17 October 2007

True Patriotism... in light of the burning forest

There's false patriotism, and totally real patriotism...

How do they differ?


False patriotism supports a one-party schema through the fear-mongering that is generated by a distorted media that feeds on, and grows fat, from the fear it inseminates.

True patriotism supports the ideal of a democracy, and works to increase its own influence through a mastery of problems and solutions, acknowledging the role played in a multi-party system, and seeking to differentiate itself on the merits of its vision and goals.


In the United States of America, there is currently NO party that holds the aspirations of true patriotism:


One the Right Hand, are the Republicans, who brought us to the abyss through their raunchy anti-Clinton campaigns in the Nineties, who've brought our country to its knees, in terms of amplified debt and worldwide discredit found in the policies of its lackluster, vain President, a 'war-president' of unheralded misogyny, of unfathomed shallowness of character, of misguided interventionism...


On the Left Hand, are the Democrats, who admittedly suffer through the distortive lens of the Mainstream Media, who acquiesced to the War-Fevers that simmered under the mantras of 'Terrorism' and 'Nine-eleven', and were faced with the media-fixation on 'Osama' and other mindless wastes of your citizen-status...


A President that tells you to 'go shopping' in the days or weeks after September 11...


A President that reminds you that he is above the law with every policy choice, every turning away of the Government from its past responsibilities (childrens' insurance, VA benefits for warriors, upholding the Constitution, voting rights, and onward)...


So it is imperative
that some think about where the country is, from a


vantage point similar to a
Fire Watch Tower


One such someone, is Naomi Wolf, who wrote a truthful essay recently:

"
American Tears"

One has to be heartless, ideologically-challenged, or full of wrath, to not heed these words:


In D.C., before that, a beefy, handsome civil servant, a government department head -- probably a Republican -- confides in a lowered voice that he is scared to sign the new ID requirement for all government employees, that exposes all his most personal information to the State -- but he is scared not to sign it: "If I don't, I lose my job, my house. It's like the German National ID card," he said quietly. This morning in Denver I talked for almost an hour to a brave, much-decorated high-level military man who is not only on the watch list for his criticism of the administration -- his family is now on the list. His elderly mother is on the list. His teenage son is on the list. He has flown many dangerous combat missions over the course of his military career, but his voice cracks when he talks about the possibility that he is exposing his children to harassment. (gratitude to the Huffington post)



The greater problem, is that which Naomi points to, the edge... the abyss, from which escape from this Military-Media-fascism may no longer be possible. Naomi would that we recall Germany, in the 1930s:

"In Germany, according to historian Richard Evans, in 1931-1932, if enough Germans of conscience had begun to say No -- history would have had an entirely diferent outcome.

"If we go any further down this road the tears will be those of conservatives as well as progressives. They will be American tears."



Long ago as a child, I heard the phrase "America! Love it or Leave it"...


This last thought is precise - America does not have to be unloved, to have left it.

One can leave America, for the damage done to it by the unhealthiest of 'patriots' those false patriots that have no heart, no vision, no hopes: only their fears, which they foist on those outside THEIR party...

COURAGE, friends!!!

ç*”*”*””*ç”*”* ZENmud ”*””*ç*”*”*””*ç”