It seems timeless in my memory; so it is difficult to recall when the phrase “Our way of life” started making its way into the speeches of our presidents. What I do understand is how incredibly inappropriate and misplaced the phrase has become. There has been very few (if any) “we are going to war” speeches that I can recall without that phrase.
Have you ever gotten the stark reality that “our way of life” is exactly what is creating our new enemies, simply because it is so dramatically effecting their way of life?
Considering the wisdom born in the time of Plato, where war is the ultimate failure of resolution; how many times have you actually seen one of our leaders attempt thorough nonviolent resolution? If war is the answer to protecting “our way of life” I propose some questions to ponder:
What is it about “our way of life” that is worth dying or killing for?
Please try to remember freedom and “our way of life” is different and that the Afghanis don’t give a shit about whether we eat McDonalds French fries or not, and their recent (the last 40 years) desire to “kill all the infidels” was not from their original Koran, it was from our constant attempts to control their “way of life” just like the many before us whether it be Alexander the Great, or even the mighty Soviet Unions attempt. These people have very little, but still will not be conquered, its their land, its their way of life, want to help make it easier fine, but you don’t “help” anyone by an occupied force. Would you feel helped if a foreign nation invaded our country, and imposed changes to “our way of life”?
If “our way of life” impedes on that of another’s “way of life” is that not exactly what we are fighting to avoid?
You may not know me but I can assure you that I am a patriot, if you don’t think so based on my words or ideals; I suggest you do the following, read the United States Constitution, and other founding documents, then learn about our REAL history. By definition democracy cannot coincide with imperialism. A democratic empire is an oxymoron, or at least a fabrication.
Its easy to blame our past and present leaders for horrific things we do; the fire bombing of Tokyo (almost all of the more than 250,000 dead were civilians) being the only nation to use atomic bombs killing hundreds of thousands more civilians, Carpet bombing Cambodia (I didn’t put in the traditional “illegally bombing” because what the fuck is legal bombing), poisoning an entire agriculture with agent orange, (brought to us by “Monsanto”, oh, so was Napalm – at least the chemistry to make it stick to human skin better then other surfaces) Sadly, very sadly, I could go on for pages about the things we have done, but the point is that I blame myself (because I am a citizen of the U.S.). After all this is a democracy isn’t it? And if it is no longer a democracy are you a patriot for going along with that?
There is nothing wrong with globalized efforts to improve other peoples lives, but to force that is to install a slave-empire system that only benefits a very few. If you need an example, look right here at home. Again let me remind you of two things one I am a patriot of my home country (the United States of America) and two that I am not crazy. I think. I learn. I feel. I don’t want to lie anymore, too myself or too you.
Last questions to ponder; what are we doing over there? If you don’t know, why do you allow the sacrifice of our willing troops, even when they don’t know either? Why do we support our military to kill and destroy these incredibly simple people? You are a citizen of a democracy aren’t you? Why do we not do anything about the REAL price of “our way of life”?
One last one… how are Bush and Cheney still not in prison, or at least destitute for their actions while in office…other people, even civil servants like they were supposed to be have been prosecuted, why not the leaders.
