working together for social inclusion in America

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Making Peace

It's a commonly accepted truism that America doesn't make anything anymore, but that is anything but true. America, in fact, makes a lot of weaponry and armaments; more than anyone else. It also makes a lot of wars--again, more than anyone else.

As President Obama prepares to expand US military aggression into Central Africa, Central Asia, and South America -- all in the pursuit of oil -- the American arms industry will be busy. As will the mainstream media, in support of this global aggression.

The one thing America won't be making, though, is amends to all the people of the world thrown into turmoil by America's insatiable greed. That would first require making peace, something America is not about to stand for.

Thursday, August 06, 2009

Rock Paper Scissors

GOP-sponsored vigilantism has happened before. It is an integral part of domestic terrorism aimed at ethnic minorities and other sub-populations targeted by White Nationalism and Christian Fundamentalism. Catholics, Jews, Blacks, and Native Americans have all been targets of vigilante violence. So have immigrants, feminists, and environmentalists.

Inciting mob behavior to threaten its political opponents has repeatedly been used by the GOP to prevent discussion on issues of social importance. War, abortion, guns, Gay rights, elections, even health care are topics for which vigilantes can be recruited.

Vigilantism, however, is not synonymous with protest, demonstration, or dissent. It is not a legitimate expression of grievances; rather it is an expression of hostility toward the perceived loss of power or privileges. The threshold level is to intimidate opponents through implied threats, followed by vigilante violence, succeeded by paramilitary operations.

On occasion, right-wing terrorism in the US has resorted to using weapons of mass destruction. Their networks and movements have even been profiled.

None of this is new.