Posting

I have not been posting, because I have been drowning myself in conservative American materialism. That is to say, I have been grounding myself after a long period of intellectual idealism. I can not say I am happier with one extreme or the other. The ancients said to do away with all earthly materials, but I am beginning to believe there has to be a balance.

+Live+

I had the chance to see Live perform for the fourth time, and I had the pleasure of meeting the entire band backstage after the concert. This really meant a lot to me, because they have been an inspiration in my life for many years. I first saw them perform at Woodstock ‘99. In the late 90's when Limp Bizkit, Marilyn Manson, Korn, Rage Against the Machine, and other bands were bringing a negative message to America, Live was singing about freedom and love. Not love between a man and woman, like every other band that has ever existed, but love between all people around the world. The lead singer, Edward Kowalczyk, continuously writes metaphoric lyrics that are spiritual in nature. Many songs are about the circle of life and most have a water theme, which Ed says has to do with being fully submerged in your consciousness.

Sneeking backstage to meet my favorite band was truly a great moment. I got their autographs and talked to them about their experiences on the road and about the show they just put on. Live Rocks. I encourage all to check them out.


“It’s the way we sing that makes em dream.”

July 4th, 2006

Let us celebrate our country’s independence by studying its history. Take a step back and study the history of America’s political framework, leadership, traditions, and participation in war. Also study progressive movements and grassroot movements that have shaped this country from the bottom up. Above all, study America’s mistakes and failures. We must do this if we ever hope to learn from history or to discover new solutions to new problems. If we only endorse glorious moments based on lies and deceptions, our view of the world will be very distorted. Historian James W. Loewen said, “If we cannot face our history honestly, we cannot learn from the past.” This is exactly what I believe. He said it would be a mistake to ignore the harsh realities in America’s past because lies will “keep us ignorant as a people, less able to understand what really happened in the past, and less able to apply our understanding to issues facing the United States today.”

What are we fightin' for?

+Live+ is by no means a political band, but they have a few antiwar songs. They have been my favorite band for years. Here is a great song by them.

Battle flag in the bassinet
Oil and blood on the bayonet
Crowded downtown hit the floor
What are we fightin' for?

What are we fightin' for?
What are we fightin' for?

The world got smaller but the bombs got bigger
Holocaust on a hairpin trigger
Aint no game so forget the score
What are we fightin' for?

What are we fightin' for?

What will I tell my daughter?
What will you tell your son?
Where were all the doves?
That we were nothing but a shadow,
a faceless generation devoid of love?

The crucifix ain't no baseball bat
Tell me what kind of God is that?
Ain't nothing more godless than a war
So what are we fightin' for?

What are we fightin' for?

What will I tell my daughter?
What will you tell your son?
Where were all the doves?
That we were nothing but a shadow,
A faceless generation…

What are we fightin' for?

Wage Peace

The initial principal of American foreign policy was laid out by George Washington in 1796 and again in 1823 by James Monroe, the first and last of the Revolutionary period presidents. Washington’s Farewell Address and the Monroe Doctrine set forth the policy that America would never intervene in the affairs of other countries. At no time would we impose our way of life on others through the use of physical force, and we would never invade a country to exploit their resources or to force democracy upon them.

Alternatively, they said we should have a moral opposition to colonialism, and we should rule by example. We should set a precedent by ruling justly and democratically within our own borders. They said other countries would follow our example; they would see our success, and therefore model their governments after ours. They would open their borders to trade with us, and they would come to our aid in times of need.

Instead, since 1898 America has engaged in interventionist foreign policy to protect international finance capital and to make the world safe for the Fortune 500. America recklessly spends public money in wars that do not benefit the masses, in order to make billions for a small group of people in the private sector. At the same time, many promote limited government, which is codeword for less human services, no environmental regulations, and less consumer protection.

If America chose to work on things humanely and bilaterally, we would be in a position to rule the world--peacefully. If America was a kind "global citizen,” by waging peace on the world, we would no longer be feared and hated; we would be loved and respected. America would have a peaceful say in everything countries do, and we could lead a “community of power” against tyranny and hate.

American Foreign Policy

In 1754 we went to war against the French and Indians because we were a colony of Great Britain. We then created a confederacy of loosely joined states, so we had to start a revolution against our old friend Great Britain. We became friends with our old enemy France in order to win this war. In 1798 we then got into an undeclared naval war with our old friend France. We then went to war with Great Britain and the Indians in 1812. A few years later we started a war against Mexico. In 1860 we went to war against ourselves because we were not very united, yet were called ourselves the United States.

This was all taking place while we were forcing slaves to work on land we stole from Native Americans and Mexicans. We also acquired land from the British, Spanish, and the French, which had a brutal dictator who was at war with all of Europe.

