December 24, 2004
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Topic: the world stays the same, while my world changes
Nothing changed since a few days ago…but I’m reading things that are unsettling. I feel unsettled first and foremost by the lack of knowledge I have, especially as a college graduate. I recall many SILENT classes, especially business classes, and that silence tells me that many were as ignorant as me. I think it would be interesting to see a business professor challenged, to see a socialist attack the many ills of our capitalist society. I even remember something briefly about an ideal unemployment rate. I didn’t know enough to question, but now it sounds so ridiculous. And I’m interested to hear a defense of why we need people to be out of jobs? And then I ask the person who is defending that if they’ve ever lived in poverty like so many do.
What’s creepy to me is how so many things were kept from my eyes…and as I read, I realize how most people around me have not read. One trend I have come to recognize, is that most Americans, most people, do not like to self-criticize. I have recently been asked by a couple of high school seniors of my views on my university. A friend of mine warned me not to “warp this person,” with my views. Since I’ve openly attacked the quality of my school, I’ve become an extremist, and therefore, need to watch my words. While I was sure to use a disclaimer and explain how many people do have good experiences, I am obligated to share my thoughts and experiences. But what got me, is how my friend felt the need to defend the school. I felt uneasy about sharing my views, but it would be perfectly ok for my friend to say, “oh…this school is great.” In the same way, it is so difficult to question our country. If I suggest, “hmmm…maybe socialism has some benfits over capitalism,” I would be yelled at by most, but, despite the many many problems of poverty in our country, (which we don’t think about as a capitalist country, it’s just America), we never come to critique capitalism. Back on the education issue, I notive that people are so excited about going to a school, then while at school, many, including my friend who now defends the school vigorously, people complain. “my classes are boring, my teachers suck, etc.” but after the fact, we look back and are unable to speak of the past as we did when it was the present, and say, “you know what, truth be told, there’s 100s of schools that could be just as good.”
So…it is with that mindset that I find it unsettling to go from recognizing certain problems in America, to having the same distatse for our gov’t that we ARE TAUGHT to have for Iraq, Cuba, Iran, North Korea. All I hear is, “ok…the US is bad, but those countries are different,” or, in response to asking why it’s ok for the US to flaunt it’s military power, while simultaneously attacking countries who even consider building their military, “oh…but we’re not reckless like Iraq.” And I understand that viewpoint. We don’t gas our people. We don’t intentionally fly planes into buildings.
There is clearly a good vs. evil divide, but I think it’s not that black and white. It doesn’t take away from the “evil” of other countries, by looking inward and thinking, “hey…we’re really not that good.” In the same way with my college, nobody wants to discuss what’s bad about their school, especially when they went in with the belief that they were attending a good school. So, perhaps the lesson for me to take as I try to steer students towards what I have come to view as schools that use good educational practices, is to compare “good schools” and “amazing schools” because it’s all in the words really. Or to be more honest, to start with the premise that I think almost all schools are bad (that’s assuming non-institutionalized learning is best), so, given that all schools are bad, some are better than others. I think that works, so I can freely say, “I thought my school wasn’t very good (to put in politely), however, I think school in general isn’t a very good thing.” Also…I think criticizing education and school are two different things. I can say, “I loved Wash U.” just as I can say, “I got a crappy education.” This can be extended back to politics. “I love America.” I just hate American politics, etc.
oh…if you’re still here, i nearly forgot what inspired this post:
This is Stalin talking about Roosevelt, found on Maoist_Disciple
“I have some experience in fighting for socialism and this experience tells me that if Roosevelt makes a real attempt to satisfy the interests of the proletarian class at the expense of the capitalist class, the latter will put another president in his place. The capitalists will say: Presidents come and presidents go, but we go on forever; if this or that president does not protect our interests, we shall find another. What can the president oppose to the will of the capitalist class?”
So…for all those people like me, who hate Bush because they want to see a president who will take care of the needs of the poor, you begin to see how Bush came to be president in the first place. Business has too much influence over politics for a liberal to be elected who can make gov’t work on behalf of the people. And I think about Ralph Nader and the green party, and how that is part of their corps, is running gov’t without corporate influence, and yet, Nader couldn’t get on the ballots in some states. As another 4,8,12 years goes by with both Dems and Republicans doing nothing for our country’s poor, to ensure they have quality schools, health care, and social security, can the green party’s proven success at grass roots mobilizing actually make its way into the mainstream?
Comments (3)
It’s important to remember that Franklin Roosevelt was “the capitalists’ socialist,” and was forced to the left during his first term, at least until Huey Long – the “populists’ socialist” – was murdered. Long was the one preaching radical income distribution, actually using the slogan “Soak the Rich.” (Read Huey Long by T. Harry Williams) The simple fact is that most of what you’ve been taught about American History and especially US Foreign Policy is propaganda. You’re told what “they” (that is, the key ruling capitalist group) wants you to “know.” The funniest moment in this came back at the beginning of the Iraq War when even leftists were saying, “America’s never gone to war like this before.” What absolute nonsense. Outside of the War of 1812 and World War II EVERY war we’ve faught has been a “War of Choice:” To seize i/3 of Mexico, to subdue the South, to Kill the Indians, to Grab Spain’s Empire, to fight Britain’s war in Germany in 1917-18, maybe Korea was defensive, but Vietnam? The Dominican Republic, Grenada? Panama? We now rule an empire upon which the sun never sets, from Baghdad to Kabul to Guam to Okinawa to Hawaii. While having a Banana Republic division of wealth widening internally and the now absolutely common subversion of the voting process.
Spreading the truth is difficult, but not impossible. The key here is not to “seek middle ground” or compromise on truths. When anyone says something untrue, whether that is “We’re in Iraq to fight terrorists” or “90% of income tax is paid by the top 10% of the population,” just laugh and ask them point blank: “Are you that stupid or that uneducated?”
It is a disaster that at least 75% of what is taught in history classes is absolutely wrong, from the descriptions of Columbus’ voyage to the reasons the US joined The Great War, all you see are fantasies spun to explain current attitudes. (Did you know that the weather on Columbus’ month-long trip from the Canary Islands to his “discovery” was so calm they could converse between ships without yelling? Did you know that a higher percentage of Germans were allowed to vote in 1914 than Britons or Americans?)
We’re a nation of idiots. Everyone knows it but us.
re: Israel. This is such a loaded topic because, yes, the world (and America) is pretty viciously anti-semitic (those Republican supporters of Israel would hate to allow Jewish thought, or even the Jewish version of the ten commandments, into their idea odf society). But the simple fact is this: It is not ok for any nation to have two classes of adult citizens, one with political rights and one without. Israel can either give full citizenship and voting rights to all who live within it’s borders, or it can change it’s borders. Otherwise it is no different – in any significant way – from Apartheid South Africa. And the borders can be one of two things: either the 1947 partition created by the UN, or, by general consent, the pre-1967 borders. Anything else means a state of perpetual war, just as the German seizure of Alsace in 1871 guaranteed a future war with France. If Israel backed up to the pre-67 line, I’d support total US commitment to their security. The “settlers” can stay right where they are, they’ll just find themselves living in Palestine. But as Israel stands now? I think they should be treated just as we treated South Africa. (And I say that having good friends who live there.)