This weekend is a weekend to remember
those in service to this country, fighting for our rights and
freedoms we all enjoy. At least that is what we are all told and
maybe that is what it once was, it's not about that anymore.
All I can think of or remember is the
thousands of men, women, and children that are dead or dying in this
needless sham of a terror war that we are currently engaged in. There
have been so many civilians killed in the last 10 years of this
'war', it's heart breaking, most of them killed in those wonderful
unmanned drone attacks. They say that they “save” Americans but
the “collateral damage” is counted by the deaths of innocent
civilian children. In Iraq alone, according to the Iraq Body Count
Project, since 2003 to 2011 there have been 89,185 civilian deaths.
From the beginning this war has been
about money, oil, and pride. It has never had anything to do with
American safety. We have known from the start that the great majority
of the terrorists that flew those planes into the trade centers were
from Saudi Arabia, but did we go to war with them? No. Why, because
we have this deal with them to supply our oil habit. It's no wonder
why the people of Saudi Arabia hate America. We prop up one of the
most oppressive, anti-human rights, theocratic governments in the
world, but hey it's all good, they sell us oil.
The idea that the war we are fighting
now is a fight for our rights and freedoms is laughable. How is this
possible when all Americans aren't treated fairly or equally under
the law? When there are laws being posed that would restrict a
woman's access to birth control for religious reasons.
Or the laws that are attempting to restrict a woman's right to choose
what to keep in her body for religious reasons.
Or the laws that would prosecute a woman for miscarrying they fetus
she was attempting to carry for religious reasons.
Or the wonderful purposed idea that would force a woman to carry to
term a fetus that is dead the way farm animals are forced to.
Then
there is the fact that in 33 states a gay couple cannot get a
government issued legal document of marriage for religious
reasons. Maybe the reason
American politicians get along so well with Saudi Arabian officials
is because they want to be just like them when they grow up. Just
change the name of the god, and the holy book and there you go;
Christian Sharia Law. Before long we will be locking up and executing
people for not conforming to their ideas of religious laws. President
Obama just this year signed the Nation Defense Authorization Act that
make it possible for the government to arrest anyone, including
American citizens, for being suspected of “terrorism”. Those
legally defined terms can mean whatever the government wants it to.
The NDAA would also let the government hold that person without
telling them what they have been charged with for as long as they
want and then try and sentence them without their knowledge or input.
Is is really that far of a stretch to see how this could so easily be
abused?
George
Carlin said, “Right aren't “rights” if someone can take them
away- They're privileges. That's all we've ever had in this country:
a bill of temporary privileges. And if you read the news, even badly,
you know that the list gets shorter and shorter.” He is exactly
right. What we call rights don't seem to be rights at all. They have
been refused, taken away, and we have voted to give them away (though
I didn't) out of fear and hatred. What we are working with now are
only privileges and not every American is working with the same set
of privileges. If this doesn't upset you I have to assume you are one
of the many that have been brainwashed by the Republican party, Fox
news and/or the church, and I am incredibly sad for you.
This
is what floods my mind when I think about Memorial Day this year,
unnecessary death and stolen rights. I don't see the point in
celebrating, but I will take the day off to try and explain to my
kids why voting is so important.
