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Thread: A Nation Of Cowards Celebrating Illusions

  1. #1
    imported_The__One
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    A very true and to the point text, worth a read


    Published on Thursday, May 8, 2003 by CommonDreams.org 
    A Nation of Cowards 
    by Sidney Hall, Jr.
     
    For a brief moment after 9/11, we recognized some genuine heroes in our midst, those who put their lives on the line to rescue strangers and those who put their own needs in back of the needs of others in the middle of tragedy. The celebration of this heroism may have become a little gaudy, but it was sincere.

    Since then we seem to have become a nation of cowards celebrating illusions.

    There is a president, who, in reaction to the devastation of 9/11, does not act with forbearance, curiosity to understand the root cause, and as a world leader. Instead he lashes out at blurry targets with more force than we were met with. This is not the act of a brave man. This is the act of a coward.

    There is a senator who sees his country yawing dangerously off course and, for the first time in its history abusing its power openly and shamelessly. The senator says nothing, though he knows better, because he is afraid of an emotional backlash if he engages in rational discussion. He is afraid he will lose the next election. This is the act of a coward.

    There is a citizen who is unable to think. He succumbs to fear, believes every scary story he hears, buys duct tape for his doors and windows, when a bit of thinking would tell him he is in more danger from getting into his car. This is the act of a coward.

    There is a journalist who knows there are young children dying in hospitals in Iraq, with their bodies horribly disfigured as the result of our country’s doings, yet he will not show pictures of these children so that people can weigh the consequences of war for themselves. He shows pictures of massively-armed Americans and reports every “coalition” news release as gospel truth. This is the act of a coward.

    There is an attorney general who is so scared by events that he is willing to subvert the very essence of what we would normally be fighting for. He wraps his subversive activities in a cloud of confusion. This is the act of a coward.

    There is a citizen who hangs a flag out on his house as a sign proclaiming that he cannot think, that it is enough to “support our troops” whether what they are doing is right or wrong. This is the act of a coward.

    There is the soldier who fires into an oncoming vehicle carrying a family with women and children because he thinks they are coming after him. This is the act of a coward.

    There is another soldier who fires into a crowd of civilians when someone throws a sandal at him. Sure he is young, scared to death by the situation he has been unfairly drawn into, but he doesn’t wait for a real reason to fire. This is the act of a coward.

    Another soldier trains the barrel of his tank on a hotel full of journalists and fires. This is the act of a coward.

    A soldier stands by while hospitals and museums are looted and anarchy descends on a great city. This is the act of a coward.

    Many of these are scared kids put into an impossible place. We should pity them, but that does not make them the heroes.

    There is a reporter who forbears to report how scared and unnerved these kids are, for fear he might undermine his president. This is the act of a coward.

    A member of the United States Congress goes into his cafeteria and renames French Fires, Freedom Fries, because he he is unable to take any criticism from another country, even the country that helped pave the way for American freedom. Is this the act of a brave man? No, this is the act of a coward.

    A scholar who advises the White House concludes that force and fear are the only way to end a cycle of terrorism that perpetuates itself because of force and fear. He does not even think about finding the reasons for the problem, or the solutions. This is the act of a coward.

    And the president comes forth smirking and swaggering, dressing in military garb and gloating. We have seen this from the worst of world leaders before, the Stalins and Hitlers, and though our president may not rise to the same level of evil, he resembles them uncomfortably. They are the leaders that did what they did and smirked and swaggered while they did it because they were essentially cowards too.

    We have, it seems, at last become a nation of cowards. Cowardice has woven itself right into the fabric of our lives. A nation of cowards—except those who aren’t, and there are many. And in the heart of every American there is a bravery waiting to emerge. If someone would come along who would call on that bravery, if another Martin Luther King came suddenly into our midst, you would see bravery flower everywhere overnight.

    We are, all of us, after all, just human.

  2. The Drawing Room   -   #2
    j2k4's Avatar en(un)lightened
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    I have not read such an unmitigated, misguided, uninformed, comprehensively and unrelentingly STUPID screed since Dubya was elected.

