral
considerations. The Civil War and political pressures led him to pursue
the abolition of that abhorrent institution.
In spite of the
Emancipation Proclamation and the subsequent Thirteenth Amendment
ending slavery, Black Americans have continued to face tremendous
oppression, abuse, and racism throughout America’s history. The feeble
response of the federal government to the crisis in New Orleans (a
predominately Black city) and Bill Bennett's recent repugnant remarks
provide poignant evidence that bigotry and racism are deeply ingrained
into American government and society. As it continues to pour $5
billion per month into an illegal occupation in Iraq, the federal
government plans to cut entitlement programs to pay for the
reconstruction of the city of New Orleans. This will render a
significant blow to the impoverished victims of Katrina and to many
other poor Americans, regardless of their race.
Despite intense
opposition by the wealthy elitists who dominated America's government,
throughout much of the Twentieth Century groups and movements fought to
utilize the mechanisms available through our Constitution to advance
the cause of social justice. The Women's Suffrage Movement, the
Wobblies, the Socialists, the ACLU, the Civil Rights Movement, and many
others employed non-violent means to gain unprecedented rights for
women, the working class, Black Americans, children, the poor, and
other minorities. Many paid for their "crime" of standing up to the
ruling elites through loss of their careers and reputations, prison
time, beatings, deportation, and even assasination. Thanks to these
brave individuals, the soulless worshippers of money were curtailed in
their oppression of the people, at least for a time.
Stop! You have gone FAR enough….
Richard
Nixon was a felon, but the Watergate scandal was rather insignificant
when one considers that his presidency marked the advent of a new
"Gilded Age". Starting with the Nixon era, Social Darwinism began to
recapture the hearts and minds of many Americans. While fancying
themselves to be part of a pluralistic society resting on the pillars
of freedom, equality, justice, and democracy, many denizens of the
United States have willingly enabled their government to become one of
the most avaricious, corrupt, and covertly repressive entities in
history. Nixon, Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, and Bush II have worked
feverishly to advance the "noble causes" of the enrichment of corporate
America, the expansion of the American Empire, the steady erosion of
the populist gains made during the Twentieth Century, and the
substantial increase in the wealth chasm between the rich and the poor.
When we see Ronald Reagan’s face enshrined on the $50 bill, we will
know that the tyranny of the wealthy elite has reached a milestone in
convincing average Americans of the "righteousness" of their cause. Few
worked harder than Reagan to advance their agenda and to bring the
social justice movement to a screeching halt.
Who needs the Constitution?
Consider
the circumstances of Jose Padilla, a US citizen arrested on US soil. He
has been imprisoned by the US government without charges or a trial for
3 years and 153 days. Violating principles which originated with the
Magna Charta, and which are clearly embedded in our Constitution, the
federal government has denied Padilla due process under the law. In our
Constitutional republic, civilian authority is meant to supersede
military authority, yet Padilla remains in military custody. While
Padilla’s plight remains abstract to many Americans because it is not
happening to them or someone they know, the Padilla situation
demonstrates our government’s newly self-endowed power to declare any
US citizen an enemy combatant (or "terrorist") and hold them without a
trial. Do we toss the Constitution in the trash, recycle it to help
save a tree, or keep it as a relic of the past to remind the ruling
elite just how bad it can get for them?
Abu Gharib and
Guantanamo Bay serve as further harbingers of the collapse of the
Constitutional republic in the United States. Once deemed unimaginable,
torture inflicted by the "shining beacon of truth and justice" has been
exposed to the light of day. While the Bush administration "cleanses
its sins" by punishing the enlisted soldiers who were carrying out
their orders to inflict prisoner abuse, it has promoted Alberto
Gonzalez, the architect of the US torture policies, to the position of
chief law enforcement officer in the United States. How ironic (and
frightening) can it get?
Justice, one of the lofty ideals which
the United States supposedly exemplifies, is non-existent for those at
Guantanamo Bay accused of "terror". If those in US custody committed
crimes or perpetrated attacks against the United States, I favor
punishing them to the extent of the law. However, in denying them due
process, we have become the very tyrants our government professes to
oppose. Try them or release them.
