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The Founding Fathers Would Be Proud of the People of Egypt ... And Disgusted With the People of America
America's founding fathers stood up for their freedom, winning it from the British (with the help of the French).
The
Egyptian people have stood up for their freedom, winning it from the
Mubarak dictatorship (with the help of the army, which refused to fire a
shot at the people, and may even have helped convince Mubarak to leave.
See this and this).
The
Egyptian people found their courage even when Mubarak's thugs flew
fighter jets low over their heads, beat and murdered protesters, and
otherwise threatened violence.
But the American people today have been cowed into passivity by an irrational fear of terrorism, laziness and mindlessness.
Comparisons
But obviously, the American government is nothing like the Egyptian dictatorship, right?
Let's compare:
- There is a stunning amount of inequality in Egypt. But America is even worse
- Mubarak stole billions from his people, while the American oligarchs may have stolen trillions. See this, this, this and this
- Egypt have been living under a state of emergency for 30 years. But Americans have been living under a continuous state of emergency for 10 years straight
- Mubarak was supported by the military. But the military -industrial complex has taken over America
as well (moreover, there is a tradition in countries like Turkey for
the military to ensure that religious fanatics do not take over the
country)
- Mubarak ignored the wishes of his people. But the American government hasn't been listening to it's people either. For example, a 2010 Rasmussen poll found
that "just 21% of voters nationwide believe that the federal government
enjoys the consent of the governed". A 2010 Gallup poll determined
that nearly half of all Americans believe "the Federal government poses
an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens".
Poll after poll shows that "both national parties are deeply unpopular with an electorate looking for something new and different". Polls reveal
that 82% of all Americans wanted Wall Street to be reined in in a
substantial and meaningful manner, and yet nothing has really changed,
and the government has let Wall Street have it's way on all the
important issues. Polls find that Americans want the big financial
players who acted with fraud to be punished, and yet the government has let all of the big fish off the hook. And the government has ignored many other desires of the American people, including investigations into torture and spying on Americans, impeaching George W. Bush if he lied about Iraqi WMDs (which he did)
- Mubarak repressed his people and stifled dissent. Bush and Obama have haven't been all that protective of liberty either
- Mubarak murdered and tortured people without following the rule of law. America hasn't been wholly saintly in this regard over the last 10 years either (and see this)
I'm not saying that America is Egypt. I am saying that America today has a lot
of problems also. (And if you think those problems started on 9/11,
remember that virtually all of the current domestic and foreign policies
were already in place or planned before 9/11.)
But unlike the Egyptian people, Americans have become scared of their own shadow. We have forgotten that courage and hope are choices
- which do not have to come from John Wayne levels of testosterone, but
can simply arise from loving something enough to want to protect it.
How Did We Turn Into the Oppressor?
England oppressed America. We were the downtrodden who broke free. But now, America has helped to repress the Egyptian people (and see this and this).
How did we get on the wrong side of history?
The Egyptian People Have Changed the World
Minister Jim Wallis writes
in an open letter to the Egyptian protesters today entitled "The
Egyptian People Have Changed the World -- It's Their Turn to Lead":
You have changed the world.
***
Remember,
the United States was not talking about democracy in Egypt, not
advocating it, not saying a transition is necessary and urgent, UNTIL
you risked your security, safety and lives for the sake of democracy.
You changed the conversation, and the conversation would be the same as
it has been for decades if you hadn't done what you did. Your
generational peers are now watching what you are doing in countries
across the Arab world, and beyond. This is the moment for you and for
us.
***
You
represent a new generation, a new leadership, and a new hope for the
possibility of real democracy. Keep leading. My government, which still
calls itself the beacon of freedom, has sacrificed democracy in your
region of the world (and many other places) for American "interests." And
our foreign policy around the globe has put our interests before our
principles. But they are not really the interests of the American
people, but of oil companies, big banks and corporations, and rich and
powerful people. Their interest in stability is very different from ours in democracy. So
don't be fooled, don't listen to the so-called "wise" voices that have
been part of the old reality and want to now thank you for your
service to democracy, but are offering to take it from here.
Don't
let them. Keep demanding democracy -- real democracy. Because, for the
rest of us, democracy is the best defense of our "interests," and the
best path to genuine "stability." And, for our part, we will do our
best to stand with you. That will likely take sacrifice from all of us,
because real change always does.
The Founding Fathers would be proud of the Egyptian people, just as they supported the French revolution. They would be disgusted at the spineless sheep that the American people have become.
Note:
I love America and have lived here all my life. I criticize my country
because I want to save her from the self-destructive, anti-American
path that Bush and Obama have put us on. Just as the Egyptian people
felt a need to speak out, so do I.
"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism."
-Thomas Jefferson
"Patriotism
means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the
president or any other public official save exactly to the degree in
which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him
insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to
oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he
fails in his duty to stand by the country."
– Teddy Roosevelt
"To
announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we
are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only
unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American
public."
– Teddy Roosevelt
"This
country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it.
Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can
exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their
revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it."
- Abraham Lincoln, First Inaugural
"These
economic royalists complain that we seek to overthrow the
institutions of America. What they really complain of is that we seek
to take away their power. Our allegiance to American institutions
requires the overthrow of this kind of power. In vain they seek to hide
behind the flag and the Constitution. In their blindness they forget
what the flag and the Constitution stand for."
- Franklin Roosevelt
"Those who give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Ben Franklin
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KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID.
1. Egyptians followed Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi -- not Mohammad, the Prophet.
2. America followed Col. Jack Polk -- the single greatest briber of the 20th Century.
Polk was descended from a brother of President Polk, who carried out Manifest Destiny with California and the Oregon deal. Brother of Tommy... the Berlin air lift guy. He laid the ground work for modern Argentina and Ireland.
Neither country would be what it is today, if Polk had not developed networks of sensible and bribed honest managers. Bribe people who deserve it.
A little money, used brilliantly, can turn history on its ear. Gandhi ain't bad, either.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwIcWt1HKt8
GW:
Yes and no. It was sorta' like 1/3 for, and 1/3 indifferent, and 1/3 who opposed.
http://theotherpages.org/poems/books/longfellow/evangeline00.html (and not her: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.moviewatchlist.com/cast_g... )
and on the latter 1/3:
http://www.amazon.com/Oliver-Wiswell-Kenneth-Lewis-Roberts/dp/0892724684
'cuz Roberts did both sides.
But, you know what? The American People have been lulled to sleep through food stamps aka EBT cards.
More ...
- Ned
"The army and the people are one" is what the Egyptians are currently chanting - how sick is that given that it was the army that put and kept Mubarak in power.
This is a rather unique society, though. Over ten percent of the population serve in the military and everybody knows them. This can be a very different and good thing for a society that has undergone an education explosion. It would be enough to encourage a return to Tahrir Square en mass if this reform isn't what it was spozed to be.
"Support the Troops"
Not being a financial trader but merely a citizen casualty of the wall street heist, I appreciate ZH not only for the in depth information about financial topics, both local and global BUT ALSO the information about Global Events. I look forward to George Washington posts.
Keep them coming and thanks.
Thanks ... it's all connected:
We Cannot Separate Economics and Politics. And Those Who Speak Out Against Bad Policy Are Helping the Economy ... And Our Individual Investments"We Cannot Separate Economics and Politics. And Those Who Speak Out Against Bad Policy Are Helping the Economy"
What BS. Speaking out (whinning) against bad policy is useless intellectual jerking off. It's why I stopped listening to Lumbaugh, Hannity, talk radio period, long ago, and you sound like Limbaugh, Hannity, et al.
so true, so true. much of our problem, tho, has been a behind-the-scenes hidden agenda & we've been scammed. Americans have been trusting souls for toooo long & we've been taken advantage of. My adult children think the government (Obama) is so wonderful ...
It sucks to always be ahead of your kids. I've got a 33 year old from whom I've learned that it's always gonna be that way. It's hard, but it shows I'm keeping my pace. Maybe it gives them something to strive for. Same old, same old.
GW, you forgot to mention that 9/11 was an inside job designed to cow a population of sniveling, overweight, self-indulgent smurfs into doing what they're told and leaving the real decision making to the 9/11 planners who, let's face it, are either totally enamored of their own invincibility or have a set of balls that would widen Money McBags eyes! I'll never vote again. This country needs a serious cleansing of the morally bankrupt at the top and the bottom, and I expect it won't be too long before the hoses get turned on. I don't even mind, because after the revaluation of all values, honesty, directness, and a sense of true community might actually be possible.
Except for the 9/11 bit, I agree almost completely. I dream of a moral cleansing of the middle class as well. There's some very sick fucks in there. Middle management. And you know what I'm talking about.
Except for the 9/11 bit ...
Here's another junk for you. Two planes. Three buildings. Check your math.
I'm all caught up in it. Check your society and then check your junk. They're way out of sync.
Whether your 9/11 theory is true or not, it has no legs. My complaint is that you folks effectively discredit distrust with a vengeance.
Set it aside--surely that's not all you got to work with.
Geo, this is your masterpiece! Bravo.
