04-01-2003, 12:45 AM
Firstly, the US hasn't cared what anybody thought for it's entire existance. Not even that of it's own people. Politicians routinely told white lies to gain popularity. The only difference now is the wool of primetime news fear-tactics is so thick over the eyes of the people that it has become the new office of minitrue. Hail the glorious dystopia of modern 'drive-thru' pop culture, the only legal way in the 'free' world to enslave minds and destroy intelect. American democracy has become a twisted monstrosity of it's hypothetical glory, being the only first world dictatorship. People don't want politics, they want cheap beer, lots of sex, rap and any easy way to do things of $90 value for only three easy payments of $16.99. With marketers catering to the desire to become like the images they themselves perpetuate, society at large has fallen victim to a vicious cycle of consumption addiction. Poverty and the problems people associate with it are still just as bad, if not worse, but they haven't been on the front page of any newspaper. Obesity hasn't caused fast food to lose business. Even worse, the very fabric of the political structure depends on the public making decisions has lost its strength. The cheap here and now generation has puked a 40 of tequilla on democracy and passed out on the couch. I haven't heard people saying Bush Jr. is the best president ever because he is taking action agaisnt our internal problems, and is making us better people. Nothing seems to be emanating from the stately White House but pro-war rhetoric. It's not even like Saddam meant a thing in the big picture except some selfish need from the worlds largest consumer. A single digit percentile of the global population uses over a third of it's resources and produces over half it's waste. Not enough of that is being diverted to develop third world nations, or help the impoverished to claim a "caring" disposition. If you have money it's all good, but it seems the less money you have, the shorter your end of the stick is. Though America has done a lot of helpful things in it's time, like helping Iraq in no small amount during it's war with Iran, who was winning, and a balance of power was desired to keep either one from gaining power and threatening the west. This is when the WMDs we all love to hate were sold to both sides, along with intelligence on the respective enemies positions. No thought of civillian cost, just how to preserve US interests. Like any country which has had the CIA prevent leaders from getting in to power who might hinder cheap labour, or oil flow. Credit must be given to the US for halting most of its WMD research to keep war so expensive that only they could wage it.
As for changing gears in 2001, nothing has changed except a dramatic increase in public outrage. No peaceful Muslims ever attacked the US. Peaceful people don't do that. Devoted religious extremists did, and were justly hated, though unjustly called "unprovoked". Nothing drastic is ever done without cause. The US has its secret, dirty reasons for invading that the public may never know. So did al Qaeda in those attacks, it was even explicitly stated: stop messing with Islam. A sad truth of life is that a concept can only sink in if there is enough depth for it to submerge. Everybody should understand that this was one of countless stabs at an immanent threat to the Islamic faith. Whether you see it like that or not, that's the way they did. Foreign policy remains unaltered in 20 years, foreign extortion continues at it's same old pace. So far, the definition of parasite fits quite well; consuming and supporting ones self, while causing deterioration in the host organism. As far as being a referee, hopefully this wonder sport with referees who start fights, break up teams and silently execute Tanya Harding style tactics will reach my TV soon.
Here's a cold toilet seat in the morning: without the UN, US troops would find themselves being gassed and infected by weapons of American origin. I guess the "Useless" Nations loses something in the translation from what went on in the organization to the non-existance on american televisions. The weapons inspectors were extremely successful in their duties, but that doesn't make for good ratings when the prez says war. Fortunately, the Geneva Convention hasn't been violated too many times on the part of the good guys. Iraqi prisoners have only been shown on tv. Unlike those dirty Iraqis who do the same thing. Alright, that racial interment camp Guantanimo Bay doesn't technically violate human rights, because they aren't the ones doing it. Nice little loophople there, eh? Send your POWs to some hellhole totalitarian nation to get the information tortured out, then have them sent back. Like a dry cleaner really. Only no risk of shrinking fabric from chemical exposure. Well, one hopes not.
Blame the lazy society that started the downward spiral, not the people who occasionally grace it's headlines.
As for changing gears in 2001, nothing has changed except a dramatic increase in public outrage. No peaceful Muslims ever attacked the US. Peaceful people don't do that. Devoted religious extremists did, and were justly hated, though unjustly called "unprovoked". Nothing drastic is ever done without cause. The US has its secret, dirty reasons for invading that the public may never know. So did al Qaeda in those attacks, it was even explicitly stated: stop messing with Islam. A sad truth of life is that a concept can only sink in if there is enough depth for it to submerge. Everybody should understand that this was one of countless stabs at an immanent threat to the Islamic faith. Whether you see it like that or not, that's the way they did. Foreign policy remains unaltered in 20 years, foreign extortion continues at it's same old pace. So far, the definition of parasite fits quite well; consuming and supporting ones self, while causing deterioration in the host organism. As far as being a referee, hopefully this wonder sport with referees who start fights, break up teams and silently execute Tanya Harding style tactics will reach my TV soon.
Here's a cold toilet seat in the morning: without the UN, US troops would find themselves being gassed and infected by weapons of American origin. I guess the "Useless" Nations loses something in the translation from what went on in the organization to the non-existance on american televisions. The weapons inspectors were extremely successful in their duties, but that doesn't make for good ratings when the prez says war. Fortunately, the Geneva Convention hasn't been violated too many times on the part of the good guys. Iraqi prisoners have only been shown on tv. Unlike those dirty Iraqis who do the same thing. Alright, that racial interment camp Guantanimo Bay doesn't technically violate human rights, because they aren't the ones doing it. Nice little loophople there, eh? Send your POWs to some hellhole totalitarian nation to get the information tortured out, then have them sent back. Like a dry cleaner really. Only no risk of shrinking fabric from chemical exposure. Well, one hopes not.
Blame the lazy society that started the downward spiral, not the people who occasionally grace it's headlines.