Meria Heller’s Column
We hear a lot about democracy and liberation in the news today. We are misinformed or hook-winked to believe both actually exist and are in play, but we don’t realize that neither is real.
While the U.S. says it is bringing “democracy” to Iraq, the story on the ground tells an entirely different account. Children with radiation sickness, body parts blown off and children forced to pick up weapons to defend themselves. Protesters being shot at by our troops for exercising what should be their rights under “democracy”. The people are starving, no jobs, still many without basic necessities, yet most Americans believe we have “liberated” the Iraqi people.
Yes, for the time being Saddam Hussein may be out of the picture, but is the price of this war worth it? The Iraqi’s have said that 100 Hussein’s would be better than the treatment they are receiving by the occupation administration.
Many of our troops have admitted to killing wantonly. They are on a hairline trigger literally. Shooting civilians, injured soldiers that should be prisoners or war and basically anything that moves, drives or breathes.
George Bush said “mission accomplished” over a month ago, yet we are losing at least one soldier a day in “peacekeeping” times? The Iraqi’s are losing much more. Besides their future and their lives, they have lost precious natural resources and their history. The looting that happened under the eye (perhaps with the aid of) U.S. troops is beyond compare.
Many Americans believe that Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9/11 thanks to a spineless government controlled press. Many Americans think we “won” a war. Many Americans even believe we found weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. All this atrocity because of the soul-less media owned by the corporate friends of this administration. Mockingbirds. A term for the bought off press dictated to by the White House.
What price war? In money at least a billion dollars a day. In lives é priceless. For the chicken–hawk arm-chair warriors the profits are pouring in. While our children die. While the Iraqi children die.
Many believe this war is all about oil. That is partially true, but not the whole picture. Take a look at the antiquities that were stolen. In them the history of the world, the secrets of the universe. To the victor belongs the spoils, so what will they do with it? Judging by their record of human and environmental devastation I think we could count on them mis-using the information to create more wealth for them, and more havoc for us.
While we are “liberating” Iraq and bringing them forced democracy, we are being imprisoned more and more at home. We are losing democracy at the speed of light. Liberating another country (even if in words only) is an affront to our intelligence as our freedoms wane. Lost is the freedom to travel, to speak, to be heard, to be printed, to protest. Now we have to deal with the USA Patriot Act meant to suppress all our freedoms, and forever if the wicked get their way. We have to deal with restrictions on where we can travel, how we can travel, and even if we can travel. Thirteen year olds are shut up in schools for siding for peace. Middle aged Americans prevented from flying thanks to the “no fly” list. People are arrested without charge and disappear for months. Homes are broken into without due cause or warrants. Property seized. Fear rules supreme. Feeling liberated yet? How about that democracy?
Now we face another election in 2004. We didn’t have an election in 2000. What we had was our democracy stolen by those with the most money. We had a supreme court that threw an election to their buddy in corporate windfalls. The sad day December 12, 2000 will go down in infamy as the day America died. It began with the assassination of John F. Kennedy and concluded with the stolen election of 2000.
There are many who say “move on” and I say “move out”. How can we move on when we have seen nothing but horror, crime and shame since? The carefully orchestrated attack on Afghanistan for a pipeline rushed into play before the building smoke cleared on 9/11. The rushed through USA Patriot Act, signed by Congressional traitors without even reading it. The illegal and immoral, trumped up on lies war in Iraq? Now talk of Iran? North Korea? Where does it end? What about the economy? Feeling liberated? Millions have been liberated right out of their jobs and workers rights. The environment? Also liberated from any laws protecting it for our future generations. Social programs? Job training? Overtime? Can you smell the plutocracy? It’s breathing on us all.
Yet, we are constantly told we have a democracy. We are told how “safe” we are, while funds for actual protection for the people are deleting by a magic wand called “homeland security”. Homeland. Sounds like a term Hitler used, doesn’t it? Hitler used the Reichtag Fire to get his country to give up their freedoms. We had 9/11. It wasn’t the first “wag the dog” we’ve suffered. In 1967 Israel targeted the USS Liberty and killed 34 servicemen and injured over a hundred more. No investigation was ever done. Israel escaped untouched due to it’s strong affluence and influence on Congressional whores. Why is this administration so adamant on NOT investigating 9/11? What are they hiding or aware of? Surely cover-up and complicity at this point in history needs to be realized, addressed and those responsible punished. Yet, in our “democracy” where are the investigations? Arrests?
Americans have been liberated from their life savings, retirement plans, jobs, health insurance and more. Where are the arrests? Punishments? Restitutions? What is to become of us as we age? What price will this war cause our grandchildren to pay? They will pay in more ways than just money. They will reap the hatred and terrorism of future generations we have angered all around the world. Terrorism will not go away.
Unless all Americans start getting that we need to take our country back, take our democracy back and stop trusting in politicians to do it, all is lost. This is all part of the plan for the “New American Century”. With the Patriot Act getting adopted by the European Union, Americans will also suffer the restrictions, poverty and loss of freedom that the rest of the world’s populations have. Make no mistake about it. These are the times that try one’s soul, but also the time heroes are born.
It is time to stop supporting those who support death and fear. It is time to speak out, caution to the wind and fight to regain our democracy and freedom for all people worldwide. Put your money where your mouth is. Stop supporting the corporate structure that has stolen our very rights and democracy. Buy only necessities and make sure they are made in America and countries that do not support or force slave labor. Check those stock certificates and investigate what the company operating on your dime is doing. Make the decision not to support those who don’t support life, liberty and happiness for all people.
Someone said that peace would be impossible to sustain economically. That is a huge lie. In peaceful times, the arts flourish providing many jobs and income. How can we know for sure what reaction peace can have until we really give peace a chance? Demand peace. Demand a Department of Peace in our Government. Support those who support peace. Trash those television shows and cable bills. Trash the newspaper subscriptions. Demand real news, or no money. My mother said it a long time ago “money talks and b.s. walks”. Well, make sure when your money is talking it’s representing you and all you stand for.
Together let’s bring true liberation of the human spirit and democracy for all people worldwide into reality.
Meria Heller is MMN‘s columnist and one of the most popular web–caster on the Internet. She hosts an international web–cast heard in over sixty countries, and has for over two years now. She believes in truth, justice and humanitarianism for all living things.
