Tuesday, Dec 15th ~ The Phantom of the Opposition
“Masters of War
You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly
~ Bob Dylan
Ever wonder what happened to the Anti-War movement? Me too. Try googling it and see what comes up. I actually had to go back a decade to find something that spoke to what I wanted to talk about today. An NPR article written in 2011 that begins by asking aloud where all the protesters are? Almost ten years later and the U.S has expanded their military conflicts to four more countries where they have no legitimate reason for being, prompting me to ask the same question; where is the opposition? It's complicated we are told. But apart from the observation that our moral outrage somehow evaporated into a navel-gazing mist when we ended the draft, the only other two points in that article that really hit home with me were made by Celia Cook-Huffman, Professor of Conflict Resolution at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa.:
Many Americans no longer feel the impact of the wars being fought. News from the frontlines is more tightly controlled by military officials than in the past. "The army has gotten much smarter about how it frames the story and filters information," she says, "so that the stories that outrage and require a moral response are harder to find."
Plus, military spending in the United States is big business, affecting many communities. According to Jo Comerford of the National Priorities Project, a Massachusetts-based federal-data research organization, the U.S. has spent about $1.2 trillion on the wars in Iraq and in Afghanistan in the pioast decade.
The Army has gotten much smarter, eh? I guess that's one way to characterize what they are doing. I have a few others. It's almost as if what was once a prolific anti-war movement has all but disappeared and been replaced by feckless conversations in cloistered universities that seem more like an exercise in mental masturbation then a call to action. Adding insult to injury, as hundreds of thousands of people are being murdered in U.S sponsored savagery, we are expected to finance the military, while at the same time being bitch-slapped by mercenary politicians as they take a hatchet to our social programs. So as the Biden-Harris team puts together a diverse coalition of war hawks to serve in his administration (or hers), I wonder how long it will take to reach a point where the relentless killing and the economic looting of our infrasture can no longer be sustained? And what would that look like?
At least 233,000 Yemenis have died in the US-UK-Saudi war on their country, in a new (conservative) United Nations estimate.
This criminal war started in March 2015 (under Obama, then expanded by Trump), and continues today, with little media coveragehttps://t.co/up2PJajURj
— Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) December 2, 2020
Comments
War is our Biggest Business
I share your outrage.
America allows itself to be entertained by endless fruitless negotiations about aid to starving Americans while an enormous Military Spending Bill passes effortlessly through Congress with the otherwise elusive "bi-partisan" support.
If you live in a failed state, you follow the daily lies as entertainment if you yourself have a secure living situation. I doubt that the folks on those huge lines of cars in food lines in Texas tune in for the latest drivel on msdnc.
Blogs like this one comfort us because we see our perceptions are shared, but offer few to no solutions to our dilemma. Not a failing. Just a fact as I see it.
How many times can you read a Chris Hedges or Caity from Oz column before you realize that they are descriptions of despair that offer little relief and no solutions.
NYCVG
War is our only remaining export...
Everybody else has either learned how to do what they need better than us, or has redefined "need" to edit us entirely out of the picture...
We're the best there is at wholesale death and destruction. Other than that, we've pretty much sacrificed our position as "leaders" upon the holy altar of short-term profit.
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
Manifest Destiny
From 13 colonies of farmers we became a super power dominating the world through the currency of killing and subjugation. Power doesn’t come cheap, does it?
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
sad but true
Ai, robots, drones, etc. will replace useless eaters.
edit to add - or modify useless eaters to become better war machines.
https://sociable.co/technology/envisioning-bioengineered-soldier-future-...
https://www.military.com/podcasts/left-of-boom/2020/08/06/6-future-of-bi...
much more is you search for bioengineering soldiers of the future
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Thanks to
our friends at Boston Dynamics, they already have Spot the robocanine. All they have to do is embed a gun in that turret he has for a head, and they'll be able to drone people by remote control right in their homes. Once again, it makes me glad that I'm old and childfree.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYbhKHfZSEE
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
No solutions
Actually, I believe there is a solution, unfortunately the likelihood of a massive collective consciousness raising and general boycott of any business associated with war profiteering is slim at best. Of course, we might try employing a more, er, creative approach to wake up the masses as seen in the movie “The Nice Guys” but I suspect making a porn movie where the plot is actually the point might be lost on too many.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
good morning
Every state has arms manufacturing so pols won't vote against the budgets nor the wars. Doing away with the draft was the other successful ploy. It is just poor people and they don't matter anymore than black and brown people we kill in other countries on the regular.