    Sidney Hall, Jr. seems to think the United States is nothing more than a spindle of plump red cheeks, to be sent forever spinning by slaps administered by international passersby.

    WHAT AN ASSHOLE!!!
    "Researchers have already cast much darkness on the subject, and if they continue their investigations, we shall soon know nothing at all about it."

    -Mark Twain

  3. The Drawing Room   -   #3
    kAb's Avatar Poster
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    First, i stopped reading when he began to disrespect our troops. if the driver does not know to stop at a checkpoint like every other car, maybe there is a reason, and this could be a threat. earlier when soldiers tried to be friendly to iraqi surrendering people, they were blown up. The ultimate precautions are necessary.

    so i have a few words for you:


  4. The Drawing Room   -   #4
    echidna's Avatar Poster
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    He isn't disrespecting the troops he is dismayed at the lack of fore thought given to their deployment
    i tend to agree given that the 'post-conflict phase' of operation 'iraqi-freedom' looks like giveing iraq the freedom to be burned and looted while having malnutrition and no medical supplies
    hope i never get to be free like that
    i pity those kids sent into a fools war by cheney and rummy
    bush (a) & (B) cheney and rummy, are the ones who are being called cowards
    they demonstrate contempt for life through their illguided deployment of the lives of others
    [i don't like the article much, the constant rephrasing is a bit twee or sumthin]

  5. The Drawing Room   -   #5
    It is easy to sit before your computer and critize the actions of others.
    But to do so, and not offer a suggestion of what should have been done.
    This is the cerebral drooling of a man without a plan.
    This is the act of a coward.


    Word play is easy
    Aren't we in the trust tree, thingey?

  6. The Drawing Room   -   #6
    ignorance is bliss and will continue to be so.

  7. The Drawing Room   -   #7
    dwightfry's Avatar Poster
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    I believe that the over-all message is true, but worded very poorly. When someone is fighting in a war, it is a matter of life and death. Mistakes were made by some americans, but only because the americans were protecting themselves from a possible situation that could cost them there lives. Also, supporting our troops and supporting the war are 2 completely different things, I was against the war, but if I had an american flag I would still hang it up to show support for the troops. In fact, if I had had an Iraqi flag, I would of hung that up right next to it. I didn't want anyone to die, on either side. I see this entire war as a mistake, just as I spoke of the americans who killed innocent people while attempting to protect itself, Bush started this war attempting to protect the country. The war (battle phase) has been over for a month now, there has been no WMD found, and no proof that they have had them any time soon. We have a couple of Iraqi's who claim to have destroyed them shortly before the war, but then why haven't they found the remains yet? Bush claimed this war would protect us from Al Queda....how so? More muslims hate us now then ever. This war gave them a reason to join Al Queda. The only good thing about this war was freeing Iraq, If I could go back in time, I would still be against the war, but I can't say I hate Bush for starting it, the war still had a positive outcome.........so far.
    Life should come with backround music
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  8. The Drawing Room   -   #8
    Bush claimed this war would protect us from Al Queda....how so? More muslims hate us now then ever. This war gave them a reason to join Al Queda.  from last post
    Wonder about the news from riyhad...

