August 24, 2012
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VOR: This Means Civil WAR!
"Failing to Bridge the Gap"
Poetry by Michael F. Nyiri (1971, 17 years old)They're talking at me through the plastic barrier.
They're yelling at me through the plastic barrier.
They're screaming at me through the plastic barrier.
But the sound appears muffled
And their voices cannot reach my ears.They're talking sensibly from the other side
Of the plastic barrier.
They're yelling obscenities through the cloud
Of the plastic barrier.
They're screaming with pain from the distance
Of the plastic barrier.
But they're the only ones who know it,
And their voices cannot reach my ears.They tire of their bombasts
Through the plastic barrier.
So they talk to each other on their side
Of the plastic barrier.
And the ideas they exchange come from their side
Of the plastic barrier.
And they walk away slowly
Leaving me on this side alone.THIS JUST IN: COUNTY JUDGE IN TEXAS TO OBAMA: YOU'RE NOT COMING IN HERE! A county judge in the West Texas town of Lubbock would like some extra funds to pay for the hiring of more officers. His reasoning supposes a worst case scenario if Obama is reelected president of the United States.
"He's (President Obama) going to try to hand over the sovereignty of the United States to the UN, and what is going to happen when that happens? I'm thinking the worst. Civil unrest, civil disobedience, civil war maybe. And we're not just talking a few riots here and demonstrations, we're talking Lexington, Concord, take up arms and get rid of the guy. Now what's going to happen if we do that, if the public decides to do that? He's going to send in U.N. troops. I don't want 'em in Lubbock County. OK. So I'm going to stand in front of their armored personnel carrier and say 'you're not coming in here'. And the Sheriff, I've already asked him, I said 'you gonna back me' he said, 'yeah, I'll back you'. Well, I don't want a bunch of rookies back there. I want trained, equipped, seasoned veteran officers to back me."
LUBBOCK ONLINE FOX NEWS 34 HOUSTON PRESS HUFFINGTON POST YAHOO NEWS (over 14,000 comments)
I've been writing about the possibility of civil war happening in America again almost since I began writing this blog.
Wednesday, 28 July 2004
...the...Democratic Convention...seems to be nothing more than...a condemnation (almost to the point of "choosing off" or "fighting" words) of Bush's policies, I am further reminded that this country has changed so much, and yet has changed so little in the past thirty five or so years. In 1968, the country was torn down the middle.Monday, 30 May 2005
Memorial Day is an American Holiday, established after the Civil War, a conflict when, suspiciously like the very time we live in, almost half of the country disagreed with the other half, culminating in a war that literally pitted "brother against brother".Wednesday, 17 May 2006
Is it wrong to discuss politics or religion in polite society? It shouldn't be. In a truly tolerant world, wildly divergent ideologies would be prime topics for any gathering. Sadly, the world in which I live could not be considered tolerant. Even in a great melting pot of cultures like the United States, differing opinions bubble and boil in individual neighborhoods until the intolerance of these differing ideas burst and fuel spats, fights, and wars. The most famous example would be the rift that divided the country over the Southern practice, ingrained for centuries and fueling the trade triangle with Africa and Europe, of workforce slavery during the mid 19th century. Each side of the "conversation" disagreed so strongly that the "house became divided" and civil war broke out, eventually killing more Americans than either World War II or Vietnam.Friday, 25 September 2009
...it seems to me from reading the news and some of the blogs that the South is rising again, and some folks seem to think the U.S. would be better of if our President were KILLED. A lump gets in my throat, and I start to get constricted just thinking about this. Nobody should ever think of killing anybody. And talk of killing a president is considered traitorous. I can understand if someone doesn't like the guy, or even respect him or his policies. But talk of acutally ending his life hearkens back to the days of lynchings...there is a mentality running through the country where talk of assasinating the president of the U.S. is okay. This bothers me greatly.Thursday, 15 October 2009
On the internet, and especially in the blogosphere, where this and other essays appear and reappear like wanton weeds, criticism seems to have degenerated into a practice where thoughtful critical thinking has been replaced by virtriol and uninformed hatred filled opinion. Words are thrown around like so much wastepaper, and every blog entry or news article has a "comments" section where the "mob" can throw invectives at any statement or opinion. Warring opinions can cover many paragraphs, and waste much time in the reading therof, and no consensus is ever acheived.Thursday, 21 April 2011
Republican democracy by representative rule is a model which seems to work, but when it doesn't can cause civil war and strife for the people in the society. This happened in the United States in 1861, when the nation was divided almost literally in half by the issue that always causes rifts in a democracy composed of a collection of states, each with their own government. This issue is national or federal rule vs. state or individual rule. The states in the south wanted to keep their agricultural economic model, and the national government wanted to change this model. The states exercised their right to govern themselves, and withdrew from the nation. The nation went to war to get them back...Sometimes I wonder if the same kind of states rights vs. national rule disagreements could result in another civil war in the United States...The following is edited from my essay: Who's The Enemy? posted Aug. 18th, 2005
I saw a couple of movies on DVD a few years ago that started me thinking that the world certainly seems on the verge of some sort of "breaking point" with regards to differences in ideologies and if we don't start realizing that regardless of the ideologies we practice, we're all human beings, and if we keep travelling down this road on which we find ourselves we might find ourselves in the ditch with all our tires flat and no way out.