"Patriots" champion the "nobility cause" for the aristocracy
Since
World War II, the United States has aggressively vied to expand its
empire through covert CIA operations, support of ruthless dictators who
support US interests, economic manipulation, and direct military
intervention. While many readers who email me agree with my
condemnations of US state terrorism (which has resulted in the murder
of millions of innocent civilians), a surprising number of bellicose,
mean-spirited individuals have indicated their strong support for such
actions. The wealthy elite, who are the true power-brokers in our
nation, thrive on the support of such spiritually shallow individuals
who are blind to their own malevolence and hypocrisy. Rallying for the
cause of "conservatism" in the face of the "weak", "whining" liberals,
these blindly patriotic individuals readily accept the false
dichotomies such as the "good American Christians" versus the "bad
Islamofascists" perpetuated by government shills like Rush Limbaugh and
Bill O'Reilly. While these "patriots" wave the flag and rush to label
those who dare to challenge the actions of the hallowed US government
as traitors, Communists, or even terrorists, they unwittingly advance
the cause of history’s deadliest and most powerful terrorist, the
federal government of the United States of America.
Forget "the majority rules": He who has the gold rules…
Ironically,
many supporters of the current paradigm in the United States still
believe they are a majority. On September 24 in Washington DC, I
marched with over 300,000 others who support peace and social justice,
and who oppose the Bush regime. The next day, about 400 Bush supporters
"rallied". According to the Associate Press, a very recent AP-Ipsos
poll shows that 28% of Americans believe the country is headed in the
"right direction" while 66% believe our nation is "on the wrong track".
The truth is that the enemies of peace and social justice are in power
because they carefully constructed a powerful propaganda and campaign
finance machine, not because they represent a majority of Americans’
interests. The fraudulent presidential "victory" of 2000 represents
their crowning achievement. Protecting corporate and aristocratic
interests is their goal, and they are accomplishing it quite handily.
Despite
the Machiavellian efforts of men like Karl Rove, the Tom Delay
indictments, Delay’s connections with the Blunts, and the ongoing
investigation of Patrick Fitzgerald could spell significant trouble for
Bush, his corrupt cronies, and his allies in Congress. Possibly there
is enough integrity and power left in the US legal system to derail, or
at least postpone, the obscene power grab by the wealthy in the United
States. Sadly though, even if things end grievously for the current
regime of aristocrats, the American people will need to work vigorously
to prevent a new one from emerging.
Regardless of its legal
difficulties, or perhaps because of them, the Bush regime continues to
push the United States closer to the precipice of overt rule by an
elite few. As many of their Religious Right supporters demand a literal
interpretation of the Bible, the elite power brokers in the US
government continue chanting their litany calling for a literal
interpretation of the Constitution. Lambasting the actions of judges
who "legislate from the bench", they continue their insistence on
judicial nominees who will "strictly interpret the Constitution".
Despite my disgust, I admire their strategic brilliance. Tyranny
thrives on reducing the populace to "black and white" thinkers.
Iron-fisted rulers crush dissent from those who attempt to introduce
thorny complexities which threaten the simplistic propaganda with which
they manipulate their subjects. Our leaders know that if the American
public accepts the absurd notion that there is no room for subjective
interpretation of the Constitution to adapt to the changes that come
with the passage of time, they can utilize the Supreme Court as an
accomplice in crushing the gains made by the social justice movement in
the Twentieth Century. The white, wealthy patriarchy is salivating over
the prospect of its return to unabated power.
How many guns do you need? There are hungry people here…
In
the battle of guns versus butter in the United States, guns are winning
by a crushing margin. As the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina clearly
demonstrated, the militarization of America has severely weakened the
capacity and the will of the federal government to provide for the
general welfare of its citizens. Despite being the wealthiest nation in
history, 13% of our citizens live below the poverty level and the US is
the only industrialized nation which does not provide health care to
100% of its citizens. There is no excuse for the existence of poverty
in a nation with such vast resources. The aristocrats build their
fortunes on the backs of the poor and working class, and the incestuous
relationship between the federal government and the corporate vehicles
of the wealthy is one of their primary means of maintaining the gross
disparity of wealth which exists in the United States. Former President
Eisenhower warned us against allowing the military industrial complex
to become too dominant, but as Andy Rooney recently opined on 60
Minutes, we ignored Ike’s sage advice.
Among other things, Rooney said:
"We still have 139,000 soldiers in Iraq today.
Almost 2,000 Americans have died there. For what?
Now
we have the hurricanes to pay for. One way our government pays for a
lot of things is by borrowing from countries like China. Another way
the government is planning to pay for the war and the hurricane damage
is by cutting spending for things like Medicare prescriptions, highway
construction, farm payments, AMTRAK, National Public Radio and loans to
graduate students. Do these sound like the things you'd like to cut
back on to pay for Iraq?
I'll tell you where we ought to start saving: on our bloated military establishment.
We're paying for weapons we'll never use.
No
other Country spends the kind of money we spend on our military. Last
year Japan spent $42 billion. Italy spent $28 billion, Russia spent
only $19 billion. The United States spent $455 billion."
