Dissident Voice

May 29, 2003

Well, I know where some of you are. You're reading Dissident Voice, Counterpunch and ZNET or out protesting against the thieves who stole your country and dragged its values and myths into the dirt. But where are all the rest? All those who talked about justice and fairness and applauded John Wayne as he rode into town to kick out the mighty but evil businessmen who tried to take over the town and used his men as thugs to rob the little people of the fruits of their hard labor! Where are you? Where are those who hated Bill Clinton for lying to them about his personal sex-life and were outraged when Enron stole their pension funds? Where are those who believed that it's a duty to rise up against injustice and oppression? Where are those confessed to Christian beliefs and prayed to Jesus Christ? Where are those who claimed that their guns were a safeguard against ever being ruled by tyrants? Where are all those poor slobs who respected nothing but the Constitution?

Are you all out waving your flags? Have you all sent your brains to Disneyland or switched it off? Are you all out shopping, stuffing your mouths with fat-dripping snacks or slouching on your couches taking in moronic TV shows with the same ignorant enthusiasm that you follow the ads that are there to empty your pockets? Or are you cowering in your houses in trembling waiting for Al Qaeda to come and get you? If so let me tell you that I'm really ashamed of you! Though I'm not an American, I was one of those who used to applaud John Wayne when he cleaned up the thieves' dens. Those who fit into the categories above are not only betraying Wayne and the other Hollywood heroes but they are betraying the American myths and true values and they are selling their beloved country to a bunch of crooks far more powerful and nasty than any movie villain so far depicted.

Don't take my word for it! Those of you who can still figure, go figure! Even you who get your information from Fox News can see it. Do you expect your leaders to lie to their people? Do you like to be lied to? Do you think it's a fine old American tradition for a leader to lie to the voters? Then start with this:

Your president, your Secretary of State and your Secretary of Defence all have stated, officially, publicly, repeatedly and on record, the following, or words to that effect: January 2003: "We have evidence that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction and is a threat to us and the world." March 2003: "We haven't found any WMDs but we still think they are there and maybe Iraq wasn't such a big threat." May 2003: "We don't expect to find any WMDs and Iraq couldn't have hurt a fly with the little hardware they had." The actual words coming from the mouths of the administration were not these but anyone of average intelligence knows that is what they said. The evidence was no evidence, the threat to the American people was nonexistent and the reason for attacking a foreign country across the globe to a cost of a few hundred dead Americans and a lot of billions of your tax-money, was a BIG lie! As collateral damage, some thousand of those ordinary Iraqis, that the president said he had no quarrel with, died. To make the mad enterprise even worse, a number of fresh terrorist-recruits can be expected. Did your leaders lie to you? OK, those of you who like to be lied to by your president, now go out and wave your flags. The administration treats you like dirt, steals your tax-money and can count your number by counting the flag-wavers!

Not enough you say? Still back the president 110%? Then watch his tax-cuts! You poor slobs with middle or low income get, at the most a cut of a hundred bucks, most don't get one cent. The already rich people, the guys who stole your pension funds and lied to you, will cash in mightily and many will benefit to the tune of 10, 20, 30 thousand bucks or more. Per year! This will of course lead to budget deficits for many years. Now guess who will have to make up most of that deficit! Bill Gates? Nope! You, my dear sucker, who sold your country and receiving the check didn't notice it was issued by Toys 'R Us and signed by Darth Vader!

Perhaps you still trust the fellow in the White House (even if you can't avoid to know that he wasn't elected by a majority of the measly 50% of the electorate that bothered to exercise their constitutional rights)? Then it's time you ask yourself: If Bush & Co really cares for us simple people, why isn't the administration filled with people who are known to care for the simple people? Why did some of the biggest corporations bankroll his election and why is the White House filled with people connected almost exclusively to the oil and the energy mob? Hey, you don't need a Masters Degree from Harvard to figure this out! Street smarts will do nicely! And, if you really think about it, how many new laws have been for the good of people like you??? Why do you support fellows you wouldn't trust to run a gas station to run the nation?

While asking yourself these and perhaps some other questions, stop for a wee minute and think about 9-11. IF the Bush-gang really wanted the truth to be known about such interesting details as why fighters were not scrambled, intelligence was not acted upon and why all the other funny things happened or didn't happen, WHY have YOU not seen a proper and full report about everything? Don't you think a government who happily increases military spending with some hundred billion could afford to investigate 9-11 at least to the same extent that they investigate the crash of a space-shuttle? I mean the victims were, like, many more after 9-11....

But he's a nice guy you say? Looks terrific after landing on a carrier and promises to bring a lot of those evildoers to justice and can almost eat a pretzel without choking on it, like a regular guy. And he is our PRESIDENT!

OK, I agree! He looked good, considering he sneaked off from his own military duty, but John Wayne would have looked better. Not to mention Claudia Schiffer, Jennifer Lopez or Clark Kent! And the evildoers who perpetrated 9-11, according to all reports, already met a justice much higher than the American one and the guys who are alleged leaders are still feeding their camels in peace, their whereabouts unknown. As for pretzels, don't be impressed! Do it yourself and see how easy it is! And! Sorry to disappoint you kid, but he is not really your president. His dad's pals in the Supreme Court gave him the presidency on a silver platter. (Don't you wish YOUR dad would, just once give you a gift like that instead of the usual bottle of moonshine?) Besides, if he lies to you he is not a real president and if he steals from you he belongs not in the White House but in a jail doing 10 to 20! It is as simple as that. Why did your forefathers bother to slaughter all the Indians for, if the land they stole will again be stolen from you??

Now put away your flag. Your stupid waving of it disturbs the whole neighborhood and gives the nice birds heart-attacks! Use the thing below your baseball cap and start figuring. Turn off the TV, throw out the beer and forget the ball game! Don't say "what, me worry?" (and if you do, prepare to wake up one day in the ruins of America)! JUST THINK! (Once you start doing it, it gets easier every day!)

By the way, if you need more things to contemplate (you might be among those few in America who have a decently long paid vacation), just tell me and I'll be happy to direct you to Bush's, Cheney's and some others' connections with Harken, Enron, Halliburton and other big corporations. Very interesting! Gives a nice fresh touch to the word "War-Profiteer"! (Lots to think about, but put your gun away first, otherwise you might use it as you get increasingly upset!)

Now get on your feet, man, and DO something before your country is listed among those needing international aid, but not getting any because it is universally hated! The least that is expected from you is not to fall for the same old lies again and refuse to back a new illegal war on Iran who already has been treated rottenly by the USA! And, in case you didn't know, there are soon elections in US!!! Take part, but don't be a sucker like last time!!!

I may know beans about the US, but one thing I learnt from those movies in my youth: An American stands tall in front of injustice and corruption!

All flag-waving reserved for REAL Americans who protest against Bush!

Jerre Skog is a Swedish writer, musician and independent observer living in Germany. His writings, politics and satire, can be found on www.skog.de and comments are welcome at jerre@skog.de