The movies both dealt with our "enemies" during WWII. The first is a live action film called Downfall (2004), that documents the last days "in the bunker" with Adolf Hitler and his closest military advisors and acquaintences. The second is an anime (Japanese animated film) called "In the Grave of the Fireflies" which tells the story of two children orphaned during the allied fire bombings of Japan right before the end of the war. Here are two films, made in Germany and Japan, telling the story of the end of World War II from a slightly different perspective from that which I have been accustomed to seeing in slightly less than a half century of going to the movies.
Japan and Germany were part of the "axis" powers, the "enemy" of the allied block which included England and America.Another WWII themed film, "Is Paris Burning?" details the last days of axis power in Paris, France, which was taken over by Nazi forces but liberated by the allies shortly before the European allied victory.
Watching the "enemy" in these films was epiphanic for me. Because, as we all should know, if we practice tolerance and have a humane view of all our brethren, the enemy is not that different from ourselves.In the movie, "Grave of the Fireflies", the protagonists, a young boy and his toddler sister, have to survive the near destruction of their home town by their "enemy" which is the allied forces. Since this is anime, the children are 'wide eyed' in keeping with the tradition, in which even Japanese are portrayed with "western eyes" so if one just happens upon seeing the movie and doesn't know who the people are supposed to represent, the story being told is quite a universal one.
In the movie "Downfall", as the hour of liberation by the Russian forces (fighting for the allies in WWII,. and the first troops inside of Berlin) approaches, not only Hitler himself, but many young, and old soldiers, along with some of their families, kill themselves matter of factly. Of course the future could only bring death at the hands of the war crimes tribunals, but they might of surmised about that but didn't know it for sure when they committed suicide.
Granted, these are movies, but they are movies made about a decidedly different "side" of the story, and I just kept thinking about the fact that all of this seemed worthless and useless. Death at the hands of "the enemy" is basically suicide, because we are all in the same boat. We are all human, and we are all listening to the supposed "voice of reason" spoken by our leaders.
I can't see Americans ever killing themselves if they are "defeated" but I seem to recollect that we never really "won" any war during my lifetime, including Korea and Vietnam. We ended up "policing" the dividing line in Korea, and we brought a lot of our allied Vietnamese home with us when we pulled out of that country, after too many years of heartache and death.
Another film stoking my fires of thought concerning the concept of "enemies" is a documentary called "Gunner Palace", which is set in Baghdad, Iraq during that "war". The film interviews a batallion of young soldiers who are basically "policing" the city of Baghdad. Seeing random fighting in a big city always makes me think of my own L.A. during a couple of riots I've witnessed. (I witnessed the L.A. riots of 1992 close up, right outside my window in Long Beach) "War" when fought on city streets, with the "enemy" in street clothes, looking just like the "friendlies" resembles pretty much a "riot" where nobody really knows what is going on, and people are getting maimed and killed FOR NO APPARENT REASON.
Who is the enemy? America, being the "melting pot" which accepts all "your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free", had a rather large Japanese population during the early days of WWII, especially here in California. Right after Pearl Harbor, in which 2300 Americans were killed, the Japanese people were definitely "the enemy." The looked different, they acted different, they worshipped a different "god" and we stole the lands of the California Japanese population and shipped them off to concentration camps.
