Ernest Canning,

While your number’s inclusion of the 666 sequence may discredit you in the minds of the right wing nuts, I would like to applaud your concise, well stated appeal to the nation urging us to fulfil OUR duty to demand the immediate exercise of the consitutional remedy for a president and vice-president who have established an unconstitutional, probably criminal, regime in the confines of the White House.  It operates in defiance of the Congress, the laws, the Constitution and the will of the people made clear last November.  You said clearly and with subdued passion what I have been ranting about so ineffectively for so long.

Thank you. I hope you find a much broader audience for your voice.

More quotes:-

“One of the great attractions to patriotism, it fulfills our worst wishes. In the person of a nation we are able, vicariously, to bully and cheat while feeling we’re profoundly virtuous.” : Aldous Huxley

“A nation is a society united by a delusion about its ancestry and a common fear of its neighbors.” : W. R. Inge

“Patriotism is fierce as a fever, pitiless as the grave, blind as a stone and as irrational as a headless hen.” -Ambrose Bierce

“Patriotism is a religion, the egg from which wars are hatched.” : Guy de Maupassant
 
“Patriotism is a menace to liberty.”: Emma Goldman

Responding to Nitro’s comment on my wondering what might happen if 25 million people (not just 100,000 or 500,000, but 25 MILLION) marched on Washington, surrounded the Capitol, the White House, and the Pentagon, not moving a muscle until the carnage in Iraq amd Afghanistan stopped…Nitro suggested 25 million rifles be carried instead of just unarmed citizens.  I can understand his frustration.  I, too, have been an activist for over 40 years and can see the justification for violent revolution.  Not much has fundamentally changed, nor will it until something unusual and BIG happens to stop the status quo.

However, I also think that not only does violence harm those who use and perpetuate it (from any side), but if 25 million armed people came to Washington that would totally justify the Pentagon mowing them all down with their superior weapons.  And the country would probably support them.

However,  think about the impact of 25 million peaceful people!!!  Imagine it.

Of course, it would have to be well-coordinated and
planned.  But it is not impossible.

re comment #66793 by Jeff Gershoff.  Perservere, my friend.

I absolutely do not think that doing nothing or not doing the best you can is justified by feeling a fundamental pessimism.  I feel much like Bob Dylan said in a song “the only thing I knew how to do was to keep on keepin on like a bird that flew; tangled up in blue.”  That is more or less where I find myself.  I took to the streets again recently for the first time in almost 40 years and joined a MoveOn demonstration in Santa Monica to end the war.  I am more than willing to do that on a daily basis and to back worthy causes with both money and my body, it is just that the resolve or the galvinization does not seem to be there in enough fellow Americans to really get a monkey wrench into the works and stop the machine.  We do have to keep trying though.  I’m afraid that it is very true these days that to not be part of the solution is to be part of the problem.

re comment #66721 by Jeff Gershoff.  Reviewing your thoughtful comment, I could not help but think of the words of Robert F. Kennedy:  “Some people see things as they are and ask why?  I see things as they could be and ask, why not?”  In his innaugeral address, at the height of the Great Depression, President Franklyn Roosevelt observed, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

Pessimism, like fear, can cripple a movement for meaningful social change.  There is no doubt that the obstacles we face are great, but they are not insurmountable.  In a different posting, I took exception to those who asserted that the American people are stupid.  They are not stupid.  Bombarded daily by the propaganda that passes for news in the conglomerated corporate media, they are simply misinformed.

Pessimism is the product of examining history only from the perspective of what corrupt leaders have done.  Howard Zinn’s “People’s History of the United States” is, above all else, a profound statement of hope.  Throughout the history of this nation there has been an undercurrent of individuals who strive to make the egalitarian promise contained in the Declaration of Independence a reality.

The first step toward a truly democratic America will come when the bright light of truth shines at even the darkest Orwellian reaches of Bush World.

I wish that I could share the optimism (such as it is) of Mr Canning that the American people are prepared to rise to the demands of active citizenship and reversing the horrendous legacy of the last eight years.  There are blockages in front of us right now that seem virtually impenetrable.  Our dependence on oil; arab control of oil production; the antagonized state of relations between Islam and western culture and ideology; palestine/Israel, irreversible global warming; US worship of shiny, fast toys, bloody violent victories in sports arenas, the horrendous proliferation of personal computers the internet and the devil incarnate cell phones.  It is funny that although I am a home grown new yorker/californian American, I agree with many of the issues that the Arab world find abhorent about us and our culture.  That does not mean that they are right, only that we are so, so wrong on many things.  So Mr Canning, although I love your logic your obvious intelligence and your passion, I’m afraid that I don’t share your optomism that there is, in fact, a way out of this crap storm that we both find ourselves in and have helped to create.  Impeachment would be a start but hey, they barely, barely, could pass these rather lukewarm house and senate versions of the start pulling out in ‘08 legislation and after his veto what will ultimately be signed?  Not much, I’m afraid.