I like these anti-war sites
https://popularresistance.org/ and https://www.antiwar.com/
and love this comic
http://www.addictedtowar.com/book.html
You can read the 2004 edition for free using the link at the bottom.
other publications here http://www.addictedtowar.com/
Have a good one everybody. It was a chilly trade day this AM, but scored on avocados and an old large craftsman crescent wrench. Thanks for the OT.
PS check out this Brit's composting operation..(assuming you still have your project going)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeBUX9iEFwg (9 min)
He had a composting Q&A 9 min clip last week https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIV4lljN6Aw
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Addicted to War
Good Morning Lookout. Thanks for the link. Looks like a great book. I especially liked that they updated it to include the “drone wars”.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Your comment
was my intended reply to Anja.
Arms manufacturers are in every state and in many states so are Military bases.
This as you say, is intentional. No senator wants to vote against the only/best revenue sources in his/her state.
NYCVG
exactly!
Works pretty good too.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Much to agree with here
I guess the major point being that we can turn around this war machine. Swap the defense contracts for infrastructure repair. Industries can be changed in scope if given the proper financial incentives. The fact that congress cares not to help their constituents avoid more destruction in the world is telling. It is not so much about 'jobs' as it is about what kind of future is being created.
indeed
Hammer hits nail on head. Bam!
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Good morning, Anja ~~
I've been asking about the protesters for years. I remember bringing it up on GOS and being shot down just for asking, lol.
The protesters are here, but they're just getting started. The pandemic has exposed America for what it is - a failed state what is run by an oligarchy that has no need for the 99%. We will be in a state of upheaval for the next four years, so fasten your seat belts and take part however you can. Many protests will take place and we will see change finally come. From 2025 on, we enter our new world, shedding the fear and turning to love and unity consciousness.
Live in gratitude, surrender, accept, forgive, become love.
Enjoy the day!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Good Morning RA
I agree with you about what this pandemic has exposed, but none too sanguine that the consequences of that exposure will benefit those most vulnerable. I hope I’m wrong about that.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your light and love.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
The great Dutch singer Ramses Shaffy had a song a bit like that…
called Zing, vecht, huil, bid, lach, werk en bewonder…
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg07TjHOlUM]
(My own free translation)
For the troubled ones whose nights are sleepless
May they know now that we are all together.
Thanks for the free translation!
All inclusive ~
and emanating love ~ the correct way to move forward in our new world.
Thanks for the translation.
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Good morning Anja. I believe that media manipulation and
control is indeed part of the answer, but only part. I hate to play the blame game, but there was a cohort of people that some called generation Reagan and others (Herb Caen?) called the "me generation" - those of an age to have been in college in the 80's and perhaps for a while beyond. Their foremost goal in life was allegedly material wealth, and related thinbgs, a good, presitgous well-paying job, a good lucking similarly employed spouse, a really nice house in the suburbs or a suite in a status landmark urban towerr, 2 beemers and a really prodigous portfolio. That stereotype is almost certainly exaggerated (aren't they all), but many of them did start dribbling into various workplaces and one encountered and worked alsongside of them.