Who is the enemy? I believe we are all "equal" no matter what we believe, and we should be smarter than we are when it comes to fighting our brother, no matter what color his skin, or what his beliefs. But if our "brother" raises his fist, or pulls a gun, or a machete on us (In the country of Rwanda in 1994, one race or tribe attempted to purge the country of the other and the weapon of choice was the machete) what do we do? Fight back? Turn the other cheek? Turn tail and run?
The enemy is an ideology, a set of beliefs, a "rulebook" written by a demagogue, which is foisted upon the populace, whether or not they want it. In France during WWII, the people who "collaborated" with the Nazi's who had taken over the country, were later lambasted, ridiculed, and sometimes killed for their part in not opposing the then status quo.
In our own beloved United States, during the years 1861-1865, the term "brother against brother" took on a surreal meaning. As a result of an ideological rift in the country, which almost divided America down the center, one group of states "seceded" from the Union, and the Union forces "fought" to get them back. Lots of brothers died, some in their own backyards. Could this happen again? Look around. It's on the brink of happening right now.
Something's got to give, I think, sometimes, as I have these awful epiphanies watching movies that are supposed to entertain me. Perhaps I'm just watching the wrong movies.
Is all this too scary to think about?
In a word, yes.
Who's the enemy?
Copyright Walt Kelley 1971Original Post: Who's The Enemy? from Aug. 18th, 2005
Posted: August 23, 2012 7:51 AM
Comments (59)
Good Morning Mike,
Sociologists have long since described the state of our culture as one of "Culture Change". This comes about when the Basic Value System, as currently defined, no longer gives practical solutions to the culture's current problems. In such as case there is a tendency for members of the culture to split into two groups: Those determined to solve the cultures problems by a return to the "Good Old Days" with a doubling down on the value interpretations which once solved the culture's problems, and those who wish to scrap the old interpretations in favor of completely new ideas. A simplified example of this might be the fight over Medical care: A return to the past strictly private care or a leap to universal single (government) payer medical care for all. What always happens in such culture conflict is that there is some kind of synthesis, as happened with the Affordable Healthcare Act ("Obamacare") which neither extreme is completely satisfied with. As long as the culture is able to cobble together new value interpretations, there is no danger of revolution. that happens when there is a very large disaffected group who feel that their only recourse to perceived persecution is revolt. I don't see that happening here.
I feel like you and my boyfriend would have good talks, lol. He pretty much thinks something like all this is going to happen soon too.
I am afraid that it will come to that, and I do not like the idea at all. So many people die in war, it is ugly, and the survivors are forever scarred. It seems inevitable though, considering those in power never give it up and only grab for more, and the only way to take it away from them is through violence. They have begun hauling people off to the asylum for comments made on facebook though, and diagnosing Christians with "psychosis". Tides are turning and the people want to fight back. I think a lot of people who wanted the civil war had no idea what they were wishing for, and I also fear that a lot of hot heads today are in the same boat. I can only hope that we can be shielded from the worst of it way up here in the Appalachia hills.
I'm sure if I were a mayor of a city in Texas.....nah, better not think about me, I can be a little crazy in my thinking sometimes - I'd probably cause a civil war myself.
This should be required reading. It seems many calling the shots today have no memory of what we know. I grew up when abortions were illegal. Then New York allowed them and gals flew there if they could afford it for a legal abortion. Well you know the rest. I've lived during a period of all abortions are illegal. Believe me these, what the right wing is now calling "blessings from god." were reared by aging grandparents and the children never knew how they came to be.
As for the U.N. taking over the USA where is that coming from. Your poem is a vivid example of how we are reaping the "benefits" of the culture wars ignited by the christian right wing.
Somebody blogged about this the other day. Why on earth would he send in the UN troops when he's got the whole U.S. defense machine at his fingertips? This civil war debate is just another version of a conspiracy theory. I wonder how many of the Lubbock residents would actually stand with the good mayor? There are a lot of military families out there and they tend to be patriotic. The Republican extremists are scaring people into not voting for them.
sorry. i gotta come back when my eyes work.
Aye if Xanka had any goddamn taste whatsoever you would be number one on this site, not wack ass
theologians cafe and shimmer body cream and all that soulless shit.
This site the real mahfuckin deal.