Re comment #66384 by Nitro:  While I understand where you are coming from, I vigorously disagree with any suggestion that we are past a civil, peaceful way to ending the nation’s present malaise.  Violence is always counter-productive, and, in the end, those who engage in it become what they despise.  The answer to a lawless Presidency is an insistance on application of the rule of law—impeachment and subsequent trials of these war criminals under the principles embodied in the Nuremberg and U.N. Charters.

While the Bush administration has taken this nation to the cusp of a totalitarian America, we are by no means there yet.  Where the Bush regime would subjugate the vast majority of Americans—the middle and working classes—leaving them to huddle in fear within a darkened Orwellian realm of disinformation, there are individuals, Dennis Kucinich in particular, who stand ready to expose our would-be dictators to the bright light of truth. 

The solution is for Americans to stop acting like lost sheep, stop accepting the blather that passes for “news” on cable and in the corporate press, to acquire knowledge (Democracy Now.org being an excellent source of information), to stop being passive “consumers” who select candidates on the basis of 30-second spot ads, and to become active “citizens” who select candidates not on the basis of corporate press polling that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy (Gee, shouldn’t I vote for one of the “leading” candidates?), but upon where those candidates stand on the issues that truly matter.  When the press marginalizes a candidate like Mr. Kucinich, limiting coverage to horse race questions and which candidate is the most successful in feeding at the corporate trough (e.g. reporting that suggests that only the candidates who collect the highest amount of money can be taken seriously), it evades the need to talk about where a candidate stands on issues that matter to the majority of Americans.

Instead of lamenting how corrupt the system has become, We the People must rise to the challenge of active citizenship.  Scienter Est Potentia is the answer.  It is Latin for “Knowledge is Power.”

I am almost giddy with pleasure that so many people are expressing outrage at the lies and deceptions that have been the stock in trade of this administration in its conduct of this illegal war and with our domestic policies as well.  However, I remain mystified that the outrage is just recently seeing the light of day.

I am no genuis by any stretch but I have known since the cry for war began that it was little more than smoke and mirrors.  I wish to god the American people had read the BIG writing on the wall several years and thousands lives ago.

The facts have not changed.  It is our tolerance for the lies that seems to be changing.  Better late than never—-unless you are among the men and women who have died for all these lies. 

Now that it is ok to speak the truth, I hope the recently awakened electorate will do its Constitutional duty and demand impeachment of Bush/Cheney and then proceed to the criminal stage of investigation.  It is past time to be true patriots.  Support the troops by bringing them home.  Support our nation by jailing that war criminal who sits magisterially in the Oval Office.

Amy Goodman, host of “Democracy Now!,”  - “...Fighting to stop the war in Iraq, fighting to stop gun violence at home: Nothing could be more patriotic….”

“Co-operation will save you…..” Bravery is the first step towards Enlightenment….....

“BRAVERY is essential in all things, for while the aspirant allows the negative accumulation of fear to discolour his outlook, he cannot ever truly aspire to Freedom. Freedom from fear can be brought into active manifestation within all men providing they have knowledge. Knowledge of the right kind dispels fear, whether the manifestation of this fear be petty or more potent. It is not necessary for man upon Terra to fear man upon Terra, for if you obey the Unchangeable Laws, indeed by your obedience do you burn fear in the bright light of dawning Enlightenment. Man upon Terra today is beset by strange fears which imprison his actions, his very outlook; which imprison his mind ................. Fear is a weapon being now used by the darkest forces to cause you to become their ignorant pawns. Break away from this fear ............ Break away from this tight bondage by so Enlightening yourselves that this weapon may be rendered useless.

Study fear for what it is. Study it coldly without emotion. You will discover that it is but a state of mind which you have formulated for yourselves. This state of mind is the result of Karma, environment and present outlook. Karma�you can, at this very moment, make for yourself a Karmic pattern which, when manifested, will not bring vague fear as a result. You can rise above environment, for it is a changing thing, it is not real ............ A state of mind can be changed at once for good or for evil. It is just as easy to have a state of mind unclouded by fear as it is to allow it to be warped by this intrusion. Have this outlook upon Life. Act in this way and fear becomes non-existent. When fear has been transmuted in the fires of applied knowledge, tempered by Love, you become Wise. In your Wisdom there is fortitude and BRAVERY. The First Freedom - dispel fear. Go forth into BRAVERY and you will know many things, for you will have taken an essential step upon the ladder of Evolution. There will come a day when you will be examined in this Light. Prepare for tomorrow’s examination now and Mastery will be yours…..........”  (from “The Nine Freedoms” by Dr. George King , Aetherius Press)

