Sian

My Rights... As I understand them

First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

In plain old English, that means that I can say whatever the fuck I want.

And now, I'm going to.

If you don't happen to live in a country where you have the same rights--no matter where that happens to be in this world--well, sucks to be you, don't it?

The United States is a democracy.  The catch is, in order to participate in this democracy, you have to be American.  When I go into the ballot booth, I don't ask myself what's good for Turkey, Iran, France, or Brazil.  I ask what's good for America.  What's good for me, and what's good for my family and our children.  I don't tell people in France which hole to jump into, when Germany invades, and I hate it when some idiot from another hemisphere tries to tell me how to vote.  If you don't happen to be American, you don't get a vote.  Don't try to influence mine. 

And if you do try to influence my vote, if you choose to use phrases like "rethink your country", don't be too surprised if I respond negatively.  Rethink my country?  Why don't you rethink yours?  Which part of the world are you from, anyway?  The part whose ass we kicked, or the part whose ass we saved?

Allow my government to roam abroad?  They're not roaming, babe.  I'm the one who said "sick 'em." 

On September Eleventh, two thousand, nine hundred eighty-six people were murdered, on American soil.  That's Five Hundred Fifteen more than were killed at Pearl Harbor, and most of them were civilians.  Ordinary people going about their day to day lives.  People who had never fired a gun in their lives, certainly never fired one at another human being.  They were just people type people.

After Pearl Harbor, we joined the Allies in World War II.  There were 405,399  American Casualties.  No one questions whether World War II was a just war.  Why?  Was it because that was in a time when people stood up for themselves?  Was it because most of Europe--even neutrals like Switzerland--had been actively involved in hiding concentration camps for years?  Was it because of film footage of murdered Jews stacked like cordwood?

Maybe it was because it didn't take quite as much abstract reasoning to figure out that Hitler was a menace to you, your children, and your families as it takes to figure out that when you give in to terrorists, the demands just keep getting bigger: they don't go away.

posted by: SianNorah at 19:13 | link | comments (5)

Comments:

#1  05 October 2005 - 06:30

 

Massively Excellent Post!

We need more people like you.

Mo'nonymous

#2  05 October 2005 - 22:36

 

"Which part of the world are you from, anyway? The part whose ass we kicked, or the part whose ass we saved?"

The following statement might give you a clue as to why some people who come from outside the US may have an opinion on what is taking place inside the US.

"I spent 33 years and 4 months in active service as a member of our century’s most agile military force – the Marine Corps.

I served in all commissioned ranks from 2nd Lieutenant to Major – General…and during that period I spent most of my time being a high class muscleman for big business, for Wall Street and the bankers…..

Thus I helped make Mexico safe for the American interests in 1914…..

I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank to collect revenues….

I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Bros, in 1909 -1912…

I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916…..

I helped make Hondura ‘right’ for American fruit companies in 1903…

In short I was a racketeer for capitalism. "

American General Smedley D. Burke

Mo'nonymous

#3  05 October 2005 - 23:26

 

All I can say, General Burke, is that I hope that I'm still able to get around, when I've been dead as long as you have.

SianNorah

#4  07 December 2005 - 22:13

 

So that's all you have to say to that? Wow.

karol

#5  09 December 2005 - 00:39

 

LOL, Sian Norah, I'm still pissed that 121 years ago the USA decided they wanted our nation and just took it. Yeah, the 50th state didn't want to be the 50th state. Hawaii was overthrown. No government is perfect, but my great-grandmother's mother didn't want to become American. Whenever I read about the USA and war I just kinda shrug my shoulders and remind myself to keep studying hard to become one more "native" that perhaps can help achieve justice. People hate hearing this, but seriously, is it right that the USA stole Hawaii from Hawaiian people? No, right? I am American, but not by choice. My ancestors were forced to become Americans and we were quite happy being subjects to her Majesty Lili'uokalani. Hey, nice to "read" you! I'll be back after finals. *hugs*

alohalani

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