  9. The Drawing Room   -   #9
    Someone must rid the planet of this infectious disease or Dis-Ease known as Juniour Bush,a man who doesnt learn from past mistakes of other ''Presidents''', Criminals really.Yes lets go bomb the SHIT out of a 3rd world country[WHO HAD FUCKIN NOTHIN TO DO WITH 911,more than half the Terrorists killed on that gloriuos day were from Saudi Arabia,just another puppet of the US]And they also say ''Hey we'll be heroes and rid them of there WMD,Lo and Behold where the fuck r these EVIL weapons??oh my could the americans have been wrong?No Never we are the Greatest nation on earth,yes we love our fellow brother,as long as there White Westerners who give us money Or Oil Rich countries with a Government/Leader of OUR CHOOSING.WHY in gods name do u people insist on CONROLLING EVERYTHING??Did not the actions and mistakes u made in Central/South America teach u a thing???Or in Somalia?LOL or Vietnam or Cambodia(oh we didn't go to war with the people of Cambodia,shit u drop more Bombs on Cambodia[dont forget Loas] then any other country,fact,look it up,STOP living in your Suburban Dreams of a Country that does NO WRONG!!Lies,Deciet,Arrogance,Vanity,Attitude,Conceded,Our Way OR we BOMB the shit out of Ya View of life.So Very sad having such a narrow-minded perspective and a Black&white policy.Before u guys start pointing out the Evil ways of other Countries,maybe,Just maybe take a good long look at your ''Utopia'' or Eden.I'd call it a Dystopia,,Rapists,school shootings,Racism,HUGE Drug problem,police brutallity/Corruption,the Constant Lies from the Politicians,the false promises.Overly Crowded Prison population,i could spend hours with this list of BULLSHIT.But u get the point reader,who in no doubt is an American,oh well HATE ME,spew forth your Venomous Anger,plan Vengence to come and KILL me,its what u FUCKS do best isn't it?Yes your society strives for violent Movies,T.V. shows,Games,Music so BRING IT ON YOU VILE WORMS,REPLY WITH HATE AND DISGUST AND TORRENTIAL THOUGHTS OF WAR,MURDER,AND REVENGE!!I welcome it.

  10. The Drawing Room   -   #10
    Rule 1: Don't post when drunk, it tends to accentuate emotional lability.

    Could you please direct me to the country where politicians don't lie. Or do you just pretend to believe yours don't. C'mon, that's what they do. This is what "phonys" grow up to be.



    You need to understand that people are people, everywhere. Governments are the thugs.

    Our government is acting to protect the interests of the United States. The premise for the war was that WMD owned by Iraq could fall into the wrong hands. 9/11 is the take home message that says, "a stitch in time, saves nine".

    So, we are doing what ANY country with our capability would do. If you don't like it, we don't care. We perceive a threat, we act to neutralize it. Your country would do the same if it could.



    On the other hand, as an American citizen I hold my goverment accountable for it's actions. If Dubyah says Iraq is a threat, he needs to prove it. So far we have come up short.

    So at this time the war was a bad move. We have turned the entire Arab community against us and so now things are worse not better. I have cautioned people again and again that the freedom of the Iraqi people is a PR sideshow and should not be considered when judging the "righteousness" of this war.

    If we do not find WMD, these short term warm fuzzies, are going to be a long term disaster, on this we are agreed. (I have several posts in this forum which flesh this out more).



    As for racism, this is a human trait, not an American trait. The racism you see in America does not come from the educated, but from the dregs of society. These losers need to find something in themselves to be proud of. Since they have nothing tangible, they cling to the delusional straw of racism, somehow claiming to be superior to another race. You see this is about self esteem, and I bet you see this replicated over and over, all around the world, among a populations underclasses.



    Drug problems, crime, prison over crowding, shooting, these are all a product of FREEDOM. Freedom is great, unfortunately it requires a bit of responsibilty on the part of the owner. Unfortunately, most abuse their freedom and the above are the result. We could elimate this problem by killing all criminals, killing everyone with drugs and guns, but as a nation, at this point, we find individual freedoms to be more important. Sometimes freedom is hard to deal with when people abuse it so badly.



    As for violent movies, Tv, games shows- I consider that an "add-on" from someone on a total rant. If you think these shows beget violence in balanced humans then look around you for that bottle of glue, I think the lid is off. Any society is filled with it's percentage of defectives, freedom allows our to have guns (don't get me started here).



    In the end, American citizens are no different than you, except a little fatter and with better stuff. And we intend to keep it that way. As would your country, if the tables were reversed. So take the saddle off your high horse, understand essential human nature and quite whining about sour grapes.
    Aren't we in the trust tree, thingey?

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