@tychecat - Dick, I love your input, old man. (and I use that term with the utmost reverence) You are truly the grand old man of Xanga. (And you should post more often so I can offer my infrequent comments. (you're never gonna live that down.) But as soon as you write "Sociologists" I can't help but remember my experience in Sociology at USC back in the early 70s. I think the prof spent 87% of classtime defending the position that Sociology was in fact a social science. I'm about to create the "Occupy Xanga" movement. Are you with me?
@SerenaDante - Smaranda, I don't know. I'm sure he's sweet. But I'd rather talk to YOU.
@mtngirlsouth - Samantha, I was going to include a link to an article about a guy whose facebook was shut down and he was singled out because of anti Obama comments as a counterpoint to this Texas county judge who is basically doing the same thing.
@vexations - "This should be required reading." Possibly one of the best of anything I've read in comments dealing with one of my entries. (except for @hesacontradiction who told me my short story "A Hole in the Wall" deserved a Pulitzer Prize.)
@whyzat - Dian, He's not the mayor. He's a judge (non commited, bipartisan, ) Links I provided to the Lubbock news feed show that the populace is somewhat shocked and upset about Judge Head's comments.
@Mockdonimus_Tuntsweet - My man! I feelz ya. Ya knowz I do.
meh, i wouldn't be surprised. since my area of education is ancient history, i'm more of a citizen of the world than America. even though i live here, i'm pretty detached when it comes to what might happen to this country. civilizations have risen and fallen for about 10,000 years now. our civilization won't be an exception.
Sorry, I'm notta political guy, I voted for Hillary cause I think she's hot. That's about it.
what i find scary is this guy is a judge. i wouldn't want him overseeing my case if i was charged with so much as a traffic ticket.
Not so long ago, and not far away from Lubbock, there was a Republic of Texas group in San Saba- a desert town much smaller and more remote than Lubbock is. They did get hauled in for questioning- by the Bush administration.
I'm no fan of Obama, but I don't think he's real hot on the UN, either. In any case, the UN can't handle Haiti or Syria, so what makes anyone think they'd be able to deal with the American tin-foilers.
and this a judge inciting people to "get" a sitting President of the United States. not only should he be in jail but anyone convicted under his jurisdiction probably has plausible cause to have their conviction overturned.
@RighteousBruin - the U.N. is not an executive body meaning it does not send troops into countries to fight. it doesn't have the authority to do so. it sends peacekeeping troops to observe and report. peacekeeping troops are only allowed to fire back defensively when fired upon even while rescuing civilians. they are not the same as coalition troops. the General Assembly offers a forum for nations to dialogue with one another. the Security Council which is made up of five permanent members, one of which is the United States, and i believe 7 rotated nation members has some executive power but that's it. the U.N. does not have a military troop base of any substantial means by any stretch of the imagination. so yeah, the idea of the United Nations invading the U.S. is totally wacko.
@baldmike2004 - I've Occupied Xanga for a long time now, but maybe I should be a little more active - as you say.
My reference to Sociologists comes from my Harvard days - I am/was actually a social historian and my ideas about sociology are not necessarily those of the majority of sociologists - or historians for that matter.Sociology is in fact a valid science - but sometimes spends so much time studying the "Trees" it ignores the "forest". Sociologists generally come in two styles: Those who want to measure and describe, or those who see the science as a chance to lead social change. My early training was in the latter - I was a pretty good "Brainwasher" as a teacher
Nigga you like an old soulful ass negro poet wondering around Xanka blowing errybody's goddamn minds out the back of the paper mache skulls, leaving not blood spatters on the wall behind them, but spirographic patterns way more complex than they little minds.
Yeah goddamit!
See ain't nobody on this site care about shit you said wasn't political.
We can argue and bitch and freak out about politics all damn day long.
That shit don't excite a nigga.
But ya poetry is what excites a nigga.
And nobody else on here commented on that shit because they too damn busy with their bombasts on the other
side of the motherfuckin plastic barrier.
But they will tire of that shit soon.
Our prophet hath forseen that shit.
Word.
Us. Ourself.
The "Pogo" quote is one that I've been citing a lot lately! Sorry, it would take too much time to leave more of a comment on here, so I'll pass. I'm just trying to catch up. ~~Blessings 'n Cheers
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