joser03
3rd April 2007, 07:16
This is my introduction to the forum. I wrote the first three paragraphs or so about 3 months ago while trying to figure out how to make sense of the world and what is in store for the human species if we don't radically change our course.
I laid in my bed for three hours; thinking about what I believe in and what I fight against. I consider myself a liberal, a liberal in the sense that I believe in human equality and the power of the people to overthrow the tyrants around the world. I follow the words of John Lennon, “Imagine all the people, living life in peace.” I try to spread the word of peace and understanding. Questioning authority and not being an obedient robot. I refuse to become a victim of consumerism, becoming materialistic just because corporations say material worth equals success. As I lay awake, I began to question my reasoning. Are my ideas utopian? Will there ever be peace throughout the world, if not in my lifetime but perhaps one-hundred or five-hundred years from now?
Questioning my beliefs and ideas began after watching a program on the History Channel about Saddam Hussein and the gassing of the Kurds. Between February and September 1988, Saddam Hussein ordered a massive displacement operation, known as the Anfal (Arabic for “spoils”) campaign, against the Kurdish population in northern Iraq. Hundreds of villages were depopulated and razed to the ground. In August 1988, during the Anfal campaign, Iraqi forces attacked the Kurdish town of Halabja with bombs containing a mixture of mustard and nerve gases. An estimated 5,000 civilians, including women, children and babies, were killed in a single day. Eyewitness accounts, documents seized from Iraqi security organs during the post-1991 Gulf War uprising and information gathered by international human rights groups indicate that up to 182,000 people were killed during the Anfal campaign.
To brutally honest, I became frightened. I live in a country where I can speak out against my government and not live in fear of being executed. In one occasion in Iraq, Saddam Hussein had two rival members of an opposing party captured during a public event and executed on live television. Since Saddam controlled the media, he had the scene broadcasted over and over again; a warning to those who opposed him. It does not matter what side of the room you sit, to the left or to the right. We can all agree that Saddam Hussein was an evil man who was physically and mentally capable of destroying human lives without giving it a second thought. We would be fooling ourselves to think that the end of Saddam is the end of evil and hate in the world or in the region for that matter. Saddam is only one of many. These individuals are hungry for power and they will do whatever is needed in order to solidify their place at the top of the hierarchy. As a liberal in the United States, I see my own government as one of the same. Wealthy power-driven white men who care not about their citizens, but make decisions that will ensure that the status quo remains the same; them on top and the people under them. Those who do control the United States, the Geppettos’ to the Pinocchio’s of our country, are only concerned with American hegemony; an American Empire that controls the world.
This was the introduction to a journal entry a few months ago. Since then, my political philosophies have changed. It began with the reading of The Motorcycle Diaries and a biography of Ernesto “Che” Guevara. Prior to my finishing of the two books, I was discussing the possible annihilation of the human species. If we do not destroy ourselves by destroying the planet, we will destroy ourselves vis-à-vis, the last great war; a war in which capitalist nations attempt to maintain their grip of power over foreign nations as resources (oil) become limited or depleted. I began to think that there really is no hope for our future. In the end, we will all succumb to a history of greed for wealth and power. It is inevitable. The only way to secure our future is through technology, using science as a means to creating new infinite resources. Ironically, technology will also be a means to our own destruction. The more we “technologize,” the more dangerous we become, and in the end, it is only a matter of time before our time on this planet is up. As the saying goes, “we are too smart for our own good.”
So my next question was, how do we prevent power and money-driven individuals from bringing the end of our species. All the great destruction created in our human history was created by certain individuals, not by the “people;” from Caesar, to Washington, to the kings of England, Hitler, and even today, George W. Bush. In order to ensure our survival, the people of the world need to overthrow the capitalist system which allows individuals to rise to power. For the most part, leaders of rich capitalist nations do not get into office because they truly love their people, but rather because they have the monetary means to ensuring the continuation of the status quo. While millions of Americans live on the streets, or without health insurance, the elite in power spend billions upon billions of dollars to fight wars that will benefit their interests, not the interests of the people, even those who do support the war. For example, Vice President Dick Cheney’s stock options in Halliburton rose from $241,498 in 2004 to over $8 million in 2005, an increase of more than 3,000 percent. Will “every day Americans” benefit from Dick Cheney’s wealth? The answer is obvious, no. We fight in Iraq not to liberate the people of Iraq. To quote Che Guevara, “I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves.” It is a capitalist war. They have a resource we need. Not only do we need it in the present, but we will need it in the future. Controlling the oilfields means controlling the means of war. Without oil, other nations will not have the capacity to wage war.
But returning to my question, how do we prevent the destruction of our species? The people need to overthrow the capitalist system and radically transform the world. How does it start? At first I believed it was changing the way America does business with foreign governments. But then I thought about it some more. America will never change the way it does business unless it has to. America and it’s capitalist counterparts have the technology and the money to force world leaders to modify their economic practices to better suit their [America] needs. If they are unwilling, the US will not hesitate to fund a coup or wage a war. The answer actually rests in the hands of the people of foreign nations. Neocolonial practices have led to disastarous results for the people. The people must revolt against the system and demand for a leader that will not give in to capitalist demands.
In regards to Latin America, Rapper Immortal Technique says:
"Latino America is a huge colony of countries whose presidents are cowards in the face of economic imperialism. You see, third world countries are rich places, abundant in resources, and many of these countries have the capacity to feed their starving people and the children we always see digging for food in trash on commercials. But plutocracies, in other words a government run by the rich such as this one and traditionally oppressive European states, force the third world into buying overpriced, unnecessary goods while exporting huge portions of their natural resources."
Che Guevara envisioned that revolution can start in a certain nation, and that that revolution will inspire others to do the same. In time, a global revolution would defeat capitalism once and for all. Will that, or could that ever happen? Maybe, maybe not. The facts of the matter is this, if the people in foreign states demand for change and begin to elect leaders who are not cowards to economic imperialism, they would force capitalist nations to change their business practices. And I do not simply speak of Latin America, but on a global scale. Capitalist nations only continue to exist because of neocolonialism and imperialism. Ending the dependence on rich states will create change. And changing the system from a capitalist to socialist system will ensure the survival of all people. Will the drive towards socialism in "third-world" nations led to the collapse of capitalism in the US and other capitalist nations? I honestly do not know. The only way that would occur is if something drastic leads the people to revolt. After the failure of this administration, one can only wonder what needs to happen to lead the people to revolt. Americans are truly stupid.
Once the revolution is waged and declared a success, how do the people guarantee that the revolution will not be short-lived and that it will not return to what it was in the past? How do you prevent the corruption that can taint the system and bring an end to the revolution of the people? This is where my life has been turned upside-down. Like I said, I followed the ideas of John Lennon and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., through peaceful means. I have realized that the greed for power and money is a very serious and a dangerous force. In order to counter that power, the revolution must be equally as fierce. Failure to do so will only lead to the destruction of the revolution. It would be ignorant to believe that once the capitalist system has been broken that the war is over. The war will never be over. This is an ongoing struggle, even after the victory. After the Cuban revolutionary victory, Cuban leaders executed many individuals who were seen as counter-revolutionaries or simply put, enemies of the revolution. All my life, I have been against the death penalty and killing in general. I could never take a life. Life is just too precious. However, I know realize that in order to maintain peace, war against capitalistic tendencies will have to be waged and people will die. Achieving peace cannot exist without war. Peace cannot be maintained without death. The enemy must be eliminated. Failure of doing so will end all hope of a new life.
So this is me now. I have no trust in the capitalist system. Is socialism the answer? I don’t know. To quote Che Guevara again, “Cruel leaders are replaced only to have new leaders turn cruel.” That has to be prevented. The leaders of tomorrow need not only care for their own people, but of the people of the world. We have seen what individualistic-thinking has led to e.g., global warming, perpetual wars, greed, etc. It’s time to think beyond the self and to think about the whole.
There is perhaps more to say, but this is where I am at. A total 180 from where I was 5 months ago. This has been my thought-process to the left and from what I believe, this is the only way. I have not had any opportunities to discuss any problems with my ideas so if anyone wants to critique me, go for it. It’s the only way I’ll learn.
Thank you.
I laid in my bed for three hours; thinking about what I believe in and what I fight against. I consider myself a liberal, a liberal in the sense that I believe in human equality and the power of the people to overthrow the tyrants around the world. I follow the words of John Lennon, “Imagine all the people, living life in peace.” I try to spread the word of peace and understanding. Questioning authority and not being an obedient robot. I refuse to become a victim of consumerism, becoming materialistic just because corporations say material worth equals success. As I lay awake, I began to question my reasoning. Are my ideas utopian? Will there ever be peace throughout the world, if not in my lifetime but perhaps one-hundred or five-hundred years from now?
Questioning my beliefs and ideas began after watching a program on the History Channel about Saddam Hussein and the gassing of the Kurds. Between February and September 1988, Saddam Hussein ordered a massive displacement operation, known as the Anfal (Arabic for “spoils”) campaign, against the Kurdish population in northern Iraq. Hundreds of villages were depopulated and razed to the ground. In August 1988, during the Anfal campaign, Iraqi forces attacked the Kurdish town of Halabja with bombs containing a mixture of mustard and nerve gases. An estimated 5,000 civilians, including women, children and babies, were killed in a single day. Eyewitness accounts, documents seized from Iraqi security organs during the post-1991 Gulf War uprising and information gathered by international human rights groups indicate that up to 182,000 people were killed during the Anfal campaign.
To brutally honest, I became frightened. I live in a country where I can speak out against my government and not live in fear of being executed. In one occasion in Iraq, Saddam Hussein had two rival members of an opposing party captured during a public event and executed on live television. Since Saddam controlled the media, he had the scene broadcasted over and over again; a warning to those who opposed him. It does not matter what side of the room you sit, to the left or to the right. We can all agree that Saddam Hussein was an evil man who was physically and mentally capable of destroying human lives without giving it a second thought. We would be fooling ourselves to think that the end of Saddam is the end of evil and hate in the world or in the region for that matter. Saddam is only one of many. These individuals are hungry for power and they will do whatever is needed in order to solidify their place at the top of the hierarchy. As a liberal in the United States, I see my own government as one of the same. Wealthy power-driven white men who care not about their citizens, but make decisions that will ensure that the status quo remains the same; them on top and the people under them. Those who do control the United States, the Geppettos’ to the Pinocchio’s of our country, are only concerned with American hegemony; an American Empire that controls the world.
This was the introduction to a journal entry a few months ago. Since then, my political philosophies have changed. It began with the reading of The Motorcycle Diaries and a biography of Ernesto “Che” Guevara. Prior to my finishing of the two books, I was discussing the possible annihilation of the human species. If we do not destroy ourselves by destroying the planet, we will destroy ourselves vis-à-vis, the last great war; a war in which capitalist nations attempt to maintain their grip of power over foreign nations as resources (oil) become limited or depleted. I began to think that there really is no hope for our future. In the end, we will all succumb to a history of greed for wealth and power. It is inevitable. The only way to secure our future is through technology, using science as a means to creating new infinite resources. Ironically, technology will also be a means to our own destruction. The more we “technologize,” the more dangerous we become, and in the end, it is only a matter of time before our time on this planet is up. As the saying goes, “we are too smart for our own good.”
So my next question was, how do we prevent power and money-driven individuals from bringing the end of our species. All the great destruction created in our human history was created by certain individuals, not by the “people;” from Caesar, to Washington, to the kings of England, Hitler, and even today, George W. Bush. In order to ensure our survival, the people of the world need to overthrow the capitalist system which allows individuals to rise to power. For the most part, leaders of rich capitalist nations do not get into office because they truly love their people, but rather because they have the monetary means to ensuring the continuation of the status quo. While millions of Americans live on the streets, or without health insurance, the elite in power spend billions upon billions of dollars to fight wars that will benefit their interests, not the interests of the people, even those who do support the war. For example, Vice President Dick Cheney’s stock options in Halliburton rose from $241,498 in 2004 to over $8 million in 2005, an increase of more than 3,000 percent. Will “every day Americans” benefit from Dick Cheney’s wealth? The answer is obvious, no. We fight in Iraq not to liberate the people of Iraq. To quote Che Guevara, “I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves.” It is a capitalist war. They have a resource we need. Not only do we need it in the present, but we will need it in the future. Controlling the oilfields means controlling the means of war. Without oil, other nations will not have the capacity to wage war.