In 1898 we went to war against the Spanish in order to liberate Cuba and the Philippines. We then went to war against the Philippines for several years and Cuba for several decades. We then got into a war called the Great War that was suppose to be the "war to end all wars." We had to rename this war "World War I", because it did not end all wars; rather, it helped start another world war. In 1917 we sent troops to stop the Russian Revolution, we then became friends with our enemy Russia, while we fought Japan, Italy, and Germany during World War II, which we fought to protect our old enemies Great Britain and France. We then became friends with our enemies Japan, Italy, and half of Germany.

We then got into a cold war against our old friend Russia. This caused us to go to war with Korea and China in 1950. We almost destroyed the entire world in 1962 because Russia tried to point some missiles at us from Cuba, only because we had thousands of missiles pointed at them in the first place. We became friends with half of Korea, and then we went to war with half of Vietnam in 1965. We did all this in the name of democracy during a time when we denied millions of our own citizens the right to vote.

All this was happening while were engaged in various conflicts in the Middle East and Latin America to protect Zionism, canals, oil, drugs, companies, and Christian missionaries. We had become friends with Iran in the 1950's, and after giving them billions, Iran changed governments and became our enemy in 1979. We then became friends with Iraq who went to war against our old friend Iran. We secretly gave weapons to our enemy Iran who was at war with our friend Iraq.

In the early 1980's we gave weapons to Osama bin Laden and terrorists in Afghanistan who were at war with our enemy Russia. In 1989, the Cold War ended so we became friends with our enemy Russia. We then went to war with our old friend Iraq to protect our oil in Saudi Arabia. This caused Osama bin Laden and our old friends in Afghanistan to go to war with us in 2001. This caused us to go to war against our old terrorist friends in Afghanistan.

We then ignored the U.N. in order to go to war with Iraq for ignoring the U.N. We went to war against our old friend Saddam Hussein because he had weapons of mass destructions that we helped him develop. It turns out that he did not have any weapons, and now we are fighting a War on Terror that did not exist before we went to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. We are now in a position to go to war with the other half of Korea and all of Iran because fossil fuels are running out and because our friends France, Russia, and China really are not our friends.


American foreign policy is based on hypocrisy. We are opportunists with no moral convictions. We are responsible for overthrowing 30 left wing governments, as well as overthrowing or assassinating democratically elected presidents, in order to replace many of them with dictators who give us access to exploit their people and natural resources. We do all this in the name of fighting communism or terrorism and spreading democracy. In the process, we recklessly disregard cultures, traditions, religions, and governments of other countries involved, ultimately creating even bigger and more global conflicts for the future.

Progressive Movements

It’s clear the Establishment has learned from its mistakes while extinguishing the Movement in the 1960's. First, the media is much more censored today. The media used to do its job, earning it the name "liberal media." It covered state sponsored racism, white brutality, and the harsh realities of the Vietnam War. Today, corporate media outlets ignore important issues, while they overwhelmingly focus on less important things. The media does not ask the tough questions, and it does not accurately portray opposing view points. Have you seen any reporters imbedded with peacemakers during a rally? I doubt it. The Pentagon censors all reports in the name of national security anyways, and the White House has been increasingly secret since Watergate.

The Establishment has also learned how to legally suppress grassroot movements on the home front. Some of the most notorious revolutionaries of the 60's were not indicted on trumped up charges because the FBI broke so many laws through COINTELPRO, Operation Chaos, and "extreme governmental misconduct." Therefore, today, we have the Patriot Act that legalizes "dirty tricks." The government can legally discredit progressive leaders, disrupt entire organizations, and monitor political dissidents.

In the 60's, the government used an important tool to silence influential people: assassination. Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., Fred Hampton, George Jackson, John F. Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy were all influential to the New Left and revolutionary movements. The government has learned from this poor tactic and the backlash it created; therefore, we have not seen it today. (Though I would not rule it out entirely.)

The government also knows the importance of preventing war from directly impacting the daily lives of Americans. Negative consequences of the war, such as a rise in anti-Americanism, rise in international terrorism, and cutbacks in basic human services because of war spending are debatable and easily covered up. As long as there is no draft and gas prices are kept low, the government knows Americans will continue to be apathetic towards war.

Current polls suggest that only 30% of the Americans support the war in Iraq. Yet only a minority are passionate enough to be politically active. Why? Partly because the government has learned how to protect itself.

Death of Al-Zarqawi

Al-Zarqawi’s body does not look like one that just had two 500-pound bombs dropped on it. It looks like he was beaten. An eye witness said that "When the Americans arrived they took him out of the ambulance, they beat him on his stomach. . . and then they stomped on his stomach and his chest until he died and blood came out of his nose."

We will never know this for sure. But the timing of his death comes just as media pressure mounts over the coverup of the Haditha massacre. Political capital from Al-Zarqawi’s death will definitely help divert what is really important to things that are less important.

It is easy for the military and the media to focus on one person as a leader for the insurgency in Iraq. The fact is, however, the liberation movement in Iraq by the local militia is leaderless, and nothing will be gained from the death of one man. International terrorism will remain high and Anti-Americanism around the world will continues to rise.

Military Industrial Complex

The Military Industrial Complex is destroying America. We are the most militaristic country, above and beyond everyone. America spends $400 billion a year just to maintain the military during peace time. In perspective, we spend more on the military then the rest of the world combined. This price trag does not include the War on Terror. Adjusted for inflation, the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have cost more then every war in American history with the exception of World War II. Not to mention there are over 310,000 military personnel serving in 120 countries around the world, bullying our economic and political agenda. This is why the world hates us.

For the last half of the 21st century the Military Industrial Complex was justified by a cold war with the Soviet Union. This included nuclear armament and endangering the world with nuclear proliferation–the U.S. has enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world five times. And now the War on Terror further warrants a massive military budget and global military occupation.

All while basic human services are being ignored. Real national security involves funding affordable housing, retirement plans, health insurance, schools, and unemployment relief for the poor. Yet, the militarization of our youth through the No Child Left Behind Act and aggressive military recruiting will continue our violent culture for generations to come. President Eisenhower warned us of these “grave implications” in his famous farewell speech.

Memorial Day

Take a moment to remember the thousands of Americans who gave their lives serving this country. I agree with celebrating the courage and sacrifice of the men and women who have fought in America’s wars, but I give a cautionary warning about celebrating war itself. In reality, millions of people have perished in wars, many of which were preventable. We should look at war critically and ask what we can learn from it, rather then how we can justifiy it or profit from it.

Sea of Prosperity

I now live in the suburbs of Indianapolis. I never thought I would be living in such an affluent area. All the people, cars, buildings, and roads seems to create a vast sea of prosperity. It is quite different then other areas I have lived.

While exploring the area, I remembered a vacation I was on with my family two years ago. During one leg of the trip we drove through Navajo Nation. I have never witnessed poverty and underdevelopment like that before. I saw people living miles away from anything without basic shelter, and there were very few power lines. The Native Americans are trying to balance assimilation on a reservation, while preserving their heritage. Consequently, they are poor, malnourished, and repressed by drugs and alcohol.

It’s saddening to note the difference between a reservation and a suburb of a major metropolitan area. The only thing that upsets me more then absolute poverty, is seeing extreme wealth, consumption, and waste.

Malcolm X Day

The Founding Fathers were tired of being second-class British citizens. They were tired of taxation without representation. They wanted independence, so they voted for war. They unanimously selected George Washington as commander of their army. Washington and his Patriots, along with the local militia, fought for freedom on the battlefield.

In school I was taught that the Founding Fathers are heroes for fighting for freedom. The majority of Americans would agree that these men are heroes because they stood up and fought against oppression, not by loving their enemy, but with bloodshed. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, George Washington, etc. have been immortalized for their efforts. They embodied what their contemporary Patrick Henry said: “Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death.”

If this is the criteria for a hero, then another man in the 20th century should be a hero too. Like the Patriots he was tired of being treated as a second-class citizen. He was tired of state sponsored racism, segregation, discrimination, and humiliation. Millions of his people were denied the right to vote, so he too was tired of taxation without representation. He believed one should stand up for what they believe in, just as the Founding Fathers did. Like Washington, he believed one should not love your enemy, rather you should defend yourself “by any means necessary.” In fact, he said it’s a crime not to defend yourself when your men are being lynched, your women and children are being beaten, and your churches are being bombed. This man's name is Malcolm X.

If the founding fathers are immortalized, so too should the ideologies of Malcolm X. Similar to Patrick Henry, Malcolm X said, "It'll be the ballot or the bullet. It'll be liberty or it'll be death."

This Land is Our Land

"Dear President Bush. Please send your assistance in freeing our small nation from occupation. This foreign force occupied our lands to steal our rich resources. They used biological warfare and deceit, killing thousands of elders, children and women in the process. As they overwhelmed our land, they deposed our leaders and people of our own government, and in its place, they installed their own government systems that yet today control our daily lives in many ways. As in your own words, the occupation and overthrow of one small nation . . . is one too many." -An American Indian

Nameless Generation?

I wouldn’t say our generation is entirely nameless yet. Perhaps the “Faceless Generation” is a suitable name for a generation that takes an active role of ignorance and privilege acceptance; one that is complacent with its way of life and apathetic towards poverty, war, and suffering. Many people I have come in contact with seem to lack intense or enthusiastic political beliefs, and not many have meaningful interests or convictions. Very few seem to question any authority or challenge the status quo. It seems to be a generation void of thought.

But it does not have to be this way. There have been many silent generations in the past that have spawned the greatest revolutionary periods in our history. A simple action by Rosa Parks can inspire people to question the status quo; a charismatic leader, such as Martin Luther King, can animate a crowd towards a common goal. But what will it take to motivate people today? There is a lot injustice taking place, yet very few people seem to notice.