The comment by Ernest Canning today is chilling in its simplicity and accuracy.  We seem to be in the midst of this Brave New World administration where Peace is War, Bad is Good, Lies are Truth, and no one seems capable of stoping the thrust.  A perfect example is the Senate hearings on Gonzalez yesterday.  Republicans and Democrats alike are calling him a liar and a fool right to his face and he has nothing to say but “I don’t recall.”  What was the White House spin afterwards: We are very pleased with how Attorney General Gonzalez responded to the difficult questions posed to him and he still enjoys the President’s full support.  What??? Are we speaking the same language here or is this plainly and simply a statement to the American public (and the world) that we don’t care what you say, we have no respect for you and are not accountable to you.  We only answer to a Higer Power.  I really feel that it is time for Americans to take to the streets to seize the remainder of the day, and show the rest of the world that we are not all sabre rattling cowboys sitting on the largest nuclear arsenal in the Universe and daring anyone to face us, in the OK Corral.  God help us, we’re all clearly spinning out of control.  Thanks Ernest, for your clear, intelligent observations.

re comment #65127 by Rowdy.  The labels used for almost every significant piece of legislation passed under the Bush regime is Orwellian.  We had a “Clean Skys” initiative that was designed to permit manufacturers to pollute; a proposed “Healthy Forrests initiative” was intended as a plan to cut down trees; Medicare Prescription Drug “Reform” was designed to line the pockets of pharmaceutical company CEOs; H.A.V.A. or the Help America Vote Act should have been called the Help America Vote Republican Act.  Congressman Bob Ney, now doing hard time, insisted that there be no provisions requiring a paper trail for E-voting; his former chief of staff went to work for Diebold.  But the most effective use of Orwellian language involves an endless “global war on terror”—a meaningless oxymoron which has served as a cover for a permanent restructuring of American constitutional democracy via the concept of a Unitary Executive which provides the President with unchecked dictatorial powers.

some where today i read an article, about voting fraud/voter rights. i realized for the first time that everything,passed into law by the bushies smacks of DOUBLE THINK. no matter what title the legislation is called, the enforcement is exactly opposite of it’s title. patriot act my hairy ass.

Re comment #64855 by 911truthdotorg.  Please provide a citation to a specific date/program wherein Amy Goodman called the so-called “9/11 truth movement” crackpots.  If you can’t come up with one, retract your comment.

Amy got it right.  Our Corporate-controlled airwaves have once again distracted us from looking at truth, saturating the TV with coverage of the Virginia Tech murders, often with heart-rending accompanying musical scores.

It is sad that 33 lives were taken by one disturbed individual at VTech.  How much sadder it is that over 10,000 times that number of lives (more than a million) have been taken in Iraq and Afghanistan by the soulless, sadistic, creeps in the White House/Pentagon.  More every single day than at VT, and most of them women and children.

Did our media ever report on the number of innocent university students and faculty (well over 200) killed in Iraq?

Have they saturated our airwaves with information about the lack of water, electricity, hospitals, sewage, food, etc. currently killing (mostly children) in Iraq and Afghanistan? 

I wonder what would happen if 25 million people marched on Washington and surrounded the government buildings, including the White House, Capitol, and Pentagon, and refused to move a muscle until this carnage stopped?

Patriotism is questioning everything the government tells you…everything. Especially with the evil, lying criminals we have in the White House now.

The reason why we’re in the debacle in Iraq is the biggest lie of all: 9/11.

Until the so-called main stream media (yes, including Amy Goodman) takes this on without calling the 9/11 truth movement crackpots, unpatriotic, nutjobs, etc, we are doomed to be led into more and bigger disasters than Iraq based on more lies.

Trust your eyes and minds as to what really happened and not what you’ve been told happened.

Demand a new, true 9/11 investigation.

Google video: 9/11 Press for Truth

The greatest Patriot is Stan D. Garde, Official DemRep Sloganeer. He understands that the distance between the President and Official Sloganeer is so slight as to escape notice.

After all, the President ”catapults the propaganda” in the words of one of the greatest all time DemRep Presidents, George W. Bush, and in this way one “builds a bridge to the future” in the words of his colleague in arms, that other former great DemRep President, Bill Clinton.

And the Sloganeer tropes into shape that which is to be catapulted.

What a great future we catapult, indeed.

Thus, the Official DemRep Sloganeer’s new campaign slogans: “Conquer the World Now” and “Do Less with More”. Be a Patriot, vote DemRep, and with Stan D. Garde you can help catapult the future too.

http://apragmaticpolicy.wordpress.com/2007/03/30/newstopia-v-official-terminate-demrep-sloganeer-ots/

Today’s headline: at least 178 killed in Bagdhad by 4 bombs.  It is time to stop waiting for more and more horror.  Bush has failed; the surge has failed; get the fuck out of Iraq, now!