One hand washes the other, brother
I
have received a great deal of correspondence from "patriots" who state
that Americans in the peace and social justice movement owe a debt of
gratitude to the people who have served in the US military for
protecting our freedoms from external threats. There is truth to this,
and therefore I say thank you to those who have served in the military.
Meanwhile, I will remind the "patriots" that they have the social
justice movement to thank for protecting their rights from the internal
threat of the US government. We may not be winning (but then neither is
the US military in Iraq), yet we remain in the struggle, and will not
relent. You are welcome.
It is about expanding the empire, not defending the homeland….
I
do respect those who have served in the US military with the intent to
defend our nation. However, with the exception of World War II, wars
waged by the United States have not been defensive in nature. Too
often, our imperialist government has used US soldiers as pawns in wars
of aggression waged under the guise of "protecting" or "spreading"
democracy. To maintain the obscene profits of entities like Halliburton
and the Carlyle Group, our government has sold many Americans on the
notion that wild hordes of barbarians stand ready to storm the "castle
gates" of our nation to rape our women and plunder our wealth. Even if
that were the case (and it is not), the United States could mount a
viable defense on much less than $500 billion per year.
I
believe in achieving goals through non-violence, but I am not a
pacifist. I own a gun and would not hesitate to act to protect my
family in the event of a real threat to their safety. As individuals
have the right to defend themselves and their families, nations possess
the same right. Yet why does the United States, a nation representing
5% of the world’s population, need to account for 50% of annual world
military expenditures while maintaining military bases in 130
countries? Were I to follow my government’s example, I would fill
several rooms of our home with a variety of munitions and explosives,
and hire a squadron of private militia to patrol our city, simply to
ensure my family’s safety.
Beware what you wish for….
While
the avid supporters of the American Empire scorn those who support a
greater emphasis on the betterment of humanity, the military they are
so quick to deify is poised to nullify the very freedoms it purportedly
exists to protect. Throughout history, the state has been a threat to
the freedom of individuals. The principle weapon of government to
impose its will upon the people has been the military. For many years,
the US government has carefully crafted a covert tyranny of the wealthy
through the use of media and propaganda, but as more Americans awaken
to the true nature of their state, the Bush regime is becoming more
eager to employ its unparalleled military power on the domestic front.
Posse
Comitatus, a law which essentially prevents the military from policing
the domestic populace, represents a thin veneer of protection against
the imposition of martial law. Since it is statutory law and not
derived from the Constitution, it can be altered or nullified by
further legislation. Reagan trampled Posse Comitatus when he used the
Air Force and Navy to fight the "war on drugs". Bush told us in his
address during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that he wants to
expand federal authority and the military's role in domestic matters.
In his recent press conference he told us that he will press Congress
for the authority to employ martial law in the event of an Avian Flu
pandemic. The presence of Blackwater paramilitary security forces and
the emphasis of property protection over saving human lives in New
Orleans provided a glimpse of what the Bush regime has in store for
America's citizenry.
Based on reader feedback I have received,
it is apparent that a fair number of Americans are prepared to
sacrifice what freedoms they still have for the "security" afforded
them by increased federal and military authority. Obviously they have
not read Orwell, or if they have, apparently did not take his ideas
seriously. The Patriot Act and the Department of Homeland Security have
broadened federal powers and seriously infringed upon fundamental
rights guaranteed by the Constitution. One of the most dangerous
aspects of the Patriot Act is that it empowers law enforcement to act
outside of the system of checks and balances so crucial to our
Constitutional republic. Consolidation of FEMA into Homeland Security
was one of the causes of the feeble federal response to the disaster in
New Orleans. To those so eager to rush to the "secure embrace" of Big
Brother, I would remind you that the fates of Jose Padilla, the
prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, the residents of New Orleans, or even
those of the Japanese citizens interned during World War II could
befall you.
As Benjamin Franklin once said:
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security."
In 1935, Sinclair Lewis published It Can't Happen Here,
his depiction of a "democratically elected" US president imposing a
tyranny on Americans. In 2005, life is imitating art. However, there
are those of us who are willing to sacrifice and endure whatever is
necessary for the cause of a more humane and just government and
society. I will stay in the United States to work for something better.
I will continue to teach my children to struggle for social causes. And
yes, I will persist in my writing and other forms of dissent against
the tyranny of the aristocracy, regardless of the consequences.
Jason
Miller is a 38 year old activist writer with a degree in liberal arts.
He works in the transportation industry, and is a husband and a father
to three boys. His affiliations include Amnesty International, the ACLU
and the Americans United for Separation of Church and State. He
welcomes responses at willpowerful@hotmail.com or comments on his blog at http://civillibertarian.blogspot.com/.
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