This blog is about fairness; about looking at objects from multiple perspectives. Stable transformation comes only slowly; and only if the environment is free of sporadic jitters of passion and anger that destabilize growth. I strongly believe that the path to peace crosses through the battle with self.
Yep, it'll be a good day when there's some accountability for all the useless killing, war and injustice, here, Iraq and other areas of the World, 'caused by the wannabe, renegade cowboy, who isn't even that! ; (
I consider myself a patriot and not an scoundrel. When others have attacked your countries and your friends and relations are dying under Scud missile atacks and the people you plyaed basketball are dead defending you, then you will most likely revise your equation.
I agree that nationalism is the curse of our world.
But nationalism, is often the outcome of a process that threatens one. Nationalism is a refuge for different interest groups.
I think if we all respected one another across culture and geography; and if there was balanced (not equal) distribution of wealth, then nationalism would go to sleep.
For now, our god is greed! And so, I share your pessimism as well.
The US "Empire" (or imperialism, as some choose to call it) is a nice big fat target, but a false one.
The target realistically should be the multinationals.
(This is for you Pen Name, don't think your precious Iranian mullahs/imams aren't businessmen well acquainted with the power of multinational corporate interests, or even in cahoots (working with) with some of them)
Do you think the Persians never controlled an empire through trade?
The difference now is that the (corporate) Empires respect no borders, no countries, no national interests.
Totally agree with you about the "real" enemy being the corpporations.
However, let's keep in mind that it is the corporations that have built America and control it today. Also, let's keep in mind that Americans are the most corporate-loving nation in the western world.
I mean, think of Vietnam, ... peole were going to war to defend the CORPORATE interest against COMMNISM: oh yes in the name of "freedom".
Anyways, what I Am trying to say is that America has provided a monsterous model of greed and individualism, and has called it GREAT, and now we have all the rest of the world is competing to become just as GREAT!
I don't like washing my hands off of responsibility, by saying that it is the BIG governments, the BIG mullahs and the BIG corporations that are responsible. We all are. All of us who have rallied and keep rallying behind these fake notions of liberty, democracy, religion, nationalism and what not!
I am aware of the power of multi-national corporations. However, the mere existence of corporations do not constitute existential or metaphysical evil. The corporations are higher forms of human organization which are necessary (among other organizations) for the maintenance of large numbers of human beings. In other words, they are tools that may be used for good or for ill.
I am aware of the Persian Empire - it has nothing to do with us in Modern Iran. And the history of that empire, like all others before it or after it, indicates that all fall down. To try that which has already been tried and found wanting is a mistake.
There is nothing wrong with trade either - the Prophet and many of his companions were traders and the historical culture of Islam has had a great deal of international trade flavor to it.
Again, the fault is not in trade, or making money, or being successful. The fault is in ourselves; that we are in the State of Fall from which only God's Grace can save us.
The mullahs are people like you and I. Some of them I like, some of them I do not. I do not have any trouble with them actively participating in the governance of Iran - I do not think Muslim polities can be secular.
Anyway, wars are not caused over oil, or economic gains, or corporate profits. Those are all secondary or tertiary.
War are caused because human beings like war; it is exciting and it caters to the love-hate relationship that persists among human beings.
I do not know why God created us thus - but that is how I interpret the fact of war for the last 9000 years (as far as the evidence for it indicates).
Naj: Liberty & Democracy are not fake values. We are slaves of God so that we may be free of any human master. “It is only in Christ that men are Free.”
America is a commercial culture. I do not find her monstrous. It is true that we do not like much about her but there are many things that are quite desirable and attractive about her. I am always astonished by the Americans who adopt retarded children and try to raise them. There is rule of law in US. There a Muslim is safe in his property, life and namus. And many people who are very very religious in Iran daydream about visiting US; there are mullahs who would love to visit America with their family, there are veiled (chadori) women and young women who go to Hazrate… shrine everyday but long to visit US (or EU).
I agree with almost all you said here. But I re-iterate, that America is a fascinating "idea"; whhich attracts all of us; and then transmogrifies us into the realities forced by the godness of money!
Look at the popular culture. Just turn on you rTV and watch one of those DREADFUL shows and see what people do for MONEY!
I HATE reducing humanity to money and to material and to winning and to competion. I just HATE it! And I fear America's being set up to lose it's last moral ground, by pumping its culture with more of the same century old crap: the survival of the fittest.
Astonishingly, this is where you an I may converge on the idea of a god.
I think that it is easy to blame the United States, and to call their corporations the greediest. They are the most visible, because of the US military bases that ring the globe. However, after WWII agreements were made with many countries to protect their corporate interests also.
