We are becoming a nation of barbarians

[ixion]

The repubilcans have tapped into the most primal instincts of humanity, and are now moving this Nation from a democratic republic to what can only be described as a barbarian nation. Pre-emptive wars of aggression are now considered okay, and questioning the clan has become grounds for banishment.

I believe this is painfully clear in the millions of people out there who still support the tragedy that is the Iraq quagmire, the millions of people who believe we should pull out of the UN, the millions of people who have no problem trading civil liberties for a false sense of security, but most of all, the millions of people who seem to respond in favor to John Wayne rhetoric put forth by people like George Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Strength (or at least the appearence of strength) is 'in', and diplomacy has been given a back seat to the reptillian urge to fight.

In my opinion, this does not bode well for the continued existence of a civil world. Thanks to the Bush regime, pre-emptive, aggressive strikes have become tolerated, if not encouraged, and this has set off a new, world wide arms race.

Now, we are reduced to a tribal mentality of kill or be killed. We have allowed ourselves to become the Banana Republics we have deplored in the past. Our leaders become ever more brutish, less intelligent, exhibiting only hatred and anger as indications of strength.

Those of us who believe in peace and democracy and diplomacy, our days are numbered, and likewise the tribes of any of those other nations who do not abide by a life lived by the sword. However, the modern version of a 'sword' is now a mini-nuke bunker buster bomb. Again, it is my belief that this does not bode well for the continued existence of civilized humanity.

I hope I am over-reacting, but I can't deny the signs that I see. Those of us who approach problems from an intellectual standpoint are being told to 'shut up', are being told to 'watch what we say'. How long will it be before saying the wrong thing will win you a space in a Gitmo cell? You think I'm joking, but I'm not.

In a barbaric clan, insubordination is grounds for banishment, or worse.

It's ironic, isn't it? From the Age of Information to the new Age of Barbarianism. How far we've fallen in such a short time. And it wouldn't have been possible if not for media networks like FOX, CNN and MSNBC.

Okay, there's my thought. I will no go outside the cave and await the inevitable stoning I'll receive for speaking ill of our glorious cheiftans.

[DrGonzoLives]

1. It's the FUCKING MEDIA

Christ, is it so hard to understand? Most people don't spend hours and hours a day online chasing down information to get the whole story. They have been conditioned to trust the news, thanks to the reputation they used to have to being dedicated to finding the truth.

Now we have large corporations owning the media in order to keep the populace uninformed and fed a steady line of propaganda to keep the status quo in power. Any questions?

[ixion]

2. yeah, I said that...

if you read the entire post, you'll see where I place blame.

[Homer12]

3. The Right-Wing Media Thrives by Stiring up Anger and Out-Rage.

Americans whom don't go and check facts themselves live in a world of ignorance, which will lead them to think and vote with their emotions, not with tempered logic.

The Right-Wing Media has used this tactic since 1996 with Newt Gingrich, and it Works well.

They bring out the worst in Americans.

An angery person, is a person that is harder to reason with. Democrats and the left use much mroe reason than emotion in their arguments.

[Fovea]

6. Can anyone source this line?

"There is a bear in the woods"

If you can, you can see where and with whom this current devolution of political discourse got underway.

[billyskank]

20. 1984, Ronald Reagan's re-election campaign

There is a bear in the woods. For some, the bear is easy to see. Others don't see it at all. Some say the bear is tame, others say it is vicious and dangerous. Since no-one can really be sure who is right, isn't it smart to be as strong as the bear - if there is a bear.

Referring the the USSR and the escalation in the arms race.

[leftchick]

4. my personal experience with the barbarian mindset...

My son and I were attending a wonderful, peaceful anti-war protest last Feb. in our city of Greensboro. As we paraded by the Childrens' Museum downtown singing, chanting and waving our signs, out walks a freeper family from the museum. The cro-magnum father dragging a toddler by the arm, his poor wife holding a baby trying to hide her face, while he is storming out the door SCREAMING "Bomb The Shit Out Of Them" over and over and over all the way to his pickup. My eight year old son was shocked and awed. I was horrified. It truly is absolutly frightnening to me the mind set that pervades our nation.

:(

[DuctapeFatwa]

5. Great piece! Thanks!

:toast:

[GOPFighter]

7. Democracy is still an experiment...

...we might find that the ignorant, the irrespnsible, the haters, the anti-everything, the paraniod, and the anarchists eventually take over the system once it's been in place long enough.

On the other hand, it's obvious a significant number of California voters are fed up with politics as usual. So am I. IMO, many who voted for Arnold were merely giving politicians, the political parties, and the media the finger. They're telling the system, F*CK YOU, ALL OF YOU! But I can only conclude that much of the mess that voters are rebelling against is their own damn fault. Government, like a marriage, requires a lot of damn hard work. You've got to pay attention, read, educate yourself on how government is supposed to work, so that you know when the pigs are lying to you, and trying to screw you.