They play into the whole thing in multiple ways, starting with being unconcerned and at any rate too busy to be opposed to war and/or particiopate in demonstrations during college, and thereafter. But that isn't all. The peaceniks came in flavors, those whoworked long and hard to ensure that they weren't employed by the MIC or by anything that fed the MIC, Those who worked in jobs that fed the MIC indirectly but which weren't dependent upon it, and those who worked semi-directly to directly for or with it while hoping it would die. Being anti-war, especially overtly and openly, could get one harassed on the job by peers and superiors alike and fired as well as simply not hired. In fact, being anti-war was something suppressed and undermined by out so-called intelligence and police agencies too. So Generation Reagan folks eschewed pacificism and its trappings and the whole idea of anti-war awareness started to peter out. Meanwhile, the spider's web of the MIC penetrated and spread more and more widely and it became more and more difficult to not be directly or indirectly in its employ and/or have chunks of it in ones portfolio, 401-K, or both.
So:
The examples in society of anti-war beliefs, rhetoric and behavior decreased in number.
The financial incentives/dependency for turning a blind-eye to war increased.
The propaganda initiatives supporting each conflict improved and proliferated and became incessant.
News reporting of the wars, their tolls and horrors and futility was suppressed, right down to "embedded reporters" and punishing those who told by firing or imprisonment (Assange).
Non-party political affiliations declined and/or disappeared in the youth, and thence in society.
In time the persecution of peaceniks even went so far as to involve do-not-fly lists and other extreme disincentives.
As a result of the two-party system, those likely to be at least more-or-less liberal, if only in their own mind, gravitated toward one specific party, the Democrats.
Democratic party war-mongering was accepted because of party politics.
There was no opposition party let alone a peace party and no peacenik support system.
The anti-war and/or peace movement was utterly hollowed out. I recall going to some anti-war demonstrations during the Bush years and it was very, very largely people my age and kids, college age or thereabouts and/or high schoolers. Then the great Obama appeared and put the final spike through its heart "I don't believe in dumb wars" (but love war in general, or so it seems). Very few failed to go along with it. In the Dem primary in 2008, those even mildly anti-war died a swift death leaving a rabid, open war monger and a sly, disguised one. After that, war became mainstream daily ordinary behavior, unnoticed and undetected. Trump spoke of ending wars, but each time he tried, a bi-partisan upwelling in the press and Congress launched overwhelming support for the war at issue and the generals simply found ways not to comply.
That's a gloss, but it wasn't a thing, it was a total cultural clusterfuck.
be well and have a good one.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
The Reagan Generation
You've hit on a lot of great points here EL, but I gotta say, what happened in the early 80's sure did set up the steamrolling the MIC did afterwards. Which reminds me of a scene in the movie "Risky Business" that perfectlty encapsulates what was really important to a lot of college bound kids at the time.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Yep, that looks like it.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
afternoon anja
It's a matter of what we focus on. War or the climate crisis. The climate crisis requires a great deal of new infrastructure and old infrastructure renewal. The biggest priority imho is - how we gonna feed everyone, cause the current farmland and farming methods are not going to be viable in the very near future. Then how will we get food to folks, never mind that the ptb are not even considering feeding people in the very near term. So, yeah, food not bombs, basically. Kerry's climate plan is a joke. Basically, fix the war infrastructure and prepare for confrontation. meh. Well, could go on and on but maybe not. now. anyway.
We finally have rain here in the north and more to come. Hope it is coming your way. I have been thinking of what my year-end missive will be. Something like this - Stayed home. Kids and families stayed home. All healthy for now. - What more to say? Morose humor, no? Still, quite a lot of beauty out in the real world and appreciating very much good friends, good food, good exercise.
Hope you and your cat are well. Take good care.
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Funny you should mention your year end missive
I've been finishing up my own Holiday letter for friends and family, and it was definitely challenging finding a balance between not completely glossing over the clusterfuck this year was for so many, but not being so dark it was depressing to read.
I ended up writing about a few of the challenges while also remembering to focus on what I call those "golden moments" of life. Something as simple as sitting under the persimmon tree and being visited by the resident squirrel who we call Julius because he eats all the oranges off the trees on our property leaving little pieces of peel everywhere, and watching my cat curled up in the lounge chair next to me lock eyeballs onto Julius a few feet away while Julius did the same as all three of us sat there silently contemplating one another in an oddly touching moment.
When all else fails, focusing on kids and animals is always good material.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier