Comfy old shoes

[mqbush]

Catching up on recent discussions in various forums, I kept
seeing the phrase “the enemy” used by those of the
militaristic persuasion. “The enemy.” Such a comforting sound,
old and familiar and rich with soulful meaning, don’t you
think? As though we’ve been locked in a struggle with this
enemy since time immemorial. What else could give any meaning
to our lives if we didn’t have this enemy to devote our lives
to narrowly keeping at bay for the next generation of valiant
defenders of freedom? 

But…gee, it appears our enemies come and go all the time, all
helter-skelter, a dime a dozen. Kinda cheapens the phrase
some. We fought leftists in Greece, leftists in the
Philippines, commies in Korea, overthrew democracy in Iran in
1953, overthrew democracy in Guatemala in 1954, Haiti,-oy,
poor Haiti, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Dominican
Republic, Chile, Honduras, Nicaragua, Grenada, Panama, El
Salvador, Somalia, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, so many
others, maybe tomorrow Iran….Whew! That’s a lotta enemies! All
the other nations on the planet, put together, don’t have so
many enemies. When it comes to making enemies, we’re number
one! Way to go! 

The rightists say we give aid and comfort to “the enemy.”
Guess what, ,- I DO feel for these countries being trashed by
Washington. I will NOT defend Washington in their appalling
attacks, or acquiesce to their Patriot Act tactics of
repression. I will NOT accept the right’s comic-book
narratives of a world out to get us (then don’t keep provoking
everybody if you’re afraid of being struck back at), the good
and peace-loving US of A being picked on by such menacing
military juggernauts as Grenada or Panama, narratives that say
we MUST spend all the public’s money, not on the public, but
on disposing of our depleted uranium as shell casings in
everybody else’s backyard, to poison children for generations
to come. I will look anyone,-president or soldier,-in the eye
and say I object to this policy of obsessive militarism, and I
will fight it as best as I can. So, listen up, NSA, and spell
my name correctly on your silly, silly lists: I am your enemy.
I am your enemy. I am your enemy.

[phillysuse]

1. Oceana is our enemy

Oceana has always been our enemy.

Where's Emmanuel Goldstein when we need him?