Not spellchecked--let's see how my grammar school education holds up!
I've travelled to many, many countries in the world. Every time I'm in one of them, I feel that the U.S. is the best country in the world. Maybe it's because I was raised in this culture, so I'm biased. Denmark has probably the best educational system in the world K-12, the best social service state system, but to expect the U.S. to be like it-- a tiny country, an essentially homogenous society--seems unrealistic. I greatly admire that country, but it does not have the opportunities the U.S. has.
I'm still on Google, expressing radical left positions. People tried to fire me from my high school and college teaching positions because of my political views. I've been in jail very briefly because of them. The FBI, or someone like them, tapped my 'phones when I was politically active. Certainly the FBI took pictures of me when I marched against the Vietnam war, the Gulf War, and The war in Iraq. Certainly the FBI was involved in a car chase with us when we spirited Henry Zalada from Santa Barbara to Pasadena to receive church sanctuary (it worked, they didn't catch him to be sent back to El Salvador where there was absolute certainty that he would be severely tortured). I'm sure the NSA is following me on Google. Yet I'm still here. (I know the same cannot be said of some of my fellow activists who are intimidated by the National Security State or who are actually in prison. But, selfishly I'm here posting this because, I guess, I'm not a whistle blower or haven't participated in enough non-violent protests and/or not sufficiently defied government agents.
I love my country but despair of it. We seem to becoming a third world country--out infrastructure is crumbling (how long can the 19th century sewer lines in many American urban cities hold out?), there does seem to be only one political party--the property party--the k-12 educational system is dismal, the Tea Party Republicans in the House seem to be actually in control of the Government, in many ways Obama is George W. Bush II, women's abortion rights are being destroyed by state governments, the local police are being militarized and, above all, the government doesn't do anything about the effects of climate change which will eventually cause state repression and extermination of the human race, the income disparity between the class is severely rising, the problem of racism hasn't been solved, homophobia abounds, there is little forward thinking about what we do to solve machines taking over very sophisticated jobs and making much college education meaningless, etc. etc.
Most of what I hear about me is disinformation of just plain B.S. The thing I notice most is the adulation of the military. Ike's warnings about the military-industrial-complex are totally disregarded. We constantly hear baloney about "our boys in uniform fighting for our freedom." Fighting for our freedom in Iraq? As I've proved in other posts it was a war for oil. Fighting for oil is freedom? Thousands of our troops have been killed or maimed for nothing. The country is already showing signs of a civil war and is deeply influenced by Iran. The war in Afghanistan was won, Bin Laden's forces had been routed, but we neglected the country, the Taliban regrouped and it turned out to be a war for nothing. Fighting for our freedom? Now these military men and women may be sent to Syria, if there's mission creep. According to Z-Big, who's hardily a great lover of peace, our "boys" may up fighting a ground war with Iran. For what? Freedom? it's all nonsense. Our men and women, who can do up to five tours of duty, our cannon fodder for Big Oil, stupid politicians who roll over for the Joint Chiefs, don't want to appear weak, and possess Oedipus complexes. Damn it, these men and women, mainly from the poorer classes, are pawns in the hands of the Masters of War--politicians, diplomats, munitions makers, arms merchants, educational institutions with massive military contracts and silent labor unions.
And we call all the troops "heroes." Will that term, so carelessly thrown around, raise the dead, replace blown up limbs, restore sanity, reduce PTSD, prevent suicide? What a sham!
And of course we have to talk about money in politics. Both political parties are beholden to corporations. If they don't rule over us completely now, they soon will. Of course, under the Supreme Court rulings they are "persons!" God help us all.
I love this country, but it sure ain't what it used to be. And it seems to be getting worse and worse.
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