America the ugly

[Cyrano]

This isn’t our first era of ugliness. Hell, with the exception of a very few eras, American history is filled with murder, mayhem and, in some cases, crimes against humanity.

I guess the first and one of the largest crimes, was the mass extermination of the people who inhabited this land before we came along. We call them Indians, but their self-chosen names are far more meaningful.

Then there was slavery that lasted for a few hundred years, and the remnants of which we still live with today. It is perhaps the most egregious, shameful, despicable criminal act committed in the history of this country. And what’s worse is that there are still far too many Americans today who, not only won’t condemn it, but would probably welcome its return.

WWII was our finest moment. “The Greatest Generation” really did save the world from fascism. But I guess some of us Americans will always disagree on the morality of dropping nuclear weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki – not to mention the tens of thousands of civilians killed when we fire bombed Tokyo and Dresden.

And that V-shaped black granite wall on the Washington Mall attests to one of our country’s most recent crimes and the 58,000 plus Americans who gave their lives for a lie.

So what about today? Our hands are now bloodied with countless deaths, the unspeakable crime of torture, and the recent revelations that we subcontracted murder. At the moment, our president is focused on health care. But we know that this is a man who can walk, chew gum, and flawlessly recite all the lines of “King Lear” at the same time. Obama is more than capable of addressing health care and crimes against humanity simultaneously. Someone needs to explain to me why he’s not doing it.

After eight years of a criminal administration, how come we still find ourselves in yet another really ugly American moment? Why are those we put into office doing nothing about the crimes against humanity committed during the past eight years? Is this an omen of what the rest of this century will look like? Why are Cheney/Bush & Co. walking around free? Why are they getting a free ride – the free ride that we refused to grant to German war criminals at Nuremberg?

So let's hear from you. Do you think I'm looking for a perfect world? Of just a relatively sane one?

[rosesaylavee]

1. Well, this isn't over yet.

There is a whole lot of ugly out there. I agree with you there. But health care reform is not over and done with yet.

[Javaman]

2. The book, "the ugly american" should be required reading for all. nt

[Cyrano]

3. Hi Javaman: You're assuming that there is some sizable segment

of Americans still willing to read a book.

But if they were going to read one, I'd recommend "To Kill a Mockingbird."

Short of that, I'd recommend that they rent the film instead.

All the morality, humanity and decency that anyone could imagine is wrapped up in that one, simple, moving, magnificent story.

[PufPuf23]

4. The only way to move forward is to deal thoroughly and

honesty with the past.

Alas I do not think this will happen under Obama nor within my lifetime.

I see expansion of War not just in Afgh/Pak but in AFRICOM and Latin/South America.

We have become hypocrites and barbarians on the world stage.

Apathy and inaffectiveness by social design rule over the opinions and wants of individuals; most voters are invisible and others have have checked out of politics into pocket society.

Never in my life would I imagine the America the Beautiful I grew up with and came to see as imperfect but real, be what we have become.

ETA: the more thorough physical, material, and cultural genocide of Native Americans was far more complete in North America than farther south in the Western Hemisphere. Much of what is happening to the South is the essentially peasant mix of natives, slaves, and europeans finding becoming Social Democrats and fostering politically a redistribution of wealth and income for a the promise of a more equitable and healthy society. This has nothing to do with communism, "satanic socialism", nor the war on drugs; rather entrenched international military, economic, and drug traffic/money laundrying/arms trade guarding turf.

[Cyrano]

5. "Never in my life would I imagine the America the Beautiful ... be what we have become."

I too find it unimaginable that we are emulating the worst barbarians of human history.

Perhaps we were both fools to buy into "America the Beautiful" in the first place. I feel so thoroughly betrayed.

[Rebubula]

6. LOL

I am sorry...but how is this sort of sordid history unique?

The whole world sucks. Japan hates all outsiders. India oppresses and abuses Dalits. North Korea is imprisoning 100s of thousands and starving millions. Chile, Bosnia, Iraq, Russia et al are still finding mass graves. Many African countries have a baby raping epidemic. Genocide still occurs on two continents. The oceans are being poisoned. Holocaust, Inquisitions, Crusades, Sawny Beane, the Mongols, Aztecs, slave trade (of course you know that the US was not the first, last or only country to employ slave labor), Native American slaughter.....and the list of human atrocities goes on and on.

Yes...we have done some horrible things. However, to focus on that and not look at all we have done good is simply revisionist and laughable when compared to the history of the world.

We (our country - not our government...big difference) still gives BILLIONS to the world every year. When tragedy strikes; we arrive. Our people fan out across the globe every year - leaving the comforts of home - to help people in areas where life is harder. MILLIONS of people leave all they know every year (many die on the trip) to get here.

Whine and point out our errors all you like...I will attempt to make sure that the good is not interred with our bones.

[Cyrano]

7. Yes, we Americans have done much good

So please explain to me why we are currently a country of three hundred million sitting around like zombies while our jobs disappear, our politicians accept ever more money from our corporate overlords, Cheney/Bush & co. are not in cells, imbeciles are showing up at town hall meetings to shut everyone else up, and ... , well, you get the idea.

You evidently have no sense of irony while you LOL away, call me a whiner, and blind yourself to the crimes that are still being committed today in our name.

I will never forget the good we have done in this world. Rebuilding Japan and Germany after WWII was one of our great accomplishments. The Marshall Plan was perhaps our finest moment.

As were Social Security, Medicare, the voting rights act and the civil rights act: all things to be proud of. Yet, what are our fellow (Republican) Americans doing? The wingnut goal ever since FDR and Lyndon Johnson has been to undo some of our finest accomplishments. The modus operandi of the right wing is: Hurray for me -- Fuck everyone else.

The good done by this country, and those among us who care, was done in spite of the people who are controlling today's agenda, not because of them. And make no mistake about it. They control the public discourse the majority of the time. There are many of us who oppose them. But here's my point. The majority of Americans are content to sit on their asses and watch some idiotic "reality" show. They aren't part of any debate, they aren't doing good or evil, they aren't even aware that there's a problem (unless they're unemployed or uninsured).

So I'll tell you what. Give me a yell out when we get a health care plan with a public option. Better yet, let me know when we get around to true universal health care for everyone. Not to mention a job for everyone who wants one.

On edit: And yes, most of the rest of the world sucks as much or more than we do. So I guess it's okay to say, "Well, they do it too." C'mon. You know better than that.

[Rebubula]

8. Not what I was saying...

...I just sometimes feel like I need to defend the people of the US from those that equate them with the admin of the last 8 years.

I am not blind to anything...I see all the good and bad. I would just rather not harp on how bad things are here as if the rest of the world was puppies and rainbows.

We can and will do better...but we are still humans with lots of failings.

Also...I do not see zombies. I see millions of people turning out for town halls and young people getting involved at a good rate.

[Saboburns]

9. America hasn't changed.

America has always been like this. America will always be like this.

Some good, some bad.

We just fell for the propaganda growing up.

America hasn't changed, it's us who've changed.

We're a bit enlightened.

[Cyrano]

11. Can't argue with your observations, Saboburns.

[ccharles000]

10. k/r

[MellowDem]

12. Your view is skewed...

You think World War II was America's greatest moment? Why? I don't see anything we did in WW2 that elevates it above other wars or other "eras". There are no "good" and "bad" eras, just the long undulating curve towards justice in general. The current situation we find ourselves in is simply a result of all that came before, even "wonderful" WW2. We are making progress, slowly, but still very real and tangible progress towards a relatively sane world.