European countries still have (effectively, through financial interests) colonies in Africa, Asia, and South America that are protected by the US military.
How would Europe have been able to rebuild after WWII?
I don't know that Americans are the most corporate loving. Perhaps corporate fearing would be a more apt description. We may be the only inhabitants of a "first world" (as opposed to "third world") country that is aware of how much control the corporate interests really have.
AND how few of them can be fought in any court, anywhere, AND how ruthless, AND how STATELESS they are.
As an American, I do not attempt to shirk responsibility for corporate malfeasance, but I will tell you that finding out who is truly responsible for that malfeasance is quite a challenge.
The large multinational corporations complicate the shit out of things on purpose.
Recently our pets were killed by a chemical in their food that was processed in China.
It's easy to blame the US, but the problems are now global, the corporations have ALWAYS been multinational.
"Anyway, wars are not caused over oil, or economic gains, or corporate profits. Those are all secondary or tertiary."
Wow. Would that I had that much faith in human nature. You really are an idealist, aren't you? How noble. (that's not snark, I mean it)
You have to see this documentary movie. It outlines how (by international law) the corporations have been given the rights of human beings, but NOT the responsibilities.
It also checks off point by point how corporations are like psychopaths.
In many societies, the poorer people imitate the richer ones. They rich are imitated in their speech, fashion, tastes, behavior and so on.
Likewise, the poorer countries imitate the richer countries; they are rich and thus they must be right - in everything.
There are master countries and there are servant countries.
There are many countries that have no higher aspiration than either be an accepted servant of the rich and powerful. There are others that want to become as rich and as powerful.
People all over the world emulate America and Americans; sometimes for good, often for evil. They do so because inside them is hollow - they have no confidence and trust in their own culture, civilization, tradition, and religion.
Again, there is nothing wrong with being rich - it is not a sin. Abdul Rahman ibn Ouf was a great trader and one of the Companions of the Prophet.
What is wrong is to loose the sight of what is important:
That is the Message of the Prophet: "You are only distinguished [in the Eye of God] by the degree to which you are pious & religious.".
Long before the modern nations existed, before the idea of corporation was formulated in England inthe 16-th Century, before oil became important, and before Islam, Christianity, or Judaism ever existed we have had wars.
You seek in the wrong place for the origin of war.
Christ said:" I have no enemies." but Christian armies have been at war hither and thither for 2000 years.
I love your blog...you are indeed a woman showing strength and resilence...and creativity...
I love the Howard ZInn article- he is one of my favorite writers, and I have used his books to teach my son ( I homeschool)....
America has been Corprotized by Corrupt Criminals- so that we have lost Sight of what this Country is- and NO ONE feels they are a true part or share in the country's destiny....It is Time for Regime Change...
Happy 4th...I hope and pray that over the next 18 monthes we as a Country we find OUR Way...It is time for WE THE PEOPLE to mean something again...
And Naj- what you wrote about Bush and his Cowboy Persona is Right On & beautifully written.
Thanks for dropping by. I think America's greatest feature is its flexibility. It has re-invented itself many times. It will again. A young country (in the grand scheme of things) is just more plastic and more perspicacious.
I think the COW-boy has done a great job for America, in making it realize her childish naivite. Things can only get better from here on, only if we join arms in resiting the war mongers (in all camps) who believe in destruction of their imagined "evil" and who think war is their god-given right/curse. People who think wars are inevitable sicken me!
29 comments:
Er uhm Thanks! I think.
By Jingo let's think about
red things
http://www.axel-jacob.de/wounded_knee2.html
white things
blue things
Happy Jingo Day, America!
I don't know what America needs, but I sure do know what it doesn't need.
Happy 4th!!
lol, liked the Jingo-day term!
Pen Name,
this is MARVELOUS Thanks!
Perfect dear, thanks.
Yep, it'll be a good day when there's some accountability for all the useless killing, war and injustice, here, Iraq and other areas of the World, 'caused by the wannabe, renegade cowboy, who isn't even that! ; (
yes, he is giving a bad reputation to cowboys.
Well, by calling himself a cowboy he assumes
Americans are his cows to milk,
Iraqis are his cows to slaughter,
Iranians are his cows to roast
In my opinion every state needs a bit of patriotim otherwise it will not be able to maintain itself.
Yes, US needs "nationalism" but not in the form of "my country, right or worng" but rather in the form of "peacable until attacked".
Unfortunately, US has been following the imperial path at least since WWI and will continue to do so until her losses on that path outweigh her gains.
We have no problem with US if she stays within her own boundaries but she will not - for many decades yet to come.