But returning to my question, how do we prevent the destruction of our species? The people need to overthrow the capitalist system and radically transform the world. How does it start? At first I believed it was changing the way America does business with foreign governments. But then I thought about it some more. America will never change the way it does business unless it has to. America and it’s capitalist counterparts have the technology and the money to force world leaders to modify their economic practices to better suit their [America] needs. If they are unwilling, the US will not hesitate to fund a coup or wage a war. The answer actually rests in the hands of the people of foreign nations. Neocolonial practices have led to disastarous results for the people. The people must revolt against the system and demand for a leader that will not give in to capitalist demands.
In regards to Latin America, Rapper Immortal Technique says:
"Latino America is a huge colony of countries whose presidents are cowards in the face of economic imperialism. You see, third world countries are rich places, abundant in resources, and many of these countries have the capacity to feed their starving people and the children we always see digging for food in trash on commercials. But plutocracies, in other words a government run by the rich such as this one and traditionally oppressive European states, force the third world into buying overpriced, unnecessary goods while exporting huge portions of their natural resources."
Che Guevara envisioned that revolution can start in a certain nation, and that that revolution will inspire others to do the same. In time, a global revolution would defeat capitalism once and for all. Will that, or could that ever happen? Maybe, maybe not. The facts of the matter is this, if the people in foreign states demand for change and begin to elect leaders who are not cowards to economic imperialism, they would force capitalist nations to change their business practices. And I do not simply speak of Latin America, but on a global scale. Capitalist nations only continue to exist because of neocolonialism and imperialism. Ending the dependence on rich states will create change. And changing the system from a capitalist to socialist system will ensure the survival of all people. Will the drive towards socialism in "third-world" nations led to the collapse of capitalism in the US and other capitalist nations? I honestly do not know. The only way that would occur is if something drastic leads the people to revolt. After the failure of this administration, one can only wonder what needs to happen to lead the people to revolt. Americans are truly stupid.
Once the revolution is waged and declared a success, how do the people guarantee that the revolution will not be short-lived and that it will not return to what it was in the past? How do you prevent the corruption that can taint the system and bring an end to the revolution of the people? This is where my life has been turned upside-down. Like I said, I followed the ideas of John Lennon and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., through peaceful means. I have realized that the greed for power and money is a very serious and a dangerous force. In order to counter that power, the revolution must be equally as fierce. Failure to do so will only lead to the destruction of the revolution. It would be ignorant to believe that once the capitalist system has been broken that the war is over. The war will never be over. This is an ongoing struggle, even after the victory. After the Cuban revolutionary victory, Cuban leaders executed many individuals who were seen as counter-revolutionaries or simply put, enemies of the revolution. All my life, I have been against the death penalty and killing in general. I could never take a life. Life is just too precious. However, I know realize that in order to maintain peace, war against capitalistic tendencies will have to be waged and people will die. Achieving peace cannot exist without war. Peace cannot be maintained without death. The enemy must be eliminated. Failure of doing so will end all hope of a new life.
So this is me now. I have no trust in the capitalist system. Is socialism the answer? I don’t know. To quote Che Guevara again, “Cruel leaders are replaced only to have new leaders turn cruel.” That has to be prevented. The leaders of tomorrow need not only care for their own people, but of the people of the world. We have seen what individualistic-thinking has led to e.g., global warming, perpetual wars, greed, etc. It’s time to think beyond the self and to think about the whole.
There is perhaps more to say, but this is where I am at. A total 180 from where I was 5 months ago. This has been my thought-process to the left and from what I believe, this is the only way. I have not had any opportunities to discuss any problems with my ideas so if anyone wants to critique me, go for it. It’s the only way I’ll learn.
Thank you.