Despite knowing how pathetic many people in our government can be, I was still surprised to see two particular Senators plea for aid for the victims of the tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma recently. What? How could that be? Of course we need to help victims of severe disasters. Well, there's a catch. Those same two Senators voted against federal funds for victims of Hurricane Sandy, the same hurricane that was responsible for severe damage throughout the Northeast U.S. - as well as six other nations - and numerous deaths. The same one that was the largest hurricane on record to come off the Atlantic Ocean - approximately 1,100 miles wide. Obviously, their concern for cutting the federal budget applies only to people outside of their home state. As it turns out, Jim Inhofe and Tom Coburn didn't mind taking credit for Oklahoma receiving federal disaster aid in 2007 for severe ice storms and in 2008 for "severe weather". And, in 1999, Oklahoma received $67.8 million in federal relief funds due to severe tornadic activity. (Climate change? What climate change?)
Naturally, I believe that money was deserved. I'm simply questioning the humanity of people who try to prevent the federal government from helping to alleviate some of the intense suffering caused by a horrible natural occurence. (I wonder what they thought of the Occupy Sandy relief effort. Were they still condemning OWS as possible terrorists?)
The following is an essay I wrote about the moral integrity of that bastion of civilization known as "the greatest nation on Earth".
The United States of "America". Yes, "America". Not the United States of British Colonies. Not the United States of Mostly European Invaders. Not Land of Genocide, Oppression and Slavery. "America".
Europeans invaded this land, started a genocide of the inhabitants which hasn't ended after five centuries and installed a society (not a civilization - that would infer a land of civilized people) that treats human beings like commodities. It continues to invade sovereign nations like a virus, invading them to steal their resources and telling the people of the world that they are instituting democracy in these "backward" places. It would be amusing if it wasn't so insanely sick and pathetic.
Truth. A simple word, yet so elusive in this "great" nation. A nation in which children aren't considered as important as the bank accounts of people that are so wealthy it's hard to imagine they could actually want more. A nation in which poor people are expected to wait 18 hours in an emergency room while the wealthy are flown to private suites for treatment with the latest technology. Where some people are struggling to buy food and others buy islands. Where some people walk in shoes full of holes and others fly private aircraft. Need I go on?
We all see it. Or... at least we should see it. Many try hard not to see this obscene disparity in circumstances between members of the same species. It's too painful and embarrassing. Too difficult to justify. How do so many "people" do it? It must be extremely hard work to pretend we live in a civilized society. Many of us numb ourselves with drugs and alcohol. Some of the drugs have deceiving names like television, movies, magazines, video games, electronic devices, professional sports and shopping for unnecessary items which we "think" make us feel good. {It must be true. Madison Ave. tells us so. Every day of our lives.} It's amazing, actually.
The Capitalist Indoctrination Process is very powerful. It has managed to rearrange "reality" by distorting truths that had survived millenia. It turns relatively peaceful people into psychotic takers who can't quench their thirst for possessions no matter how much they get their greedy hands on. It turns giggling teenagers into predators who eat their own children. Yes, that sounds hyperbolic. But...is it that far from reality? (There are, after all, people in the war industry who get fat off the deaths of our children, nephews, nieces, etc. - on both sides of conflicts). There are flag-waving Mothers in suburbs all over the U.S. cheering their own children to join sociopathic wars in the Middle East so they can continue driving gas-guzzling vehicles that contribute to diseases affecting their children - and many other children as well. And, they question the MORALS of those who think for themselves and are able to resist the cruel machinations of soulless beasts of prey. These are wars engineered by Wall Street's Oil Cartel and War Contractors to steal oil, natural gas and other resources (as well as dignity and the right to self-preservation) from people who can barely keep themselves alive due to the long range effects of the sinister, soul-devouring plague of Capitalism.
Oh, do you think I'm being unfairly harsh about your precious system called Capitalism?
I'm sorry to bring you into a world of facing the consequences for your actions. A world in which facts have meaning and hyperbole is just an occasional burst of frustration instead of a way of life. Are you upset? I certainly hope so. It's a sign of awakening to the reality that you live in a society in which there is a pervasive suppression of love and compassion. Not to mention the feeding of apathy and complacency by a corprate media that has forgotten its reason for existing. Decades of deregulation of media ownership have allowed corporations to control virtually all of the media in the U.S. The better to indoctrinate the youth into blindly following orders and serving the wealthy. Tell them they can be wealthy, too, and that freedom isn't democracy - it's owning as many things as possible while doing violence to fellow human beings to continue to be able to own more useless nonsense. Tell them that only the strong survive. Then, carefully define what strong is. (Basically, it now seems to be the ability to do senseless violence to others.) Instruct them that life is a race and it's better to come in first place. There is an insane echo chamber of self-serving mantras endlessly repeated by misguided mouthpieces making sure everyone follows the dogma. They are cleverly rented by corporate predators who think the world is theirs for the taking. Some appear to actually believe what they say. Most probably don't - they are just prostitutes selling lies for their share of the pie.
When are people going to realize that they ARE the pie and that they are being devoured by financial terrorists masquerading as human beings who care about something other than directing other people's money into their own bank accounts? Don't they want a more worthwhile existence than being food for the wealthy? Don't they understand that they are engaged in a form of spiritual cannibalism? What does it take to be able to ignore what seems obvious to those who use their minds? It's sad that so many people are being used by their minds instead of being truly human. There's a saying that seems appropriate to the predicament facing the entire population of the world today - evolve or die.
Evolve or die. Very simple, actually. It's been true at least as long as there has been life on the planet. Do people actually believe that somehow things are different today? Do people believe that they can escape that fundamental truth? Arrogance and ignorance seem to be two of the foremost traits in the U.S. today despite the fact that they would appear to be mutually exclusive.
Well, there's another saying that also seems appropriate. All empires plant the seeds of their own destruction. Let's hope that the people of the United States (and the entire planet, for that matter) can do some necessary weeding before it's too late - and Mother Earth does it for us.
1:09 PM PT: I've added an update to address an oversight I made in publishing this essay. I originally wrote it for my blog and it was meant for people who give credence to mainstream media - those who mindlessly support Capitalism without using critical thought. I should have realized it was a mistake to publish it on DK because of the difference in readership. I apologize to anyone who feels offended by my comments.
Having said that - I don't apologize for my views. While I ranted about people mindlessly waving flags, indulging in short-sighted anger and following rulers instead of leaders, I know that not everyone can be put into one basket and given a broad label. I indulged in short-sighted anger. But, as a society, we need to reassess our priorities. Thank you to everyone who reads this - whether they agree with me or not. Peace.