I want Ruppert to realize this as he sits in Caracas, Venezuela safe and sound..
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VHeadline.com commentarist Mary MacElveen writes: As I read Michael Ruppert's piece published here at VHeadline.com, I am angry in the way he depicts the citizens of my country since he has basically renounced his citizenship, by stating that he is a citizen of the world.
When he (Ruppert) stated "its people have surrendered to tyranny, and in so doing, they have become tyranny’s primary support group; its base constituency; its chief defender."
Like it or not, we as a society here in America still have a choice in which we partake or not partake in politics and the issues that surround it.
- But, not everyone has surrendered nor do they act as this government's primary support group and base constituency.
As I have written in previous articles, there are many within my country working more than one job just to make ends meet, and just where are they supposed to find the time to get involved when they have to put food on the table?
Also, many of these workers do have families and are they supposed to put aside the needs of their family to meet Ruppert's expectations?
If that is so, then he is pretty selfish for thinking that they should.
When he said that America was dead, that is a smack in the face to the many volunteers across this country who donate their time to help those less fortunate or rise to the occasion when America is in trouble. I do not care whether or not they are Republican, Democrat, Green Party, Independent Party or any other party, but if they rise to this occasion, they are showing the strength of this country.
After 9/11, people rallied together to help the victims of that horrific event. I've decided to leave out what caused this attack to happen since this piece is not about what caused it ... but our resolve afterward.
Many from different walks of life came together to see how they can best help out ... they did not do this because our government told them to, but out of the love of their fellow citizens. Those that did pay the ultimate price were our first responders such as police officers and fire fighters.
- As those fire fighters raced up the stair of the Twin Towers, they were climbing the stairs into Heaven.
That is what our first responders do. They put their lives on the line to keep us safe. To say that America is dead is a slap on the face to every single first responder. People even lined up around blocks to give blood and hospitals were overwhelmed in these donations. Even massage therapists showed up to help relieve the muscle tension of those volunteers working at Ground Zero.
When TWA Flight 800 came crashing down off the coast of Long Island where I live (please no conspiracy theories in response to this tragic event), I know many first responders personally who answered the call. You can still see the pain on their face when it is mentioned. One homicide detective I know, when asked of this event, finds it hard to speak of it. I can understand why, since there were no survivors. The county where I live was strained to the limit handling this crash ... but that did not stop everyone from pitching in. Our Suffolk County, NY morgue was pushed into overload, but the doctors came from all over to help the Medical Examiner of our county deal with this event.
Both 9/11 and Flight 800 directly affected the citizens of Long Island since in both instances many loved ones were lost to us all. As one walks into our local high school, what is clearly visible are four pictures of those lost in the Twin Towers.
While the United States government was incompetent in responding and preparing for Hurricane Katrina, our first responders were once again present to help those in that storm ravaged region. Volunteers even still visit today to see how they can best help out. A friend named Kathy just got back from New Orleans where she gave her time to help Habitat for Humanity.
Is America dead, when good people like this take time out of their busy schedules to help their fellow human beings?
They may not be answering the call to Ruppert's liking, but they are answering in other ways.
When Ruppert stated "Few have tried to hold the government accountable for 2,500 Americans who have died needlessly, and those who have, have been remarkably ineffective."
While the effect may not be instantaneous, those of us who write for progressive and alternative news sites continue to try instead of fleeing our country. We who choose to stay and fight do so in honor of the framers of this country who gave their life's blood in order to give birth to this ideal, this country and democracy itself.
Does one see Michael Moore, Arianna Huffington and other more notable progressive writers fleeing this country? No, they soldier on.
- I am sure that they have been met with their own personal tyrannies for daring to speak out.
Now, let us speak of the journalists that have died while covering the war in Iraq. I do not care which organization they worked for ... they were sent into harm's way to cover this war and left behind families. Those reporters who died did not flee this country, but answered a higher calling in which they felt the need to cover this perverse war. I want Michael Ruppert to realize this as he sits in Caracas, Venezuela safe and sound.
When he states this of Americans that they are being led into a "deeper into ever-less-satisfying consumption, self-indulgence and debt." I find that to be a blanket condemnation of all Americans. Not every American is this way. Quite frankly, not every American can afford to live this way. Even the more well to do in our country answer the call by selflessly working for volunteer agencies that help those less fortunate. They are answering the late President John F. Kennedy's call "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."
I would like to know if Michael Ruppert is a psychic when he wrote "I have tried and sacrificed with every fiber of my being to change my country, but the plain fact is that the United States of America cannot and will never be changed from within."
While the FBI agent stated to him “Mike, the world doesn’t want to be saved,”maybe it will take a great leader or the people themselves that will indeed save us all. In the end of the movie, 'V for Vendetta' we saw how the people of Britain took back their power.
- Please excuse me if you have not seen this wonderful movie, but that movie and its end inspired me that there maybe some hope for us yet.
While I will not address the personal reasons that led to his fleeing this country (since I have not researched it), I will not tolerate him bashing the country that I love and, yes, its people.
While I abhor my government, I still find those that I come in contact with everyday to be wonderful people that do care. If one were to take the politics out of our everyday conversations, we just may find we have more in common then we think.
Not all Americans are self-absorbed narcissists who are only worried about their way of life.
I have met people who are truly concerned with the welfare of others. So, while he has fled, there are countless others that decide to stay and in our small way will continue to try to make things better for all.
After Bush came to power ... and to be honest ... I too felt like leaving the country, but you know what?
This is my country too and I will continue to stay, soldier on, and fight for what I believe is right.
There are many good things about the United States of America and that is why I choose to stay.
Mary MacElveen
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.vheadline.com/MacElveen