In the meantime, the world will have to suffer the consequnces of her imperial fantasises and projects.
pen Name
Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel-
Nationalism is worse.
I consider myself a patriot and not an scoundrel. When others have attacked your countries and your friends and relations are dying under Scud missile atacks and the people you plyaed basketball are dead defending you, then you will most likely revise your equation.
pen Name
Pen Name,
Just a house-keeping comment:
Rickb's comment was not addressed to you. I had not posted your comment re patriotism when he wrote his response.
Nationalism is the curse of our world (along with greed, theology,egoism, imperialism, individualism, etc).
Surely if we all considered ourselves as world citizens who deserve equal right some of the barriers that divide us would fall!
Wishful thinking I know.
I still think America is a good idea.
david mohammad,
I agree. But the "idea" is very different from what is implemented now.
Take the release of Scooter Libby as an example of this hypocritical implementation.
Daniel,
I agree that nationalism is the curse of our world.
But nationalism, is often the outcome of a process that threatens one. Nationalism is a refuge for different interest groups.
I think if we all respected one another across culture and geography; and if there was balanced (not equal) distribution of wealth, then nationalism would go to sleep.
For now, our god is greed! And so, I share your pessimism as well.
Nationalism and corporatism are the scourge of the World, enhanced by Bush and Blair.
The US "Empire" (or imperialism, as some choose to call it) is a nice big fat target, but a false one.
The target realistically should be the multinationals.
(This is for you Pen Name, don't think your precious Iranian mullahs/imams aren't businessmen well acquainted with the power of multinational corporate interests, or even in cahoots (working with) with some of them)
Do you think the Persians never controlled an empire through trade?
The difference now is that the (corporate) Empires respect no borders, no countries, no national interests.
See this Multinational corporations
Watch this: The Corporation ( 1 of 23 parts
or buy it here: The Corporation
Nunya,
Totally agree with you about the "real" enemy being the corpporations.
However, let's keep in mind that it is the corporations that have built America and control it today. Also, let's keep in mind that Americans are the most corporate-loving nation in the western world.
I mean, think of Vietnam, ... peole were going to war to defend the CORPORATE interest against COMMNISM: oh yes in the name of "freedom".
Anyways, what I Am trying to say is that America has provided a monsterous model of greed and individualism, and has called it GREAT, and now we have all the rest of the world is competing to become just as GREAT!
I don't like washing my hands off of responsibility, by saying that it is the BIG governments, the BIG mullahs and the BIG corporations that are responsible. We all are. All of us who have rallied and keep rallying behind these fake notions of liberty, democracy, religion, nationalism and what not!
nunya:
I am aware of the power of multi-national corporations. However, the mere existence of corporations do not constitute existential or metaphysical evil. The corporations are higher forms of human organization which are necessary (among other organizations) for the maintenance of large numbers of human beings. In other words, they are tools that may be used for good or for ill.
I am aware of the Persian Empire - it has nothing to do with us in Modern Iran. And the history of that empire, like all others before it or after it, indicates that all fall down. To try that which has already been tried and found wanting is a mistake.
There is nothing wrong with trade either - the Prophet and many of his companions were traders and the historical culture of Islam has had a great deal of international trade flavor to it.
Again, the fault is not in trade, or making money, or being successful. The fault is in ourselves; that we are in the State of Fall from which only God's Grace can save us.
The mullahs are people like you and I. Some of them I like, some of them I do not. I do not have any trouble with them actively participating in the governance of Iran - I do not think Muslim polities can be secular.
Anyway, wars are not caused over oil, or economic gains, or corporate profits. Those are all secondary or tertiary.
War are caused because human beings like war; it is exciting and it caters to the love-hate relationship that persists among human beings.
I do not know why God created us thus - but that is how I interpret the fact of war for the last 9000 years (as far as the evidence for it indicates).
Naj:
Liberty & Democracy are not fake values. We are slaves of God so that we may be free of any human master. “It is only in Christ that men are Free.”
America is a commercial culture. I do not find her monstrous. It is true that we do not like much about her but there are many things that are quite desirable and attractive about her. I am always astonished by the Americans who adopt retarded children and try to raise them. There is rule of law in US. There a Muslim is safe in his property, life and namus. And many people who are very very religious in Iran daydream about visiting US; there are mullahs who would love to visit America with their family, there are veiled (chadori) women and young women who go to Hazrate… shrine everyday but long to visit US (or EU).
We are not against US, US is against US.
pen Name
Pen, some times you are so sweet! :)
I agree with almost all you said here. But I re-iterate, that America is a fascinating "idea"; whhich attracts all of us; and then transmogrifies us into the realities forced by the godness of money!
Look at the popular culture. Just turn on you rTV and watch one of those DREADFUL shows and see what people do for MONEY!
I HATE reducing humanity to money and to material and to winning and to competion. I just HATE it! And I fear America's being set up to lose it's last moral ground, by pumping its culture with more of the same century old crap: the survival of the fittest.
Astonishingly, this is where you an I may converge on the idea of a god.
Naj,
I think that it is easy to blame the United States, and to call their corporations the greediest. They are the most visible, because of the US military bases that ring the globe. However, after WWII agreements were made with many countries to protect their corporate interests also.
European countries still have (effectively, through financial interests) colonies in Africa, Asia, and South America that are protected by the US military.
How would Europe have been able to rebuild after WWII?
The United States as we know it today began with a series of European corporate ventures.
you say:
mean, think of Vietnam, ... peole were going to war to defend the CORPORATE interest against COMMNISM: oh yes in the name of "freedom".
French interests in Vietnam
I don't know that Americans are the most corporate loving. Perhaps corporate fearing would be a more apt description. We may be the only inhabitants of a "first world" (as opposed to "third world") country that is aware of how much control the corporate interests really have.
AND how few of them can be fought in any court, anywhere, AND how ruthless, AND how STATELESS they are.
As an American, I do not attempt to shirk responsibility for corporate malfeasance, but I will tell you that finding out who is truly responsible for that malfeasance is quite a challenge.
The large multinational corporations complicate the shit out of things on purpose.
Recently our pets were killed by a chemical in their food that was processed in China.
It's easy to blame the US, but the problems are now global, the corporations have ALWAYS been multinational.
Pen Name,
you say:
"Anyway, wars are not caused over oil, or economic gains, or corporate profits. Those are all secondary or tertiary."
Wow. Would that I had that much faith in human nature. You really are an idealist, aren't you?
How noble. (that's not snark, I mean it)
You have to see this documentary movie.
It outlines how (by international law) the corporations have been given the rights of human beings, but NOT the responsibilities.
It also checks off point by point how corporations are like psychopaths.
It chilled me to the bone.
In many societies, the poorer people imitate the richer ones. They rich are imitated in their speech, fashion, tastes, behavior and so on.
Likewise, the poorer countries imitate the richer countries; they are rich and thus they must be right - in everything.
There are master countries and there are servant countries.
There are many countries that have no higher aspiration than either be an accepted servant of the rich and powerful. There are others that want to become as rich and as powerful.
People all over the world emulate America and Americans; sometimes for good, often for evil. They do so because inside them is hollow - they have no confidence and trust in their own culture, civilization, tradition, and religion.
Again, there is nothing wrong with being rich - it is not a sin. Abdul Rahman ibn Ouf was a great trader and one of the Companions of the Prophet.
What is wrong is to loose the sight of what is important:
That is the Message of the Prophet: "You are only distinguished [in the Eye of God] by the degree to which you are pious & religious.".
pen Name
nunya:
Long before the modern nations existed, before the idea of corporation was formulated in England inthe 16-th Century, before oil became important, and before Islam, Christianity, or Judaism ever existed we have had wars.
You seek in the wrong place for the origin of war.
Christ said:" I have no enemies." but Christian armies have been at war hither and thither for 2000 years.
Only the Dead have seen the end of War.
pen Name
nunya:
There are human beings that are Evil, no doubt about that.
We have to defend ourselves and destroy them.
pen Name
I love your blog...you are indeed a woman showing strength and resilence...and creativity...
I love the Howard ZInn article- he is one of my favorite writers, and I have used his books to teach my son ( I homeschool)....
America has been Corprotized by Corrupt Criminals- so that we have lost Sight of what this Country is- and NO ONE feels they are a true part or share in the country's destiny....It is Time for Regime Change...
Happy 4th...I hope and pray that over the next 18 monthes we as a Country we find OUR Way...It is time for WE THE PEOPLE to mean something again...
And Naj- what you wrote about Bush and his Cowboy Persona is Right On & beautifully written.
PS. Love the art on this post too....
Hi Enigma4Ever,
Thanks for dropping by. I think America's greatest feature is its flexibility. It has re-invented itself many times. It will again. A young country (in the grand scheme of things) is just more plastic and more perspicacious.
I think the COW-boy has done a great job for America, in making it realize her childish naivite. Things can only get better from here on, only if we join arms in resiting the war mongers (in all camps) who believe in destruction of their imagined "evil" and who think war is their god-given right/curse. People who think wars are inevitable sicken me!
I just love you blogs! And I disagree with you on yhour comment about the "Evenescense...", off key voice!
America will never be right until then power and profit is removed from Corporate America, who have far to much influence.
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