"Geo, this is your masterpiece of whinny rhetoric!"
Fixed it.
GW, you have a Thanks button?
Seriously don't you guys know the rules? Unregistered trolling is subject to a $50 dollar penalty. Registration is simple and free. Continuing trolling education units (CTE's) are also available.
I blame the progressive movement and pop culture. Masculinity has given way to metrosexual, effeminate, chest waxing crybabies, obsessed with the lives of brainless Hollywood celebutards.
Wake the Fuck up Morons!
Real men stand up to fascists ...
The fascists' view of masculinity is that -- to be a real American man -- you have to rally around the "strong leader", you have to talk tough about the "war on terror", you have to get pleasure out of watching "our team" (the sole superpower) beat the stuffing out of a bunch of third-rate armies like Iraq and Afghanistan.
Are they right? Well, psychologists tell us that rallying around the authoritarian leader is actually a very infantile way to affirm one's masculinity.
Okay, listen up guys. Real men don't bluster like George W. Bush or Bill O'Reilly. Real men stand up to fascists.
Our forefathers stood up to the British king and fought for our freedom. Our forefathers stood up to tyrants and won their liberty and freedom.
THAT's what masculinity really means. That's where the pedal hits the metal and the rubber meets the road. It is the dictators running our country who are the danger, who are stealing the future from us, and our kids, and our grandkids.
Come on, buddy . . . stop posing. And start acting like a real man.
"If you're really a patriot, you will defend the constitution. If you're a coward, you'll defend the elite who want to subvert it. Real men stand up to fascism. Cowardly men become boot lickers."
- Chris D
"Most Americans aren't the sort of citizens the Founding Fathers expected; they are contented serfs. Far from being active critics of government, they assume that its might makes it right."
- Joseph Sobran
"The fascists' view of masculinity is that -- to be a real American man -- you have to rally around the "strong leader" ..."
Fascists want followers. They couldn't care less about masculinity or lack thereof.
Founding fathers only permitted land owners to vote. Now the governments and banks are the true landowners and they don't need to vote. Owners don't much care who the elected front guys are. Just make adjustments left, right and center. Squash any bona-fide threat to profit in the elected ranks with megacash to the other side.
As Chris Rock says.....' the government's all fucked up, man, it's all fucked up '.
Are you watching too much courage the cowardly dog? Hey when you finish up licking John Edwards muff, and snowballing Chris Rock with it, give us a call. You have about 200 years of history to catch up on. I'll give you the rest out of ignorance.
Where were you in the Battle of Seattle again?
Oh yeah, spanking your monkey while neocons dismantled the constitution and watching Glenn Beck cry on TV.
Go rub your shriveled gnads some more, shifferbrainz.
Actually Glenn Beck is a sell out. He did a 180 on FEMA camps and continues to perpetuate the lie of 9-11. Benedict Arnold does throw some truth into his daily 5:00 tear-filled sessions though.
The Battle of Seattle? Did you smash a few store windows and run away from the police in a black dress? Congratulations. As for my gnads, they are very well moisturized thank you.
I happen to see through the Dr. Quigley left/right paradigm, so don't assume my comment on the progressive movement makes me a neocon. I have a feeling convincing 2 of my cop friends to join Oathkeepers is more of a contribution than your day of criminal mischeif.
Go snowball your boyfriend some more.
No, not in Seattle...taking care of my wife and kid, like a responsible adult, but the kids making a statement there had bigger gnads than your moistened towelette variety by a longshot.
You wouldn't understand, being an infantile chest-thumper who believes his duty to promulgate lame conspiracy tripe is an effective 'contribution'.
I don't think you're a neocon...they at least have an ideology, whereas you'd be hard-pressed to even come up with a set of beliefs without access to an internet connection and your bookmarks.
Now roll over before you get a bedsore, poser.
Easy snowy lad, you're letting yourself be taken in by the clever phallic name which is a curious one for a girl to use but i think we can get used to it.
i think this variant of biggus dickus is simply stating the well known fact that when the men of the place start wearing mascara and make up, an empire is on the downslope. eg rome, greece even britain.
When you are weak you are invaded , always the way.
Stretching your capabilities too thin with ill-advised foreign endeavors on specious grounds is a very popular method of becoming 'weak'.
Absolutely, the currency of a country at war is usually weak and the USD has been in slow decline from 2001/2 and Bush's wars.
As sure as a junk vote here is the sign of a sensible post these days.