Sigh...

[Muddleoftheroad]

8. We don't want to admit it

But LOTS of people like Ahnold. It's not just his movie character, it's tons of friends in Hollywood and lots of people who have met him in his various endeavors. Face it, he has more charisma than all of the people we are running for president put together.

There was a line in Back To The Future about Reagan saying it makes sense that our president be an actor because he has to appear on TV so much. Well, Ahnold is polished in front of a camera and people like him. That's all there is to this.

[bring_em_home_bush]

9. ~

Democracy consists of choosing your dictators, after they've told you what you think it is you want to hear.
Alan Corenk
-

[Flying_Pig]

10. This is all well and good, but one must deal with realities.

Fact is, the current situation was created by fascist Republcians and their servile media. OK, accpeting that, what do we do about it? Shall we be genteel in the face of brutal, head-smashing politics, and curtsey in our pink-tutus while the barbarian hoards run us over like a bunch gumby toys?

NOT!

As repugnant as it is to some of us, we must, for now, fight fire with fire. For unless we do, we are doomed to even worse things, and even more barbarism.

[ixion]

12. so, what are you saying, that we become barbarians too?

See, that's the thing. I don't want to lower myself to the level of Cro-Magnon. That is de-evolution. That is moving backward, not forward. And doing so will only escalate the situation.

What to do in lieu of that?

I guess we have a couple options: Intellectual and Fatalistic.

Intellectually, we continue to try and show people the true face behind the polished facade.

Or, fatalistically, watch the whole thing go over the edge.

As someone who doesn't believe violence solves problems, as one who believes that violence begats violence, I don't think that lowering ourselves to their level is the answer. But you may be right and I may be taking the high road in vain.

[tom_paine]

16. You gonna lay down in front of them like MLK?

Ghandhi once said that the methodology he used to free India from British Rule would have NEVER worked in S. Africa because the Afrikaners would have rolled their tanks right over the nonviolent protestors.

In spirit (if not yet in action), Imperial Amerikans are much more like "non-racist" Afrikaners (though coincidentally their targets do seem to have a higher proportion of despised subgroups...Black, Jewish, Gay) than ever before.

I am not advocating violence, but I suspect the whole thing is already over the edge, and we get to watch it plunger hundreds of feet down to a fiery crash now.

Though switching from Republic to Empire did give Imperial Rome a temporary boost...maybe it will do the same for Imperial Amerika.

[ixion]

19. Empires fall... that's rule number one

Rome, having been one of the largest, most expansive empires, fell. It was crushed by the magnitude of its own girth. Certainly, this will be the fate of the new Amerikan Empire. Lowering ourselves to their sleazy reptillian level will not accomplish our inteded goal, IMHO.

[DemNoir]

11. Great post thank you

I have been way to angry to put together such a coherent statement, it was great to read.

We have become the most ignorant nation in the modern world. The real irony is that we live in a time when information is easier to obtain than ever but we become more misinformed with each passing day.

I am filled with fear about the future. To see him win with such broad support is a real shock to me. I just keep thinking if this can happen then what next? Any horror is possible as long as it is endorsed by celebrity and backed with marketing.

When the media once again turns its attention to proping Bush back up it will be no contest.

I have not felt so bleak about the future in a long time.

[Bandit]

13. The Rabble has been Roused.

It is becoming more apparent every day that America is in steep decline. I wish there were some nice state somewhere that was only for progressives and let the Rabble destroy the rest of America. Maybe after it's all over we could pick up the remains and rebuild a country to be proud of. I would be happy to move to a state that had only progressive policies.

[ixion]

14. yep, I'd move there, too...

maybe we can pitch in and by an island somewhere, or take after the Oceania folks and build our own island. It would be sad to wait until after the destruction of our country to start from scratch, but that may be what we have to do, I guess.

*sigh*

[tom_paine]

17. You kidding? The Busheviks would like nothing better than to give us

a "Sherman"ing...as in Sherman mnarches through Georgia.

Further, as Authoritarian Countries such as Czarist Russia, the Austria-Hungary Empire, and Germany felt the need to destroy Poland when she dared create an (old Republic) American-style Constitution, neither can the Busheviks tolerate a progressive state next to it.

As I said, they are fully chomping at the bit to give some Yankee state the Sherman treatment, if only we give them the excuse.

[ixion]

18. I suppose you're right, TP... but

personally I remain opposed to violence. Where does that leave us? That leaves us fighting in the streets. Violence is not a solution to violence, IMHO, although at this point we're going to need at the very least a massive intellectual revolution. And as far as that goes, we're out gunned in that regard. The only thing we have is intellect and reason and common sense, but again, that may just mean the death of common sense.

[NJCher]

15. demagoguery rules

It's damn painful watching your own country in its downfall. The fact of the matter is, however, we have a large population of ignorant,happy shopaholics who have no thought for anyone or anything but themselves. We are their unfortunate companions in this descent into hell.


Cher