i think a lot of people's personal definition of "true american" in this day and age is deeply rooted in naivety.
What is a "TRUE AMERIKKKAN"?
apparently, willingness to die (or kill, of course) in order to "defend" america from "evildooers"
I was thinking more along the lines of blind aquiescence to anything and everything George Bush says and blind hatred for those that do not similarly bend over...
Check Ward Churchill's "Pacifism As Pathology." May open some eyes...
Churchill argues that this pseudo-praxis of pacifism is rooted in an ideology rife with internal contradictions and limitations and for its internal logic depends upon "fostering a view of social conflict as a morality play." In this 'play' the State and its violence are "bad" or "negative", their pacifist opponents "good" or "positive" and it is through the triumph of morality alone that revolution will come about. Hence, "Pacifists, with seemingly endless repetition, pronounce that the negativity of the modern corporate-fascist state will atrophy through defection and neglect once there is a sufficiently positive social vision to take its place." Such a view is clearly the stuff of pure idealism rather than realism, for the state is not a moral adversary, it cannot be persuaded to 'wither away'. As Churchill rightly points out; "Absurdity clearly abounds when suggesting that the state will refrain from using all necessary physical force to protect against undesired forms of change and threats to its safety."
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I was thinking more along the lines of blind aquiescence to anything and everything George Bush says and blind hatred for those that do not similarly bend over...
True.........lets not single out AI.
Everyone one is guilty.
Churchill argues that this pseudo-praxis of pacifism is rooted in an ideology rife with internal contradictions and limitations and for its internal logic depends upon "fostering a view of social conflict as a morality play." In this 'play' the State and its violence are "bad" or "negative", their pacifist opponents "good" or "positive" and it is through the triumph of morality alone that revolution will come about. Hence, "Pacifists, with seemingly endless repetition, pronounce that the negativity of the modern corporate-fascist state will atrophy through defection and neglect once there is a sufficiently positive social vision to take its place." Such a view is clearly the stuff of pure idealism rather than realism, for the state is not a moral adversary, it cannot be persuaded to 'wither away'. As Churchill rightly points out; "Absurdity clearly abounds when suggesting that the state will refrain from using all necessary physical force to protect against undesired forms of change and threats to its safety."
But there's lots of valid points in here. Thanks Tony, Matthew33 and Zeke. We'll all talk soon.
As for now, I have more computer work to do to get into a further this.
Right now let's just continue to talk. All we're doing is talking. Let's keep the dialogue open.
An avalance begins with the movement of a few pebbles.
Cosmo speaks real words.
I'll be fine. I live in Canada
nothing new... We've been monitored for awhile now.
Leon Czolgosz, working man
born in the middle of Michigan
Woke with a thought and
away he ran to the Pan
American Exposition in Buffalo
I support this thread.
As someone who has been arrested for peacefully protesting the war in Iraq, I wholeheartedly agree that change has to come from within the individual.
You have to be willing to do whatever it takes to get your message heard.
When likeminded individuals come together in numbers, they can not be ignored.
100's or 1000's got arrested at the same time as I, because the numbers were there to make a difference.
The government got scared, and had to quiet the voices... people stopped demontrating after the mass arrests (this is is SF, mind you).
Cindy Sheehan would not have mattered if she was alone (whether you agree with her is irrelevant).
Everyone has to be fearless, and know that they are not alone.
Show some initiative, and others will follow. Most people need someone to "help get them started".
A.I. makes a thread about revolution, and many people follow up on it.
If someone started taking it to the streets, more would follow.
Look for those who have initiative, and help them...
maybe YOU are the one who has to take the initiative???