Speaking in San Francisco in 1908, Emma Goldman addressed the pseudo-patriotic ramblings that so clearly define the 21st Century rants that pass as commentary emanating from the tongues of cable news pundits like Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, and Glenn Beck.

“What, then, is patriotism?  ‘Patriotism, sir, is the last resort of scoundrels’ said Dr. Johnson.  Leo Tolstoy, the greatest anti-patriot of our times, defines patriotism as the principle that will justify the training of wholesale murderers; a trade that requires better equipment for the exercise of man-killing than the making of such necessities of life as shoes, clothing, and houses; a trade that guarantees better returns and greater glory than that of the average working man.
  . . . .
“We Americans claim to be a peace-loving people.  We hate bloodshed; we are opposed to violence.  Yet we go into spasms of joy over the possibility of projecting dynamite bombs from flying machines upon helpless citizens….Our hearts swell with pride at the thought that America is becoming the most powerful nation on earth, and that it will eventually plant her iron foot on the necks of all other nations.”

Go back and watch the footage from the early days of the invasion of Iraq.  Listen to the glee in commentator’s voices as American and British planes reigned death from on high on a near defenseless population in Baghdad—displayed on screen as colorful light shows against a backdrop of patriotic music and on screen words like, “SHOWDOWN IRAQ” and “Operation Iraqi Freedom”—red, white and blue on prominent display. 

Nearly a century has passed since Ms. Goldman provided her poignant observations.  Have we made any progress?

Patriotism refers to love of one’s fatherland.  Since it makes little sense to love the physical entity of one’s nation, it follows that our love should be directed toward the values of the nation.  When any regime violates those fundamental values, the only true expression of patriotism must lie in our opposition to that regime. Americans who refuse to challenge the Bush policies that are inconsistent with our Constitution and with our historical values are doing the damage to our nation that is the goal of the terrorists.  The terrorists have no notion that they can physically down every skyscraper.  That seems to be the simplistic view fostered by Bush.  The terrorists are relying on the willful ignorance of the millions of Americans who blindly follow this man to destroy our way of life.  We ARE fighting a culture war but it is the neo-con culture that should be our target.  Using the flag as their burka, Bush and the neo-cons are destroying all that is noble about the American Experiment. They are the minions of Osama even as they support Bush’s absurd war.  We who are patriots have a blood duty to wage war aginst Bush and his un-American cronies.  Bush employs virtually every totalitarian tactic supposedly to preserve our freedom.  The Bush “plan” is as oxymoronic as its advocate is moronic.  I never once felt real fear that the Soviets would “bury us.”  I am very frightened of what the neo-cons have done and are doing to us.  Stop all the committee hearings.  We have seen enough to know what we will continue to find.  It is time for those who love their country to impeach this fluke of democracy named Bush.

Sadly, there has never been any real possibility of “patriotism” in the USA since the civil war in the 1800’s. Civil war is the anathema of patriotism and ever since Americans have had to live with the consequences, whether they admit that or not.

Even more effective than the passages from Howard
Zinn’s speech is Mr. Zinn’s response to the question posed by Amy Goodman as to what “patriotism” meant to him. 

“Patriotism,” Zinn explained, “means supporting your government when you think it’s doing right, opposing your government when you think it’s doing wrong.  Patriotism means…what the Declaration of Independence suggests.  And that is that the government is an artificial entity.

“Government is set up…by the people in order to fulfill certain responsibilities:  equality, life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness.  And…when the government violates those responsiblities, then, and these are the words of the Declaration of Independence it is the right of the people to alter or abolish the government.

“...So to me patriotism in it’s best sense means thinking about the people in the country, the principles for which the country stands for, and it requires opposing the government when the government violates those principles.”

To this I would add that what what the hypocrites with the flags on their lapels, the likes of Bill O’Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Dick Cheney and Karl Rove, seek is not patriotism but blind obedience as the great mass of Americans, and, indeed, humanity are subjugated to their privatizing, neo-fascist agenda.

As Goodman indicates, patriotic citizens need to gather needed information, come to reasonable conclusions, and have heart and courage to do what is right.

By gathering information and intelligence from credible and truthful sources, and then communicating it to other honorable people, we make progress.

We are all “intelligence agents” and agents of intelligence. For more on this, see:

“Gathering intelligence: Grassroots intel by and for the people”

PopulistAmerica.com
January 30, 2007

http://www.populistamerica.com/gathering_intelligence_grassroots_intel_by_and_for_the_people