Also dumb wars bring lowlifes in the form of regime flunkies and refugees to the country of responsibility
Americans don't know what they want period. Just look and listen around you and you will see and hear things that are 180 to what the person wanted or didn't want. When you see a Tea bagger/older white male or female for instance fighting against a govt. that is in everybodies business and is curtailing freedom saying that they want them gone. But in the other breath they say they like their Social Security, Medicare, police etc. etc.. When you have people saying that it's free country I can do or say what I want, but won't give the same courtesy to the woman who is going to a clinic to get an abortion (and demand the govt. to get in between what is her doctor and her body). When you have a politicians and leaders in our country giving the wink and a nod to racial issues and such and then saying they aren't racists (knowing that many in the US are ignorant of the world and even the US).
A big chunk of the US population are emotional or mentally disturbed. What issues that happened to them in their past they have used as a reason to push whatever ideology they believe in. That is why we won't riot on an idea, because everybody is mad and scared and ignorant of others that don't look or believe like they do. We have become a country of dumbed down children where many won't go the few steps that it takes to adulthood. The only way that everybody would riot or demand change is if the govt. checks stop coming in.
I wish ZH had a 'thumbs up' button as well, instead of just a 'junk' one. Such clarity of vision. Says it all.
I'm an American and I know what I want. Stop speaking for anyone but yourself.
I have thought about the question of "public tipping point" and when we will eventually reach it.
Based upon my observations as a New Yorker and world traveler, two sure fire igniters of civic rebellion (i.e., riots) are death from brutality at the hands of the police and public self immolation by holy men.
Any volunteers?
The third tipping point just might be hunger. Hard to say for sure, as I have never actually been phyiscally hungry. (but I have seen it & bet you have, too)
Love your work and your art, WB7.
Based upon my observations as a New Yorker and world traveler, two sure fire igniters of civic rebellion (i.e., riots) are death from brutality at the hands of the police and public self immolation by holy men.
Absolutely. What if Joe Stack had went the Buddhist monk route instead of attacking innocent people?
If somebody wants to protest loudly, self immolation is the way to go. Not that I'm volunteering!
Live on the other side of the pond. Never been much of the hero, but became one when the "majority" made a small step backwards.
Lost a mandate to be a volunteer ... ( not just a mandate ). :-P
The tipping point will be the NFL strike. The peoples stay calmer when the Coliseum is open and their favorite gladiators reign victorious. These games also divert their attention from more important issues....like food, shelter and fuel.
My thought as well while watching the televised joy of Egyptians in the streets. Our only comparison is sporting events . . . what sad commentary.
I'm inclined to blame school sports for producing a nation of bicameral us-versus-them minds that aspire to so much, but deliver so little.
And I say this as a highly decorated high school jock.
You don't tailgate very often huh?
No, I don't need to be at a tailgate party to feel like pissing on another guy's tire is okay...( him laughs at self )
Hey, I'm sorry, but the line at the port-a-potty was horrendous. And on your whitewalls too. ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToBkYPx8Eto
You football hater! I always go your stupid stonings when you ask!
The USA has only 1 objective to protect Israel, everything else is secondary
"Barbara Amiel, a leading columnist for the London Daily Telegraph, revealed that during a reception at her house, the ambassador of “a major EU country” told guests that the world’s current troubles were all the fault of “that shitty little country Israel.” “Why,” he asked, “should the world be in danger of World War Three because of those people?”
People are becoming more open in their disgust for zionists who won't follow basic international law, such as not colonizing conquered territory. In game theory when everyone else knows that everyone else has the same opinion, then change is swift. I am looking forward to an economic blockade by the entire world against the state of Israel. The only people holding it back right now are southern religious fundamentalists. Once they change their opinion it is game over for Israel. I am totally disgusted by a group of people that continually get us in trouble and then treat us with disrespect, Oh, and they steal our secrets, make Pollard a national hero, sink the Liberty, allowed phalangists to commit massacres, need I go on?
" zionists who won't follow basic international law, such as not colonizing conquered territory."
And we build them thirty foot tall concrete walls to contain their new territories, while our borders stays open.
How many times has Uncle Sam moved his borders onto stolen land?
The only people holding it back right now are southern religious fundamentalists.
I would say the captured federal politicians have something to do with holding off a blockade. But I appreciate your post.
I really want to be happy for the Egyptian people, but I'm too cynical to believe that this won't end badly for them in any event.
I'm no expert in the American Revolution by any means, but I think it succeeded because it was led by the founders, who were elites, but were products of the Enlightenment, who believed in philosophy, reason and liberty for men. Even then, the divisions started almost immediately. This current revolution has no such figures to guide in beyond this moment of birth. Even the birthplace of the American Revolution has no such figures today to recognize and beat back tyranny, and refresh the tree of liberty.