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Monday, July 02, 2007
Thinking About the Fourth
I've been thinking about the 4th of July. We never "celebrate" the 4th. It has been a meaningless holiday to me for most of my life (ever since I woke up and realized that it is B.S. to think that the U.S. is better than anyone else; ever since I got over the idealized stories they taught me in school and realized that genocide bought us this country.) We are a powerful country and we have lots of great people, but we need to be honest about what this government is doing around the globe.
Howard Zinn says it well in his article, Put Away the Flags:
Is not nationalism - that devotion to a flag, an anthem, a boundary so fierce it engenders mass murder - one of the great evils of our time, along with racism, along with religious hatred?
These ways of thinking - cultivated, nurtured, indoctrinated from childhood on - have been useful to those in power, and deadly for those out of power.
National spirit can be benign in a country that is small and lacking both in military power and a hunger for expansion (Switzerland, Norway, Costa Rica and many more). But in a nation like ours - huge, possessing thousands of weapons of mass destruction - what might have been harmless pride becomes an arrogant nationalism dangerous to others and to ourselves.
Our citizenry has been brought up to see our nation as different from others, an exception in the world, uniquely moral, expanding into other lands in order to bring civilization, liberty, democracy.
... We need to refute the idea that our nation is different from, morally superior to, the other imperial powers of world history.
We need to assert our allegiance to the human race, and not to any one nation.
Last year, for the first time, I did something meaningful for the holiday by participating in a Troops Home Fast. A group of us not only fasted as a way of protesting our country's occupation of Iraq, but we gave away food to those that our government and culture leave behind - the invisible people of our city.
This 4th, the local Iraq Veterans Against the War members will do street theater. In Operation First Casualty, "actual veterans of the conflict in Iraq will play the part of American service members - with reenactments that will highlight various aspects of life in combat in Iraq. The event will be treated like a military operation with participants in full military uniform however, there will be no weapons used at any time.
"Participants hope that by giving the American public a sense of the ugly reality of the war they will then be inspired to act to end the war now."
If you live in Colorado, please come support these veterans. If you are not able to do that, please let me know how you choose to spend your day.
Howard Zinn says it well in his article, Put Away the Flags:
Is not nationalism - that devotion to a flag, an anthem, a boundary so fierce it engenders mass murder - one of the great evils of our time, along with racism, along with religious hatred?
These ways of thinking - cultivated, nurtured, indoctrinated from childhood on - have been useful to those in power, and deadly for those out of power.
National spirit can be benign in a country that is small and lacking both in military power and a hunger for expansion (Switzerland, Norway, Costa Rica and many more). But in a nation like ours - huge, possessing thousands of weapons of mass destruction - what might have been harmless pride becomes an arrogant nationalism dangerous to others and to ourselves.
Our citizenry has been brought up to see our nation as different from others, an exception in the world, uniquely moral, expanding into other lands in order to bring civilization, liberty, democracy.
... We need to refute the idea that our nation is different from, morally superior to, the other imperial powers of world history.
We need to assert our allegiance to the human race, and not to any one nation.
Last year, for the first time, I did something meaningful for the holiday by participating in a Troops Home Fast. A group of us not only fasted as a way of protesting our country's occupation of Iraq, but we gave away food to those that our government and culture leave behind - the invisible people of our city.
This 4th, the local Iraq Veterans Against the War members will do street theater. In Operation First Casualty, "actual veterans of the conflict in Iraq will play the part of American service members - with reenactments that will highlight various aspects of life in combat in Iraq. The event will be treated like a military operation with participants in full military uniform however, there will be no weapons used at any time.
"Participants hope that by giving the American public a sense of the ugly reality of the war they will then be inspired to act to end the war now."
If you live in Colorado, please come support these veterans. If you are not able to do that, please let me know how you choose to spend your day.
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Labels: 4th of July, Howard Zinn, IVAW, Operation First Casualty
posted by Carol at 6:43 AM
7 Comments:
I've never felt patriotic about America, never felt that it was a morally superior country except maybe when I was very young.
In my family, we traditionally set off fireworks and maybe have a family barbecue - but, as with many holidays - not to celebrate the reason we get off from work, but to spend time together as family and have a little fun as family.
The fast and helping others is a great idea. The needy are often neglected in summer even more than other times of year.
Spending time with family is important! Nice that you guys enjoy getting together.
Re: "...never felt that it was a morally superior country except maybe when I was very young.": Do you think that you are the norm in this respect?
Carol you are pretty awesome. What a great way to spend the 4th.
Mary,
Thanks for visiting my blog and for your comment.
It is important for me to make the holiday a meaningful time, but the awesome people are the Iraq Veterans Against the War who are speaking up after serving in Iraq and gaining first-hand knowledge of what is going on there.
America is the last place of freedom. One should stand proud of that. I am very patriotic and thank god I am an American. People want one world government why? Why give your freedom away? Its hard to even imagine to believe for one second
We need to assert our allegiance to the human race, and not to any one nation.
What the hell does that mean let man make us live under there law. ITs an allegiance to FREEDOM you people dont get it do you.
I don't know. I think most people lose some of that "america is wonderful" veneer as they grow up and see the real world - but clearly many do not, and although I am probably a bit more global and intercultural in my education and thinking than a good many people in America.
Anonymous,
Sorry, but I don't understand where you come up with your "fact" that America is the last place of freedom. Would you please tell me how you figure that? I would think that people in many countries consider themselves free.
And where does it say that we are supposed to have an allegiance to freedom???
No, I guess I don't get it.
But thanks for writing. I would be happy to have more dialog with you.
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